Japanese Private 1st Class with Imperial Russian Excellent Shooting Badges during Siberian Expedition

Amazing photo. It was made somewhere around 1920-1921 in Spasskaya [Village, Primorsky Krai] Seko Photo Studio /スパスカヤ 瀬古写真館/.

 

Unknown 1st class private is wearing 1st and 2nd badges "For excellent shooting from rifles/За отличную стрельбу из винтовок" type 1909.

The badge "For excellent shooting from rifles" was awarded to the lower ranks - the winners of shooting competitions ("the best in shooting") held in the military units. One was awarded the badge "For excellent shooting" of the 3rd class for winning the competition for the first time, the second time - the badge of the 2nd class, the third time - the badge of the 1st class. This rule applied to infantry and cossack units. Excellent shooters of the cavalry and cavalry cossack units, as well as parts of the railway, engineering, convoy, flotillas of the military department received badges of the 3rd, 2nd and 1st class for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th times winning respectively. The right to wear the highest of the received class of the badge was also retained after the promotion of the awardee to officer. In this case, the recipient had to wear the corresponding badge reduced by one third on the left side of the chest.​

Excerpt from original regulation.

The badge for excellent shooting for the lower ranks has three classes:

a) The first (highest) class consists of a monogram image of the Emperor's Name, with the Imperial Crown at the top, surrounded by a ribbon with a convex inscription: for excellent shooting , two crossed rifles and an image, a round target below. Monogram, crown, ribbons and target - yellow metal; rifles - blued;

b) The second class consists of a circle of yellow metal 20 times smaller than a round target, with two rifles crossed on its surface and with a round convex inscription of the same color: for excellent shooting;

c) The third class (junior) consists of the same circle as the second class but made in white metal and with the same inscription.​

Instruction for shooting from rifles, carbines and revolvers from April 22, 1914​

Знак за отличную стрельбу нижних чинов имеет три степени:

а) Первая (высшая) степень состоит из вензелового изображения Имени ГОСУДАРЯ ИМПЕРАТОРА, с Императорской Короной наверху, окружённого лентой с выпуклой надписью: за отличную стрельбу, двух перекрещённых винтовок и изображение, круглой мишени внизу. Вензеловое изображение, корона, ленты и мишень - жёлтого металла; винтовки - воронёные;

б) Вторая степень состоит из кружка жёлтого металла по размерам в 20 раз меньше круглой мишени, с двумя перекрещёнными на поверхности его винтовками и с круглой выпуклой надписью того же цвета: за отличную стрельбу;


в) Третья степень (младшая) состоит из такого же кружка, но только белого металла, и с такой же надписью, как у второй степени.​

Наставление для стрельбы из винтовок, карабинов и револьверов от 22 апреля 1914 года​