A 3.75 inch by 5 inch red bound book filled with basic musketry firearms use and firearm maneuver execution along with basic ceremonial practices and protocols.

This is an official 1894 edition of the Musketry Instruction manual, issued by the British War Office. It would have been standard reference material across British and Dominion forces, including the Canadian Militia. This edition predates the introduction of the Lee-Enfield rifle and focuses on the earlier service rifles, such as the Martini-Henry and early bolt-action Lee-Metford.

The Lee-Metford was Britain’s first magazine-fed repeating rifle in .303 caliber. It represented a huge leap in firepower compared to the earlier Martini-Henry single-shot rifles. Troops could fire multiple aimed shots before reloading, a critical advantage in modern warfare.

When the 48th Highlanders of Canada were formed in 1891, musketry training was a key part of preparing the regiment to professional standards. The manual laid out drills, aiming techniques, target practice regulations, and standardized range procedures. Officers and NCOs were expected to be thoroughly familiar with these regulations and to instruct recruits accordingly.

Musketry Instruction, 1894 – Table of Contents

1. Preliminary Instruction
   • General principles of musketry training
   • Safety precautions
   • Theory of rifle fire
   • Aiming and firing positions
2. Description and Care of Arms
   • Description of the Magazine Rifle (Lee-Metford)
   • Stripping and assembling parts
   • Cleaning the barrel and magazine
   • Care of ammunition
3. Instruction in Aiming
   • Lining and sighting exercises
   • Aiming drill without firing
   • Judging distances
4. Position Drill
   • Standing, kneeling, prone positions
   • Holding the rifle correctly
   • Trigger squeeze
5. Range Practice
   • Standard targets and scoring
   • Practice distances (usually 100–600 yards)
   • Firing exercises (slow and rapid fire)
6. Fire Discipline and Orders
   • Range commands
   • Loading and unloading procedures
   • Fire control in skirmish line
7. Instruction of Recruits
   • Sequence of lessons
   • Repetition of drills
   • Checking progress
8. Ammunition Allowances
   • Annual entitlement for training
   • Allowance per man
9. Record Keeping
   • Marking and scoring books
   • Company musketry returns
   • Certificates of proficiency
10. Appendices
    • Range construction guidelines
    • Marksmanship classification
    • Diagram plates

Interesting Notes About the Book’s Content:

• It includes fold-out diagrams of targets and range layouts.
• The book specifies drills for both single-shot and magazine fire.
• There are detailed instructions for estimating range without instruments.
• Early editions still mention the Martini-Henry in transitional units.
• Officers and NCOs were expected to memorize the fire commands verbatim.