'Knute' - Thanks for the link to the 1909 Michigan annual report. I had not seen that reference before.

It has some points interesting to me:

1. It confirms the Remington-Lee rifles were passed on to the Michigan Naval Reserves after the Mich. N.G. was equipped with Krag rifles.

2. It points out some of the faults of the  M.N.G. Lee rifles.

3. Colonel William H. Thielman was the Michigan National Guard Officer inspecting the Naval Reserves at Hancock, Mi., in 1909.
In 1904, Captain W.H. Thielman, commanded Co. E, 3rd. Michigan infantry. My paternal grand-father and other relatives were under his command in the early 1900's.

W.H. Thielman was a good rifle shot and a member of the Michigan team that went to Sea Girt for the 1903 National Matches.
He ran the family's lumber-yard in Calumet, Michigan, back in that era.
(I met his grand-daughter at an Uncle's Funeral, two years ago, and was able to send her some bio. information on William for her family).

4. The 1909 report indicates that the rank and file of the M.N.G. companies had access to more Range facilities. Privates in the N.G. were better trained and got a lot more opportunity to fire their rifles.

A common complaint, from the 1870's to 1904, was that all the National Guard ammunition was shot up by the competitive shooters, who were mainly officers.

There were annual training camps at which the privates only got to fire five shots or none at all! The lack of shooting and marksmanship brought in to question the usefulness of the M.N.G.

It appears, that by 1909, much headway had been made.