I'm trying to find a copy of an article, probably titled "The Humble
.22", by Captain E. C. Crosman that was written at the end of the 19th
Century, or the beginning of the 20th Century. It may have been
printed in Esquire magazine, or reprinted elsewhere. The article was
about the .22 caliber rifle. Succesful answer to this question will
provide a legible copy of the text of the article, hardcopy or
softcopy, or a link to the entire text.

szak --

Thanks very much for your clarification.  

Let me first give you a direct answer to your question, as clarified. 
I will then describe the search strategy I used to find that
information and to determine with a fair degree of confidence that a
magazine article on the same subject, if it exists at all, is not to
be found online.

The full title of the book you are interested in is "Small-Bore Rifle
Shooting, A Practical Handbook Covering in Complete Detail the New
Sport of Shooting with .22 Caliber Rifles-Equipment, Ranges,
Marksmanship, Competitions and Clubs."  It was written by Col. Edward
C. Crossman in 1927 and published by Small Arms Technical Publishing
Company in Marahalltown, DE.

Since I posted my clarification request based on my initial search, I
have determined that at least 18 copies of the book are available from
online used-book sellers at prices ranging from $35 to $100.

To access a list of 17 of those copies and their sellers, along with
full ordering and contact information, go to the following link and
click on the two titles listed under the name of "Edward C. Crossman"
(the two titles refer to the same book):

Bookfinder: Search Results for "Small Bore Rifle Shooting"
http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&qi=uoBJhO6CdeLQ4.1A2eZJzd,yA2M_5929539800_1:12:29

If for any reason the above link does not work, go to the home page of
Bookfinder.com and insert "small bore rifle shooting" in the "Title"
search box.  Here is that link:
Bookfinder.com
http://www.bookfinder.com/ 


For completeness, here is a link to the Web site of another used-book
seller who offers a signed copy of the book for sale for $100:
Burnt Mill Smithing: Collector Books (scroll down to the list of books
under "Marksmanship")
http://www.burnt-mill.com/collectors.htm




Additional Information:

In the course of research, I came upon the interesting fact that this
book (along with two other books by Col. Crossman) is in a compilation
of Ernest Hemingway's 1910-1940 reading that is archived in the
library of the University of Massachusetts.  Here is a link to that
document:
University of Massachusetts: JFK Library: Hemingway's Reading
1910-1940 (on page 90)
http://www.cs.umb.edu/jfklibrary/download/h_read.pdf

(This is a 213-page document that requires Adobe Reader to access.  
If you don't have that program on your computer, a free download is
available here:
Adobe Reader
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html   )



Search Strategy:

I first established that the author that interests is "E. C.
Crossman."  When a search for "e.c. crosman" resulted in only two
hits, I guessed (correctly) that the surname has two s's.  The
following Google search led me to the first reference to the book in
question:

"e.c. crossman"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22e+c+crossman%22&btnG=Google+Search


This search also revealed that the author's full name was "Edward C.
Crossman," so I supplemented the first search with one using those
search terms:

"edward c. crossman"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22edward+c+crossman%22

I then varied the terms further (last name first; inclusion of his
middle name (Cathcart), etc.) to try to tease out any further
information that might lead to the magazine article you described in
your original question.  These searches were fruitless.


As I said, my very first search had led me to the book "Small-Bore
Rifle Shooting."   A subsequent Google search led me to the sites of
the two sellers I mentioned in my clarification request:

"small bore rifle shooting" crossman
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22small+bore+rifle+shooting%22+crossman


Finally, after I received your clarification this afternoon, I
supplemented those searches with a review of various Web sites that
offer used books from many participating booksellers.  One of those
sites -- Bookfinder.com -- currently offers the list of copies of the
book that I provided to you above.


Based on your clarification, I am confident that I have found the
information you are seeking.  If anything is unclear, please ask for
clarification before rating this answer.


markj-ga

Markj did an exceptional job on this answer. Where I had been stymied
in my search, he was able to "think outside the box," and got me back
on track. His answer was fast, very thorough, and even included
details of unproductive directions so I wouldn't repeat them. Highly
recommended.

szak-ga

The closest I have able to come is a book he wrote in the 1920s
specifically devoted to shooting with small-bore rifles, including, of
course, 22-caliber rifles. At least two on-line booksellers claim to
have copies available for purchase for $65 and $100, respectively.  If
another researcher cannot come up with the article you have
specifically requested, and you are interested in this book as an
alternative to that article, please let me know and I will post my
information as an answer.

markj-ga

Markj-ga, if the book(s) are still available, I'll accept your
information as answer to my question. Thanks

szak --

Thanks very much for the kind words, the top rating and the nice tip.

markj-ga