News

               It was a bright sunny day with a mild breeze wafting in from the south-south west, turning to a forward fishtail later in the day. There was enough devil in the breeze to keep shooters expectations in check as one by one they were denied the thrill of a possible.

               Dennis Lavelle made the early going look easy as he appeared to be shooting down a pipe such was his tight group. Gordon Shepherd found the going difficult but hung tough to record a 49.03 just one centre bull's eye behind Lavelle. John Coghill appeared to be doing it relatively easy until he chased the breeze and ended with a double inner finish for 47.02. Jim Jeffrey visiting from Lyndhurst Rifle Club to sight in a new step ladder front sight shot a 48.02 and then promptly retired. 

 

               The second stage was much the same as the first except for Coghill who had a brain fade, collecting an outer two and a magpie three in an atrocious 41.03. Shepherd just managed to hold off Lavelle, who even after a two inner start had him on toast with a superior centre bull's eye count until a late inner killed off his challenge.

 

               The F-class group had a wide disparity of scores from Jeff Eppleston, who chose shooting this week instead of fishing, getting back to his International form with a fine 117.8 to Grahame Willis who did not appear comfortable, but not being a Championship range wasn't particularly worried with his 53.1-54.4 stages and finally to Colin Howell who had a rough first stage inserting three magpies in his 47.0 before regrouping with a 54.3 second stage. 

 

               Shane Barnsley is off to Perth to contest the Black Powder Nationals and he has shown vastly improved form over the short period he has been shooting on the Bathurst range.

 

               Several members are currently contesting the Victorian Rifle Association Queens Prize shoot in Bendigo with varying results. Geoff Willis, shooting in FTR finished 4th in the Syme aggregate, winning the 1000 yard range in doing so. Willis also won two ranges in the Queens, 700 yards and 900 yards, and finished third in both the Queens aggregate and Grand aggregate. Nick Cock, target rifle A grade, finished 9th in the Syme, 10th in the Queens and 7th in the Grand aggregate. 

 

               Next week will be conclusion of the Captains Trophy and a 900 yard Championship range.

 

Scores:  

J Eppleston FSA 117.8 (8 ¼) 100

G Shepherd TRA 97.04 (3 ¾) 100

D Lavelle TRB 96.07 (2 ½) 98 ½

J Coghill TRB 88.05 (9 ¼) 97 ¼

C Howell FSB 101.3 (12) 94 ¼

G P Willis FSA 107.5 (4 ¾) 93 ¼

J Jeffrey (Lyndhurst) TRA 48.02- Rtd. 

Black powder: 

S Barnsley 47.1/100