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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 3rd January 2015 R L Gilmour Cup 500yards

            F class shooters outnumbered the target rifle group by two to one and they really came into their own as the weather moderated from conditions experienced over recent weeks, and the distance over which the shoot was held came back to the shorter distance of 500 yards. 

           Apart from Dennis Lavelle who shot an amazing 50.02 first stage using his .223 rifle with a light 69 grain projectile the target rifle group was totally outshone by their scoped competitors. The weather was extremely hot and the breeze came from almost directly behind the shooters which in turn muddled the mirage which seemed directionless, and just seemed to boil most of the time. 

           Geoff Willis was the best of the F class contingent with a 60.7 second stage for 119.11, his perfect shoot spoiled by a last shot bulls eye in the first stage. Jeff Eppleston almost matched Willis in the second stage with a 60.5 but a poor 55.4 first stage left him chasing the impossible. Grahame Willis using mixed ammunition started with an inner four but then proceeded to focus on the Super centre ring for 5 X's in a row before two late bulls' eyes left him well out of the running. 

           Back to target rifle and Shepherd although having an untidy shoot managed to grab the overall Cock of the Walk from Lavelle despite starting 4 points adrift after the first stage. Shepherd shot a pair of 46.02's to pip Lavelle whose first stage brilliance disappeared without trace and a 42.01 second stage brought him back to reality. John Coghill continued his dismal form of late but he did have the dubious honour of shooting the only magpie threes of the day. 

           Visitors Ben Wright and Will Grey trotted out their scoped hunting rifles and acquitted themselves quite well. Wright who has had a couple of weeks shooting over the longer distances found the conditions somewhat different and muffed his first stage but responded with a significant four point improvement. Will Grey on the other hand, an experienced bush shooter had never tried target shooting. Using a .243 Remington rifle with telescope he shot an impressive 50.2 with a wind coach, but then left to his own devices for the second stage, pulled out a very good 53.0. 

           The second round of the Club Championship commences, and the R L Gilmour Esq. Cup continues next week at 300 yards.

Scores: 
G S Willis FSA 119.11 (1 ¾) 100
L Sim FSB 110.4 (8 ¼) 98 ½
J Eppleston FSA 115.10 (3) 98 ½
D Lavelle TRB 92.03 (5 ¾) 97 ¾
G Shepherd TRA 93.04 (3 ¼) 96 ¼
G P Willis FSA 111.7 (1 ½) 93 ½
J Coghill TRB 84.02 (9) 93
W Grey FSB 103.3
B Wright FSB 98.3

by John Coghill