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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 9th April 2016 L Williams Cup, 300yards

            The wind arrived on schedule just prior to the commencement of shooting. The brisk west-north westerly breeze as well as buffeting the shooters on the mound, produced just enough variation in strength to test their wind reading ability. Although several of the competitors went close to getting the ultimate only Graeme Bright who after a less than impressive first stage 46.01 finished with a high centre count 50.07 second stage. 

           This was however, too little, too late, as both Nick Cock and Gordon Shepherd fought out the Cock of the Walk, both shooting 98’s (pair of 49’s each), Cock securing the win with a centre tally of 10 to Shepherd’s 7. Shepherd had a chance to take the COW but a last shot inner four brought about his demise. Dennis Lavelle putting last weeks’ second stage debacle down to a rear sight malfunction laid on a pair of 46.01’s to take B grade from John Coghill who is still deep in a heavy slump.

           With the F class group trialing a variety of bipods in preparation for the 2017 World F-class Championships in Canada scores were always going to be secondary to comfort and practicability. With a weight limit for rifle and attachments and the use of heavy barrels, bipods need to be both, sturdy, light and easily adjustable whilst lying on the mound. Several homemade versions have appeared in recent weeks but Grahame Willis who is not trying out for Canada shot his first stage off a rest and put it to his competitors with a 59.5. Geoff Willis with a trial bipod shot a 58.1 but his group was spread wide and Jeff Eppleston used a heavy bipod with less enthusiasm for just 55.4. Ben Wright returning from a short break was never comfortable dropping 6 points in his last 5 shots.

           The second stage was better with shooters becoming accustomed to the slip, slide and wobble of the light bipods. Geoff Willis dropped his last shot for a 59.3 taking out the COW by 3 points from Eppleston who also cranked up his scoring with a fine 59.6. Wright scored 58.4 at his second attempt but for whatever reason Grahame Willis had a shocker starting with an inner four and dropping points regularly throughout his stage.

           The NSW World F class hopefuls will shoot alongside local members at 900 yards next Saturday. Competition will commence at 1230 following morning sighting-in sessions. 

Scores:

G Shepherd TRA 98.07 (3 ½) 100

G S Willis FSA 117.4 94) 100

B Wright FSB 111.5 (12) 100

G Bright TRA 96.08 (3) 99

G P Willis TRA 113.6 (5 ¼) 98 ½

N Cock TRA 98.10 (1/4) 98 ¼

J Eppleston FSA 114.10 (4) 98

D Lavelle TRB 92.02 (5 ¼) 97 ¼

J Coghill TRB 83.02 (12) 95