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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 18th July 2015 J Sibera Trophy, 500yards

            The calm after the storm produced a day of almost perfect target shooting conditions and for the first time in decades at the Bathurst Rifle Range the first three shooters on the mound came away without dropping a point. To the surprise of everyone John Coghill shot his first possible since January this year and one of his few in recent times.

           Coghills’ possible inspired Graeme Bright to greater heights with a high centre count 50.08 possible and then Geoff Willis tightened the group even further with a 60.5, almost blowing the X ring away. It must be said that there was almost no mirage and even less breeze for most of their shoots and it was a great day to test the capability of one’s rifle.

           The second group down didn’t have it quite as good as the first and scores dropped off a little with Gordon Shepherd dropping a couple of points and Dennis Lavelle likewise, in otherwise steady shoots. Grahame Willis did not enjoy his stage which, whether it being a fouled barrel or unsuitable factory ammunition, did not approach his normal high standard.

           Coghill was unable to repeat his first stage heroics in which his group was a little on the low side and in trying to raise his elevation just a fraction proceeded to put three shots over the top. Bright did not miss a beat however and proceeded to again hammer the centre with another possible which included seven more centre bulls eyes placing him out of reach of his competitors. 

           Shepherd looked on the way to add to the possible tally until a late inner four put paid to his chances but he accumulated just enough centre bulls eyes to relegate Coghill to third place. Lavelle was going great guns also until a late flurry of inner fours put him out of the running. Lavelle who has been having trouble finding a rear sight lens that suits his eyesight seems to have stumbled on a homemade device that may overcome his sighting woes. 

           Grahame Willis battled through his second stage and appeared to have beaten the gremlins which ruined his first stage until a couple of late bulls brought him back to earth. Brother Geoff however was not prepared to rest on his laurels and matched his target rifle compatriot with another high X count possible completing a third double possible in his last five appearances on the range .

           The J Sibera Trophy concludes next week at 600 yards. 

Scores: 

G S Willis FSA 120.10 (0) 100

G Bright TRA 100.15 (1/2) 100

J Coghill TRB 97.06 (2 ¼) 99 ¼

G Shepherd TRA 97.09 (1 ¼) 98 ¼

D Lavelle TRB 95.05 (3 ¼) 98 ¼

G P Willis FSA 111.4 (4 ½) 96 ¼

by John Coghill