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Bathurst Rifle Club Inc 28th November 2015 Diggers & G James Cups, 500yards

            Saturdays round of the Diggers and G James Cups was played out in weather conditions which were both unpredictable and very difficult to read. A southerly breeze swung from side to side inducing a forward fishtail effect and the bright sunshine and humidity produced a savage mirage which also changed sides at will. 

           As a consequence scoring became a bit of a lottery with the projectile jumping the bulls eye as if in a game of jump the puddle. Frustrations grew as small windage corrections made large moves on the target. Consecutive inner fours either side of the bull’s eye were a regular occurrence. 

           Gordon Shepherd (45.2) was the first to feel the pain and Dennis Lavelle (45.01) soon followed suit. Ron Gibson and John Coghill fared slightly better, both holding their losses to three inner fours, although the “bulls eye straddle” was in evidence in both shoots. Steve Williams and Graeme Bright, as their grading indicated did a little better dropping just two points each with Williams shooting four centre bulls eyes, the only competitor to get better than two centre’s.

           Luke Harris from Hornsby RSL Rifle Club visited again and using his Remington rifle shot in the FTR discipline. Unfamiliarity with his rifle caused him to take a while to get on the paper but once on, his group tightened right up. Jeff Eppleston found the breeze a little confronting and did the sideways shuffle dropping five points with just three super centres.

           With competitors forewarned the second stage was a little better and the higher rated shooters came to the fore. Bright showed everyone up with a 50.05 possible and Shepherd also peppered the centre with a 48.06. Williams however was out of sync with the wind and dropped four points in a disappointing 46.03 leaving the Cock of the Walk to a delighted Bright.

           Coghill for once had a relatively even day and took out the B grade COW from Gibson who did not handle the patch of breeze he encountered at all well. Lavelle using his usual .223 calibre rifle had a day to forget with the lighter caliber projectile not suited to the conditions.

           Harris produced an excellent second stage of 55.3 but Eppleston found he had brought insufficient ammunition to complete his second stage and went into early retirement.

           The final round of the Diggers and G James Cups will conclude next week at 600 yards.

Scores: 

G Bright TRA 98.06 (1) 99

R Gibson TRB 91.01 (8) 99

J Coghill TRB 94.02 (3 ½) 97 ½

G Shepherd TRA 93.08 (2 ½) 95 ½

S Williams TRA 94.07 (1 ¼) 95 ¼

D Lavelle TRB 89.01 (3 ½) 92 ½

L Harris FSB 103.7

J Eppleston FSA 57.3-28.1 rtd. 

by John Coghill