QRA State Championships – Belmont Rifle Range – 13-17 August 2025
August 23rd, 2025 | 
Author: Dmitri and Tim were already on the range having stayed on after the Pacific Rifle Club Meeting and were joined by Mark and Sam who motored up in Sam’s Tesla, stopping occasionally for petrol.
Conditions for the Duncan were reasonable but with the occasional drop-off to be wary of.
Keeping up the long-standing tradition that someone must inevitably take a shot at the wrong target in a major competition, Sam nobly volunteered as this year’s sacrificial goat, being unfortunate enough to plonk one on the wrong target at the very first 500 yards.
The wind became more difficult when we got to 1000 yards, Tim getting an easy patch to finish with a 46.3 with a 3 last shot.
Duncan Day 1
| Range | 500 Yards | 500 Yards | 600 Yards | 600 Yards | Day 1 Aggregate |
| Dmitri | 48.4 | 48.4 | 48.4 | 48.5 | 192.17 |
| Tim | 48.5 | 48.4 | 48.3 | 47.3 | 191.15 |
| Mark | 49.6 | 50.7 | 49.3 | 49.5 | 197.21 |
| Sam | 43.2 | 46.2 | 45.4 | 46.2 | 180.10 |
Duncan Day 2
| Range | 900 Yards | 1000 Yards | Day 2 Aggregate |
| Dmitri | 49.4 | 44.4 | 93.8 |
| Tim | 45.3 | 46.3 | 91.6 |
| Mark | 48.5 | 44.3 | 92.8 |
| Sam | 49.3 | 39.1 | 88.4 |
Dmitri had enjoyed a very good steak at the Hog’s Breath in Capalaba on the Monday night and so he decided that he and Tim should try the Gumdale Tavern which was closer. The steaks were as good as the ones at Hog’s Breath and a very nice waitress let us drink the bottle of red we had brought with us. Dmitri opted for the Wagyu at $45.00 and Tim, now a pensioner, chose the rump at $28.50.
Pretty expensive for a pub meal but we did enjoy it.
Duncan Aggregate
| Duncan Aggregate | Place | |
| Dmitri | 285.25 | 5th – B Grade |
| Tim | 282.21 | 10th – B Grade |
| Mark | 289.29 | 29th – A Grade |
| Sam | 268.14 | 19th – B Grade |
On Day 1 of the Kings conditions were reasonable.
The Wagyu must have done Dmitri some good as he won the 300 Yards range in B Grade with 50.6, came 2nd at 500 yards with 50.1 followed by a fine 49.7 at 600 yards to finish in First Place in the Kings Day 1 with an Aggregate of 198.19.
Well done, Comrade!
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Mark had great success posting four 50’s, winning the first 600 yards match in A Grade with 50.8, and finishing 5th in the Day 1 Aggregate in A Grade with 200.26, proving that you can shoot well on Kentucky Fried chicken!
Well done, Mark!
Kings Day 1
| Range | 300 Yards | 500 Yards | 600 Yards | 600 Yards | Day 1 Aggregate |
| Dmitri | 50.6 – 1st B | 50.1 – 2nd B | 49.7 | 49.5 | 198.19 – 1st B |
| Tim | 47.4 | 48.3 | 49.1 | 46.2 | 190.10 |
| Mark | 50.4 | 50.8 – 4th A | 50.8 – 1st A | 50.6 | 200.26 – 5th A |
| Sam | 47.1 | 48.2 | 48.3 | 48.3 | 191.09 |
Conditions were more difficult on Day 2, with the likes of James Corbett and Geoff Grenfell scoring 41.0 and 43.2 respectively at 1000 yards!
The Roseville scores at 1000 yards compared favourably.
Hoping the steak would work its magic again, Dmitri and Tim returned to the Gumdale Tavern where, to our amazement, the waitress remembered us and what we had ordered the night before, which we had again. Not bad!
By this time Dmitri and Tim had worked out that we could have a bottle of red each from the time we started cleaning out until bedtime around 9.00pm without it seeming to affect our shooting performance the next day and we stuck to this useful formula.
Kings Day 2
| Range | 900 Yards | 900 Yards | 1000 Yards | Day 2 Aggregate |
| Dmitri | 47.3 | 45.4 | 47.0 – 2nd B | 139.7 |
| Tim | 50.1 | 47.1 | 44.1 | 141.3 – 7th B |
| Mark | 48.3 | 48.5 | 46.3 | 142.11 |
| Sam | 44.3 | 44.1 | 44.2 | 132.6 |
You guessed it – the Gumdale Tavern for dinner again!
The wind became stronger on Day 3 and very variable at 1000 yards as the scores indicate. We all went from side to side. The steak did not work!
Kings Day 3
| Range | 900 Yards | 1000 Yards | Day 3 Aggregate |
| Dmitri | 71.4 | 66.3 | 137.7 |
| Tim | 71.4 | 62.0 | 133.4 |
| Mark | 75.9 | 66.3 | 141.12 |
| Sam | 72.5 | 56.3 | 128.8 |
After the final shot was fired, Dmitri finished 3rd in B Grade with 474.33.
Well done, Dmitri!
Kings Aggregate
| Name | Kings Aggregate | Place |
| Dmitri | 474.33 | 3rd– B Grade |
| Tim | 464.17 | 12th – B Grade |
| Mark | 483.49 | 23rd – A Grade |
| Sam | 451.23 | 18th – B Grade |
And to finish off, here are the Grand Aggregate Scores.
Grand Aggregate
| Name | Grand Aggregate Score | Place in Grade |
| Dmitri | 759.58 | 4th – B |
| Tim | 746.38 | 11th -B |
| Mark | 772.78 | 23rd – A |
| Sam | 719.37 | 16th – B |
Our final meal was at the QRA where Colleen Morgan had organised the traditional Indian meals for a number of us, including Mark and Sam, Mike and Dianne Collings, Helen Griffiths and of course, Bob Pederson.
It was nice to enjoy mostly fine and sunny weather before we returned back to to the cold, wet and bleak weather in Sydney.
Tim Walter
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