Roseville Rifle Club Australia

The Armidale Prize Meeting was originally scheduled for 4-5 November but it was postponed to 25-26 November due to a forecast of heavy rain.

On the way to Armidale

Alan and Eva Patrick, Dmitri Kazakov, Tim Walter, and Nigel and Skye Russell attended the shoot.

Our Hornsby cousin, Bill Ballantyne also attended, shooting F Open for a change but with a sling attached to his jacket to confuse people!

Day 1 was in initially fine but drizzle soon developed throughout the day.

Day 1 was shot at 500 yards, 500 yards, 600 yards and 600 yards (but at night.)

There were only four targets, but unfortunately, quite a few shooters managed to put a shot on the wrong target at the first range, including Dmitri and Nigel.

After that, we all took great care in making sure we were on the correct target, a task made harder by constantly changing wind conditions, from left to right and varying in strength in between as well as shooting on a strange range layout which was basically shooting from the mound to the targets across a gulley with most flags below the line of sight.

Dmitri opened at 500 yards in A Grade with a 45.6, with a X on the wrong target, but then shot a brilliant 50.8 at the second 500 yards to finish in second place, and a mighty 49.8 at the first 600 yards to finish in third place and then an equally mighty 49.8 in the night shoot at 600 yards to finish in fourth place. This gave him a Day 1 Aggregate of 193.30 to finish the day in 6^th place and with the highest central bull count.

The night shooting was an interesting experience as once you found your target, you could not see your rear sight in TR and you just had to hope you were looking through the middle of the rear sight. The actual sight picture through the front ring was good. I don’t know what it was like for Eva in F Class.

Alan opened at 500 yards with a 49.6 and at the second 500 yards he finished third with 50.8. At the first 600 yards he finished with a fine 50.7 to win the range and in the night shoot at 600 yards, although he finished with a 50.3, he was counted out to fourth place. This gave him a Day 1 Aggregate of 199.24 to finish the day in 3^rd place in A Grade.

Nigel opened at 500 yards in B Grade with a 42.2 with a V bull on the wrong target, and at the second 500 yards he finished with a 44.03 before coming good at the first 600 yards with a 48.03 to finish in second place followed by a brilliant 50.5 to finish in first place in the night shoot in B Grade at 600 yards!

Apparently, his experience as a night pilot informed his decisions. This gave him a Day 1 Aggregate of 184.13 to finish the day in 3^rd place.

Skye opened at 500 yards in B Grade with a 46.1 to finish 3^rd and at the second 500 yards she finished with 48.4 to finish in second place. At the first 600 yards Skye scored a very creditable 48.3 to finish in equal 3^rd place, however, in the night shoot at 600 yards Skye was scoring some unusual inners at the beginning of her shoot which were explained a little later when her foresight fell off just as she fired her first bullseye at that range to finish with 38.02. This gave her a Day 1 Aggregate of 180.10 to finish the day in fourth place, the loose foresight proving costly, however, she shrugged it off with a shrug and a smile.

Tim opened at 500 yards in B Grade with a 45.00, no misses, but plenty of inners! At the second 500 yards Tim finished with 47.3, but at the first 600 yards he could only make 44.2 with a 45.0 in the night shoot at 600 yards. This gave him a Day 1 Aggregate of 181.05 to finish the day in 5^th place.

Tim working hard…

Eva opened at the first 500 yards in F Standard A with a 57.02 followed by a 57.03 at the second 500 yards range. She scored a 54.03 at the first 600 yards and a 55.03 in the night shoot at 600 yards. This gave her a Day 1 Aggregate of 223.11

Day 2 saw the rain disappear and we were greeted with sunshine and warm weather, but also more wind.

Dmitri opened at the first 700 yards range with a 48.6 followed by a blistering 73.8 at the second 700 yards range to win the range.

This gave him 121.14 to finish 2^nd in the Day 2 Aggregate and 314.44 to finish 5th in the A Grade Grand Aggregate.

Yes, I did say 314.44 Central bulls, which was the highest central bull count in A Grade and 8 centrals (9 with X on the wrong target) ahead of the A Grade winner, Jack Picton, with 322.36.

Of course, Dmitri’s shot on the wrong target on Day 1 cost him second place in the A Grade Grand Aggregate, but he was more than happy with the way he shot and the way he read the wind.

Alan opened at the first 700 yards range with a 45.1 followed by a 68.04 at the second 700 yards range, an indication that the wind was indeed tricky. This gave him 113.05 to finish 7th in the Day 2 Aggregate and 312.29 to finish 6th in the A Grade Grand Aggregate.

Nigel opened at the first 700 yards range with a 46.2 followed by a 67.03 at the second 700 yards range. This gave him 113.05 to finish 4th in the Day 2 Aggregate and 297.18 to finish 3rd in the B Grade Grand Aggregate.

Skye opened at the first 700 yards range with a 45.01 followed by a fine 70.04 at the second 700 yards range to finish the range in second place (and beat Dad)! This gave her 115.05 to finish first in the Day 2 Aggregate in B Grade, what an achievement (and also to again beat Dad!) and 295.15 in the B Grade Grand Aggregate.to finish 4^th. What a pity about that loose foresight Skye!

Tim opened at the first 700 yards range with a 42.01 which was demoralizing, but he came back with a 68.03 at the second 700 yards which lifted his spirits somewhat. This gave him 110.04 to finish in the Day 2 Aggregate in B Grade and 291.09. in the B Grade Grand Aggregate.

Eva opened at the first 700 yards range with a 54.01 followed by a 78.01 at the second 700 yards range. It wasn’t easy! This gave her 132.02 in the Day 2 FS/A Aggregate and 355.02 in the FS/A Grand Aggregate.

The shoot was conducted on HEXTA Electronic targets which not only gave us their usual superior accuracy but did the statistician’s job and the record keeper’s job as well. For full results please go to the HEXTA Website

Armidale Rifle Club conducted the meeting very efficiently, especially considering the wet weather on Day 1, and in a relaxed manner filled with humour and ridicule, as well as showing us true country hospitality by having a professional coffee machine in operation and providing cooked lunches on both days.

One could see that there were many local shooters and their partners providing voluntary assistance throughout the Meeting for which all participants were truly grateful.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable prize meeting and there were smiles all round at the Presentation in which Roseville members (apart from your dear correspondent) featured prominently.

Tim Walter.