Galleryrifle

GalleryRifle Shooting in the UK

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The 2013 Phoenix Meeting

 phoenix-logoWhy do people attend the Phoenix Meeting? More to the point – why don’t people attend the Phoenix meeting? In the lead up to the Summer season, the Phoenix offers a diverse programme of competitions, having something for everyone. Whether the competitor’s interests lie in the pure Gallery Rifle (GR) disciplines, rifle events shot back to 1000 yards, pistol events shot to the same distances (yes – thats a pistol at 1000 yards), black powder, target shotgun or even air pistol the phoenix will have an event ready and waiting. – so there is no excuse to not have this as a must in anybody’s shooting calendar.bisley-comps-2013-140

In many ways, and for many people, the Phoenix is just another Gallery Rifle Action Weekend (GRAW). Four of these are held every season at Bisley. The Spring and Autumn action weekends take place as the country adjusts its collective time pieces to take advantage of the daylight saving protocols we know and love so well. The last bank holiday of the Summer – the August Bank Holiday – pays homage to the Gallery Rifle National Championships. The Phoenix meeting sits squarely in the middle of all this and offers not only the natural plethora of gallery rifle and pistol events but a whole lot more.

Understandably some events are popular, very popular, however some are surprisingly under represented. There are so many competitions at the Phoenix it’s inevitable some slip under the radar. T&P1 Air Pistol for example, a lot of the Long Barrelled Pistol (LBP) events, some of the longer range events and a handful of classic and open events are all crying out for more competitive input.

inside cover-2013-140Condensed into a long weekend the Phoenix has a more intense look and feel about it than the likes of the NRA Imperial meeting which is held over a 2-3 week period in high Summer. A major part of this is probably due to the long standing trade fair which dates way back to pre-Phoenix days. A lot of people back then used to travel to just visit the trade show and I’m told this is still the case. Each to their own of course, but I think people are missing out if they choose to overlook the main reason the ranges exist in the first place.

For the last few years the bank holiday Monday has been used to host the IGRF International Gallery Rifle Match. This sees teams from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany and South Africa compete head to head  with centrefire and smallbore calibres in a 1500 match. This year, 28th May 2013, Bisley will be running this event as the inaugural Gallery Rifle World Cup, which will mean one of these countries will be officially crowned World Champions.

IGRF Logo

The IGRF

As an overall event the Phoenix is billed as an annual celebration of shooting sports. So – the most puzzling misnomer any Phoenix regulars, indeed any competition shooters in general, ponder often revolves around why more people don’t come along and enjoy the whole experience. Many theories are proffered around the bars, clubs (and campfires) which all play excellent hosts to the influx of visitors who attend the long weekend of events. Theories proliferate, which range from the financial thru to the “not good enough” route and eventually terminate at the often cited intimidatory factor of the whole experience.

250188_10200302738745465_1289169439_nThe latter is particularly worrying (if correct) and we all need to spend time reflecting on the perception of this element of our sport. For whatever reason if your fellow club members are not shooting any of our meetings we all need to work out why. It can’t stop there though – we then need to work out how to overcome such perceived obstacles and work around them.

Newcomers AwardNot being good enough needs to be condemned at conception. We promote the sporting and competitive side of shooting as being open to everyone and this is an absolute truth.  The most popular GR events are shot in classes. This means everyone is shooting against their peers. With the current classification rules and regulations everyone has as much chance of achieving a place and medal shooting first time around as their hundredth – in fact more so!  This year we are awarding a newcomers trophy first time Phoenix competitors.

Team events have also been introduced in recent years to attempt to encourage members of  local clubs to partake. As with all events these are open to any members of any local club to put together a 2 or 4 person team. So have a think about taking part and get your club’s name into the historical records!phoenix-1

Irrespective of all the above we do need to get a sense of perspective.  After all – are we not all simply shooting against ourselves? Aiming to beat our last outing or personal best? Its great to traipse back to our local clubs and ranges, banter with our shooting colleagues about who bettered who, who outshot who, more likely who messed up the least – that’s all part of why we do it.

In 2012 an online database of classified and highest scores was created so people can keep track of their achievements. In 2013 we plan to enhance this to run a season wide league table and ranking system for active Gallery Rifle competitors. In this way we aim to keep an ongoing interest in competing on the national circuiregional-2013-140t.

Numerous other GR events are organised and hosted both at Bisley and throughout the country by local clubs. The flyers illustrated in this article can be found at full resolution elsewhere on the website These can be printed and displayed in local clubs.  A full calendar of events can also be found here.

Keep an open bookmark here and to our our facebook page and twitter feed for all this information and a bunch more.

[Majority of this text originally published in the Spring 2013 NRA Journal]

British Shooting – Strategy Released 2013 – 2020

British Shooting has published its latest strategic plan for the period 2013 to 2018.

The plan is the summary of the objectives and targets set-out by the sport to deliver shooting throughout Great Britain.

Feedback and and constructive suggestions are requested. Please email admin@britishshooting.org.uk.

VIEW THE BRITISH SHOOTING STRATEGY 2013-2020.

Scores and Results

Results and scores from recent competitions (Basildon, JSPC, Mattersey) over on the results page.

Butt 19 – Century

Work on Butt 19 100m firing points on Century range.  But – er – TR shooters don’t go anywhere near this firing point!  This oasis of grass in a sea of mud should be ready for you long rangers at Phoenix meeting.

Hats off to the NRA  – just butt zero and Short Siberia 200 yard points left to sort out before the end of May.

Butt 19

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Butt Zero

Butt Zero – Lovely!

The Alan Whittle Trophies

alan-wThis year there are two new trophies in memory of Alan Whittle who was a dedicated Gallery Rifle shooter and a good friend and comrade to many both on and off the range. The clubs Alan was most associated with over the last few years generously donated these trophies to the Phoenix meeting and have chosen to award them in line with what we all think most appropriate.

Newcomers Award

The Alan Whittle Newcomers Trophy

The Newcomers Trophy (the Rifled Spiral) will be awarded for anyone who has not previously entered an open meeting and will therefore be shooting the Phoenix for the first time. The winner will be the person with the highest number of points in the standards medal scores system. Hence the trophy can only be won once by any single individual who is shooting for the first time at the Phoenix meeting.

The trophy is silver plate on brass and mounted on an integral plinth. It stands ~30cm tall and weighs approximately 1.2kg.

AW classic award

The Classic Aggregate Trophy

The Gallery Rifle Classic Trophy (the Spear Bullet)  will be an aggregate of the following Gallery Rifle Centrefire Classic events:

  • 0704 – Timed and Precision one – Classic
  • 1104 – Multi Target – Classic
  • 1904 – Advancing Target – Classic

The winner will simply be the highest bullet score (and X count to break ties) across the three events.

The trophy is nickel plate over solid aluminium. It stands ~30cm tall and weighs just over 1.5kg.

 

Many thanks to the generosity of the following clubs for donating these modern and elegant trophies which we hope will competed for in the years to come.

Bristol and District Pistol Club
Frome and District Pistol Club
Fulwood Shooting Club (Liverpool)
The Galleryrifle Great Britain Squad

The trophies will be available to view in the NRA reception throughout the 2013 Phoenix meeting.

Mattersey 10

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The Mattersey 10

5 May 2013

Still time to enter the world famous Mattersey 10 open match up at their Range Complex in North Nottinghamshire. FOr more details and an entry form please email competitions@matterseyrapc.org.uk

The 2013 Basildon Open – Results and Prizelists

Basildon

It didn’t bucket down – well only on Saturday afternoon – and it was clear enough for the evening BBQs to do their job.

Thanks to all who attended for an enjoyable weekends shooting. Thanks for John for hosting and for the BBQ. Thanks to Kaz for the lunches. Thanks to the RO crew. And many thanks to Trim for the Saturday evening entertainment.

Results

Prizelists

Phoenix 2013

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The Phoenix Meeting 2013

24th to 27th May 2013 at the National Shooting Centre

Phoenix LogoEntries are now coming in at a good rate and you will be getting your squadding notices over the next few weeks. As we get nearer the Meeting, please remember that your entry must be postmarked 4 May or earlier to avoid the extra event fees. Also, online entries made by that date go into the draw for a free entry.

The closer we get to the actual Meeting, the harder it is to fit all your events in on the days you want them – you can imagine how complicated this all is. You can of course enter on the day if you want to, provided there is still room.

Thank you to all the Range Officers who have already volunteered their services – your support is very much appreciated. If you are going to help at the Meeting please do not wait to let us know but use the online form as soon as you can. There is considerable pressure on accommodation at the Meeting and so the earlier we can allocate your huts and order the food, the better. Finally, the Range Officer jackets have to be ordered in about a week, so to make sure that you get one, if you qualify, please fill in the form now.

Basildon Open

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The 2013 Basildon Open

basildon-140Still time to enter on-line for this South East of England classic held over a long weekend of the 26th to the 28 April. Space available but filling up as we speak.

This ‘Jewel of Essex’ classified open meeting is not to be missed. Camping and caravanning available – make a weekend of it (but extendible for 5+ years – rent free if necessary).  Come on – how could anyone resist a weekend trip to ‘Bas Vegas’? Day trips to Canvey Island and Saarfend also available by prior arrangement (see John).

Enter on-line here now.  Simple and quick. All popular payment methods accepted including Paypal, gold chains, goldy-looking chains, sovereign rings, decent alloy wheels, quality fluffy dice and copied DVDs.

See you there – BBQ by John;  and it won’t be bucketing down this year – we promise.

The JSPC – Spring Open Shorts Championships.

20-21 April 2013

Held at the Colmsliehill Ranges, Galashiels, fully classified Matches for

  • Timed & Precision 1
  • Multi – Target
  • Phoenix A

Meeting open for all shooters and available for all gun types – CentreFire and Small Bore Gallery Rifle and Long Barrelled Revolver and Pistol. Details and entry form available on the  Joint Servces Pistol Club website.

Competitions this Weekend

ATSCThe Army Target Shooting Club Open

Gallery Rifle and Pistol, ISSC Air Pistol and Black Powder pistol. From the Gallery Rifle perspective – a fully classified event. A full weekend of shooting and its the only meeting on the circuit where high tea is served at prizegiving. This running at Bisley Ranges all weekend. ATSC bar and clubhouse open for the meeting.

Speed Steel Challenge Match at Shield

Running Sunday 14th April only – see the Shield  website for more details

The SAW

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The SAW – a tale of two Spring meetings.

I think most agree the Spring Action Weekend meeting was cold this year – damn cold. What’s more profound is remembering what the weather was like just 12 months ago for SAW 2012. I think we recall it being warm but just looking back over the photos from last time shows how different it all was.

Its unbelievable to witness the weather for this weekend being literally at opposite ends of the spectrum. Check out the slides and photos below to see for yourselves.

SAW 2013

[Photos]

SAW 2012

[Photos]

The 2013 Phoenix Meeting

Midway UK

Midway UK

The Phoenix meeting is now open for entries. Entries can be made online via the NRA web site. If you enter before 4th May you will be automatically entered into the draw to win back your entry fees.

This multi-discipline meeting is a must for your shooting diary and has its roots in pistol calibre firearms but there are also plenty of competitions for black powder, air pistol and fullbore rifle. The Phoenix Meeting has over 75 well attended competitions to enter, giving you enough chances to earn yourself one of the much sought after Grandmaster Medals,  beat your scores from last year or just try something new.

In addition to the shooting there is the free to enter Arms Fair held in the Bisley Pavilion.

Full details of the competitions available can be found the current NRA GR&P handbook which incorporates the booklet for the Phoenix Meeting

The NRA, the Gallery Rifle Community and the organisers of the Phoenix would like to thank Midway UK for their continued support as the headline sponsor of this meeting. We would also like to thank the following companies for their generous support:

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Spring Action Weekend 2013 – Results

Spring1Results and prize lists for the Spring Action Meeting now published on the 2013 results page.

Scores database also updated.

Shooting in April

The ATSC OpenThe Spring Action Weekend is fast approaching and being shot over the weekend of the 23-24 March essentially kicks off the Gallery Rifle season. However its closely followed by three shoots throughout April which all offer classified GR&P opportunities and should not be overlooked. These, as well as a steels match, are all listed in the calendar with full details should anybody which to investigate fully.

The ATSC Open

The Army Target Shooting (ATSC) Club’s annual Club Championships and Open Meeting is back to its usual mid April timeslot for 2013 – 13-14 April. The meeting contains a mixture of ISSF air, Black Powder pistol and Gallery Rifle events so caters for a wide range of shooting over the weekend.

For Gallery Rifle shooters the Army is offering  50m precision, America Match, T&P1 and Multi Target as well as 1500 events for all gun types. Entry forms available to download now. With Easter being early this year this meeting will be fast upon us so advisable to get your entry forms in ASAP. So it at the SAW maybe!

JSPC Open

If you fancy a trip to the Borders the Joint Services Pistol Club are holding their first open competition of the year over the 20 and 21 April. For those unfamiliar the Joint Services Pistol Club are based at Colmsliehill Range near Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. Check out the Calendar entry for the location and links to entry forms.

T&P1, Phoenix A and Multi Target on offer for all gun types.

basildon-640

The Basildon Open

The Basildon Open

The Basildon Open is tucked away in the early part of the season straddled between the SAW and the Phoenix. Its an easy meeting to bypass. However with a full range of events including The 1500, all the shorts and the Grand – available for all gun types and for Open and Classic shooters it should definitely not be overlooked.

Entry could not be easier this year with the Basildon organisers joining the Internet revolution and  on-line methods being offered.

[Enter the Basildon Open on-line]

Three days for again 2013. Basildon put on an excellent shoot with plenty of space to camp overnight and a pretty decent BBQ for those who wish to partake – just bring a few drinks! Shops and supermarkets a stones throw down the road and to keep ahead of the Derby set, John even informs us year a shower will be up and running this year.

Speed Steels at Shield

Date for the April shoot is Sunday the 14th. The usual formula for these matches and available for LBR, LBP, CF underlever rifle and .22 rifle. Check the calendar for full details and location.