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GalleryRifle Shooting in the UK

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2023 Classification Breakpoint Changes

Classification breakpoints are reviewed annually and it has been decided to amend the class boundaries across most of the events in an attempt to spread shooters more fairly across the divisions offered. The majority of changes are just tweaks to the class boundaries – some raised – some lowered. However two major changes should be noted:

  • The T&P2 LBR competition (0904) has been changed from three divisions to one – essentially its now unclassified. There were not enough people submitting scores (19 over three seasons) to justify splitting it.
  • 1020 LBP and LBR competitions (1621 and 1622) are now classified into three divisions which aligns with the rifle events.

The new breakpoints for the start of the 2023 season are below. Areas of change have been highlighted in red. If anyone needs to refer to the previous set of breakpoints they are archived here.

Shooter classifications will be automatically re-aligned to the new boundaries before the first competition of the 2023 season. Match Directors and stats gurus need to ensure they amend their scoring software to reflect the numbers below if they offer prizes or awards in any of these events.

Timed & Precision 1 (T&P1)

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 300 300.24 299-300 298-300
A 298-299 300.18-300.23 294-298 293-297
B 294-297 299-300.17 up to 293 up to 292
C 285-293 296-298
D up to 284 up to 295

Timed and Precision 2 (T&P2)

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 587-600 597-600 587-600
A 572-586 587-596 572-586
B up to 571 up to 586 up to 571
U up to 600

Multi-Target (M-T)

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 117-120 119-120 116-120 110-120
A 113-116 117-118 109-115 101-109
B 106-112 114-116 up to 108 up to 100
C 95-105 108-113
D up to 94 up to 107

Phoenix A

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 189-200 195-200 189-200 174-200
A 175-188 188-194 177-188 163-173
B up to 174 up to 187 up to 176 up to 162

The 1500

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 1484-1500 1494-1500 1480-1500 1445-1500
A 1471-1483 1489-1493 1450-1479 1400-1444
B 1458-1470 1480-1488 up to 1449 up to 1399
C 1414-1457 1465-1479
D up to 1413 up to 1464

The 1020

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 1016-1020 1019-1020 1012-1020 1000-1020
A 1000-1015 1013-1018 998-1011 970-999
B up to 999 up to 1012 up to 997 up to 969

Bianchi

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 1836-1920 1890-1920 1895-1920 1825-1920
A 1701-1835 1801 – 1889 1750-1894 1750-1824
B up to 1700 up to 1800 up to 1749 up to 1749

Advancing Target

Class GRSB GRCF LBP LBR
X 289-300 180 177-180 174-180
A 282-288 178-179 169-176 163-173
B 269-281 175-177 up to 168 up to 162
C 250-268 169-174
D up to 249 up to 168

GR&P Competition Calendar 2023

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GR&P Competition Calendar - 2023

Download and Print

Record Scores achieved in 2022

A number of new record scores were achieved throughout the 2022 season. As and when results come in from the season’s competitions, or as notified, the scores are recognized and recorded on-line  in the following locations:

Phoenix records are pertinent only to the Phoenix meeting of course. British records can be set at the Phoenix or elsewhere – as indicated.

New Phoenix Records recorded for 2022:

  • 721 | Timed & Precision 1 | LBP-0 | Steve Lane – 300.18
  • 1121 | Multi-Target LBP-0 | Steve Lane – 118.14
  • 1504 | 1500 GRCF Classic | Rob Wheeler – 1493.107
  • 1601 | 1020 | GRSB | Daniel Blagojevic – 1020.81
  • 1621 | 1020 | LBP | Steve Lane – 1016.67
  • 4704 | Imperial Silhouettes GRCF Classic | Keith Kilvington – 298.17

New British records recorded for 2022:

  • 121 | 25m Precision LBP |  Steve Lane | Bisley September 2022 – 291.12
  • 721 | T&P1 LBP |  Steve Lane | Bisley Sept 2022 – 300.23 **
  • 1504 | 1500 GRCF Classic | Rob Wheeler | Bisley, May 2022 – 1493.107
  • 4704 | Imp. Silhouettes GRCF Classic | Keith Kilvington | Bisley May 2022 – 298.17
  • 6304 | 200yd GRCF Classic |  Neil Francis | Bisley August 2022 – 79.0

** Joint with Pete Watts; Bisley Oct 2018

The above scores will be updated and recorded in the 2023 GR&P handbook. If there any other record scores to be claimed for 2022 please indicate as soon as possible

The IGRF and German Open – Results

German Open Action WeekendAfter another successful tour to the Leitmar ranges near Marsberg in Germany by British and Irish teams  the reactions of all who attended overwhelmingly declared the event another very enjoyable and competitive weekend of Gallery Rifle shooting.

The indoor range complex and very comfortable clubroom surroundings of Leitmar offer worthy facilities to visitors and, for many, the final competitive shoot of the GR&P season is one firmly cemented into the calendar.

Individual, team and International shooting opportunities are available at the event. In 2015 the IGRF World Cup was held at Leitmar with touring Great Britain teams taking both the Smallbore and Centrefire trophies.

In 2022 it was shown to be a very exciting and productive few days in Germany for GB shooters. The Great Britain GR Team are again triumphant and finished the season by completing the double again in this 2022 German Open.

GBGR TeamThe GRSB Match was decisive with GB scoring 5877 (327), followed by Germany 5854 (332) and Ireland 5783 (279).

The GBCF Match however was a real nail biter with GB scoring 5938 (344), followed by Germany 5937 (392) and Ireland 5888 (335). It just goes to show that every point really does count!

Full results for the Open can be seen at the links below and more generally over on the on the results page.

 

Final GR&P Rankings for 2022

Following the final results of the season from the AAW the 2022 ranking tables have now been fixed until next season.

Competition rankings are more or less back to a calendar based full season.

GB Gallery Rifle Captain for 2023

morne-2015

After two relatively full seasons in the position GB Gallery Rifle captain (spanning a 3 year period – we all know why) Gary Bowden will be standing down at the end of 2022. Gary’s last tour will be to the German Gallery Rifle Open to compete against German and Irish opposition on the indoor range complex at Leitmar, near Marsberg

The new GB Captain for 2023 will be Morné van Dalen – a well known and respected shooter who has competed with and supported the team and Gallery Rifle in general, for many years. Morné has previously captained the England GR team, from 2015 to 2017. In his new role, he will be working with the GB GR Team Committee to review shooter performances over the past years and name a new squad for 2023. If anyone feels they have the track record of capability, consistency and commitment in GR 1500 events and want to be considered for the squad, contact Morné or the Gallery Rifle rep Ash Dagger.

The IGRF World Championships

 

The 25th PhoeIGRF Logonix meeting, held over the long weekend of the 26th – 29th May at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley, also hosted the fifth iteration of the IGRF World Championships. This biennial event welcomes shooters from all IGRF nations to compete for the title of IGRF World Champions or Champion. Originated in 2013 for Gallery Rifle Small Bore (GRSB) and Gallery Rifle Centrefire (GRCF) team events, the championships were widened in 2017 to include individual championship opportunities for GRSB and GRCF gun types in aggregates spread across four discrete competitions.  There were both team events and individual events included in 2022.

Legacy

The IGRF is the International Gallery Rifle Federation. It was founded by Great Britain, Ireland and Germany as the European Gallery Rifle Federation in 2006, and became International in 2010 with the addition of South Africa.  Australia (2013) and Zimbabwe (2018) joined later

The inaugural World Championship event was held in 2013 at Bisley, with the GRSB honours going to Great Britain and the GRCF winners being Ireland. In 2015 Great Britain Gallery Rifle Teams travelled to Leitmar in Germany where both trophies were brought back by the touring British teams. In 2017 Ireland hosted the event at the Midlands National Shooting Centre. On home territory the Irish swept the board winning both GRSB and GRCF team trophies, beating Great Britain, Germany, South Africa and Australia. They also took both of the inaugural individual World Championships with Ray Holohan winning the GRSB class and Jeff Kehoe winning in GRCF.

The last IGRF World Championships were held in South Africa in 2019 at the Excalibur Shooting ranges near Welkom with GB, Ireland, Germany and Australia competing with the hosts. Home turf again proved to be the dominating factor as South Africa won both the GRSB and GRCF team events. Great Britain, however, claimed the very respectable runner-up slots for both calibres. Individual World Championships were taken by Australian shooter David McCarthy for GRCF Standard and Classic and Nico Roets (SA) for GRSB and GRCF Open. Anna Marie van Tonder (also SA) took GRSB and GRCF Standard top lady shooter and Anita Roets was the top GRCF Open division lady shooter.

IGRF World Championships 2022

The global COVID pandemic interrupted the planned return of the Championships to Bisley in 2021. The IGRF Council decided to defer for a year in the hope that International travel would be resumed. Although not all countries were able to attend, we were able to welcome Germany, Ireland and South Africa to compete in 2022.

Despite the rivalry, there is a strong community spirit across all the international teams and the crew, as they come together to enjoy the very best of our shared sport.

The team matches are shot shoulder to shoulder with specifically allocated range time. These were shot in Melville on the Sunday morning with the Great Britain, Ireland, Germany and South Africa teams, their supporters and a specially selected Range Crew, led by Ashley Dagger. The NRA provided the results on a large on-range screen for the first time and spectators were able to watch and be inspired. The atmosphere was excellent.

The Individual Championships were shot concurrently with Phoenix events, whereby competitor’s individual scores are also utilised for the aggregate IGRF trophies. For 2022, individual competitions were held for GSRB, GRCF Standard and GRCF Classic gun types. The benefit of this approach is that everybody who entered the full set of aggregate events in the Phoenix was also competing for the Individual World Championships.

The individual aggregates were agreed by the IGRF Council in 2017 and were carefully chosen to include a balance of gallery rifle marksmanship skills. They include the most popular GR events: Timed and Precision 1 (T&P1) and Mult-Target (M-T). The 1500 and the 50m Precision events were included to increase the challenge and thus justify the ultimate title of World Champion.

Results

Great Britain teams and individual shooters did exceptionally well. Yet again home range advantage seemed to play out as the dominant force. So much so that all five headline trophies, Team and Individual, were presented to GB shooters this year – with the Individual trophies being spread uncannily fairly across the three mainland nations! 

Individual World Champions

The GRSB World Champion is Jake Mossom from GB and England who topped the listings immediately ahead of three of his GB teammates. Dropping only 28 points from a possible 2220 across the four aggregate events, this was an impressive win in, arguably, the most challenging calibre. Top Under 25 shooter was Robert L.Tonner from Scotland and top lady shooter Anna-Marie van Tonder from South Africa. 

The GRCF Standard World Champion is GB and Scotland shooter Jonny Cormie. GRCF Standard is the centre fire gun type of the International Team shoots so competition is intense. Top lady shooter was again Anna-Marie van Tonder from South Africa but unfortunately no junior shooter entered this gun type.

The GRCF Classic World Champion is Rob Wheeler from GB and Wales. He shot an outstanding 1500 score – a new British record with 1493 (just 7 points lost from 1500) and 107X, which was 15 points and 20x’s more than his closest rival in that event. This was outstanding shooting overall with iron sights. There were no U25 or lady shooters in this event; something to work on for the future.

Team World Championships

For the headline Team matches Great Britain Captain Gary Bowden chose exceptionally strong teams. All three Individual World Champions were members of the teams and all seemed to be well and truly on form.

GB were successful in reclaiming both GRSB and GRCF trophies, the first time they have both been held by GB since 2015. The smallbore match was close with South Africa only 19 points behind out of a possible 6000 maximum score. Germany and Ireland finished 3rd and 4th respectively. The centrefire match was close after the first three practices, but Great Britain eased ahead to a comfortable victory for the home nation. Germany finished as runners up with South Africa and Ireland in 3rd and 4th respectively. 

Presentation and Reception

The last NRA Journal (Summer 2022) reported on the joint IGRF and ITSF (International Target Shotgun Federation) reception held at the Pavilion which was attended by all visiting teams and guests. Apart from conveying thanks again to the NRA for assisting in organizing this well received event, there is nothing further to add.

Prizegiving for the Phoenix meeting was held as usual late on the Sunday afternoon. Due to the revised weekend schedule, it meant all prizes could be awarded at this single presentation, the popularity of which was demonstrated by the number of people who attended – so many that extra chairs had to be brought in at the last minute! 

The full set of results for the above matches and all 25th Phoenix meeting scores can be found in the usual places on the NRA and Gallery Rifle websites.

 

The Derby Handgun Challenge

derby rpc logo

The Club was pleased to announce that for 2022 there will be a new event in the Gallery Rifle calendar, the DERBY HANDGUN CHALLENGE, was held on Saturday and Sunday August 20/21.

This Open event was held for LBPs and LBRs and offered eight events plus a Practical Shoot run by Team Smoothy.

The events were: TP1, TP2, TP3, Multi-Target, Phoenix A, WA48, 1020, 1500.

Final Results

GR Nationals – Range Officers

Competition meetings such as the Nationals can’t run without the dedicated and friendly support of volunteer ROs and Range Crew. 

For these competitions people are required for roles such as operating target controls, supervising safety and ensuring the competitors have a safe and enjoyable experience, along with wider non-range based support across the event.

In return for volunteering for a day or more we offer:

  • Hot breakfast and lunch buffet
  • On site accommodation
  • Up to £115 mileage reimbursement
  • Exclusive RO Shooting day on Friday 2 Sept

If you don’t need meals or accommodation? We’ll issue you credits towards future competition entries in place of those perks, up to £20 credit per day volunteered! You do not need to be a qualified RCO as support is offered by experienced, qualified NRA RCOs, making this an excellent opportunity for you to gain experience supporting a competition range.

If you are able to volunteer your time, please complete the form below or follow the sign up link here

 

The 2022 Derby Open

derby rpc logoThe very popular 2022 Derby Open took place over the weekend of 25-26 June at Derby RPC. Results are posted.

A Home Countries England-Scotland-Wales National match also took place. Provisional sores for the match are included in the final results. England were proud recipients of the Brownells trophy for the rifle match whilst Scotland came out top in the pistol/revolver matches.

During the weekend £170 in donations were received for the Air Ambulance service at the BBQ table run by Mick and Pam and assisted by Rupert and Hillary.  Additionally £155 was raised from Alison and Mick’s Pizza evening on Friday night for the Edale Mountain Rescue and Royal British Legion.Dave Holt Memorial

The Derby Open sorely missed our friend and shooting colleague Dave Holt who for many years officiated the 1500 and 1020 competitions (and probably anything else thrown at him) over on range C. Among other things Dave kept everyone bombed up and shooting to the busy  schedule the meeting always offers. Many thanks go to Kerri at Rogers Masonry, Nantwich for donating a memorial plaque for us to remember him by. Proudly displayed on the wall of the club – farewell Dave.

Full and Final Results from Derby 2022

 

derby-sponsors

 

25th Phoenix – Results

Phoenix 2022 results are published; Rankings, classifications, record scores etc updated. Any problems – please report back

 

GB win IGRF World Cup

IGRF LogoThe 25th Phoenix meeting, held over the long weekend of the 26th – 29th May at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley, also hosted the IGRF Word Cup.  This biennial event welcomes shooters from all IGRF nations to compete for the title of World Champion or Champions. There were both team events and individual events for these championships.

Team GB Squad

Back Row: K.Kilvington R.Wheeler K.Cox C.West J.Mossom Front Row: G.Bowden (Capt.) J.Cormie M.Beard A.Summers

For the team events smallbore (GRSB) and centrefire (GRCF) teams shoot head to head for the respective crowns. For the individual events the concurrent method of scoring is used whereby competitors individual scores are also utilized for the aggregate World Trophy events of GRSB, GRCF and GRCF Classic.

GB teams and shooters did exceptionally well – in fact all five trophies were presented to GB shooters – with the individuals being spread rather fairly across the three mainland nations.

  • The GRSB World Champion is Jake Mossom from England
  • The GRCF World Champion is Jonny Cormie from Scotland
  • The GRCF Classic World Champion is Rob Wheeler from Wales

For the team events GB captain Gary Bowden chose exceptionally strong teams

  • The GRSB Word Champions are Team GB – comprising of Keith Cox; Keith Kilvington; Chris West; Jonny Cormie and Jake Mossom
  • The GRCF World Champions are Team GB – comprising of Rob Wheeler; Johnny Cormie, Keith Cox, Chris West and Gary Bowden (overall teams captain)

Trophies presented to the World Champion shooters by IGRF President Daniel Blagojevic

GRCF Classic GRCF GRSB
World Champion – Rob Wheeler World Champion – Jonny Cormie World Champion – Jake Mossom
GB GRCF Team GB GRSB Team
GB Team - CF GB Team SB
World Champions R.Wheeler J.Cormie K.Cox G.Bowden(Capt) C.West World Champions K.Cox K.Kilvington C.West J Cormie J.Mossom

Results for the above matches and all of the 25th Phoenix meeting can be found elsewhere in the usual places.

GBGR Team Captain 2023 – Nominations Sought

Nominations are sought for the role of “Captain of the Great Britain Gallery Rifle Team”, for next season. Appointments run annually, from Jan to Dec, although traditionally the appointments can last for two (or more) years, subject to re-endorsement by the NRA Council, on the recommendation of the GR&P Working Group.

It is recognized that the selection and appointment of the captain for a Great Britain team is a highly important decision. To be appointed captain is a great honour but it is also a great responsibility. The ability to create a winning team is not the only criterion needed for a successful captain. The manner in which the team conducts itself, both on and off the ranges, will affect the standing of the NRA, target shooting and indeed the country. It is therefore vital that the person selected should have the appropriate personality and skills to carry out all aspects of the task in the appropriate manner. The selection process, while being transparent and fair, should result in the appointment of someone who meets these requirements.

The criteria for selection along with appropriate Nomination forms and Shooter CV forms can be found over on the NRA website.

GB Teams for the 2022 IGRF World Championship

IGRF LogoThe Great Britain teams for the IGRF World championships to be held at the Phoenix 25 meeting, (May 26th-29th 2022) have been announced.

The Small Bore Team

Chris West
Jonny Cormie
Keith Cox
Jake Mossom
Keith Kilvington
Reserve: Mel Beard

The Centre Fire Team

Chris West
Jonny Cormie
Keith Cox
Gary Bowden
Rob Wheeler
Reserve: Andy Summers

I’m sure that all of the squad wish the two teams the very best of luck.

Gary Bowden
GB Captain

Phoenix 25

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Phoenix 25

phoenix-2022With the lead up to the 25th Phoenix Meeting more than underway – less than two weeks at time of publication – the early part of the 2022 season has got off to a flawless start. Compared to 2022 and 2021 it could be argued that this was perhaps inevitable but even whilst the schedule was being compiled in late 2021 it was still by no means clear what was going to happen. COVID has also not gone away – a fact that has to be remembered.

Quite a few calendared GR&P competitions are held in the immediate weeks before the Phoenix. Since the JSPC hosted event in Scotland results have been posted for the following events: (All 2022 results are published over on the 2022 Results page.)

All will have contributed to rankings and classifications. It should be noted that the Ranking Tables have now caught up with themselves and are showing a rolling season listing which for all events are now showing a full calendar year of shooting. Not all meetings offer all events  so the number of events available will vary for all the gun types.