The Basildon Open – 2013

As  a fairly recent newcomer to shooting I was amazed by the opportunities that are available for regional Gallery Rifle shooting, and this was my first experience of  the Basildon Open.

In this present economic climate its fantastic that such a well run and professional competition can be held where shooters can improve their  average scores and rankings by taking part in short competitions such as T +P1 and Multi-Target for basically half price. This encouraged me to enter for other competitions that I had either never before tried such as the Grand, or had only ever  had one go at and felt I needed more practice before trying again, such as T&P2 and Phoenix A. At £5.00  a comp it was well worth it ( 1500 was £10 only) !

The 50 metre and 25 metre ranges were both good to shoot on, with turning targets, plenty of spaces and although well attended there was room for some flexibility and I think everyone enjoyed the safe, efficient but stress-free and relaxed atmosphere. This was due to great organisation and special thanks should go to the CROs Mike Chinnery, Keith Edwards,  Dave Hackett, Andy Jarman,  John Robinson and to everyone who helped and supported. There was no lack of extra ROs or people to clear, set targets, give advice and generally ensure that everyone had a good time.

The social side of the event was superb, with teas coffees drinks and snacks available throughout the 3 days,  lunches (thanks Kazz) and BarbQ on Friday and again on Saturday night in the Club house and outside around the oil drum, a party atmosphere which made the whole event really fun, the hospitality was excellent (Burn those pants and pallets, Peter Cooper!)  For those considering next year, there are hotels a few minutes way on the Festival Park with prices to suit all pockets and camping available on site at the range too. This competition was  exceptionally good value for money and a great way to join in with the shooting fraternity and improve personal scores.

Enjoy the photos and sideshow of the weekend below.

Rachel

The Alan Whittle Trophies

This 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.

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.

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.

The Phoenix Meeting 2013

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

Entries 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.

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

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The 2013 Phoenix Meeting

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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