People in sport

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 12

People in sport

held in two stages, or courses, precision and duelling. Each stage consists of 30 shots.

The precision course is run over six visits to the targets of the bullseye type, in which each shooter fires five shots over a period of six minutes each. The duelling course involves firing at silhouetted targets, and each target is visible for only three seconds. The competitor must fire a single shot while the target is exposed, for it then turns side-on for seven seconds. A total score consists of 60 shots with a maximum possible score of 600. Trowbridge’s proficiency in the centre-fire is matched in his other favourite pistol discipline, the standard fire. Using automatic .22 calibre pistols, the shooters compete over three courses of 20 shots each, each course shot in five-shot “strings.”

in the world are tile eastern European countries, Russia in particular. One factor that is restricting the growth of pistol shooting in this country, he maintains, is the high expense involved in importing the guns and ammunition, as they are subject to high import duty and sales tax. The 700-odd members of the New Zealand Pistol Association have to pay as much as $l2OO for their weapons, more than twice the cost of the gun if if was purchased overseas ih the country of manufacture. The weaporis are subject to an import duty of 27.5 per cent of their value, and this, added to. a retailer’s mark-up and a sales tax of 30 per cent, makes the sport prohibitive to many would-be pistoleers.

“The membership of the association is remaining