RIFLE SHOOTING

Southland Times, Issue 23378, 9 December 1937, Page 9

RIFLE SHOOTING

FINAL OF TARAWA CUP The Invercargill Rifle Club had 24 members competing in the final of the Parawa Cup. The ranges were 300, 500 and 600 yards with seven shots at each. The weather was fine and shooting conditions were favourable. The standard of shooting was excellent and some good scores were made. S. L. Wall, who is in fine form this season, again headed the aggregate with the splendid score of 144, an average of 48 at each range. A. R. Wills, who is also shooting consistently, was only a point behind with 143. A. A. Ford made his first appearance for the season and after a moderate start at 300 yards with 44, quickly found form and was first equal with Wills at 500 yards with 49. Ford made 48 at 600 yards and his aggregate of 141 was third top for the day. F. G. Henderson and J. Clark also shot well for 140 each. The former made a brilliant 49 at 600 yards. F. E. Broome who has been absent from the range for a considerable time shot well on Saturday for 46-46-47—139, an excellent performance. G. Wilson with 138 shot well for 48 at 500 yards but 45 at 300 yards and 45 at 600 yards was below what he has been doing lately. W. Milley started well with 48 at 300 yards and made another 48 at 500 yards, but 42 at 600 yards killed his chance of a big aggregate nevertheless 138 is a creditable shoot.

WOMAN’S FINE PERFORMANCE Mrs J. B. Doake who filled the next place with 137 did excellently. After a poor start of 42 at the first range she made 47 at 500 yards and 48 at 600 yards which was a splendid performance for a woman. N. Mac Williams with 49 at 300 yards and A. Lyall with 46 at the same range started well, but their scores at the longer ranges failed to keep their aggregates up. R. M. Milley, who has not been well, shot at 300 yards only and made the good score of 48. J. B. Doake shot consistently for 44 at each range, total 132, and Mrs L. R. Lyall made the same aggregate with 44-47-41—132. Her 47 at 500 yards was a fine effort. The cup was won by F. G. Henderson with a score of 247 including 13 points handicap, and after counting out Mrs J. B. Doake with 147 including 20 points handicap. The best range diagrams were:— At 300 yards N. Mac Williams scored 49, and his diagram is:

J. Clark, S. L. Wall, W. Milley and R. M. Milley with 48 each also did well at this range. At 500 yards A; A. Ford and A. R. Wills made 49 each. Ford dropped his point on his fifth shot and Wills on his tenth. Ford therefore secures the diagram which is:

G. Wilson and W. Milley 48 each, and Mrs J. B. Doake, Mrs L. R. Lyall, R. B .Wood, F. G. Henderson and S. L. Wall 47 each and E. H. Diack 46 and F. E. Broome 46 and J. Clark 46 also shot well at this range.

S. L. Wall and F. G. Henderson made 49 each at 600 yards, the former losing his point on the second shot and the latter on the third shot. Wall’s diagram is:—

Mrs J. B. Doake and A. Ford with 48 each, and A. R. Wills and F. E. Broome 47 each, also shot well here as did J. Clark with 46. The City Guards Club fired the first stage of the Whitcombe and Caldwell Cup on Saturday over the 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges with 10 shots at each. The scoring was good, three competitors, G. Nicol, J. Buttolph and B. Broomfield making aggregates of 140 each. W. McChesney with 136 was next. R. Adams and G. Morton with 46 each at 300 yards started well, but 43 and 42 respective at 500 yards spoilt their aggregates. Each made the creditable score of 45 at 600 yards. J. Brydon got a bad start at 300 yards with 42 but made amends at 500 yards by making a best 48. He started with two inners and then made eight bullseyes, an excellent effort for a first-year shot. B. Walker, another first-year marksman, shot consistently for 44-46-43 —133. C. Mathieson, and R. Larsen with 46 each at 500 yards did creditably at this range. J. Brydon won the B grade trophy. , , , At 300 yards J. Buttolph made the only 48 and topped the list. His diagram is:—

B. Broomfield with 47 also shot well. At 500 yards G. Nicol and Broomfield made 49 each. The former lost his points on the fourth shot and the latter on his sixth. Nicol’s diagram is:—

At 600 yards G. Nicol with 47 headed the list. Buttolph, Moreton, Adams and McChesney were next with 45 each. Nicol’s diagram is:—

The Gore Club held its weekly shoot last Saturday in fine but tricky weather, which kept the scores down. The ranges were 500 yards and 600 yards with 10 shots at each. H. Windle with 47-47—94 shot well and had the best aggregate off the rifle. P. R. Mallon with 47-46 also did well. P. Hay 47 at 500 yards, and W. D. Milne and C. M. Wilson 46 each at the same range did well here, but the conditions took charge at the longer range. Next Saturday at Otatara the Invercargill Club will fire the first stage of its club championship. With the form being shown by a number of the members at present it should be a very keen competition this year. The City Guards Club will complete the Whitcomb and Caldwell Cup competition, and will also compete for three Christmas trophies. The programme for the Canterbury Rifle Association’s annual prize meeting has been published. The meeting will be held on Boxing Day on the Redcliffs range. It is only a one-day meeting, but there is a service match of two practices, and a 10-shot match at each of the three ranges, 300, 500 and 600

yards as well as a two-range match seven shots each at 500 yards and 600 yards. There are 24 prizes in each match of a value of £l7 10/- allocated as follows:—One of £3, one of £2, one of 30/-, one of £l, 12 of 10/- each and eight tyro prizes of 10/- each. The champion aggregate has 20 prizes allocated as follows:—First, the Canterbury Rifle Association’s champion belt held for 12 months, gold medal and £3, second £2, third £l, two prizes of 15/- each and 15 prizes of 10/- each. This is an excellent prizelist for the entry fee, which for the five matches is £1 6/6 and for the champion aggregate 6/-. The ammunition is provided free.

The single arm sling is compulsory. There is also a tyro aggregate and a champion teams match of four men each.