Rifle Shooting

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 493, 24 October 1928, Page 14

Rifle Shooting

LEE N. FIELD

BY

The clubs were favoured with ideal weather conditions at Penrose on Saturday and it is fortunate for them that it was so, as they were shooting at the long ranges, 800 and 900yds, and were again without flags. Had the wind been in its usual tricky mood the results would have been ludicrous. Even as it was, many of the marksmen had strings of bulls interspersed with an occasional outer or miss owing to a temporarily unnoticed lull or freshening of the wind. It is understood that arrangements have now been made to procure the much-needed bunting. The-outstanding performance of the day was that of the consistent longrange shot, 11. J. Verrall, who registered a possible at SOOyds and dropped only four points at .the next range. This Is the man who scored 99, only one short of a double possible, at these ranges two seasons ago. Had he had the advantage of flags on Saturday it is probable lie would have equalled or even beaten his previous performance. It is of great interest that he used one of the shortened rifles of which mention was recently made in this column. This should tend to reassure those who doubt its efficacy at the long ranges.

A laudable innovation which should go a long way to cement the growing friendship and goodwill between the two clubs is a pairs match each Saturday. made possible by the generosity of Major Cox, the well-known veteran shot and old Victoria Rifles officer, who has donated a double trophy for the purpose. Rifleman A. J. Pietersen, of the City and Suburbs Club, was paired with Rifleman S. Elliot, of Akarana. and as they each scored a brilliant 93. they were well ahead of any of the other pairs, and their aggregate will probably stand unbeaten for some time.

SERVICE SHOOTING Next Saturday will see the clubs commence their series of service matches. It is on the cards that quite a number of the club men will compete in the few matches that are open to them at the army meeting the following week. How they will compare with the territorials, shooting under service conditions, will he observed with interest, but it is confidently expected they will prove to h® wrong to those dwinding few’ who still maintain that club riflemen cannot shoot under service conditions.