GREAT RIFLE SHOOTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 4

GREAT RIFLE SHOOTING

14-YEAR-OLD BOY'S FEAT GREAT SCORES AT 300, 500, AND 600 YARDS. Has any rifleman, anywhere, ever equalled this? Has any rifleman, anywhere, ever heard of such a thing being done before? Young Matt. Lock, son of the well-known Bill Lock, champion shot of the Eaglehawk Rifle Club, V ictoria, just a week before his fourteenth birthday, when shooting in a teams match on the local range, registered .35—35—34 with his seven shots at each 300, 500, and 60U yards, a total of 104 points out of the possible 105. To those who understand the nerves of steel, keen vision and hokling powers these figures suggest, the performance borders on the miraculous when the youth of the performer is considered. Even in these days of modern rifle accuracy, such a score rarely finds its nay on to the score card of the best rifle shots in the Uo'mmonwealth. It has seldom been beaten anywhere in the Empire. As in many other instances, rifle shooting ability runs in the Lock family. Bill Lock’s brother, and two nephews, are always well in the picture when bull’s-eyes are being punched with .303 bullets, but none uf them, good as they are,’ ever showed the early promise of young Matt. Appropriately, Matt, annexed a handsome tiophv his mother had donated as a prize for top score in the event, which gave him the opportunity of establishing a local range record. The question is was it more -ban a local record?