Smallbore Rifle Shooting E-Book

Christopher Fenning

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 227

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Smallbore Rifle Shooting is essential reading for those who are considering taking up the sport, and for those who already have some experience but wish to improve their skills and participate in competitions. It takes the reader forward from the point at which the very first shot is fired, introduces new levels of understanding and competence, provides useful advice, and answers many of the questions frequently asked by beginners.The key topics, which are examined in detail, include breathing, aiming, trigger control and 'follow through'. In addition, step-by-step guidance is presented on how to build a comfortable and stable prone position whilst wearing a jacket and sling. All through the book photographs, including pictures taken through the sights to show exactly what is being described, support the theory. The author also presents practice exercises that help demonstrate the different techniques. For people looking to progress beyond indoor practice shooting, there is an explanation of types of competition, how to enter events, as well as introduction to competing outdoors and learning how to anticipate the effect of the wind on a shot.Whilst other shooting books may focus on the detailed skills used by those who compete at an international level, this book offers guidance for those at the beginner to intermediate levels.Foreword by Nick Clark. Essential reading for all newcomers to the sport and offers guidance for novice up to intermediate levels.Other shooting books focus on detailed skills used by those who compete at international level. Key topics covered including breathing, aiming, trigger control and 'follow through' and step-by-step guidance to achieving a comfortable and stable prone position.Superbly illustrated with 129 colour photographs, some of these are pictures taken through the sights to show exactly what is being described.Christopher Fenning has been shooting for over fifteen years and is a qualified club instructor.

Leseprobe

SMALLBORE RIFLE SHOOTING

A PRACTICAL GUIDE

Christopher FenningForeword by Nick Clark

Copyright

First published in 2010 by The Crowood Press Ltd, Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book edition first published in 2013

© Christopher Fenning 2010

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

ISBN 978 1 84797 506 5

Disclaimer The author and the publisher do not accept any responsibility in any manner whatsoever for any error or omission, or any loss, damage, injury, adverse outcome, or liability of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any of the information contained in this e-book, or reliance upon it. If in doubt about any aspect of small-bore rifle shooting, readers are advised to seek professional advice.

Acknowledgements This e-book is a gathering together of the thoughts and experience from all my years of shooting and this in turn is the experience of all those who have taught me how to shoot. Although the words written on these pages were written by me the content came from all the coaches, tutors and people who I have had the pleasure and privilege of shooting with, and I would like to express my thanks to everyone who I have learnt from for helping me, possibly unknowingly, to write this e-book.

As a personal note I would like to thank Nick Clark for his fantastic support and guidance. Nick has reviewed the content many times, suggesting improvements and changes as well as taking almost all of the photographs. This thanks should also be extended to his wife Chris for the fabulous chicken curry that sustained through the long nights of proof reading.

A huge thank you also goes to Phil Frost, Jon Weir and Peter Weir who spent many hours on a studio floor posing for the images used in this e-book as well as being the test subjects for many of the practice exercises. Without their patience and eagerness to help this e-book would not have been completed. Many of the photos were taken at Farm Studios near Bristol; we had a great day there and Nick Pitt was very helpful in setting up lighting and providing guidance on the day. ‘On location’ shots have come from my home club of Bristol Invicta and also from Chippenham Rifle and Pistol club: thanks to these clubs for allowing the photos to be used.

Julie Simmons, Keith Simmons and Max Frost suggested content and loaned items of kit for the pictures. Their suggestions resulted in entire chapters being added and without their help this e-book would not be comprehensive. Writing a e-book for the first time would have been far more daunting had it not been for the staff at The Crowood Press guiding me through the process of preparing a e-book for print.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to Danielle Briggs who not only encouraged me to write this e-book but also provided me with the opportunity and the time in which I could write, sometimes from great distance.

CONTENTS

Title Page

Copyright

Foreword

Introduction

1. Small-bore Rifle Shooting: A Brief History

2. Getting Started

3. The First Time with a Rifle

4. Shooting with a Supported Rifle

5. Shooting with a Jacket and Sling

6. Improving the Prone Position

7. Improving Group Size and Consistency

8. Using the Sights

9. Using a Scope while Shooting

10. Scored Cards and Competitions

11. Rifle Care and Maintenance

12. An Introduction to Outdoor Shooting

13. Allowing for Weather when Shooting Outdoors

14. The Next Steps

Further Reading

Useful Addresses

Index

FOREWORD

Throughout history marksmanship has been a highly prized and sought-after skill developed during many hours of dedicated training and practice. In medieval times archers developed and perfected the techniques necessary to draw a longbow and release an arrow with deadly accuracy and a force that could penetrate the armour plating of opposing armies, as was demonstrated during the battle of Agincourt in 1415 when many a French knight perished.

Such was the importance of marksmanship that a law was passed in 1252 requiring every man between the ages of fifteen and sixty to equip himself with a bow. Training sessions were ordered by law, usually held on a Sunday. In many villages today there is still a street called The Butts, which marks the place where archers practised their skill, shooting at targets – the butts.

Over time the need for archers has diminished and with advances in technology many new weapons have been developed, including the small-bore rifle. While British law does not prescribe weekly target practice, there remains within many a desire to master the skills of marksmanship. Today these skills are demonstrated at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games (along with other worldwide events), where Great Britain is represented by some of the most accomplished shooters in the land.

In past times, when many could not read or write, the skills of marksmanship were passed by word of mouth and improvement was relatively slow, with learning often limited to the knowledge of those within the village. As time has progressed so has the method of retaining and passing on knowledge.

The author has brought together many different pieces of information based upon his own experience and that of others, and has sorted them into a clear and logical order to provide an introduction into small-bore target rifle shooting, setting out the preliminary steps required for those that wish to start upon a journey of learning.

It is clear that the book will help a novice shooter learn the basic skills required to hit a target consistently and with accuracy. It is also recognized that the author has taken time to ensure that the experience is enjoyable, with a number of exercises to test the understanding and competence of a particular skill, which will benefit both the novice and experienced shooter.

Nicholas Clark Great Britain and England representative (1993–2008)

INTRODUCTION

It is perhaps a little known fact that shooting is a surprisingly common activity. There are over 600 clubs with more than 10,000 people shooting small-bore rifle on a regular basis in the United Kingdom alone. For some, shooting is a recreational sport to be enjoyed with friends and provides an environment to meet like-minded people. For others, it is an intense challenge requiring discipline and effort with the goal of competing at club, county or international level.

Rifle shooting is one of a small number of sports open to almost anyone, irrespective of any disabilities, age, gender and fitness, factors that do not by themselves define who will be good or bad at shooting as they do with some other sports (although there are limitations to the type of shooting that can be done by people with a criminal record).

Each person takes something different from the sport. Some find it helps with concentration and patience; for others it provides an experience that is very different from their usual day to day activities.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Regardless of how old someone might be when they start learning to shoot, there is always a first time that they pick up a rifle and learn the basics of how to fire a shot. This book aims to take the reader from that shot onward, through increasing levels of understanding and competence, until they are able to shoot in competitions. It will offer advice and answers to common (and some not so common) questions, while also providing a comprehensive resource for club instructors and intermediate shooters who want to remind themselves of the basic techniques.

A small-bore rifle shooter wearing full prone position kit.

The book covers the key aspects of small-bore rifle shooting in the prone position (lying down); positional shooting (standing and kneeling) is not covered here. Newcomers to the sport may be surprised at the level of detail given in each chapter (there is, for example, a chapter almost entirely about to how to breathe). Such detail may seem daunting but is presented in a way that should be easy to digest. Don’t worry if the terminology is new, as it will all be covered in the first few chapters. The first chapter is a brief history of small-bore rifle shooting, covering the key milestones and influences that led to the sport we have today. The next few chapters cover how to find a club and arrange a first shooting session, and then what to do and expect on first using a rifle. Understanding what is likely to happen and what the first session will involve should mean there are no surprises and that the session is both beneficial and fun.

For most newcomers to the sport, learning to shoot with a supported rifle (resting on a box, a sandbag or such) provides an introduction to the core skills of shooting. Chapter Four takes the reader through the early stages of learning to shoot, introducing key skills and providing some practice exercises to help demonstrate the theory.

Measurements

Both imperial and metric measurements appear in this book. Shooting distances for standard competition are between 15 and 25 yards indoors, and fixed at 50m and 100 yards outdoors. There is also a 50 yard outdoor event, but this is unusual and not usually a standard event, so it is not covered here.

Calibres are in inches (.22) but distances relating to missing the target are in millimetres.

This can all appear a little inconsistent, but that is the nature of this sport!

The next step for the novice is shooting without a support. Chapters Five and Six guide the reader through the transition from shooting with a stand to comfortably shooting with a jacket. In this case the word ‘comfortable’ means physical comfort from lying on the ground while holding the rifle, as well as the mental comfort, or confidence, to be had from knowing that the right thing is being done when taking each shot.

Learning to shoot, as with every other sport, relies as much on practical experience as on the theory. Throughout the book the theory is supported with exercises and activities. Chapter Seven provides a series of exercises that help demonstrate the information being described and gives step by step guidance on how to improve skills.

The next chapter introduces sight adjustment and helps the reader progress towards shooting at scored targets. Chapter Nine describes the set-up and use of a spotting scope, while the following chapter covers the types of scored targets and how to work out the scores. Care and maintenance of the equipment is an important part of this precision sport and Chapter Eleven gives practical advice on rifle cleaning.

All this leads toward the excitement of confidently shooting in competitions. Information about how competitions are run, entry requirements and general advice on making things just a little easier are all covered in Chapter Twelve.

In theory this book should end there with the reader happily shooting in competitions. Some extra chapters have been added, however, offering guidance on what the reader might encounter next, such as buying kit and how to move into outdoor shooting and how the weather can have an effect on this.

Remember, this book is a guide to help readers with little or no prior knowledge of the sport, but it can never be a substitute for physically going to a club and actually shooting.

CHAPTER 1

SMALL-BORE RIFLE SHOOTING: A BRIEF HISTORY

Small-bore rifle shooting involves the use of .22 calibre target rifles firing .22 rimfire ammunition at paper or cardboard targets at distances from 15 yards up to 100 yards. The practical skills involved are very similar to those used for both full-bore and air rifle shooting with the main difference being the type of rifle and ammunition used.

Rifle shooting originated as a skill used by hunters and the military as a modernization of the marksmanship skills previously used by archers. It developed into a competitive civilian sport at international level during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. This chapter describes the path taken from its early beginnings through to the sport recognized today, covering the principal events and governing bodies as well as some of the main manufacturers of small-bore rifles and equipment.

BEFORE 1900

During the nineteenth century shooting clubs and organizations developed into national shooting federations. Switzerland formed one of the earliest federations in the 1820s, England, France and Germany formed national Associations in the middle of the century, shortly followed by the United States in 1871. It was not until the start of the next century that an international federation would be created.

International shooting competitions were first held at the 1896 Summer Olympics, and the first World Championships were held a year later in 1897. The inclusion of shooting at these events is largely believed to be the responsibility of French pistol champion Pierre de Coubertin, who was one of the founders of the modern Olympic Games.

The rifles used in competitions were either military or hunting rifles and the companies who currently make small-bore rifles for sports shooting were only just starting out. The Anschütz family business was founded in 1856 and at first produced mainly pistols and shotguns; the company did not start designing and making target rifles until almost 100 years later. Carl Walther began his trade in 1886, working closely with his family on the design and manufacture of target rifles.

1900–10

In the United Kingdom rifle shooting as a civilian sport grew from a military requirement. Around the time of the Second Boer War (1899–1902) it was believed necessary to increase the shooting ability of the general population in the event that the regular army could not withstand an invasion. There were comparatively few formally recognized rifle clubs and those that did exist were associated with the Volunteers (the organization now known as the Territorial Army), using military rifles on outdoor ranges. These were often located a long way from towns or cities and travelling to them was quite expensive. With ammunition costs on top of the travel, not many members of the general public could afford to shoot.

In 1900 the British Rifle League was created, followed in 1901 by the Society of Working Men’s Rifle Clubs (SMRC). It was decided that civilians could learn to shoot using the comparatively cheap ‘miniature’ (small-bore) rifles and ammunition instead of the standard service rifle. This made shooting more accessible to the wider population by reducing the travel required to get to ranges. Rifles of .22 calibre were readily available at modest cost: a sporting type rifle could then be purchased for £1 or less at the time (roughly equal to £100 today). It was also easier to comply with safety requirements for rifle ranges intended for the smaller rifles than those meant for high-calibre service rifles.

The cost of a gun licence at the time was 10 shillings per year, almost £50 today, and this presented a considerable barrier to shooting for most people. When the rules changed in 1906, members of a club affiliated to the British Rifle League were exempt from paying the licence fee, thus making shooting as a hobby even more accessible.

The first international governing body for shooting appeared in 1907 when eight national associations joined together to create the Union International de Tir (UIT, known in English as the ISU). New members joined over the following years. In 1998 the organization’s name was changed to the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).

The end of the decade also saw the creation of County Associations in the UK and the start of the annual Queen’s Cup competition.

1910–30

By the outbreak of war in 1914 a large number of UK civilians had learnt the skills of shooting through clubs supported by the SMRC and many were willing to put these skills to use in the service of their country. The 1916 Olympic Games, intended to be held in Berlin, did not take place. Although some international matches were held in 1916, the ISU member countries voted to dissolve the committee.

Following the end of the war in 1918 rifle clubs in the UK suffered from a combination of increased legislation for shooting and a reduced number of club members, many of whom had been killed in action. The SMRC continued to work to increase the interest in small-bore rifle shooting and slowly over time the clubs began to revive.

The ISU was re-formed in 1920 with additional members from some of the countries newly created in Europe. The twenty-one different shooting events included in the 1920 Olympics was the highest number since the Games began; this was followed in 1921 with a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow the ISU to govern the shooting events in the future games, thus starting the relationship that continues to exist in 2010.

The end of this period saw increasing interest in small-bore shooting and attendance at national and international events was very good. However, this caused some problems for the new relationship between the ISU and IOC, since ISU World Championship events awarded prize money and this went against the IOC amateur standards. The disagreement between the two governing bodies was such that shooting was excluded from the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

During this time both Anschütz and Walther continued to design and manufacture new types of gun, but as yet neither had started to work on small-bore target rifles. Walther developed shotguns and pistols including the famous PP range, such as the PPK used in the earlier James Bond books, and Anschütz continued to make pistols and military rifles.

1930–50

Following an appeal by the ISU, shooting was reinstated as an event in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. However, the number of events was reduced to two, with only a single rifle event. The attendance at the games was low and many of the best marksmen in the world were missing because they had won money prizes in competitions and thus did not meet the IOC amateur standards required for the Olympics.

In the years leading up to the Second World War the World Championships provided the stage for the first woman entrant in an international event: Catherine Woodring shot for the USA team and helped the team win the gold medal. During the same period shooting in the UK once again grew into a common sport, with more than 2,000 clubs and sixty County Associations across the country.

With Europe once more at war the number of affiliated clubs in the United Kingdom increased, aided by the formation of the Home Guard, which was responsible for the foundation of many of the clubs that exist today. The Secretary of State for War paid tribute in the House of Commons to the SMRC’s role in assisting with training and range certification work. By the end of 1945 there were more than 4,000 affiliated clubs and other organizations in the SMRC, of which 1,000 were former Home Guard units. In 1947 the SMRC changed its name to the National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA), which remains the governing body for small-bore rifle shooting in the UK.

The post-war years saw the reappearance of international rifle events, although the number of shooting events at the 1948 Olympic Games in London was still far below the pre-1924 high of more than twenty. It was also a fresh start for two of today’s main rifle manufacturers, Anschütz and Walther. Both companies suffered at the end of the war and had to restart almost from scratch, adopting new company names that differed slightly from the original name. Anschütz returned to designing and repairing pistols with a small operation that employed fewer than ten people. This new start was particularly difficult for Walther, which went from a pre-war high of more than 2,500 employees to being just Fritz Walther with a small case of design drawings and patents. Before the war the Walther business had manufactured both weapons and early calculators, and it was the calculator business that provided the basis for the new company.

The year 1950 proved to be pivotal for both companies: Anschütz rifle sales gained momentum after successes with their new rifles at target shooting events, while Walther expanded the business to once again design and build air rifles by the end of the year.

SINCE 1950

With the sport fully established on the world stage, the next half century provided the developments that turned the sport into what it is today. New competitions appeared at both National and International levels, more event types were added to existing competitions and new associations formed to help facilitate the development of new and experienced shooters.

In the UK, the post-war years saw a decline in the number of clubs affiliated to the NSRA. As the Home Guard units disbanded and the core purpose of small-bore rifle shooting changed from the need to defend the country into a solely recreational sport, the total number of clubs dropped to around 1,000. Despite this reduction, shooting remains a very popular sport with thousands of people competing at levels from beginner through to world class.

Gender equality was established in shooting and in the mid-1960s the ISU recognized all of its open events as ‘mixed’ events where women could participate with men. The IOC also agreed to apply this standard to Olympic shooting events. For four Olympiads, from 1968 through 1980, the Olympic shooting events were mixed, with opportunities for women and men to participate regardless of gender. This has now developed into separate events for men and women, as seen in today’s events.

Rifle design developed steadily as manufacturers worked with world-class shooters to refine the designs. Some notable success were achieved in the 1960s and 1970s using the Anschütz Match rifle. Toward the end of the century advances in materials and manufacturing techniques enabled designers to increase the levels of precision in their rifles to such an extent that, when coupled with the ever increasing skill of the shooters, it became harder to distinguish between the top shots at events. The solution to this difficulty was a reduction in diameter of the target by roughly 20 per cent. This change made it harder to hit the centre ring of the target and easier to differentiate between the scores of the top shooters. Today there are a number of core rifle designers and manufacturers providing complete rifles with MEC, Feinwerkbau, HPS and others joining the already established Walther and Anschütz.

The NSRA is the governing body for small-bore shooting in the UK, and is one of a number of organizations established to promote, support and encourage the range of shooting disciplines available in the United Kingdom today.

CHAPTER 2

GETTING STARTED

Small-bore rifle shooting is a sport open to almost anybody. The main exception is that anyone with a criminal conviction is not permitted to shoot small-bore rifles, although other options, such as air rifle and air pistol, can be pursued instead. It is mandatory that all newcomers to the sport join a club as a probationary member and undergo a police check.

Having decided to try shooting as a sport, the next step is to find a club that can provide the introduction and instruction a beginner requires. This process is fairly straightforward and this chapter provides information that can help the reader to locate, contact and arrange a first session at a local club.

FINDING AND SELECTING A CLUB

Finding a Local Rifle Club

Small-bore rifle shooting is a very common sport that is competed at both the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, but it is not widely advertised. Despite this lack of public knowledge, the United Kingdom has a large number of small-bore rifle clubs with more than 600 clubs shooting on a regular basis, with an average of twenty members per club.

Newcomers to the sport should look for Home Office-approved clubs. Although there are some clubs in the UK without Home Office approval, the regulations governing them may not provide the best experience or easiest access to the sport.

Often the locations of rifle clubs are not broadly publicized for security reasons, but clubs are relatively common and exist in both obvious and unexpected places. Some clubs are tucked away in old quarries or on farms out in the countryside, some share facilities with local Army or Territorial Army units, and some are in the middle of residential areas surrounded by houses.

There are a number of resources available to help locate clubs in a specific area of the country. Local authorities and the internet are the two best options, with lists of clubs and their contact details available to the public. A basic internet search of ‘town + rifle club’ might return some information, but not all clubs have websites and those that do may not show up in the first few pages of search results. Lists of clubs are produced and maintained by different organizations and some of the best resources are:

www.nsra.co.uk The website of the National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA). This has a good database of clubs by region and county. All of the clubs listed here are affiliated to the NSRA.

www.small-borerifle.co.uk This is an independent website that carries a comprehensive list of clubs, including those that are not affiliated to the NSRA.

Local authorities. All local authorities maintain lists of sports clubs in their area and information can be found on their websites or by contacting them directly.

Clubs are spread all over the UK and searches might show that only one club is located within a reasonable travelling distance, but it is equally possible for there to be several clubs to choose from.

Types of Club

Home Office approved. These clubs are registered with, and have been approved by, the Home Office and operate in a manner that enables newcomers to the sport to shoot as probationary members while learning.

Non-Home Office approved. Clubs with fewer than ten members are permitted to operate within specific guidelines, for example, all members must have their own Firearm Certificate and no weapons or ammunition can be stored at the range. More information on such clubs is available from the Home Office.

NSRA affiliated. A club can be affiliated to the NSRA irrespective of whether it is Home Office approved. The NSRA affiliation gives clubs access to a wide range of competitions and qualifications and provides insurance for the club members and third parties.

Selecting a Club