Target Shooter

TARGET SHOOTER MAGAZINE
September 2012 Issue
shootING FLIES
WE GO TO THE OLYMPICS
Pistol shooting in France
SMALLBORE SHOOTING
happy 50th remmy 700
TIKKA T3 REVIEW Shooting News
GB F Class
NOW Read WORLdWIde BY OVeR 10,000 dedICaTed ReadeRS IN OVeR
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NOW Read WORLdWIde BY OVeR 10,000 dedICaTed ReadeRS IN OVeR
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The Choice of Champions
Welcome to the new look September 2012 edition of Target Shooter Magazine
March SCOPES
Tactical Turrets
This scope has the largest zoom ratio of any FFP scope ever made,additionalfeature is the 0.05 Mil centre dot, this was designed not to obscure the target on higher magnification.
A feature of First Focal Plane (FFP) design, also known as Front Focal Plane, is the reticle scale value does not change over the entire zoom range of the rifle scope. Also the POA does not change over the entire zoom range. This simplifies use of the reticle for ranging and holdover in conjunction with ballistic charts.
Webitorial September 2012

Although I had a bit of a moan about the Olympics last month, I have to admit that the Games were a phenomenal success, which I enjoyed immensely. An invite from Eley meant that Target Shooter got to enjoy the final of the Mens Three Position Rifle event from a privileged position; an exciting event won by Eley sponsored Niccolo Campriani (Italy) after a dramatic top ten shoot-off. British Shooting exceeded medal expectations thanks to Peter Wilsons Gold Medal in the Mens Double Trap. Of the 19 Olympic disciplines contested by Team GB, only five exceeded one gold medal and six failed to win gold. Lets hope that someone notices when funding is considered, though Im not optimistic. Full Olympic results at www.london2021/shooting Even more good news for British shooting comes from Camp Perry in the USA where Great Britains David Luckman was crowned NRA 2012 Long Range Rifle Champion with Team GB taking second place to Team USA. Check out www.nrablog.com for full results. Hopefully, the 2012 Olympics will Inspire a Generation and a few of those will be shooters. There are hundreds of shooting clubs throughout the UK and we must be ready to capitalize on the Games to recruit more people into shooting and in particular to Olympic disciplines. The fight for the return of our pistols must continue. Thank you all for your support it is much appreciated.
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The Choice of Champions

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For UK & EU: marchscopes.co.uk - Call 01293 606901 or info@marchscopes.co.uk For Australia & NZ: BRT Shooters Supply - PO Box 1124 - Springwood - 4127 Queensland, Australia. Phone. 07-3808 4862 - www.marchscopes.com.au
Editor - Vince Bottomley vinceb@targetshooter.co.uk Advertising and Office Manager - Yvonne Wilcock. yvonne@targetshooter.co.uk Compiled, Designed & Web Production by Steve Thornton. www.thorntonconnect.com Contributors - Vince Bottomley - Laurie Holland - Ken Hall - Don Brooke - Chris Parkin Tony Saunders - Ray Cockayne - George Coleman Ken Hall - Liz Woodhall - David Thompson - Mike Davenport Back Page Photography by Steve Thornton - ThorntonConnect.com Cover Photography by Chris Parkin Disclaimer
Vince, Yvonne & Steve

Vince Bottomley - vinceb@targetshooter.co.uk Yvonne Wilcock - yvonne@targetshooter.co.uk Steve Thornton - steve@stevethornton.co.uk
The website www.targetshooteronline.com is part of Target Shooter magazine with all contents of both electronic media copyrighted. No reproduction is permitted unless written authorisation is provided. Information, prices and data is believed to be correct at the time of posting on the internet which is on or around the 1st of each month. Advertisements that are firearm related are from companies or individuals that Target Shooter magazine believes are licensed to hold such firearms and accepts no responsibility if companies or individuals are not so licensed. Letters and photographs submitted by members of the public to Target Shooter magazine will be accepted on the basis that the writer has agreed to publication unless otherwise stated. Target Shooter magazine has no control over the content or ownership of photographs submitted. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers and relate to specific circumstances within each article. These are the opinions and experiences of writers using specific equipment, firearms, components and data under controlled conditions. Information contained in the online magazine or on the website is intended to be used as a guide only and in specific circumstances caution should be used. Target Shooter Magazine does not except any responsibility for individuals attempting to recreate such testing using any information, data or other materials in its electronic pages. Publishers of Target Shooter magazine. 3
Contents
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Contents Continued & More...

Page 50 Fifty Years of the Remington 700 a tribute by Chris Parkin. 1962 - a group of four Liverpool lads started up the Beatles, Dr. No was the first James Bond to hit our screens and the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the doorstep of disintegration. A small footnote on the 62 calendar might also mention what has become one of the most revolutionary and copied rifle actions that shooting has yet seen - the Remington 700.
September 2012 Issue
The 2012 London Olympic Games. Media coverage of the Games was, for me, the best ever. We had several dedicated Olympic TV channels, all in high definition offering fantastic coverage of almost every minute of every sport. I managed to watch plenty of shooting and archery, in addition to the track & field events.
Practical Handgun Championnat De France Tir Sportif De Vitesse - CTCM Level III IPSC 2012 French Nationals at Le Coudray Montceau. By David Thompson. The Airbus A320 banked from its 39,000 feet ceiling and started on its descent to, as we thought, Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport. Some twenty minutes before the estimated landing time the captain informed the passengers that he was diverting south to Paris Orly, due to the severe electrical storms engulfing the airspace above Charles de Gaulle. Groans all round as the aircraft bounced and rolled as it descended through the turbulence of the edge of the storm system.
Page 14 Page 82 The Fly Shoot Diggle Ranges, 26 August 2012. When I opened the curtains at seven in the morning, it was teeming down! So much for the Met Office! By eight, the rain had all but stopped and, as I drove into the already full Diggle car park at nine o-clock, it was thankfully dry!
Regulars
& more
THE HANDLOADING BENCH: POWDER Page 28 Page 94 UPDATE - Part 2 by Laurie Holland. Carrying on from the July issue of Target Shooter where I covered recently introduced products, lets have a look at changes in the nature of the industry that makes and supplies our handloading propellants, also profile that underappreciated but very useful powder, Vihtavuori N150. LATEST NEWS Page 68 FROM THE BENCH Page 26 QUIGLEY NEWS Page 69 SMALLBORE - BROOKSIE Page 46 UKPSA Page98 DISABLED NEWS Page 76 METHUEN Page 40 Page 108 UKPSA NEWS - THE SUMMER SIZZLER GRADED PRACTICAL PISTOL COMPETITION. By David Thompson. The UKPSAs Handgun Commission organised their third graded practical pistol competition in a series of graded IPSC matches, which are held at the Ulster Small Arms Shooting Club range in Kilkeel, County Down, in the shadow of the Mourne Mountains. CHAMPIONSHIPS Page 66 IPSC SHOTGUN Page 68 NTSA NEWS Page 72 UKBR22 Page 74
Tikka T3 Tactical Rifle by Chris Parkin. Over the last few years, the Tikka T3 has gained a good reputation as a great sporting rifle straight from the box, with crisp trigger-pull, a detachable magazine system and an accuracy guarantee. What happens when Tikka go `Tactical`...
The Long View by Les Holgate. A regular column by which we keep up to date with all matters F Class and the activities of the GB F Class Association. With a good proportion of the regular GBFCA crew over in Raton, New Mexico, on a scouting trip for next years World F Class Championships, we always knew the entry for Diggle would be a little thin on the ground but, as it turned out, we still had a near full field of shooters for round 5 of the GB F Class League.
London 2012
London 2012
Visit The 2012 London Olympic Games

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London 2012
The 2012 London Olympic Games

Media coverage of the Games was, for me, the best ever. We had several dedicated Olympic TV channels, all in high definition offering fantastic coverage of almost every minute of every sport. I managed to watch plenty of shooting and archery, in addition to the track & field events.
Target Shooter will not therefore attempt to provide belated coverage of the Games even the shooting its already been done, far better than I could. If you want shooting results try http://www. london2012.com/shooting/schedule-and-results/ index.html
A day with Eley

However, we were extremely fortunate to have been invited by Eley to attend the last day of shooting at the London 2012 games. Travelling from Manchester meant an extremely early start to avoid the traffic and be at our hosts venue for a very welcome bacon roll before a short walk up to the hill to the telly tubby tents that made up the shooting venue. With very little fuss and no delays we were through the airport-style security that was very competently and professionally manned by members of our Armed Forces. I couldnt help but think that I was much happier that it was them doing this and not some hastily trained G4S personnel! The shooting event we had travelled so far to see was the qualifications and the finals of the Mens 50m 3 Position. So without being distracted by the merchandise tents we made our way to the 50m range to watch the start of the qualifying stages. We were surprised to find a fully packed gallery at such an early time, luckily for us we managed to get some good seats at the far end of the line up behind one of our Team GB Shooters Jon Hammond. Our vantage point did however enable us to see the large scoreboard located centrally that continuously updated throughout the match. With the setup period counting down, the athletes got ready and prepared for their sighters. For those not familiar with the Mens Three Position match, it consists of 40 rounds fired in the prone position, 40 rounds in the standing position and 40 rounds fired in the kneeling position, all within a 3hrs and 20 min timeframe. To give you an idea of the accuracy the athletes have to achieve, the 10 ring is a mere 1.4cm in diameter. Whilst effectively shielded on all four sides, the wind flags liberally planted down range indicated a reasonable amount of movement to catch out the unwary! The qualification shoots were soon completed and the top eight scorers won their chance to shoot in the finals hall for the medals! With a good break between the qualification and the finals we took the opportunity to relax at the refreshment tents and bask in the sunshine - given the
London 2012
amount we had seen recently, it wasnt an opportunity to miss! Fortune also smiled on us that day as well as completely by chance we managed to hit the correct queue for the finals hall that landed us prime seats at the front right next to the Italian team cheering their man Niccolo Campriani on to an eventual gold medal. Waiting with us in the queue and sitting with us in the hall was Wild Bill a serving US Marine spectating at his 6th Olympics! Currently stationed in Hawaii as a reward for several recent tours in hot climes, Bill was taking in all that London had to offer and was cheering on US shooter Matt Emmons who had qualified in the silver position. ,In reality the gold medal had already been won with Campriani achieving a new Olympic Record of 1180 in the qualification stage thereby coming into the finals with a eight point advantage. Barring a major dollop - as we like to know it, Niccolo was ten shots away from Gold, only who would collect the silver and bronze? The finals hall was somewhat different to the sedate nature of the qualifying ranges - here crowd participation and cheering was actively encouraged and a large screen at the front portrayed the best dancers and supporters in the crowd. Given that there was a good percentage of supporters in the crowd who were watching their first shooting competition, the organisers did a good job of explaining the finer points and what scores to expect and when to cheer the loudest! The final progressed without fuss with Campriani maintaining his composure and completing the job in hand with little fuss albeit scoring the second lowest score for the final. Silver went to Jonghyun Kim of Korea who had put in the highest score of the finals and Matt Emmons took the Bronze. A quick change for the shooters and the medal ceremony was carried out by the slick organisers, who had run a faultless show for all to enjoy.
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Yvonne from Target Shooter Magazine chats to John Chandler age 88. John took part in the London Olympics in 1948 at Bisley. He was a shooter, aged 24 years at the time and was the youngest participant for Great Britain. The oldest shooter in 1948 for Great Britain at the games was 60 years old. John told Yvonne that all he received at the Games was two tins of Nivea and some Y fronts. 8
London 2012
A short walk back down the hill to our hosts venue where pizza and drinks awaited, our hosts, Eley, in jubilant mood having won 14 of the possible 18 gold medals - a true testament to the quality of their products and the esteem with which they are held in the top flight of competitive rimfire shooting. It is to them that we give our final thanks for inviting us to witness a fantastic days sport.
Australias Michael Diamond a previous Olympic Gold Medallist. He hadnt missed a clay in all the preceding rounds (a record) and with a one point lead over his nearest rival, Fehaid Aldihani of Saudi Arabia, he was hot favorite for the Gold. Again, mental pressure played its part. Inexplicably, Mike ended up in a shootoff for the Bronze Medal with Aldihani which he lost! Of course, these finals are nothing more than crowdpleasers for the sake of the TV audiences Mike should have had his Gold and Matthew his Silver medal but, good or bad they do make good television and, thats important isnt it - if we want our sport to be recognised.
Once the finals system was introduced, it opened a whole new ball game, where a shooter, even sitting in 8th place at the commencement of the finals behind the Qualification winner (as in London) and, by dint of a mental assessment of nothing to lose can attack the final for all that its worth. Well what happens to the bloke who wins the Qualification with a world record and is suddenly faced with an entirely different set of mental circumstances in order to place the Gold medal around his neck? The mental levels are incredibly different, so much so we no longer have a level playing field, do we? I have no regard for the media in sport whatsoever. Let me regale you with an example from my own sporting history, which gives you an idea of why I think this way. You lot will have quite a giggle about this and it gives an example of abject stupidity! A fair while ago, I was nominated in the Newcastle Sports star of the year award for a performance year that escapes me now Suffice to say we all clambered up on stage where the interviews took place and waited the votes from the media judges. I had a good year, winning a lot of Australian and overseas matches. The judging was completed and the announcements made. I ended up in second place, beaten by. wait for it. a greyhound dog! In the Montreal 1976 Olympics, I had a slight altercation with a press photographer who was standing in front of a crowd of spectators watching the Olympic Rapid Fire pistol events. I put my hand on his shoulder asking him to sit down and was met with a string of foul language and abuse, indicating he was doing an important job He may have been but I pointed out he was there, being paid for his job, because the athletes were there! I just felt really sad for Mike Diamond, sad that he had to go through that ordeal after he proved his worth, yet again, with a world record, only to be faced with another 25 clays to shoot. I can see the way that shooting is going to go. Sad that shooting, which has the longest heritage in the Olympic Games, is faced with a continual battle just
London 2012
A few observations
For anyone who doubted the mental aspect of competitive shooting, there were several examples which well illustrated this - its what our Smallbore scribe Brooksie refers to as mind stuff. Here are just two incidents we witnessed: As mentioned above, Italian Niccolo Camprianis lead of eight points going into the Mens 3P shoot-off looked impossible to overturn in just ten shots. In Silver Medal place was American shooter Matthew Emmons, eight points adrift of Campriani but only one point ahead of the third, fourth and fifth placemen. Campriani won his Gold and Emmons looked certain of Silver - up until the final shot he just needed an eight or over. At this level, competitors rarely stray out of the nine and ten rings and, up until now, Matt hadnt shot less than a nine. Then, on the very last shot for the Silver medal - the mental thing kickedin. Inexplicably, Matthew shot a seven probably the only seven hed shot in the whole of the Games! I dont suppose Matthew reads Target Shooter but, if he does, I would love to hear his take on that last shot! Thankfully, he still took home the Bronze unlike Mike Diamond. The second event I want to mention was the final of the Mens Trap. Again a shoot-off for the top six competitors. In first place, going into the final was
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Brooksies view
I wonder even now why the pundits in the ISSF arrived at this finals thing. From my point of view, I hate the way that TV has dictated the way the sport should move. You will never convince me that such finals, as Vince has mentioned above - are necessary, just so that shooting can show the world what shooting is about, maybe because at the moment, there is so much angst and contrary opinion of those in power in many governments. If they had their way, particularly the Greenies in Australian government, shooting would stop - right now! This is also why the National Rifle Association in the USA stays forever with a finger on the pulse and why they are a force to be reckoned with. But what exactly am I on about here? Lets look at 2012 Olympian shotty Mike Diamond, the Australian legend Trench shooter. Multiple Olympian, World Champion so many times, Gold medalist at Olympic level (Sydney 2000 AFTER a finals shoot) even an incredible junior shooter. World record holder, including his performance in the qualification (sic!) in London 2012, where he replicated his own world record by shooting 125 straight clays! And yet, AFTER a world record is fired, he is subjected to a finals shoot just so TV can get their moneys worth. And I reiterate - damn little of that wealth comes back into shooting!
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London 2012
WINNERS OF THE Mens 50m Rifle 3 Positions
London 2012
because we use rifles, pistols, or shotguns to compete. Sad to see the problems the UK shooters had to face after the infamous Dunblane incident and happy to see Andy Murray win the tennis Gold, because he is a resident of Dunblane. So too, the Tasmania massacre seriously affected shooting in Australia. Pretty soon the Greenies will target the javelin event as not PC and heaven help the target archers! I estimate, in my long career, that I have fired well over 3 million rounds across a smallbore range, and yet have not killed a single animal. I am not a hunter, as so many are but usually it is the fair dinkum shooters that cop it in the neck anyway. I seriously doubt I would have liked to be in Mike Diamonds shoes when the media guys got hold of him. Do you think he wanted to miss those birds in his final? Look at the other side of the story as well - Martynov, in my opinion the finest prone small bore shooter the world has ever seen and this includes an extremely long list, when he too replicated his own world record and then went on to win that elusive Gold medal. Gee, ten more shots after a 600! I wonder if that great shooter from Belarus, will ever see the media proceeds I reckon he has earned. By contrast, Usain Bolts incredible 100m performance will earn him about 2.5 million dollars a second! When I can see some of the proceeds of those TV Deals coming back into either the pockets of the athletes, or shooting sport in general, only then will I alter my opinion of finals shooting - promoted by the International Sports Shooting Federation in an attempt to obtain media awareness, often at the expense of the athletes anyway. Mike Diamond, your efforts were appreciated by this writer, let me tell you!
Gold - Nicc. CAMPRIANI (ITALY) Silver - Jonghyun KIM (KOR) Bronze - Matthew EMMONS (USA)
Brooksie.
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Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
Championnat De France Tir Sportif De Vitesse
Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
Championnat De France Tir Sportif De Vitesse - CTCM Level III IPSC 2012 French Nationals at Le Coudray Montceau.
By David Thompson
From the Czech Republic Lenka Horejsi was the first placed Lady in Open Division with her STI Grandmaster .38 Super calibre pistol.
The Airbus A320 banked from its 39,000 feet ceiling and started on its descent to, as we thought, Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport. Some twenty minutes before the estimated landing time the captain informed the passengers that he was diverting south to Paris Orly, due to the severe electrical storms engulfing the airspace above Charles de Gaulle. Groans all round as the aircraft bounced and rolled as it descended through the turbulence of the edge of the storm system.
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Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
Looking north from where we were sitting at Orly, the sky was as menacing as it is possible to be. Speaking later to two Dutch competitors who were north of Paris at this time, the weather was that bad that they pulled their car off the road as the rain was that heavy and their visibility was minimal. Taking off an hour later when the sky cleared, we made the short flight north to Charles De Gaulle. As these two main airports serving Paris are north and south of the city passenger jets do not normally fly over the centre of Paris. As the flight only lasted 25 minutes we did not reach cruising altitude and the passengers were treated to an excellent view of the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, Avenue Foch and Arc de Triomphe as we flew over the centre of Paris.
CZ Shooting Team member Martin Kamenicek finished in third place in Open Division with his 9mm Major calibre CZ Checkmate Open Division pistol.
The 2012 French National Level III IPSC Handgun Championships was hosted by the French Shooting Federation. Tir Sportif De Vitesse.
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Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
Practical Handgun
CTCM - Paris
The 2012 French National Level III IPSC Handgun Championships was hosted by the French Shooting Federation - Tir Sportif De Vitesse. Held from 21st to 24th June this Level III Championship match consisted of 18 stages (plus chronograph) put together by Quartermaster Pascal Schoepflin and his team for a 339 minimum round count. The preparation for the competition was carried out by Match Director Camille Brocard, assisted by Stat Officer Caroline Urbain and Sponsor Director Bertrand Guillaume. Each year this match is hosted by a different club and this year it was hosted at the CTCM Shooting Range of Le Coudray Montceau, just of the A6 motorway south of Paris. The pre-match for officials, range officers and those who were working at the match was held over 21st and 22nd and the competitors started arriving on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning to register for the main match. The main match started on Friday 22nd June, under the watchful eye of Range Master Philippe Fromajot and CROs Jean Francois Dessaugere and Jose Dumont at one oclock and consisted of 18 stages, shot over Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and was concluded by early Sunday afternoon. The competitors were grouped into 18 squads, some of up to 18 shooters, with 08.00 am starts on the Saturday and Sunday. Each stage was run by a range officer and/ or an International Range Officers Association ( I.R.O.A. ) official. All the range officers put in a lot of effort to keep everything running smoothly and on time and with minimal delays.
It continues to grow in popularity at matches, due to the fact that the start up costs to purchase the equipment required to take part are lower.
all five IPSC Competition Divisions being represented at the French Nationals. This also spread into the various categories of lady, junior, senior and super senior. Production and Open Division were the most popular with 137 and 73 competitors respectively. Standard Division had a total of 56 shooters in this category. The number of competitors in Production Division has steadily increased so that it now exceeding Open and Standard Divisions in popularity. This is borne out in other major matches around Europe. Revolver Division continues to have its devotees with 10 entries. Ten competitors took part in Classic Division, in which you use a M1911 single stack pistol. A total of 299 competitors started the match.

by David Thompson
Switzerlands Annamaria Zanardi was the third placed Lady in Open Division.
Match Statistics
With the popularity of practical pistol competition in Europe at an all time high, this translated into
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Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
18 Stages
The 18 stages were grouped into two zones and consisted of nine short stages of up to 12 rounds; five medium stages of up to 24 rounds and four long stages of up to 32 rounds for a minimum round count of 339 rounds for the match. As well as static full-sized and partial versions, the IPSC Classic targets consisted of moving, bobbing, rise and fall and swinging versions placed between two and 30 metres from the competitors. All but five of the 18 stages included different forms of reactive targets. Zone 1 consisted of stages one to 11 and Zone 2 covered stages 12 to 18, with car parking in between both zones. It was a few minutes walk between the two zones so a wheeled trolley would have been very useful at this match! All of the stages offered different degrees of challenges, with different ways to complete the stage. With lots of pepper poppers, swingers, movers and a couple of longer range poppers and paper targets, difficult targets were combined with run and gun targets in most stages. Stage six In the Cellar was a 31 round long course and had a distinct French theme. The start position was at a wine cellar bottle rack and wine barrels were used to conceal both paper and steel targets that became visible as the competitor advanced down the range. On reaching the final barricade the competitor had two windows through which there were numerous paper and steel targets. Dropping the two poppers advocated two swinging targets that not only swung but pivoted left and right at the same time!
Finishing in first place in Standard Division STI European Team member Juan Carlos Jaime Diaz reloads his .40 S&W calibre STI pistol.
Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
Dropping the two poppers advocated two swinging targets

In Production Division, Frances Eric Grauffel chalked up another win over CZ Shooting Team members Robin Sebo and Marian Vysny. In Ladies Production the top spot went to Frances Laetitia Daguenel. This division was the most popular at the French Nationals, with some 46 % of the total field. It continues to grow in popularity at matches, due to the fact that the start up costs to purchase the equipment required to take part are lower. As well as being the perfect entry level into IPSC matches, Production Division at the top level is also as competitive as any other Division. In Revolver Division, Switzerlands Marwan Itani Zdenek was in first place, with Frances Jean Francois Baillet and Erick Dodane in second and third place. The new IPSC Classic Division was represented at the French Nationals with France taking the top three spots with Laurent Perrot, Pierre Cabelguen and Patrick Mant in first, second and third place. Shot over one full day and two half days with excellent catering provided on site, the Level III IPSC French Nationals was very well run in a relaxed atmosphere in Frances capital city. Next years event will be a to do match on the European IPSC competition circuit.
Results
In Open Division, Hollands Saul Kirsch won with a 0.96 % margin over Frances Emile Obriot. In third place from the Czech Republic was CZ Shooting Team member Martin Kamenicek. In Ladies Open Division Lenka Horejsi from the Czech Republic, STI European Team member and Italys Irene Canetta and Switzerlands Annamaria Zanardi took first, second and third place. In Standard Division STI European Team members Juan Carlos Jamie Diaz and Ralf Jensen took the top two places. From third to seventh place 0.83 % separated Julien Boit, Gregory Midgley, Jerome Poiret, Roman Podleska and Eddy Testa!
For Further Information www.ctcm91.com

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Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
Practical Handgun
by David Thompson
STI European Team member Gregory Midgley was one of the five top placed Standard Division competitors that finished with match with 0.83 % separating them! Representing Sweden another case ejects from STI European Team members Ralf Jensens .40 S&W STI Executive pistol. Ralf finished in second place in Standard Division.
Another round chambers into Remo Schraners 9mm Sphinx Production 3000 pistol. The use of this Swiss made pistol is on the increase in production Division. French competitor Laetitia Daguenel was the first placed Lady in production Division with her 9mm CZ Shadow.
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FROM THE BENCH

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FROM THE BENCH
cont...
Competitions
Wow we had a benchrest celebrity at our 1000 yard shoot at the end of July. None other than Dave Tooley - on a business trip to the UK paid us a visit and shot in our comp. Dave is no stranger to Diggle and a few of us shot 1000 yard benchrest with him and big Bill Shehane at the North Carolina Hawks Ridge range back in 2004.
But, before we get to Sundays competition, what happened on Saturday at 100 yards? Well, for once, Jeanette Whitney didnt have it all her own way and Bruce Lenton cruised to an easy win in difficult conditions. Jack Searle pinched the small group award with his 0.124 incher In Sporter Class, Gary Stewart took another emphatic win with his 22BR foxing rifle, recording some fabulous groups in the process but, despite shooting a two in Match 4, small group went to Darrel Evans and his remarkable Accuracy International, with a 0.198 incher! Results; Heavy varmint: (av. of five, 5-shot groups) 1st - Bruce Lenton. 6PPC RGR Lawton. 0.2318in. 2nd - Jeanette Whitney. 6PPC Stolle. 0.3008in. 3rd - Vince Bottomley. 6PPC TGP BAT. 0.321in. Small group; Jack Searle. 6PPC TGP Stolle. 0.124 inches.
Sean Broxham and his factory 6.5-284 a wining combination.
Sporter Class; 1st - Gary Stewart. 22BR Walker BAT. 0.400 in. 2nd - Darrel Evans. 6.5x47 Accuracy Intl. 0.457in. 3rd - Darren Grundle. 6BR Rhino GBR. 0.5588in. Small group - Darrel Evans. 0.198 inches. Now, back to our 1000 yard competition. Once again, we had a fantastic entry and the weather wasnt too bad. In match 1, some great groups began to appear the smallest, a 4.65 incher from Phil Sammons with his PRS Stolle and Dave Tooley soon proved that he hadnt lost the knack with a six-incher, using Steve Dunns gun. In Match 2, Factory Sporter shooter Alan Seagrave embarrassed most of the Light Gun Shooters with a 6.37 incher and to prove it was no fluke, he did even better in Match 3 with an amazing 5.375 good enough for the FS small group award and, believe me, Alans rifle is an absolutely standard Tikka. But, although small groups are good for the ego, in benchrest its consistency that wins competitions and Mal Roberts took a convincing Light Gun win with a 7.491 inch agg. His largest group being 8.5 inches and his smallest a 6.125 in. Results Light Gun: (av. of four, 5-shot groups) 1st - Mal Roberts. 6.5-284 BAT. 7.491 in. 2nd - Bruce Lenton. 7mmWSM RGR Stolle. 8.506in. 3rd - Phil Sammons. 6.5-284 PRS Stolle. 9.288in. Small group - Phil Sammons. 4.65 inches.
Results Factory Sporter: 1st - Sean Broxham. 6.5-284 Savage. 11.125 in. 2nd - John Rhodes. 338 Lap Mag. DTA. 11.281in 3rd - Alan Seagrave. 6.5x55 Tikka. 11.656in. Small group - Alan Segrave. 5.375 inches.
Why not try benchrest?

Weve noticed that a lot of shooters have a nice custom rifle but dont seem to do much with it. Maybe benchrest could be the answer. This year, we relaxed our out of the box Factory Sporter rules so that custom rifle owners could come along and shoot but without being in competition with outright 6PPC Heavy Varmint rifles. We have attracted a few new shooters but we could do with a few more. If youre interested, why not come along and have a look what benchrest is all about our next shoots will be 15/16th September.
For our 1000 yard competitions, its still strict out of the box rules for Factory Sporter and we do get a healthy entry. Factory Sporter is a great way into 1000 yard competition and when you look at the fabulous groups shot with standard rifles, how can you resist trying your own cherished rifle? E-mail vinceb@ targetshooteronline.com if you would like more details or go to our website at www.6ppc.co.uk In November (Saturday 7th) we start our 600 yard winter series. This is a great way to try long-range benchrest shooting and the ideal winter discipline sat down, under cover with the warm Diggle Range House just a short sprint away. Rules, classes and course of fire are as for 1000 yard BR.
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Tikka T3 Tactical Rifle By Chris Parkin
Tikka T3 Tactical Rifle

By Chris Parkin Over the last few years, the Tikka T3 has gained a good reputation as a great sporting rifle straight from the box, with crisp trigger-pull, a detachable magazine system and an accuracy guarantee. What happens when Tikka go `Tactical`
Mechanical simplicity
The Tactical model on test shows a 20 inch chromemoly hammer-forged match barrel in 308 Winchester. As well as a longer 24 inch barrel, 223 Rem. and 300 Win. Mag. versions are also offered. At the muzzle, a very large laterally ported brake is attached - taken straight from the Sako TRG stable. Just shy of 0.9 inches at the muzzle, the short, stout barrel has accuracy written all over it, yet its still in proportion with the package and is not of excessive weight. The action is standard Tikka with an octagonal/ radiused profile. Controls are simple and well proven with a two-position bolt locking safety catch - forward
Tikka T3 Tactical Rifle

by Chris Parkin
An overall compact package was equally at home in the field as well as at the range.
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A stopgap measure?
My only gripe with the Tikka action, which I otherwise see as a fine combination of economy and engineering, is the recoil lug - or lack of it - which I think a little questionable. Instead of a lug either integral to the action or sandwiched between action and barrel, there is a small piece of steel held in a pocket
to fire, back for safe - mounted to the right rear of the twin-lug bolt. A cocked action indicator sits under the rear plastic bolt-shroud with a bolt-release catch for disassembly on the left. With a claw-extractor and plunger-ejector rounding off an otherwise simple, yet neatly machined, action we look to ergonomics with the usual smooth metal ball of the bolt handle wearing some kind of plastic cap, looking a little like an acorn. I understand the need for longer bolt handles for fast use and slimmer handles for hunting portability but this just looked strange and added nothing to performance of an otherwise smooth and clean bolt stroke with good primary extraction and ejection. Rounds are fed via a single-column 5-round polymer magazine that clicks securely into the floor-plate, with a release catch at the front. It does require manual extraction from the mag. well but not an issue, just a design point. 308 rounds always seem to feed well and the T3 was no exception, also allowing clean feeding of single cartridges dropped into the ejection port. The Tikka action is of the same size regardless of calibre and the ejection port is compact thus maximising on strength and stiffness. As the push feed works from a single column rather than a staggered or offset, the magazine cannot be loaded insitu and must be removed from the gun. Extra magazines are available but, make sure you get the correct size as they have filler blocks at the rear of the cartridge to accommodate differing COALs. As yet, a ten-round magazine is not available (hint Tikka/GMK!).
As well as the bipod stud, side mounted studs allowed comfortable carrying with a biathlon style sling.
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moulded into the stock which keys into a 2mm recess in the action base, hmmm. Im really not sure about this - is it more likely done to speed up machining time and economise on the size of the steel billet? Its also a feature of the Sako 85 - are Beretta getting a little too economical? Is plastic fantastic? The short, fibre-reinforced polymer stock is injection moulded. It is hard wearing and functional but although the barrel floats at the fore-end of the stock, the sides of the barrel channel drift inwards contacting the barrel/chamber reinforce so, I cannot class it as a truly floating barrel. The extra width shown in the fore-end of all T3 models with heavy barrels is only an extra polymer section, bolted in place and, although offering a better fit for bipods and a smoother ride in a sandbag, does not seem to offer much extra rigidity. Will careless gun handling or alteration of shooting position/support cause point of impact shift?
Otherwise, I find the overall shape and size of the stock to be excellent, the addition of an adjustable cheekpiece along with 5mm butt-pad spacers offers a very comfortable shooting layout from most positions. Raising and lowering of the cheek-piece simply requires a quick half turn of the knob and it comes out quickly if the bolt has to be removed. The 14 inch length of pull, with two spacers fitted, combined with a naturally raked grip meant that reach to both bolt-handle and vertically serrated trigger-blade were perfect for me, with very little positional movement required. The grip and fore-end chequering is moulded in.
Back in Black
Visually, the greatest difference between the tactical and sporting variations of the T3 rifles are the stock and metal finishing. Whereas before, we saw satin finishes on stainless steel or polished blueing on the chrome-moly models, here we are struck by a flat black manganese-phosphate coating, utterly matt, drab and subtle. This coating seems hard wearing as this gun had taken some hammer at the Bisley Live event and, on stripping, little seemed to be marked - other than a rusty spot on the un-coated loose recoil stud in the stock.
Consistent acuracy was ever present, the large brake no-doubt helped.
IA crisp the No.60 reticle, precise for to 2lbs. but illuminated loved trigger was easily lightened daylight centrally for low light.
Stunning accuracy straight from the box
On Steel, if you cant see it you cant shoot it, never mind dial in. Rusty or not, this plate was easily acquired.
Tipanis Rest
Lots of injection moulded plastic, faultless in operation but likely to show wear and tear easily.
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Tikkas stock design proved ergonomically excellent, adjustability where needed, simplicity where not.
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Wear marks had appeared on the stainless steel bolt body but this area is teflon coated to aid smooth cycling. The Picatinny rail atop the action allows versatile scope or accessory mounting but is only bolted on above the existing dovetail rail. I have always felt the Sako/Tikka Optilock rings and bases are an excellent scope-mounting accessory with little to go wrong or damage a scope. I suppose Tikka have at least recognised the sensibility of the nearest thing we have to a universal system that is rapidly becoming the industry standard for scope mounting.
As well as the usual sling studs front and rear, secondary studs were fitted on the sides of the stock to allow comfortable carrying with a Biathlon style sling a smart addition to a heavier rifle on long carries after deer.
Lets get tough

I deliberately shot some careless, rushed, hot barrel ten-shot groups with a 5-shot magazine and five single rounds and, although the groups opened up a little, I attributed this as much to the trigger which at this point - although crisp - was breaking at 4 lbs. By the time I got into competition and moved out to 500 yards at a steel-plate shoot, I had stripped the gun out of its stock and reduced this to a far more user-friendly 2 lbs. - simply achieved with an Allen key in the single adjustment screw. When used out in the field on some more unorthodox targets, I did notice a little point-of-impact shift when the gun was handled carelessly but, the brake tamed the recoil very effectively so concentration could be focussed on gun-handling rather than holding it down for a follow up shot. The adjustable cheek-piece also allows precise, repeatable cheek-weld, always an aid to accuracy. The lateral ports in the brake did cause offence at one range from a fellow-shooter and again, my personal preference is a radially ported which offers less sideways blast. Should one be used, the butts underside rode smoothly in a rear bag and the conventional taper allows the non-shooting hand or fist to find a convenient supporting position.
Mount Up
Positive extraction, ejection and push feed all from the minimalist twin lug bolt.
I used my own Harris bipod and GMK kindly supplied a Leupold VX-III 6.5-20x50 LRT scope along with a set of Optilock rings paired up with Weaver style bases to affix to the Picatinny rail. The plastic inserts that act as rose joints on the Optilocks assure you of not only a firm hold but less chance of marking your scopes tube. The Leupolds magnification range on offer is a useful compromise between precise aiming on small targets at longer range and with the magnification turned down, pretty good for deer or fox too. The barrel, when cleaned, showed quite a few rounds had passed through it at Bisley Live and when I took the rifle along to the range to zero it, I was initially uncertain.. when you only see one hole in the target after 2 shots you can either worry you have missed - or could both be in a single hole? Thankfully, it was a single hole and, fed with either Hornady 168 grain A-max factory ammunition or handloads using 155gr Lapua Scenars/Vihtavuori N140, these groups never opened up beyond the magic half inch at 100 yards. The worst performance I noted in this rifle was with 168gr Remington factory ammo which at just above the half inch benchmark was still impressive; economy PPU fodder was also sub inch. Velocities from the short barrel were 2510 fps for the A-max ammo and 2705 fps with top end 155gr handloads so perfectly acceptable for a 20 inch, 1 in 12 twist tube. OK, so it isnt a 1000 yard gun but it was lightweight and compact enough to be a great ònegun` informal target or occasional stalking rifle.
The bedding area of the stock raises questions relating to that recoil lug.
These abrasion marks show the stock is not only in contact with the barrel, movement is occuring.
Specification
Model Tikka T3 Tactical Price (RRP) 1740 inc. muzzle brake Spare Magazine 51 Calibre 308 Win. on test, also 223 Rem. and 300 Win. Mag. Barrel 20 inch Match Grade 1 in 11 twist (24 in. avail) (1 in 8, 223) Weight 3.6kg (3.7 for 24 inch) Length 1020mm (1110 for 24 inch) Magazine Capacity 5+1 (6+1 in 223) Trigger 1-2 kg (2-4lbs) Contact GMK 01489 579999 www.gmk.co.uk Thanks to Edgar Brother for Hornady and Remington ammunition. Tel: 01625 613177 Hannams Reloading for Lapua and Vihtavouri. Tel: 01977 681639 Henry Krank for PPU ammunition. Tel: 0113 256 9163
Regardless of calibre, all actions are the same size. The solid construction inspires confidence although why add the picatinny rail and the àcorn` bolt knob
For
Stunning accuracy straight from the box. Functionally perfect. Well-proportioned ergonomics.
Against
No 10 round magazine. Be careful with the stock flexing. Im not sure about that recoil lug.
Verdict
Although Im not theoretically convinced by the stocks rigidity and strange recoil lug, I cant deny its a seriously accurate factory package.
The 5 round polymer magazine fed faultlessly and quietly. 36
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The long View

by LES HOLGATE News from the GB F-Class Association
Photography - Laurie Holland
Photography by Steve Thornton
A regular column by which we keep up to date with all matters F Class and the activities of the GB F Class Association.
GB F Class 5th Round

August 2012
Diggle Ranges UK
With a good proportion of the regular GBFCA crew over in Raton, New Mexico, on a scouting trip for next years World F Class Championships, we always knew the entry for Diggle would be a little thin on the ground but, as it turned out, we still had a near full field of shooters for round 5 of the GB F Class League. The League also retained its international flavour, with two Open Class shooters coming from the Netherlands, Jim De Kort and Marco Been.
F/TR shooters, managed to post some good scores - considering the weather.
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August 2012
Diggle Ranges UK
With everyone anxiously looking at the weather forecast - the previous Diggle shoot turning into a one day only event due to problems with low cloud causing poor visibility, the omens appeared to be good a rainfree weekend was on the cards (but that didnt stop the wind!). The field was split into two more or less equal halves with approximately 24 shooters taking part in the morning, then following a short break and butts crew change, the other 24 shooting in the afternoon. In line with recent trends, the field was split slightly in favour of F/TR so they shot first on the Saturday, with the long stint in the butts slightly alleviated by the organisers providing free tea and coffee facilities for the butts crew and, all shooting would be at 1000 yards. As mentioned above, the weather was fine but that didnt mean calm and, with a strong wind blowing up the Pennine valley, suddenly our blow-off shots took on an extra importance of being free sighters. However, for the first detail, visibility was poor and few shooters could see their shots splash on the sand. Sure enough, several shooters were not on target for the first few rounds and had to use up some of their scoring shots for extra sighters on the sand. Once underway, the first two details, which consisted solely of F/TR shooters, managed to post some good scores - considering the weather. The highest score of the first match with 90.3v was from Steve Donaldson (bearing in mind that many of the top shooters will expect to score in the high nineties an indication of just how windy it was) with Les Dawson second but some way behind on 86.4v. The weather stayed fairly constant for the second match and this time Diggles Ian Dixon managed the highest score with 88.2v, closely followed by Adam Bagnall on 86.2v. There was just time for a short lunch break and butts change, then it was the turn of the Open shooters.
The wind hand not changed and, if anything, may have even increased, which meant it was more of the same for Open. As per usual it wasnt just the strength of the wind that was the problem it was the fish-tailing, with sudden drop-offs to catch the unwary. Its unusual to have to alter a scope up to two MOA between shots at Diggle but not today. By the end of the first match, Paul Sandie got the hang of it better than anyone else with a score of 92.2v with Gary Costello just behind on 89.5v. For the second Open Match it was closer, with two shooters on 94 - Liam Fenlon and Mark Daish but with Mark on four V bulls and Liam on seven, Liam took the first place medal. That was day one over, we were all dry and there were no weather delays so time for the now mandatory curry evening in nearby Uppermill. Day two was the turn of Open Class shooters to go first. The weather was pretty much the same but with the occasional shower - so much for British summer! The wind had certainly dropped overnight but it was still difficult to break into the nineties though and in the first match, only one Open shooter, Grant Taylor managed this on 90.4v with Les Holgate in second place on 89.6v. For the final match, Match 4, the round count was 15 rather than 20 so it would be interesting to see if anyone could break 70. Only one shooter managed it - Lee Tomlinson of Border Barrels with 70.6v - amazing considering the weather. Not far behind was fellow Scot Paul Sandie on 69.5v. Following another short break for lunch and a butts crew change over, the F/TR shooters took to the point for their last shoot of the weekend. With that wind still blowing down the valley, it was again a case of who got to make sense of it and this time, in the first F/TR match of Sunday, it was Steve Rigby with a 89.4v with John Cross just behind on 86.4v. Remember, only one Open Class shooter had managed a 70 out of 75 could any of the F/TR shooters do it? No! But Stuart Anselm, of Osprey Rifles almost managed it with a 69.1v, closely followed by Steve Rigby again on 66.5v.

August 2012
Diggle Ranges UK
GB F/tr at diggle UK
That was it, the final league shoot of the year at Diggle. All that remained now was the prize giving. As is often the case in many sports it proved to be about consistency and the most consistent over the weekend had been Adam Bagnall who took first place in FTR, closely followed by Steve Donaldson in second and Steve Rigby in third. However, those numbers dont tell the whole story Steve Donaldson managed to dollop big style - crossshooting onto the wrong target in the final match. His four which would have given him the win - counted for nothing but fortunately, he still managed to hang onto second place. Adam Bagnall Steve Donaldson Steve Rigby Paul Crosbie Stuart Anselm 319.9v 318.10 312.13 311.10 303.5
Open class was equally close: Paul Sandie Lee Tomlinson Liam Fenlon Mark Daish Gary Costello 336.17v 335.18 335.14 329.12 327.15v
Thats the last of our three shoots at Diggle for the League in 2012. The calendar is not yet finalised for next year but expect it to kick-off again at Diggle with a short-range shoot in the spring. For the next GBFCA League shoot - round 6 - we travel to Blair Atholl in October, the final round before the Europeans. If you havent experienced a shoot at Blair, please give it a go sometime it should be on every shooters bucket list. Go buy some more powder and dust off your excuses book and maybe I will see you there!
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This SMALLBORE Business
This Smallbore Business

by Don Brooke
preparation but, I also had my alternative plans should the wind get up before I was able to finish the match. I knew exactly how many clicks to move the rear sight and so hold the group-centre in place and how many it took to make sure I battled the increase in velocity that I knew was coming - without having to shade the aim. That same range in Perth is also subject to the Fremantle Doctor a wind which, as sure as clockwork, arrived in the early afternoon and with some increasing velocity. Sometimes it arrived with a strong gust as well but mostly steadily increased as the afternoon wore on. I once watched a high-class shoot from Australias Yvonne Gowland (winner of the Christchurch Commonwealth Games in 1974) in a battle with the Doctor as she regularly altered the group centre of her stage to combat the increased velocity. This was one of the best wind shoots - clicking the sight to stay in the ten ring - that I have seen. Yvonne was comfortable with her wind judgement which she had installed in her training and I clapped that shoot! This just gives you an idea of what is needed sometimes. I may add, she made the decision, went with it and fired the shot! Back to my opening paragraph above - the answer is based on experience, with just what wind method you are comfortable with but, you should always be open to learning and this is totally within your training. It is so sad, I think, when you see many shooters just stay at home when the weather conditions act up, then wonder why - when a match is won by a shooter who gets out there and works! I have seen this in my own club when no one turns up when it is cold, wet and windy.
How do you decide to combat the weather?

What do I do? Aim off? Shade the aim? Wait for it to settle? Judge the drop, or strength of the lift? Or... All of the above? Perhaps click the wind on the rear sight? (So many full-bore shooters use this method).
Do I wait until my chosen condition is out there? How do I choose that condition? Will the condition last long enough for me to get a good shot away? Is there mirage out there to help this decision? Can I trust my hold and just shoot through it? What do I do? This decision needs to be made well before the sighter shots are in place and, always understand that this decision can be adjusted to suit what is out there. Flexibility of decision is always an option, as you need to control what you are doing. You need to understand that your competition does not start just when preparation time is called.
Fig 1. If you study these wind flags, you will see they are almost identical. All four are settling to five oclock at the tips. The left side diagram is for half value winds which show a centre shot. Yet, with the identical flags under full value direction change shows the shot result much wider. Shooters are often fooled like this, and I call this the Invisible wind trap produced by a wind direction change, yet with the flags being identical. Shooters often ignore a shot like this on the target, putting it down to poor trigger action, and pay the penalty of shot loss if the wind value increases in velocity.
No, it starts during the training days prior to match day, when you experiment with various methods to see what happens and how that may affect your shot result.
I remember a match where we all started dead on 9am and during the week before, I noticed the wind invariably increased, or even arrived at around 9.40am. I carefully watched the weather and waited until that wind did arrive during my training days and made arrangements to battle with it. Match day came and after the preparation period was complete and we were told to start, I was one of the first to get my sighter shot away, knowing full well I had 40 minutes to shoot my English match. I finished the shoot in 36 minutes and aimed every shot dead centre in the front ring. The score was enough to win in Perth, Australia, as I had all my preparation in place and fired the match quite fast, finishing in fact well before the expected wind arrived. This was just purely
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Well, I can tell you they will not cancel an Olympic Games because the weather is rough and, if you doubt this just ask someone who shot the prone match in Montreal so many years ago. Part of your preparation in your training should contain a decision to train on say, Tuesday of the week and, you go out there and shoot, come hell or high water. A famous Australian Olympian once said Anyone can swim in a smooth pool!
The answer is within the training periods available and, as the matches usually start at 9 am (local time) you need to be up and running when the bell goes. Not much can be said for training in the afternoons when the match starts a lot earlier. In fact, the only time I trained in the afternoon was if I was working on a technical problem and I always trained as late as possible when the conditions out there were steadier. Take careful note of the time if the conditions worsened during the allotted time for the match, as this could give you a heads up on how to work the combat method into the program. Here, if this
Fig 3 - This is another example of half value wind changes, with the wind flags looking identical. If you miss this change, which is very easy to do, the shot loss can be severe, and puzzling. Here the shooter may need to vary the shaded aim drastically, to stay in the ten ring.
that for every zero 4 clicks to the left, you also need one down on the rear sight. (the plane of wind effect). There is not much point in picking the wind value and lose the shot above the ten-ring!
Always remember, How well you shoot is directly related to how well you think!
Like I said in an earlier article, now we are getting into the real guts of smallbore and even fullbore - they have the huge advantage of specially manufactured ammunition and a pretty big bull to work with. They too can learn from this! I have always wished that I had the same control of my rimfire ammunition that I had with the fullbore stuff I very carefully made, including choice of projectile, cases, primer, load and seating depth. It was not until I spent a good deal of time with Eley in the UK that I realised just how crucial this is. Selected 22 ammo. is mandatory if you want to get anywhere in smallbore. My fullbore rifle shot like stink with the loads I had prepared for it (you saw that 50.10 illustration a while ago) while the Benchrest shooters are now looking at calibre-hole potential with their stuff! Even at 1000 yards, I think the world record five-shot group is under one and a half inches - mind boggling!
within your area predominately but also be aware of the conditions flowing across the outer reaches of the range which will eventually affect the flags you are working with. If you look at the diagram (in fig. 2) you will understand where I am coming from. You may even be able to shade the aim on the next few shots to alleviate what is out there, or perhaps re-zero by clicking the back sight. Whatever you are comfortable with and established in your training times. You may also wait, until your flags resume as in target 2 and then carry on. If you look further wide (eg target 25) you may see the strength and direction altering and this will affect your shot dramatically when it does reach your area, so put the rifle butt down and have a good look at what is happening. I always made it a point to be well aware of the shooters immediately upwind and I have saved many a match by watching where a top level shooters shots were landing and so gained the information I needed. Be aware though, in these days of electronic targets - impossible to see your shots except on the monitor you may find one that is facing you somewhere along the line and pick up some info that way. Do not forget
Fig 2 -Be aware! Use all your skills, NOTICE things! In this illustration the shooter on target 2 has zeroed in smack in the middle. A serious wind change is approaching from the right at around target 8. Notice the direction change. The shooter becomes aware, and checks the wind flags on the outer targets. Target 20, well away from where he is shooting, is indicating extreme danger. Stop shooting immediately and wait until the change passes through.
So I ask the question now, how do you decide what method to use, particularly when you have all of them at your fingertips?
happened, you may totally alter your method and go from waiting for the repeat condition, to shading the aim, or re-zeroing to take care of perhaps an increase in wind velocity and direction across the range. (See Fig. 1) This usually is a wait for the repeat condition that is used by so many small bore shooters and it is crucial that you have a very good view of the wind flags
There will be more on the wind series next month, where I will tackle even more of this fascinating sport. Brooksie.
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Fifty Years of the Remington 700

By Chris Parkin
Fifty Years of the Remington 700 a tribute by Chris Parkin

1962 - a group of four Liverpool lads started up the Beatles, Dr. No was the first James Bond to hit our screens and the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the doorstep of disintegration. A small footnote on the 62 calendar might also mention what has become one of the most revolutionary and copied rifle actions that shooting has yet seen - the Remington 700. scales unit which can be removed The 1500 Along with the birth of the much heralded Mauser in 1898, the Remington 700 has sired many offspring. It is a bit of a Marmite gun it has its lovers and haters but, it is hard to ignore just how much its brutally simple design and longevity has filtered through to countless other guns, especially those wishing to benefit from its long trail of generic components and aftermarket accessories. In the post war era of 1948, the Remington models 721-722-725 breathed new life into designs heralding direct genetics from the great American wartime production of the Model of 1917 and their immediate descendants, the models 30 and 30S. These all owe a basic design to the Americanised P14 Enfield and a large Remington infrastructure assembled to build weapons for war in Ilion and Eddystone, along with enormous inventories of spare parts. Mike Walker, of Remington, wanted to produce a rifle at low cost to compete with the Winchester Model 70 so, a simple round action
from the dispenser.

A tribute by Chris Parkin
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By Chris Parkin

By Chris Parkin
their followers feeling cheated of the cherished `controlled feed` action. By contrast, the Remington 700 sold like the proverbial hot cakes, although also being a push-feed action.
Along the way

First offered in ADL (enclosed floor plate), BDL (external hinged floorplate) and Safari grade, over 40 models and style variations are currently available five-million rifles later, chambered in nearly 50 cartridges from a 17 Remington up to the 458 Winchester Magnum. Heavy BDL Varmint barrels appeared in 1967 with a dedicated left-hand model born in 1972 and detachable magazines in 1995. The recent highs and lows of the breed are symbolised by the 2005 introduction of both economy SPS models with polymer stocks and the CDL or `classic deluxe model` exhibiting best walnut furniture. In the sixties, with 4X scopes or open sights and a well designed stock, two-inch groups at 100 yards were par for the course. Today, we expect half that or better and, where barrels have often improved, stock design has often done a Ù` turn. Polished blue chrome-moly steel has been accompanied by matt, grit-blasted/Parkerized variants and stainless steels. Lately, models have featured the most modern of synthetic coatings to aid corrosion resistance in rifles like the XCR Èxtreme Conditions Rifle`. As well as sporting arms, the 700 has also filtered across the world into both military and police units following its 1966 adoption by the US Marines in Vietnam as the M40 sniper rifle system. Whether this is clever marketing, political lobbying or just a
Custom actions based around the 700 are abundant, here we see the Yorkshire made Valkyrie.
machined from steel billet featuring a two-lug bolt, a simple c-clip extractor and no third lug or Mauser claw seemed to fit the bill. First appearing in 1962, chambered for the also new 7mm Remington Magnum cartridge, both halves of the recipe have endured. Aesthetic and ergonomic improvements were made, with a minimalist sleek trigger-guard featuring both bolt-release and floor-plate catch. The now instantly recognised angled bolt handle and `flys eye` knob were a thankful departure from an ugly dog-leg assembly in the past. Monte Carlo stock design, made from attractive walnut and profiled, handled recoil in a modest manner and was well received by critics of the time. Two years later, Winchesters introduction of a re-vamped `post 64` push-feed Model 70 action went down like the proverbial lead balloon, with
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By Chris Parkin

By Chris Parkin
Dont like your SPS stock, bolt on one of the numerous aftermarket items like this ultralight yet ultra stiff PSE hunter model.
good weapon, it is hard to ignore that 50 years on from its introduction, it still rides high on the list when it comes to specification of an effective tool by professional users.
After-market bolt-knobs, magazine-fed bottom metal, replacement triggers and any type of material or shape of gunstock imaginable, the Remington 700 footprint in either long or short action is easily `suited and booted`. Actions can even be blueprinted to correct mass-production imperfections, custom firing-pins appointed and claw extractors installed (to replace that much maligned but exceedingly reliable case extractorspring) if funds allow, to transform the 700 into a slick, reliable and accurate action.
The full custom option

Manufacturers around the world from Barnard in New Zealand, RPA, Alchemy, GBR and Valkyrie in the UK to Stiller, Stolle, BAT, Surgeon and others were not slow to recognise the basic design and appeal of the 700 and all make beautifully manufactured, close-tolerance versions that are not only compatible with the famous Remington trigger but the actual dimensions of the actions `footprint`, meaning that the same stocks are compatible. Although improvements are made - especially to machining tolerances - the ethos often remains the same with separate recoil-lugs and visually similar bolts designs to mimic their granddaddys looks. Where the 700 was drilled and tapped for scope mounting, some descendants of the breed now feature integral scope mounts with fulllength Weaver/Picatinny rails adding strength to the original open topped, magazine fed action design.
The footprint
In addition to new, off-the-shelf rifles, the 700 holds a great reputation as a basis for a custom or semi-custom build amongst the shooting fraternity. A rifle whose barrel is worn-out usually has a nicely worn-in action - agreeably some better than others but, still a functional starting point where, for a modest outlay, you can work with a gunsmith on building your own personal custom design. Whether for vermin, foxing or stalking rifles, the choice of a barrel and chambering is the first step in a long, but more importantly, reliably accessible list of sub-components from which your ideal tool will be created.
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By Chris Parkin

By Chris Parkin
Of course, Remington also offer their own custom shop versions with the famous 40X series. These actions were much sought after in the early days of benchrest competition and, even today they are well regarded by those preferring an off the shelf rifle to a custom build.
Chris parkins own Personal 30-06, a 1984 built classic and at 28 years old, a well loved favourite.
Weak points?
Although computerisation and CNC machining is now the norm, the 700 design has varied very little. Triggers particularly have wavered alongside legal niceties regarding what is and isnt as `safe as a house` and current safeties dont lock the bolt closed as they have in the past. Key locking bolts appeared in the late nineties but thankfully disappeared quickly. The latest X-Mark units with external adjustments are safer for the user to adjust trigger pull-weight but older triggers and actions are often beauties. My oldest gun is a 1984 built 30-06 and its operation and accuracy are sublime compared to some examples 20 years its junior. Im pleased to report that over the last few years, the new guns I have seen are returning to this pedigree.
What could they have changed?

As custom clone manufacturers choose to discard or maintain design features, we see what could and couldnt be done within the designs footprint and price. The much vaunted three rings of steel safety feature and bolt design that were such a significant feature of the original are well copied - with the bolts nose inserted within a recess at the rear of the barrel to contain a caserupture. What is never copied is the `flys eye` bolt knob or that spring-steel case extractor within the bolt nose. Often criticised for being a little delicate, it is commonly replaced in factory action tune-ups and rarely used in custom actions for, if it does fail, it is day over as far as your shoot is concerned.
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By Chris Parkin
However, failures are rare and replacements cheap and easily installed and, is primary caseextraction difficulty not a sign of significant overpressure in ones loads? You decide. Most clones wisely choose to feature a bolt-stop and bolt-release catch recessed in the side of the action as opposed to the trigger-guard mounted unit originally specified very fiddly to operate with cold hands! The Remington employs a separate recoil-lug sandwiched between the action and barrel the most critical of joints. As an alternative, recoillugs that are integral to the action serve two positive functions they can usefully increase
This GBR action and Mcrees stock, Not a Remington but all 700 based.
By Chris Parkin
Nothing complicated but this is the `footprint` around which so many actions and stocks are designed.
The key lock bolt appearing in the late 90s caused problems and thankfully dissapeared.
The tiny circlip extractor is rarely copied and often substituted but is breakage a sign of overpressure.
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By Chris Parkin

By Chris Parkin
the length of the barrels threaded tenon but more importantly, they allow simple changing of barrels without even removing the action from the stock. With the separate lug, barrel switching becomes more difficult as the lug has to be carefully re-aligned. Lugs are sometimes pinned to the face of the action to maintain a constant location in re-built custom guns. Of course, incorporating the lug as an integral part of the action necessitates a larger billet of steel and additional machining but the advent of CNC has made this and other features well within the scope of custom action builders.
This pair of initially identical 243s were born in 1996, only 26,309 units apart.
Sorry but Im a lover..

When I got my first 700 I was infected with its potential for personalisation. I learned to epoxy bed them, work triggers, change stocks and change the whole personality of a gun still based on the same `heart`. Much of this is what taught me that, although we are all riflemen, subtle tweaks can turn the same genes from a Varminter into a stalking rifle, showing either appeal to a truck-roof shooter or a hill-walking hunter. Importantly, all this took place whilst I enjoyed shooting a gun that could evolve and improve as my wallet allowed. Today, as a shooting journalist, I get to see, shoot and investigate a lot of rifles in detail, critically reviewing their designs and how they suit intended uses. I can appreciate how manufacturing capability has grown stratospherically but no matter the machines, all designs still come from a human brain.
This very new SPS Tactical is an economical gun yet demonstrates a resurgance of quality trigger mechanisms and improved quality control.
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By Chris Parkin
Remington 700s

By Chris Parkin
Remington 700s
and can think of few other guns that, as a base package, do things as cheaply and effectively, yet offer the first stepping-stone into a world of customisation and individuality. in general - you cant re-invent the wheel! Sometimes, simplicity rules. Anything that can last almost unchanged for half a century in this market place, within a world changing as quickly as ours, deserves our respect. I love the elegant design simplicity Happy 50th Remington 700, I take my hat off to you. Watch out over next few months for articles looking at Remington 700 upgrades from stocks and triggers to bottom-metal and boltknobs. UK Remington importers Edgar Brothers www.shootingsports@edgarbrothers.com Tel: 01625 613177 www.remington.com I take my hat off to how designers have utilised modern CNC machinery to make their ideas real but on the other hand, after 50 years in todays fast moving, well informed consumer society, the Remington 700 represents something about the gun industry
Happy 50th Remington 700, I take my hat off to you.

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ANY NEW PRODUCTS TO PROMOTE ! GIVE TARGET SHOOTER A CALL...

TARGET SHOOTER IS READ BY OVER 10,000 DEDICATED SHOOTERS IN MORE THAN 77 COUNTRIES EVERY MONTH...
Contact us today to see what we can do for you and make your products work to their full potential, in a way that is the future of magazines and advertising. With over 10,000 readers a month, in the UK and around the world.
Email Yvonne Wilcock at admin@targetshooter.co.uk
Need a posh ammo box !!! Now available at Osprey Rifles.

Photo by Steve Thornton
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THE METHUEN CIVILIAN SERVICE RIFLE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP, BISLEY 2012.

Armalon Limited congratulate the London Practical Shooting Club and their LPSC A (Azure) and LPSC Red teams for achieving first and second places in the 2012 Methuen CSR Team Championship Match at Bisley with scores of 1319 and 1287 ex 1500.
Of the twelve shooters comprising the two teams, eight were deploying Armalon PR rifles in either 308 Win., 260 Rem. or 223 calibre. Amongst those, particular praise must go to Wesley Compton in LPSC Team Red. Wes shot a record individual score for this Match of 243 ex 250 with his 223 calibre Armalon PR rifle with H-S Precision PST 25 stock converted to incorporate Armalons new over the shoulder OS-5P sling system.
Those unfamiliar with the Course of Fire may better appreciate this amazing score when it is pointed out that only 2 of the 5 rapid fire practices are shot from prone, the others being standing, kneeling and sitting unsupported against challenging time constraints including 2 x 100 yard 30 second run downs!
THE METHUEN CIVILIAN SERVICE RIFLE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The A Teams winning score was even more remarkable as one of the few LPSC shooters using a proprietary AR, rather than an Armalon PR platform, suffered the only malfunction within the three LPSC Teams which cost him and that Team up to 46 points! The all Armalon PR shooting LPSC Team Red who placed second shot a 299 ex 300 for the important 300 yard first practice of 10 rounds in 60 seconds prone on the Fig 12 from standing ready alert, beating their A Team colleagues on this and the Stage 2 run down (where the malfunction occurred) and equalling their score on a third stage, such that the top six shooters from these two LPSC Teams recorded a superb match total of 1373 ex 1500! The Clubs third Team, LPSC Blue, four of those six also shooting Armalon PR rifles, finished in a respectable 5th place overall after the HRA and the Saluza Scouts Teams. One of Team Blues shooters delivered an unintended testimony to the resilience of Armalons PR system in the hands of its designer. At the end of the preceding range day to the competition, Peter Saronys scoped PR rifle, including its Armalon PicT 20 moa mount rail and rings etc. was accidentally run over on the ground, from end to end, by a heavily laden truck, fortunately whilst stowed in its Aim 50 drag bag! The Bisley bore solvent spray can is indicative of the trauma as were the heavy tyre tracks imprinted along the face of the Aim 50 bag! As there was no opportunity prior to the Methuen Match to give the scoped PR rifle system a thorough check out, Peter launched into the competition as normal, where the PR rifle still delivered a perfect 50 ex 50 on the first stage! Sadly Peters 70 year old body coupled with sleep deprivation from a neighbours raucous and window
rattling all night party contributed to an appalling Stage 2 Run Down, scoring 20 points below his average and thereby depriving the LPSC Blue of the 17 points needed to take 4th place from the Dorset based Saluza Scouts.
Congratulations Wes Compton and the LPSC Teams, thank you AIM Field Sports for the AIM 50 drag bag and well done for choosing Armalon PR Rifles.
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The First IPSC Shotgun World Shoot Debrecen Hungary

From 17th September 2012 30th September 2012. Main Match Days: 24th Sept to 30th Sept.
Website: http://shotgunworld-hungary.com Dont forget, this is the month for the first World IPSC Shotgun shoot. Dates and official website above. Good luck to the Teams attending from Great Britain. Check out the UKPSA Forum as the shoot progresses.
Benelli offers a low priced Essential version of the popular M2 Semi Auto Shotgun
It is also worth pointing out that Benelli do sell a Practical version of the Benelli M2. However, it has a fixed magazine of 9+1 and, although this sounds ideal for Standard Division, it is better to go for the standard Field model and convert it. The fixed tube on the practical version has to be completely removed and replaced if you wish to add any additional capacity. Check out the GMK website: www.gmk.co.uk Level 1 Practical Shotgun Match at Diggle Ranges. On Saturday the 8th of September Diggle are hosting a PSG match. Scores will count towards the Northern PSG League. Signing on- 08:30 - 09:00 on D Range Please bring all of your kit to D Range Mandatory Safety Brief -09:00 - (No Entries Will Be Accepted after the Safety Brief). Safety Glasses and Ear Protection are Mandatory. Safety Flags Mandatory. There will be 10 stages to shoot and you will require approx: 150 rounds Birdshot (fibrewad). 10 Buckshot. 20 Slug. Stages are usually Comstock, which means that you take as many shots as you need to knock all the targets down. So it is advisable to bring more ammo than the minimum required unless you are feeling really confident you arent going to miss any J. Please bring a packed lunch that can be munched on the range between stages. There will be a lot of shooting to do and we wont be able to schedule a lunch break. Comp Fees payable in cash on signing on: 5 for Diggle Members. 5 + 15 visitors fee for non members. Please RSVP if you will be attending, in order that we can plan for numbers and squads etc... Please email your intention to attend to paul@abtec.net Please include which category gun you are going to use (Standard Semi Auto, Pump, Open) etc... Info for visitors: To find the range if you set your sat nav to Diglea, Diggle, Oldham OL3 5LB. That will lead you on to the road that leads to the range and it is sign posted from there. Plenty of safe parking. Please sign in at the Range House first, there will be members there to sign visitors in. They will then point you towards D Range. Please bring your own food and drink, there wont be any food other than crisps and choc bars for sale at the range. There are toilet facilities and tea/coffee available all day.
Quigley Shooting Association

by Ken Hall
The all-new Annual Team Steel Challenge Sunday 15th July
It should have been three teams of six firers each from the Quigley Shooting Association, the Single Shot Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Club of Great Britain and the Yorkshire Buffalo Hunters to compete in the annual Team Steel Challenge competition but sadly, the Yorkshire team was only able to provide a team of five. It was decided therefore that the other teams lowest individual score would be discounted, to make the contest more even. For once the weather was not wet and miserable, however the Diggle wind didnt let us down. The butt crew set up the steel bucket and we started shooting Stage 1 at 400 yards. A bullseye target was displayed for each team and firers were allowed five rounds as sighters, shot Target Rifle style with team members being permitted to spot for each other. Then came the challenging bit, ten shots each at a life-sized steel silhouette of Matthew Quigleys famous bucket, fabricated for the occasion by Richard Healey of the Yorkshire Buffalo Hunters. The steel bucket was a bit of a challenge in the poor light conditions, especially once a few rounds had gone downrange, as it blended in with the dark sand background. This accounted for several misses from each team. Highest scorer was Colin Buck, hitting the bucket nine times! Going in for lunch the score stood at 33 for SSBPCRCGB, 21 for the YBH and a 20 for the QSA.
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After lunch, a reprise of the bullseye stage with five sighters on the target, this time followed by ten rounds each at a size steel buffalo silhouette. With three firers from each team on the point, firing in turn, the tension becomes almost unbearable and the seconds between shot and strike seem to grow longer. The SSBPCRC hit the buffalo 54 times, the QSA 37 times and the YBH 34. After the scores had been factored, the SSBPCRCGB had rang the gong 77 times, the YBH had 55 hits and the QSA 53 hits; the trophy once again going South for safe keeping until next year. All competitors received a memento, as did the butt crew - four volunteer Diggle Club members, who did a splendid job as usual. The atmosphere throughout was one of great comradeship and firers are to be congratulated for the truly sportsmanship way in which the competition was run.
Benelli are now offering a version of the best-selling M2 Model without the frills. The new M2 Synthetic Essential features Benellis ultra reliable inertia system, a standard black synthetic stock, 28 barrel and three chokes. All for the low price of 1,100 (RRP). Compare this to the standard M2 offering which has a RRP of 1,365 The only drawback for PSG would possible be the barrel length. Most shooters in Standard Division prefer 24 or 26 maximum barrel length. However, it would be ideal for Modified Division or Open, and even in Standard Division, it wouldnt be too great a handicap IF you want to shoot what is possibly the most popular semi-auto ever on the PSG scene. Like other models in the M2 range, characterised by their one piece receiver with simple maintenance requirements and fluid operation, this is the semi-automatic choice for many professional shooters. Its rugged and ultra-reliable. The stock is made from Technopolymer, ensuring this gun can be used in all conditions and will stand up to all elements season after season, through using this material, Benelli also ensure the M2 Essential offers exceptional stability when firing. The gun is available with 28 barrels and three chokes. Note, that the gun as standard is Section 2 with a capacity of 2+1. It would require additional work through a gunsmith to convert to Section 1, plus the addition of an extended magazine tube.
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A MEGA SHOW TAKES SHAPE...
ALAN WHITTLE
1955 - 2012 It is my sad duty to report the passing of one of the Gallery Rifle communitys long standing members Alan Whittle. Alan was with a group of shooters at the Derby 1500 shoot in July when he was taken ill on the range. Despite valiant effort by a number of medical professionals on scene, they were unable to save him; the sad news was conveyed to shooters later that afternoon. Alan had previously been ill with a heart condition and its believed that this was the cause of his untimely demise. Alan was a long standing member of Bristol and District Rifle and Pistol club and of Frome and District Pistol club. He joined Frome in the late 90s; it wasnt long before we realised we had a very capable shooter in our midst and his name started to rise to the top of the club results pages. His style was one of unflustered precision no rush, yet perfect results. He was also a great source of knowledge, from the history of his sport (and many other things) to his patience in perfecting the ultimate reload. Every case was polished, every bullet a perfect crimp! Alan was committed to shooting and continued to rise in both Club and National prominence, remaining at the top until the end. Hes pictured here just a few weeks before, with his certificate from the Wiltshire County Open competition. His shooting career culminated in his selection for the Great Britain Gallery Rifle Team; a role that he revelled in, and that took him onto the International circuit. He was also a well respected Range Officer running and assisting in numerous matches from Club to Internationals and as a wise sage, on the NRAs GR sub-committee. Alan had a career in both the Merchant Navy and the Police honing the skills that made him so capable and interesting. Out of uniform, but still with the force, he reached the top in the field of forensics. I was fortunate to spend the last weekend in his company, where he recounted so many tales of the past and how he was looking forward to retirement and more time shooting and with his family whom he adored. All the more shame that he was never to fulfil that final wish.
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It will come as no surprise that his funeral was packed a true mark of his popularity. Hell be missed by many, as a shooter, organiser, range officer and friend. Ill personally miss that cry of Shoes Off !! when I visited him in his beloved Bisley Caravan. Anyone who met Alan will tell you that he was without doubt one of lifes true gentlemen; shooting will be all the poorer with his untimely demise.
WALTHER more service for customers

Bernhard Knble New Sport Director
Customer service has top priority and WALTHER has strengthened its service to customers i.e. sport shooters by taking on a new employee. As of now Mr. Bernhard Knble, as Sport Director heads the service team around Sven Martini, Christian Bauer and Jrgen Billharz in order to support top national and international marksmen. This is a new position that Walther has created. Many shooters will already know Mr. Knble as he has attended competitions as employee of another wellknown sporting arms manufacturer and set important highlights as design engineer of sporting arms. More information at Carl Walther GmbH, Im Lehrer Feld 1, 89081 Ulm, Germany, Fax: +49-731-1539-109, Email: sportservice@carlwalther.de or at www.carl-walther.com
A MEGA SHOW TAKES SHAPE... Over 240 exhibitors already confirmed for 2013!
With 6 months still to go and even more international exhibitors coming on board, the show is well on course to be the biggest and most comprehensive yet. Supported by all the major shooting associations and backed by all the premier gun distributors the show continues to grow from strength to strength.
BRAND NEW MOBILE FRIENDLY WEBSITE FOR THE FIFTH GREAT BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW...
Keep in touch wherever you are - on mobiles, i-Pad, tablets or PCs. The website automatically adapts and re-shapes for clear readability on all devices. This fantastic new website contains over 50 pages of information including a full Gun Brands listing, Whats On at the show, Hot News & New Products, Special Features and Highlights.
For all the information please visit - www.theshootingshow.co.uk
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Records Broken at Phoenix Meeting

This years Phoenix meeting at the NSC saw records being broken across the whole spectrum of different Target Shotgun events. Timed and Precision, a course of fire based on that old favourite Police Pistol 1, saw John Chambers only dropping a point at each of the three distances to come up with a score or 297, with 14 Xs. This beats the previous best score of 297 and with 12x held by David Payne since 2010. How long before a possible of 300 is reached? Dave Rollinson proved that you can do it with an old hammer gun by scoring 287 with 4 Xs and grabbing the Phoenix record for Classic Timed and Precision only one point behind Rob Adams national record score of 288. The BDMP Embassy Cup competition is divided into two divisions, one for pump-action shotguns, the other for semi-autos. David Payne bettered the record he set in 2011 by one point to achieve 119 out of 120 in pump-action competition, whilst John Chambers achieved the first maximum of 120 on the IPSC target. Shooting at 100 and 200 yards may not seem compatible with shotguns and slug ammunition but, since the NRA introduced the Long Range Shotgun event, it has proved interesting if not perplexing to shoot. Peter Hathaway-Jones established the record of 65 points from a possible 120 five years ago. Andy Duffy shot the event on the Saturday of this years Phoenix with his single shot Rossi and was pleased with his achievement of 66 points. However, the record score he had achieved was only held for 24 hours as David Payne took up the challenge and went onto score 69 points. Thats five records broken in three days of shooting. The NRA may well have to reconsider their Gold, Silver and Bronze standards in line with the improvements in accuracy now being seen in the Target Shotgun competitions. Scores may well get higher and closer together at the National Championships, to be held at the Gallery Rifle Action Weekend meeting at Bisley over the August Bank Holiday. The combined scores from both the Timed & Precision and Multi Target events will be used to determine the NRA National Target Shotgun Champion for 2012.
National Target Shotgun Association

Excellence in precision shotgun shooting who needs rifling?
National body for Target Shotgun Established

With its first AGM held during the Phoenix meeting at Bisley, the National Target Shotgun Association formally came into existence. Officers were elected and a constitution was adopted with plenty of enthusiasm being shown to take the discipline of Target Shotgun beyond the National Shooting Centre. Whilst practitioners, range crew and organisers will be ever grateful to the National Rifle Association for their help in establishing and recognising Target Shotgun, the demand for more competition around the country is being answered by the formation of the Association. Andy Duffy was elected as the first Chairman of the NTSA and, with his strong team of committee members, he is looking forward to the running of Target Shotgun matches throughout the UK. Several ranges have already been identified as potential venues for competitions and there is the prospect of several promotional competitions and events being held during the remainder of 2012. It is hoped that a substantial match programme will be established for 2013. Matches will be open to all shooters who have Target Shotgun competency endorsed on their NRA Shooter Certification Card. The first promotional match will take place at Wedgenock ranges on Saturday the 24th of November. Details and an entry form for this competition will appear on the NTSA web site. Any club wishing to get involved in the running of NTSA matches, or just to hold an in house club competition, are welcome to get in touch with the Association for help and assistance. The Target Shotgun competitions at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley are shot over longer distances than can normally be accommodated at clubs. Therefore, to enable clubs to shoot these competitions, courses of fire for 25 meter/yard ranges have been devised. Obviously record scores achieved at these shorter distances will be noted separately from those already established at the longer ranges. More details about Target Shotgun and how to get involved in this new exciting shooting discipline, can be found at the Associations web site www.targetshotgun.co.uk 72
Contact us today to see what we can do for you and make your products work to their full potential, in a way that is the future of magazines and advertising. With over 10,000 readers a month, in the UK and around the world.
New TSG NRA Representative

James Harris was elected the new Target Shotgun Representative at the NRA NTSA. Look forward to seeing him and his team participating in the Associations matches around the country over the coming years.
Email Yvonne Wilcock at admin@targetshooter.co.uk
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UKBR22 Open Competition at Novio Magnum Pistol Club by Carl Boswell

Rain, rain and more rain has hit most parts of the country throughout our so-called summer. Sussex was not excused this torrential downpour, which led to the postponement of the Air Rifle Benchrest World Postal now rescheduled for 30th Sept. It also caused a bit of issue with the open Heavy Varmint rimfire benchrest match at Novio Magnum, with parts of the access track being damaged. However, it was still passable, so on the 18th August we competed, which included two teams for the World Postal. I will let fellow competitor Andy Dubreuil comment from his perception: The last week has seen heavy rain and strong winds and the thought of having a competition at a range where you know it may be difficult just to get to the range via a chalk track that has been washed away makes you wonder is it worth all the hassle. Well HELL YES! Its been a turbulent year for UK Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest but shooters have provided events around the country. The UK has been part of the international community since its beginnings and individuals helped to form not just the ERABSF but also the WRABF. Earlier this year the NSRA took over as the affiliated body to both federations, with the view that British shooters need to be supported, thus enabling them to represent their country at international events. The next European Championship and World Cup takes place Plzen next year. It is the biggest event on
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the calendar for rimfire and air rifle shooters across the world. In the meantime we have the World Postal for both air and rimfire and is an important link for international sportspeople to work together. A couple of months ago it wasnt known if Great Britain would be able to provide such a match, as clubs had already worked hard to put on events earlier in the year. Therefore it was a case of finding other venues to hold the postal. So with a lot of help and talks amongst members, Novio Pistol club near Chichester, Sussex, agreed to put on the event as a one-day Open competition which took place the weekend of 18th August. Everyone was told it would be a rough and ready competition, being put together so quickly in just five weeks but, it was far from that! The club and its members put on a great event and everyone involved should be congratulated for what they did. We were blessed with US shooter Craig Young, who was still in the country and who was happy to score the cards with a little help from the ladies who were helping out. (He certainly knows how to charm the ladies). Craig also took this opportunity to train several people in the art of scoring targets. This allday training will enable future matches to be scored effectively in teams, using purpose made scoring tables and equipment. The range crew were also brilliant. To top it off, it was forecast as the hottest day of the year, so the whole event was blessed by the hard work and luck - fortune favours the prepared. From what I understand, this was Novio Magnums first event for something like 17 years. We hope that this is the beginning of a trend for the club and members are able to put on more events like this. For me, its not about the quantity but the quality of these events. If more clubs around the country could see that they also could put on an event like this, with a number of shooters that they feel comfortable with, then they will get shooters coming to their events. Plus the sport will grow!
Winner Scott Grayson
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Magnum put in a lot of effort and time. Without these guys, events like these will just not happen, so a big thanks to them. The club now has the facilities to have three-target events based on the international rules adopted by the NSRA. We are hoping to hold further one day/one event matches (3 targets) in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled for details of future events. A first for me was being a match director. I have been involved in organising international matches for a number of years but actually directing the match is time consuming to say the least. Trying to shoot on top of this, well lets say I was a bit tired at the end of the day. Obviously there is still lots to learn but, the next match will be even better. Congratulations and thanks to all range staff and club members who help behind the scenes and the competitors who took part. We had some new faces who will benefit from further coaching. We also had some of the same names and top level competitors. This included Scott Grayson who has just received sponsorship from to rimfire ammunition manufacturer Eley. He is only one of three to be sponsored by Eley for benchrest shooting. Coming first has set the benchmark for this young man, who has a great deal of potential. Big things for the future we hope! To finish off, a moan about the weather. There is always an excuse! Well not really - it was windy and difficult but, this is the game. There is always something to learn.
My own club has been in the same situation and taken the plunge to put on an event and see what happens. Postals are fun but personally, I dont think they are as much fun as having a bunch of people together, side by side having a laugh and joke and enjoying a days shooting - what ever the outcome! I was tired and more by the end but I loved every minute of it in the company of a bunch of people that love it as well. Well done to all for making the day happen and also for taking part so that weve been able to continue our representation in international events. We are now looking forward to hearing from Buxted when they hold the Air Rifle World Postal match. Results: 1st Scott Grayson 2nd Carl Boswell 3rd Gary Kingaby Firstly a great many thanks to Graham Lay our club Chairman for supporting this event with the club committee. It would not have got off the ground without him. It was a good event from the clubs point of view. As Andy has stated, it was the first for a number of years - since the pistol ban in fact! The members of Novio
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Disabled Shooting continued...
Disabled Shooting International Project.

SPREADING THE WORD...
The hot topic over the last month has been communications brought sharply into focus by the global tsunami of information and opinion generated by the Olympic Games. Our task is on a slightly smaller scale: How can one full-time person and half-a dozen very part-time volunteers spread the word about disabled target shooting throughout both the sport and the disabled community? Since amateur sport generally struggles to achieve effective communications, this progress report might provide some inspiration and encouragement for others. When the Disabled Shooting Project was first conceived, the earliest communication we had with the shooting world was via a survey that was sent out by the NSRA to all its affiliated organisations. The response was amazing; about 15% responded - a market analysts dream! The data thus gathered provided the foundation stones on which the DSP has been built. It wasnt difficult to get some preliminary information about the launch of the project onto the NSRAs website. Then the e-mails started coming. After some time spent hammering the keyboard on individual responses, it became apparent that the next task was working out how to communicate effectively with the dozens of people who were expressing interest in the newly-hatched DSP. The result was an e-mail hub, with special-interest Groups set up using distribution lists. This meant that messages on a specific topic could be sent just to the relevant Group(s). It saved endless time picking relevant individuals out of Contacts, and also avoided sending stuff to people for whom it was irrelevant and thus might be an irritation.
In printed media weve been allowed a Disabled Shooting Supplement in every issue of the NSRAs magazine The Rifleman since Spring 2009, which provides us with a useful shop window. Although we didnt know it at the time, Julie Sperling of the clay target Disabled Shooters Group has been getting regular articles in the CPSAs Pull! magazine over the same period. This year the NRA Journal has started carrying reports and contributions by the associations Disability Representative, Olaf Jones. Since Spring 2011 our media presence has been helped enormously by Target Shooter publishing on-line information about what were doing. When Sport England suddenly funded the Project into overdrive late in 2011, we realised straight away that in order to accomplish something worthwhile within our 16 months of funding, communications had to be the top priority. Within the first week our internet presence on Facebook and Twitter was established. These have been extremely valuable, bringing many useful contacts and information, as well as lots of kind well-wishers and supporters. Sadly we cant follow everyone who follows our tweets there arent enough hours in the day to check through the output of numerous prolific tweeters. The tough bit has been learning not to fire off indignant responses OK for a personal account, but not for an official DSP channel! A website of our own was needed urgently, and thanks to the magnificent efforts of Clive Garnham (Catesby Design) it was launched within a few weeks of him receiving the specification for it. My own learning curve on this has been vertiginous, but well worth it. The response it has received from many quarters has been very encouraging. The amount of time it has saved on telephone calls and emails is amazing once I had twigged that instead of explaining the same thing to a succession of enquirers, I could just create a new section on the website and put it all on there. Watching the statistics, analytics, etc. for the website, Twitter and Facebook is a fascinating pastime, and highly educational. There was the buzz of getting our 100th follower on Twitter particularly as it was @ParalympicsGB! Now we are on the verge of reaching the double century in time for the start of the Paralympic Games. There are puzzling things like why has our article about the Dwarf Sports Associations shooting days had 6,872 hits? Then
there are encouraging things like the 4,700 people who have looked at details of the accessible clay target taster days being run by BASC and the Lincolnshire County Sports Partnership. The pages of information aimed at helping people to find out about the sport and how to get into it have been viewed well over 1,000 times a fact which generates a good deal of job satisfaction. Given the amount of material thats coming in now, it would be easy to spend the entire working week adding more articles, sections and links to the site, and connecting to them from the social networks. This is an important part of the system; tweets and Facebook messages are often our news front line, used to give a headline or photograph that will channel people to our website, where they can read the full story or find details of an event. The latest big development has been our multi-purpose information pack. Over a few months this has been transformed into various formats. Hard copies are handed out at events or sent by post, and an electronic version can be e-mailed. Meeting the initial demand for these was more time-consuming than Id anticipated. Obvious answer: put it on the website. But how? Several pages of script, five leaflets, two posters, a photograph album and a Powerpoint presentation didnt fit easily together in one section. After some head-scratching weve found neat solutions to all except the Powerpoint (still working on that). The photographs prompted the setting up of our Flickr account, which means they can be fully annotated; thus more intelligible to viewers. A recent invitation to attend a major conference in London has prompted yet another option for our infopacks; loading everything onto DSPbranded memory sticks which can be given to potentially useful contacts.
LATEST NEWS...
How all these elements link together and complement each other is shown in the diagram. It requires some mental dexterity to keep it all working! The posters and leaflets, being multi-purpose, are also distributed through many other outlets, and as they all have our QR code on them, provide a direct link to our website for those with smart phones. As you can see, weve been employing every way we can think of to get the DSPs message spread throughout the worlds of target shooting and disability, and there are more ideas in the pipeline. Our next ventures will be into the worlds of film (YouTube here we come!) and apps.
More information:
Disabled Shooting Project: www.disabledshooting.org.uk
Liz Woodall DSP Co-ordinator DSP Mobile: 07527 579686
International Paralympic Committee, Shooting: www.ipc-shooting.org International Blind Sport Federation, Shooting: www.ibsa.es/eng/deportes/shooting/presentacion International Shooting Competition, Hannover: www.i-s-c-h.de Clay Target Grand Prix, Lonato: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFKzJ7ZfQzM British Blind Sport: www.britishblindsport.org.uk International Blind Sport Association (Shooting): NSRA: www.nsra.co.uk
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Disabled shooting content in NRA Journal, Pull!, The Rifleman, and Target Shooter is available on the Downloads section of the DSP website.
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AVAILABLE FROM GUNSHOPS

23/06/2009, 08:35
A4 Advert 06-09.pmd
Fly
The Great Diggle EGG Shoot
DIGGLE UK 2012 ANNUAL FLY SHOOT

by George Granycome
THE
Shoot
All week, Id watched the weather forecast. So far itd been mixed sunny, with odd showers but the Friday forecast predicted clear skies over more or less the whole country for the Bank Holiday Sunday. Excellent!
Diggle Ranges. UK
BY VINCE BOTTOMLEY. PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE THORNTONS DAUGHTER STEVIE THORNTON
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The Fly Shoot Diggle Ranges, UK 26 August 2012. BY VINCE BOTTOMLEY

When I opened the curtains at seven in the morning, it was teeming down! So much for the Met Office! By eight, the rain had all but stopped and, as I drove into the already full Diggle car park at nine o-clock, it was thankfully dry! The Range House was buzzin we always get a good entry for the Fly but today... By ten oclock, as we made our way to the 500 yard firing-point over 60 shooters had registered and cars were still arriving. Wow! Blue sky began to appear as the first of eight relays set up to shoot the Fly. But, what exactly is the Fly Shoot? Whats the appeal that brings shooters from all over the country even Wales and Scotland - to a range in the Pennine hills? Its difficult to put a finger on it but, the Fly Shoot challenges every type of shooter. The target shooter can shoot for score on a bullseye target, the benchrester can drag out his fancy rests and shoot groups and the field shooter can demonstrate his wind reading skills for there are no wind flags at the Fly Shoot. And the Fly? In the centre of the target is a fly a large fly, more like a cockroach but still tiny at 500 yards. Hit the fly and win one of our coveted fly patches - only a few will be lucky enough to walk away with one. The target was given to me in 1999 at the World Benchrest Championships in Italy by Aussie benchrest shooter Stu Elliott. Weve run the competition at Diggle ever since. Its become something of a classic as it is in Australia.
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The rules? None really any rifle, rests, sights, muzzlebrakes and moderators are fine but, we do not allow spotting scopes but who needs em any decent riflescope will resolve shot-holes at 500 yards, wont it? Each shooter is allowed a five-minute sighting-in period this comp. isnt about knowing your comeups, its about how well you can shoot! Shooters then engage their Fly target, shooting a total of three, 5-shot groups. Between each group, the butts crew pull the targets and mark up the groups in such a way that the 15 shots on the target can be separated into the three groups by the scorers. In addition to the scoring-rings on the target 10 points for a hit in the 1.8 inch diameter bull, down to one point for the eight inch diameter outer scoring ring, group bonus points are awarded. A two-inch

group will gain eight bonus points, a three-inch group seven bonus points. Get the idea? Subtract the group size from ten to get the bonus points. Typically, a good shooter will gain 15 to 25 bonus points from his groups but, the groups must be well centered if a shooter is to gain a high score. Although its an any rifle comp. we do give awards for factory rifle shooters. A factory rifle is one that has not been modified in any way barrel, trigger and action must be out of the box but we dont mind if youve say fitted an AI stock even though it looks the business it wont make your rifle any more accurate! But back to the competition. We managed to get 40 shooters through before lunch in dry conditions. The lunch break gave us a chance to start scoring the
Continued page 92
Joint winner Ian lord with 140 points
steve thornton shot smallest group 1.8
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over 60 competitors..
the Fly shoot gets bigger every year..
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Wed just got set up when the heavens opened! Half an hour later and sun and blue skies!
John Dean of AIM Feildsports lovin the Diggle climate..
Paul Hunter adapts to the Diggle climate change..
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targets a lengthy job each one must have three groups properly measure and the score counted. Scorers are also looking for the small group in each class. This is what I love about being in a great club like Diggle. After two and a half hours of RO duty, I was looking forward to a sandwich and a mug of tea not scoring 40 targets. I neednt have worried Bruce Lenton, Chris Vaux and Target Shooter writer Chris Parkin already had the job in hand. Thank you guys, you were magnificent. After a half hour break we were out on the point for the last three relays and my turn to take a break from running the point and have a shoot. Wed just got set up when the heavens opened! Im always wary of shooting in the rain and risking wet ammo. in the breech and the RO wisely called a stand-down. Half an hour later and sun and blue skies!
results
Custom Class: 1st Bruce Lenton 2nd Ian Lord 3rd Ian Dixon 4th Glen Jones 5th Les Holgate 140 points 140 135 133 Factory rifle 131

Factory Class: 1st Glen Jones 2nd Barry Goulding 3rd Darrel Evans 4th Steve Hodge 133 129 127 114
Smallest groups. Custom Class: Steve Thornton 1.852 inches. Factory Class: Barry Goulding 2.125 inches
This is what we all come for a Fly patch! You cant buy one you can only get one by hitting a fly at 500 yards! By four oclock, the final targets were scored and we had some results. We gave cash awards down to fifth place and down to third place for the factory guys, plus small group awards in each class. Smallest group of the day was a 1.852 incher shot by Steve Thornton (who takes most of the pictures in Target Shooter. His Daughter Stevie took these images.) using his 308 F/TR rifle a Barnard S action barreled by Osprey Rifles and bedded in a McMillan A5 stock. The smallest Factory group was a 2.125 incher shot by Barry Goulding with his newly acquired 308 Accuracy International sub half MOA at 500 yards is not to be sniffed at. Both of the small group guys shot off bi-pods. Oh and one third of the entry managed to hit a fly!
If the Fly Shoot sounds like your kind of day, look out for it next year on the Diggle calendar on www.diggleranges.com itll be around the same time
Full results are on the UKBRA website at; www.6ppc.co.uk
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THE HANDLOADING BENCH

POWDER UPDATE Part 2 by Laurie Holland

POWDER UPDATE - Pt 2 by Laurie Holland
THE HANDLOADING BENCH: POWDER UPDATE.

THE HANDLOADING BENCH POWDER UPDATE
Part 2 by Laurie Holland
Part 2 by Laurie Holland
Carrying on from the July issue of Target Shooter where I covered recently introduced products, lets have a look at changes in the nature of the industry that makes and supplies our handloading propellants, also profile that under-appreciated but very useful powder, Vihtavuori N150.
We have a great powder choice today, but have manufacturing capacity reductions and globalisation reduced security of supply and forced prices up?
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Incidentally, following up on Julys new powders story, Ive invested in a couple of tins of IMR-8208 XBR which, despite the name, is made by Thales/ADI in Australia for IMRs owner, the Hodgdon Powder Company. Coming from ADI, its really a member of the Hodgdon extruded propellant range with a closer affinity to H4895 than to IMR-3031 or 4064 which are made by the resurrected IMR Powder Co. in Canada. Ill try it in my Savage PTA based 308 Win. F/TR rifle paired up with another new product duo Bergers 155 and 168gn Hybrid bullets and should be able to report on results in the next issue.
Finnish Vihtavuori rifle powders, initially N140 and N160 only, first appeared in that decade packaged as 800 gram (1lb) lots in steel tins (now banned on safety grounds). They performed well, burned cleanly, metered well in powder measures thanks to their short-cut formulation and were the cheapest products on the market. Unusually, we were well ahead of US shooters in this instance getting Viht. products maybe 10 years before they did. Perhaps in response to this move, the supply of Hercules and Hodgdon powders improved too and, with a much more favourable pound-dollar exchange rate than today, offered excellent value. We also had Swedish Norma powders for a while around this time complementing the Swedish companys other components primers, brass and bullets but the primers and propellants were relatively expensive and apparently didnt catch on.

Ancient History
When I started handloading rifle cartridges a long, long time ago, I had a choice of four domestically manufactured ICI Nobel powders and not much else. The then DuPont IMR and the very much smaller than todays Hodgdon ranges were available - if you searched hard but, were expensive and supply was patchy. Pistoleros had a larger choice as most of the long established Hercules (now Alliant) double-base powders including Bullseye, Unique, Red Dot and 2400 were widely available alongside Nobel pistol, revolver and shotgun powders. There was an irony in Hodgdons situation for contemporary British users its extruded rifle powder range was actually manufactured by ICI-Nobel in south west Scotland and bulk-shipped to Kansas where it was put into cylindrical cardboard containers (yes, really!) before undergoing a 7000 mile plus round trip before being bought in 1lb. lots by us Brits. That was until ICI-Nobel shut powder manufacture down sometime in the late 80s anyway, which eventually saw Hodgdon move to its current supplier, ADI (Australian Defence Industries, now part of the multinational Thales group) and left the UK without a single propellant manufacturer.
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Brave New World

More than a quarter century on, our choice is now much larger, not just in terms of marques but with a powder grade (or ten) to suit almost any cartridge/ bullet combination you can think of and many specialpurpose products such as Viht N32C Tin Star and Hodgdon Trail Boss, various 50 BMG propellants and so on. As with so many consumer and food products, the supply chain has become global Canadian and Australian manufactured powders (IMR and Hodgdon) shipped to us after packaging in the USA, likewise Swedish and Swiss made (Alliant) products; Finnish, Czech, US (Hodgdon spherical/Winchester ball) and some French powders direct. Most of the older propellant factories dating from the two world wars have closed, the survivors completely rebuilt employing highly automated processes and subject to very heavy health and safety regulations, supplemented by a small number of new facilities built on greenfield sites. Ownership structures have changed completely western governments closed or privatised their factories; the onetime dominant chemicals
Hodgdon is unique in this business a family firm thriving amongst huge multinationals.
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IMR as American as Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner, but now out of the US military supply business and forced to relocate north of the 49th Parallel.
conglomerates such as ICI, Olin and DuPont have been broken up and/or specialist divisions like explosives closed or sold off. Todays manufacturers are mostly in the hands of defence multinationals typified by the huge General Dynamics, Thales and Alliant ATK groups. Almost uniquely, the Hodgdon family business has retained a major role in the field. As well as specifying/testing/developing load data and undertaking the supply/ distribution role for its bought-in powders, the Hodgdon Powder Co. manufactures IMR and Pyrodex (black powder substitute) powders. It also distributes St. Marks Powder Co. (Winchester) and Vihtavuori powders in the US alongside its IMR/Hodgdon ranges. All Hodgdon Spherical grades such as H414 and BL-C(2) are manufactured in Florida by the St. Marks Powder Co., part of the massive US General Dynamics Corporation. These changes are in line with the widespread globalisation of business weve seen in recent years and similar changes in vehicle, electronics and other consumer product manufacturing. There are however significant differences between producing handloading powders and other things. For a start, the market is still heavily driven by government/ military, not consumer requirements and these buyers want to be 100% sure of the reliability, technical competence and trustworthiness of supplies for obvious reasons. This aside, there are other huge barriers to new entrants: onerous and very expensive safety and environmental requirements; large commercial risks as military consumption fluctuates enormously. Western governments have privatised their armaments manufacturing facilities and now procure weapons and ammunition globally at the lowest
prices they can get in what is usually a buyers market in peacetime anyway. While many propellant manufacturers remained within stable state or national conglomerate ownership for decades, the last 20 years have been turbulent with factory closures and reorganisations alongside frequent ownership changes. Fluctuating demand is a problem while consumer applications (handloading and powder for sporting ammunition) have grown steadily, most countries have cut military spending and consumption. The end of the NATO v Warsaw Pact cold war saw most northern hemisphere countries force through huge peace dividend savings. While frequent reorganisations and manpower cuts in their armed forces are obvious manifestations, there are hidden changes including reductions in stored equipment and supplies inventories. The UK held enough ammunition in store to fight a World War Three maximum effort against the Soviets for say six to eight weeks. When these stored cartridges became 10 or 12 years old, they were sold, replaced by newly made supplies. This simply doesnt apply now as HMG and most other countries procure little more than their ongoing consumption in itself falling because of army and training cuts and hold limited strategic reserves. Thats also why theres no cheap surplus 7.62 or 5.56 to be found in gunshops nowadays. However, governments still want to increase ammunition purchases many fold, overnight at that, every time a military threat erupts somewhere. Ammunition component manufacture has just held up, creaking at times, when the US

Double-base N550 has noticeably shorter grains.
N150 is available in 1lb, 1kg and 3.5kg size lots. The largest size gives a good unit price reduction.
The powder comes in standard (N150) and modified High-Energy (N550) forms.
Vihts burning rate chart shows N150/550 (left-hand column) are close to Hodgdon and Accurate 4350, H414 / Win 760, and Alliant Reloder 17. That may mislead when considering applications for N150.
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led coalition of the willing fought simultaneously in Iraq and Afghanistan. Any bigger wars would see something have to give and I suspect it would be us handloaders who would suffer. Also, thanks to production being concentrated in a handful of very expensive nearly 100% automated plants, plus huge health and safety overlays, plus parsimonious governments forcing prices down so the manufacturers main business is barely profitable, handloaders havent enjoyed the big real price reductions that have been the norm in other manufactures. The UK price of 10lb worth of American powder would buy a good specification laptop computer nowadays! Incidentally, mentioning health and safety costs, Ill bet you didnt know that the entire USA only has a single mainstream propellant plant and it only makes ball powders. Thats the former Olin Corporation factory at St. Marks, Florida and with the US Army and government twice committing itself to exclusive use of ball powders in its mainstream smallarms ammo over the last half-century when 7.62x51mm and 5.56x45mm NATO cartridges were adopted, the St. Marks Powder Co. has a strong hold on the business of one of the largest customers on the planet. Its owner, General Dynamics, proudly says of St. Marks products .. BALL POWDER Propellant Loaded in over 95% of U.S. Military small arms ammunition. What about DuPont IMR (Improved Military Rifle) extruded powders used by the US through two world wars and continuously developed at great (private sector) expense to help keep the US military supplied with up to date ammunition, including doing all the original development work with Armalite and Gene Stoner on prototype 5.56mm AR cartridges? Ditched by the wayside, what was left sold by DuPont in the 90s and the surviving business forced to relocate to Canada by US health and safety regulations. More recently, Hodgdon bought this residual operation to continue the manufacture of traditional IMR stick
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powders for the handloading and sporting ammunition markets. I was told by a reliable source that the US government EPAs safety requirements on anybody making extruded powders in the US are now so stringent and expensive that the results would be totally uncompetitive against imported Canadian, Finnish and Australian examples. Making extruded powders is inherently risky as the initial process that uses nitrates cellulose plant fibres produces a relatively unstable high explosive similar to guncotton. Subsequent steps alter this products chemical structure into much safer propellant forms, but require the use/addition of other dangerous processes and materials such as heat, solvents and sometimes other explosives such as nitroglycerine. So, the process has to be managed exceptionally carefully and materials are processed in relatively small batches with total structural separation between them to avoid a chain reaction should the worst happen. This isnt a theoretical risk as almost every country that made smokeless powders saw many relatively minor plant explosions and fires with the occasional major disaster, especially during the world wars when operations and workforces were forced up massively over short timescales and training and safety standards allowed to slip. A typical major accident wrecked the HercuIes Powder Co.s powder plant in Kenvil, New Jersey when nearly 300,000lb. of powder went up in a series of explosions and fires starting at 1.30pm on 12th September 1940. 51 people died and over 200 were injured. The plant was of course wrecked but was rebuilt and back in production within a year, later supplying propellants used by US forces throughout WW2. Conversely, ball powder manufacture mixes ingredients in nonexplosive water slurries during its early production stages and is therefore much less risky.
promptly and energetically denied, a good thing too as this is the sort of scare that sees panic buying and hoarding these days. (Note the ongoing effects of American shooters so far unfulfilled convictions that Barak Obamas election three years ago would herald the widespread introduction of restrictions on handloading and handgun/semi-auto rifle ownership.) The truth is that the Vihtavuori manufacturing plant is up for sale. Its present owner Eurenco (European Energetics Corporation) bought the Viht. operation eight years ago when government and munitions factory propellant orders were booming thanks to the aforementioned wars. Eurenco used to be called SNPE and owns other plants in its heartland, France and Belgium. Demand has now dropped and the company wants to rationalise production, so is seeking a buyer for the Finnish operation it says there is a lot of interest and is confident the company will be purchased as an ongoing concern. Still, in a global economy where governments seem convinced that they can always buy such commodities somewhere at low prices by playing the markets and treat the old imperatives to safeguard strategic suppliers as old-fashioned and unnecessary the UK without a propellant manufacturer for nearly 30 years you have to worry a bit! Another worry must be such multinationals switching manufacture of particular lines between plants for capacity or cost reasons we really do like our powders to be 100% consistent between lots and most companies products - particularly Vihtavuoris - have been superb in this respect in recent years. Ironically, just as I was finishing this feature, I read in a newspaper article that Finland is increasingly worried by threatening noises emanating from Vladimir Putins government. With the Sako, Tikka, Lapua and Vihtavuori factories owing their existence to Finland desperately creating a defence industry from scratch to help protect itself from its neighbour and traditional enemy Russia, I wonder if Helsinki kept golden shares in Vihtavuori and Lapua when they were privatised, or if the procure munitions somewhere/anywhere if the balloon goes up mentality now applies to this little country which once believed that God helps those who help themselves? Or, maybe as an EC member, Finland

Shooting in a 400/500/600yd competition at Strensall. 155gn / N150 loads performed superbly in this role.
European F/TR champion Stuart Anselms Stolle with heavy profile barrel likes the 185gn Berger LongRange BT paired with N150.
Rumours
It was a recent false report that made me think about these issues. A story spread around Internet shooting forums a month or two back that the Vihtavuori plant was going to close at the end of this year. This was
Steve Big Bullets Donaldson shoots 230gn Berger Hybrids over N550 and is seen beating everyone else here when he aims at his own target!
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believes the rest of Europe will come to its aid if the Russian Bear sharpens its claws ... in which case, it will need Gods help!
find its high-energy N550 version works just fine. However, if I only loaded relatively over-bore capacity numbers - say 6.5-284 Norma, 284 Shehane and the short magnums, it wouldnt be much good and Id be looking for something much slower burning such as Viht N165, Reloder 22, or H1000. If I mainly loaded 22 calibre centre-fires and smallcased cartridges like the PPCs with light bullets, it would be far too bulky and slow burning and Id need Viht N133-N135, H322, Alliant Reloder 10x or similar. In an ideal world wed have a single multipurpose powder (lets call it Omni-Prop) that works in everything from 22 Hornet to 300 Remington Ultra Mag, comes in 20kg lots at bulk industrial prices and has an indefinite storage life!
Under-Appreciated
That takes me onto Vihtavuori N150, which alongside its double-base (nitroglycerine added) high-energy N550 stablemate, is one of Vihtavuoris most useful but least appreciated, rifle propellants in my opinion. Whats useful in this context? Simply, that it happens to suit the cartridges I use and the loads Ive worked up for them. Thats entirely subjective of course, as I mainly load 223 Rem with heavy (80-90gn) bullets, 308 Win, 6mmBR and XC, 260 Rem. and similar well balanced middle of the road numbers. Where N150 is a bit too fast burning - as in the 6XC with heavy bullets, I usually
We live in the real world, so have to match propellant and cartridge/load characteristics. Nevertheless, we can reduce the numbers of types we hold and the financial outlay by choosing a small number of flexible performers that each performs well in a group of cartridge designs. That may involve sacrificing a bit of velocity compared to the use of the optimum powder in some applications, but it mustnt be at the expense of group size.

When I proffer my views on the powder, I usually get a surprised reaction as most shooters see N140 as the multi-purpose powder in the Viht. product range and thats exactly how the manufacturer describes this line. Its just that Ive had N150 produce more small groups for me with more bullet models and weights in more cartridges over the years than Ive produced with its slightly faster burning stablemate. This isnt guaranteed though. While Ive owned maybe ten 308 Win. rifles/barrels that really liked N150 even with relatively light 155gn bullets, the Howa 1500 Varmint that Im developing as an affordable F/TR rifle (see last months issue of Target Shooter) invariably does better with N140/ TR140 under 155-180gn bullets. Likewise, the Bartlein 5R heavy Palma profile barrel on my Savage PTA based F/TR rifle much prefers
Some cartridges that the author loads with N150/550. Left to right: 6mm BR Norma; 6XC; 260 Rem; 6.5-284 Norma; 7mm08; three 308 Win. loads.
N150 is particularly suited to late 19th / early 20th century military cartridges in Historic Arms shooting. Left to right: 7X57mm Mauser; 7.5X54mm MAS; 7.5X55mm GP31 Swiss; 30-06; 7.62X54R Nagant; 303; 7.92X57mm Mauser. Both versions work well in the popular 6.5X55mm Mauser too.
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Hodgdon VarGet to either of the Viht. numbers in 155185gn loads and, if I must use a Finnish powder, it has to be N550. On the other hand, reigning European F/TR champion, Stuart Anselm, gets fantastic results from the 185gn Berger LR BT Juggernaut over N150 in his heavy barrel Stolle custom-built rifle. As always, its about getting a bullet that performs really well in that particular barrel matched up to a powder whose ignition, combustion and pressure build-up profile suits the action and barrel harmonics. Given the pretty high-pressure loads that we use in F/ TR, Stuart and I would rather use cooler burning singlebase powders like N150 or VarGet over double-base types - including N550 - that have been infused with nitroglycerine molecules and will burn barrel throats out quicker, other things like peak chamber pressures being equal. Not everybody agrees with us as there is a fair size body of top UK F/TR league contenders who load heavy 200-230gn bullets invariably over N550. Characteristics Lets look at N150 and N550 in relation to other powders. Vihtavuori provides kernel dimensions, specific energy levels and bulk density values for all its powders but this isnt generally available for most of their competitors. So, Ill have to compare our duo against other powders in the Viht. range rather than equivalents from other manufacturers. This is shown in Table 1 below.
Energy: J/g = Joules per gram weight Density: g/l = grams weight per litre volume Source: Vihtavuori Reloading Manual 4th edition I discovered to my surprise that the high-energy N550 version has a smaller kernel size than plain-Jane N150 as Id always believed N100 series to N500 modification only involved NC infusion. Grain size aside, this latter process increases kernel weight and hence the powders density. Youll therefore get a heavier charge of N550 into a space-constrained case, often useful in maximum performance 308 Win loads, also in 260 Rem, 6XC and similar. The QuickLOAD internal ballistics program holds specific density data and Table 2 below compares fill-ratios (% of available space used by the charge) for 43.4gn of various powders in Lapua brass fired in my F/TR rifles chamber with 56.1gn overflow water capacity under a 155.5gn Berger seated to give 2.900 inch COAL. Source: QuickLOAD program for 56.1gn H2O capacity 308 Win. case with 155.5gn Berger BT bullet seated to 2.9 inch COAL. Note, this is done solely to compare densities these charges are unlikely to be optimal in this application, although they should all be safe. 43.4gn is used as QuickLOAD calculates that charge weight of N150 produces an exact 100% fill but I reckon the program underestimates the powders actual density and it takes up less room in practice. (Looking again at Vihtavuoris data in Table 1 sees N140, N150 and N160 given identical bulk densities despite varying kernel lengths, so I reckon the companys measurements,
Table 2 - Relative Fill-Ratios of 43.4gn Charges in .308 Win. H. BL-C(2) (ball) H414 (ball) Alliant Re17 (dble-base) Viht N550 (dble-base) IMR-4007ssc Viht N530 (dble-base) Viht N540 (dble-base) Alliant Re15 (dble-base) H4895 Viht N140 H4350 Lovex SO65 Lovex SO62 H. VarGet IMR-4064 Viht N150 86.5% 89.2% 90.0% 92.4% 93.1% 93.9% 93.4% 94.4% 94.4% 96.2% 96.5% 96.5% 97.0% 97.5% 99.9% 100%

energy and density figures are approximations, not to be taken as gospel.) If the QuickLOAD figure is more accurate, you can see N150 is relatively very bulky for a powder in its class and this often limits the usable load and available performance in smaller cartridges. Conventional wisdom says that N550s 20-odd percent shorter grains should also flow better and meter more consistently through powder measures but Ive always found that I get better results with N150 in this respect. The high-energy modification process seems to make 550 kernels a little stickier. In any event, I got fantastic groups with Australian 155gn HBC bullets over N150 from a previous 308Win. 30 inch heavy-barrel F/TR rifle but was limited to
The author obtains exceptional results in 260 Rem from N150 paired with Lapuas 123gn Scenar match bullet.
Table 1 - Selected Vihtavuori Rifle Powder Measurements Length (mm) Dia. (mm) Energy (J/g) N140 1.0 0.9 3,700 N540 H-E 1.0 1.0 4,000 N150 1.3 1.0 3,750 N550 H-E 1.0 1.0 3,900 N160 1.3 1.0 3,750 N560 H-E 1.4 1.2 4,000
Bulk Density (g/l) 910 940 910 940 910 960
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around 2950 fps MV with lightly compressed charges despite using very roomy Norma brass. Whilst usable at 1000 yards, this combination would be ballistically uncompetitive against equivalent BC 155s at 3100 fps and heavier, higher BC models at 2750-2850 fps. The same rifle/barrel shot the much higher BC Berger 185gn LR BT very well indeed at 2820 fps MV using N550 so this combination was used in long-range GB F Class Assoc league matches. The softer recoiling 155 HBC/N150 load was retained for 500-800yd club matches, was very pleasant to shoot, and produced some good match placings despite its reduced performance. We do have relative burning-rate data though, both as a numerical value against an N110 baseline for other Vihtavuori products (Table 3) and in tabular form against other makes (Figure 1). The latter shows N150 lying between H414/W760 and Hodgdon/Accurate 4350, very close to them in fact. Table 3. Relative Burning Rates of Viht Rifle Powders (Extract) N110 -100 (baseline). N135 - 57. N530 55. N140 - 54. N540 52. N150 - 51. N550 - 50. N160 - 46. N560 - 43. Source: Vihtavuori Reloading Manual 4th edition taking N110 as the base. Faster burners have higher values, slower burning grades lower. N550 is shown as only marginally slower-burning on either Viht. measure. Note too that N150 is often described as an in-betweener, situated between long established N140 and N160. Whilst true, Vihtavuoris figures show its not positioned in the middle, being closer to N140.
applications. Were told that N150 is close to the 4350s but you wont hear of it being used in 6.5-284 Norma - except with the lightest bullets, whilst H4350 is the go-to powder for the cartridge amongst many US long-range competitors for 139-142gn match loads. So, I reckon that N150 is closer to apparently faster burners like VarGet in terms of usable applications. To test this out, I ran three powders, Viht N150 and N550, Hodgdon H4350, through QuickLOAD for 6.5-284 loaded with a 140gn Berger VLD at 3.150 inch COAL in a 30 inch barrel. Increasing charges for each powder until QuickLOAD calculated PMax values were just below 60,000 psi gave the following charges and MVs where the baseline N150 maximum charge weight was xx.00gn**: N150: xx.00gn 2929 fps N550: xx.00 + 2.2gn 3045 fps H4350: xx.00 + 2.9gn 3022 fps On this basis in this application, N150 acts as if it is considerably faster burning than either N550 or H4350 a near 3gn allowable maximum charge difference and 100 fps MV variation between N150 and H4350 are significant. **xx.00gn is not a typo or a case of Ill fill the values in when I find the scrap of paper I jotted them down on. I simply dont want to quote any actual charges weights as theyre calculated, not tested.)

Table 4 - Vihtavuori Reloading Manual 4th edition.
Cartridges with at least one load combination listed for N150 22-250 Rem 6mm BR Norma 243 Win 25-06 Rem 6.5X47 Lapua 260 Rem 270 Win 7mm-08 Rem 7X57mm 308 Win 7.62X53R 7.5X55mm GP31 300 H&H Magnum 8X57mm IS 8X57mm IRS 9.3X66mm Sako 375 H&H Magnum
240 Wby Magnum 6.5X55mm 7X57R 30-06 Springfield 338 Win Magnum
wall large bore jobs such as .444 Marlin and .45-70 Government whose case capacity to bore ratios are such that fast burners are always employed. Most of the remainder is made up of a large slew of over bore capacity 270, 7mm and 300 Magnum cartridges whose characteristics demand very slow burners in the N160 to N170 bracket. One or two cartridges have been omitted where I would consider using the powder, notably 303 British where N140 is the slowest burner listed. Running both through QuickLOAD shows 43.1gn N150 gives a 100% case fill-ratio with the 174gn Sierra MK and 2,440 fps MV from a 24 inch barrel which is right on the nominal value for the military Mk7 the Number 4 rifle is sighted for and at a suitably modest 41,989 psi chamber pressure for these old stagers. My old 303 load of 40gn N140 gives similar pressures and a slightly lower MV at a 90% fill-ratio, so theres nothing much between them and either should perform well, the choice depending more on what you have in the powder cupboard. Vihtavuori introduced the accuracy load concept for a small number of combinations in its 223 Remington, 6mm BR Norma, 6.5x55mm, 308 Winchester, 7.62x53R, and 30-06 Springfield cartridges data in this edition. There are no N150 data provided for the 223 Rem and whilst there are for 6BR, its accuracy loads use N133, N135 and N140 in rising bullet weights. At least one N150 load gets the laurels in each of the four larger cartridges, no fewer than three in 308 Win (alongside the same number of N140 combinations
and one N550). Its N550 high-energy version does equally well in this respect and is the outstanding powder in 6.5X55mm with three commendations. One apparently suitable cartridge sees N150 barely given a mention in the Viht. manual the 260 Remington, with data only provided for 100gn Sierra HP varmint and 108gn Lapua Scenar bullets. By comparison, N150 is listed with all bullet weights up to 139gn in the slightly smaller cased 6.5x47 Lapua and performs well there. Another strange omission is the 123gn Scenar from Vihtavuoris onetime sister company Lapua with whom it still works closely and which is regarded as the outstanding 260Rem. bullet by many users. I have a good 260 and started developing loads for it last year before 223Rem. and 308Win. F/TR got in the way yet again. Very early on I got a 100 yard 3-round screamer test group under 0.1 inches with this bullet ahead of N150 and have since found this was no fluke, the combination performing superbly at all ranges up to 900yd. Throw in the superb shorter range performance that Ive obtained with some 80s and the 90gn Berger LR BT in a long-throat, fast twist barrel 223 Rem. and youll see why I believe N150 is quite a performer in a large range of cartridges and applications.
Applications
So, what does Viht. actually say you can use N150 in? This is how it describes the powder in its 4th edition loading manual: Typically used with heavier bullets in accuracy and hunting loads for medium capacity cartridges, like .308 Winchester, 6.5X55 SE and .30-06 Springfield. Fair enough I wouldnt disagree with that. The manual has load data for exactly 50 cartridges and, of these, 22 have N150 data for at least one bullet weight, albeit literally one in some instances where its use is marginal. The 22 are listed in Table 4. Of the other 28, a number are small-cased under-bore capacity types including 22 Hornet and 222 Rem., or straight-
Burning Rate
One has to be very wary of burning-rate charts as they are not only potentially dangerous if used to extrapolate known charge weights to another similar powder but can also mislead about suitable
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UKPSA NEWS
UKPSA NEWS
THE SUMMER SIZZLER GRADED PRACTICAL PISTOL COMPETITION

By David Thompson
The UKPSAs Handgun Commission organised their third graded practical pistol competition in a series of graded IPSC matches, which are held at the Ulster Small Arms Shooting Club range in Kilkeel, County Down, in the shadow of the Mourne Mountains. The match was titled the Summer Sizzler and the day did live up to our expectation, with temperatures reaching 24C, which is a warm day in this location! We have had a degree of luck with the weather during the competition dates this year as the summer has been anything but warm, with cloud and rain being the norm. The Range Master for the competition was Martyn Spence. Along with UKPSA Trainer Jim Gibney, Martyn organised an UKPSA IPSC Range Officer Training Seminar in Northern Ireland in March this year. Jim and Martyn put a group of 12 new range officers through the IPSC two day training course, which is a blend of both classroom work and practical training in situations that they will encounter in a competition. Martyn and Jim also re-qualified UKPSA members who were previously range officer qualified. These newly qualified range officers ran the seven stages under the control of Martyn. In the run up to the match date the USASC designed and build and assembled all the targets and props required for the stages of the match. The competition consisted of seven stages. These consisted of one long stage of 30 rounds, three medium stages of up to 21 rounds and three short stages of 12 rounds each.
THE SUMMER SIZZLER GRADED PRACTICAL PISTOL COMPETITION

By David Thompson
Competing in Production Division Philip Middleton finished in second place in this Division.
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UKPSA NEWS
UKPSA NEWS
The seven stages used a blend of shoot and no shoot targets and reduced size targets to increase the difficulty. The use of walls and barriers with apertures at different heights increased the difficulty of the stages. Each stage had both full-size targets, which allowed you to speed up your shots and a combination of partial targets, with many obscured by no-shoot targets and reduced size targets, which meant that you had to slow it down to ensure that you got the hits and avoided getting misses or hitting the no-shoots. One of the stages was a support-hand only stage. Stage One had multiple shooting positions and several of the dreaded reduced size IPSC targets. The use of IPSC reduced size targets, which are only 60% the size of the standard target and by also overlapping this smaller target with no shoot targets, left many competitors struggling to get the required number of hits and avoid the no shoot penalty targets. Competitor activated bobbers and swingers and steel reactive targets were used in four of the stages. The stages are designed to offer the degree of difficulty that is comparable to the degree of difficulty that you would experience in an IPSC Level III competition on the European IPSC competition circuit. With the score sheets being processed throughout the competition, the prize giving took place very quickly after the last competitors shot their final stages. A series of commemorative plaques were present to the winners in the respective IPSC Divisions. In Standard Division IPSC Ireland member Andrew Pedlow took first place. UKPSA members Paul Kirkpatrick and Robert McKee took second and third place. In Production Division, David Thompson came in first place, with Philip Middleton and Martyn Spence in second and third place. Jim McEwan took the top spot in Open Division with husband and wife team Elizabeth and Frank Charlton in second and third place respectively.
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Paul Kirkpatrick engages a series of targets through an aperture.
As well as attracting UKPSA members from Northern Ireland and Great Britain, we also had a group of competitors from our neighbouring IPSC Region in the Republic of Ireland who also participated in the match. This was the third of a series of graded IPSC Practical Pistol Competitions that will take place in Northern Ireland in both 2012 and beyond. Many thanks to all the competitors who attended the match and to all the range staff for their hard work and enthusiasm that was put into running the competition. UKPSA members are looking ahead to 2013 and 2014. The UKPSA National Handgun Squad will be formed to represent the United Kingdom at the IPSC European Handgun Championships that will take place in Portugal in 2013 and the IPSC World Shoot that will take place in Florida, USA in 2014.
UKPSA Practical Shotgun Safety Training Course

The UKPSA will be running a two day Practical Shotgun Safety Training Course in Northern Ireland on 16th and 17th November 2012. A UKPSA qualified Practical Shotgun Instructor will run this training course. This will enable Northern Ireland UKPSA members to organise Practical Shotgun Graded IPSC Competitions to take place in Northern Ireland. These matches will be held in 2013. Also in 2013 organised trips will enable UKPSA members from Northern Ireland to participate in the Graded IPSC Practical Shotgun Competition Circuit in Great Britain. Anyone who wants to participate in this training course should e mail handgun@ukpsa.org Northern Ireland Target Sports Association The Northern Ireland Target Sports Association (NITSA) range is situated just south of Bannbridge near Loughbrickland, County Down. The club hosts a series of competitions each month, which include Police and Service Pistol, Cowboy Action, 1500 PPC and
Andrew Pedlow leans out to engage a series of steel and paper targets. Every stage in this match used barriers to create tight angle shots to test each competitors skills.
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UKPSA NEWS
Empty cases fly as Stefan Kirkpatrick engages some of the few close range targets in the match.
UKPSA NEWS
benchrest. Of interest to those who shoot practical pistol the NITSA hold a monthly club level Practical Pistol competition to which all are welcome. You can find out more by looking at their web site www.nitsa. org.uk and email info@nitsa.org.uk The UKPSA Handgun Commission and Irish Target Sports IPSC Ireland Region are working together to bring about another series of graded IPSC practical pistol competitions for 2013. More announcements will be made in due course. Plans are already underway to extend this series of matches to include two IPSC Level III Championship matches during 2013. This will be great preparation for those members from both the IPSC Ireland Region and UKPSA IPSC Region who will be attending the 2013 IPSC European Handgun Championships and 2014 IPSC World Shoot in the USA. This year graded practical pistol competition made a welcome return to the United Kingdom IPSC Region. Anyone who wants to compete in any of the UKPSA competitions can contact the Handgun Commission Secretary Fred Hanna at handgun@ukpsa.org Web http://www.ukpsa.co.uk/handgunni.html
Range Master for the match, Martyn Spence presents IPSC Ireland member Andrew Pedlow his prize for first place in Standard Division.
Using his SVI Jim McEwan won Open Division.
Martyn Spence presents Paul Kirkpatrick his prize for second place in Standard Division.
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TARGET SHOOTER MAGAZINE

September 2012 Issue

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