GALLERY RIFLE PAGE
Gallery Rifle shooting is carried out on Mondays. Gallery rifle encompasses the shooting disciplines formerly shot using pistols (prior to the 1997 ban). Competition is split between smallbore (.22 calibre) and fullbore (over .22 calibre). Although some (precision) competition can be carried out with single shot weapons, club members compete in the Phoenix league where rapid firing of weapons is usually required. For smallbore, semi automatics such as the popular 10/22 Ruger, are utilised. Fullbore requires the use of underlever rifles ( Winchester or Marlin for example), but we also compete in separate long barrelled revolver competitions, using revolvers manufactured by Taurus for example.
Three separate disciplines are held for Gallery Rifle under Phoenix rules: Precision & Timed, Multiple Target and Precision. As previously stated, these disciplines are further split up to cover different calibres (full bore and small bore), and different types of weapon (smallbore rifle, fullbore rifle and long barrelled revolver). Under Phoenix rules, these competitions are shot using either open sights or optical; the only disallowed sighting system being lasers that project an image onto the target.
There are 3 sections to the Precision & Timed discipline. The shooter must be standing unsupported, with the weapon at waist height for every section. The first 12 shots are fired at a 25 metre range. The maximum amount of time allowed (including reloading if necessary) is 2 minutes. The second section uses turning targets. It is shot at a range of 15 metres, and shots are fired in 2 strings of six. For each string, the target faces up six times for a duration of 2 seconds, with 5 seconds 'away' intervals. One shot must be fired at each appearance. The final section is shot at a range of 10 metres. This is similar to the previous sequence, but more challenging, especially for full bore rifle competitors. 6 shots are fired, and the target faces up three times for 3 second intervals. But this time 2 shots must be fired at each appearance.
Multiple Target is shot at 4 different distances, each distance requiring 6 shots to be fired. As in Precision & Timed, the shooter must stand unsupported with the weapon at waist height. This discipline also uses turning targets, with two targets set up adjacent to one another. The first sequence is shot at a range of 25 metres; the target makes one appearance of 15 seconds, and all six shots are fired at the left hand target. The second sequence is shot at a range of 20 metres, and this time the target makes one appearance of 8 second duration. During this time, 3 shots are placed on the left hand target and 3 more on the right. The shooter advances to 15 metres for the third sequence. This time the target makes 3 appearances of 3 second duration, set at 5 second intervals. " shots are fired at each appearance on the right hand target. The final sequence calls for 3 shots to be placed on each target, during the 8 seconds that the targets face the shooter. This last sequence is shot at a range of 10 metres.
The Phoenix precision rifle competition can be shot at several distances, dependant on the size of the target. Gallery rifle shooters at the Ross-on-Wye range shoot over a 25 yard distance. The discipline calls for 20 shots to be fired and, unlike the competitions above, rules allow these shots to be taken at a leisurely pace.