'Historic' Small-bore Winter Postal Leagues

Sparks

Spotted on http://www.rifleman.org.uk/.

Don't miss the Historic Arms Resource Centre Miniature Rifle Leagues ( HARC-MRL)
These are run independently, but with the assistance of both the N.S.R.A. and the N.R.A.'s H.A.R.C.
Have you tried these Winter Postal Leagues yet?
If not, then they are definitely worth a look.; especially if you have access to a range for either 15, 20 or 25 yards. (One club is even proposing to shoot at 12 yards with scaled down targets)

( go to: http://www.rifleman.org.uk )

If you or your club hold any of the plethora of eligible rifles, from a .22 converted Martini-Henry to a BSA International or old Anschutz 54, then these leagues offer an opportunity to dust them off and take part in an entertaining, and non-too-serious, set of competitions to cheer up those cold, dark Winter evenings or weekends.

Each prone competition comprises of a deliberate and a timed card for each of ten the rounds shot between October and May - at hardly demanding six-week intervals.

To precis the classes:

there are PRONE leagues in four classes:
SERVICE, CLASSIC, VETERAN & POST-VETERAN
and STANDING competitions in three classes:
DELIBERATE, RAPID-REPEATER & SEMI-AUTO

For the Prone competitions,

SERVICE class is for any pre-1946 iron-sighted training rifle ( e.g. S.M.L.E. or other conversion), but you could use a BSA Model 6,8, 12 or 13 with its tangent sights too, just no Target sights allowed. You could even shoot a .310 Martini Cadet rifle or an equivalent in .297/.230 Morris calibre ( or a Morris or aiming-tubed rifle come to that!). The timed card is a 2 minute rapid on the same target - see website.

CLASSIC class is for any pre-1919 design rifle, including those above using target sights or adapters. The timed card is a 90 second rapid on the same target - see website.

VETERAN class is for any post-1919 and pre-1946 target rifle, e.g. the BSA 12/15 and 15 models, Vickers, etc. The timed card is a 60 second "Skirmisher" - see website for details and video clips.

POST-VETERAN is generally for any post-1946 and pre-1966 target rifle. These include rifles such as the BSA Internationals ( although even the later MKs. IV and V are now eligible ), early Anschutz ( pre - a determined serial number), Remington 37, Winchester 52 (up to model cool.gif, Jurek, Barnett, and probably anything else that you might find that falls closely within the dateline - just check with the administrators of the website. The timed card is again a 60 second "Skirmisher" - see website for details and video clips.

For the Standing competitions:

DELIBERATE class is for ANY open-sighted small-bore rifle - it is the only comp. without a timed element.

RAPID-REPEATER is for the repeating rifles such as the Winchester, Remington and BSA pump-action rifles. Any sights; including contemporary telescopic. Each round comprises of four five-round 'rapids', each in twenty seconds. Some enterprising entrants even use bolt-action magazine-fed rifles for this!

SEMI-AUTO is for rifles such as the Winchester and Remington semi-auto rifles, the BSA Ralock and other equivalent classics. Again, any sights; including contemporary telescopic.

For comprehensive details, including those of targets and entry information, visit the website at:
http://www.rifleman.org.uk
or email, HARC-MRL@rifleman.org.uk
or, at a pinch, even write to: HARC-MRL, Saddlers, Maypole Road, Tiptree, Essex, CO5 0EL

Don't languish in your armchair through the Winter, keep shooting, but also do something a little different!