Target Rifle

Target Rifle (TR) evolved from Service Rifle shooting in the late '60s. Previously the Lee Enfield No 4 Service Rifle was used, either with sights adjustable for windage or not.

This discipline has a certain amount of snobbery attached to it, with some justification, as it is considered the purest form of shooting, relying as much as possible on the shooter's skill than artificial aids such as bipods, clamps, rests, beanbags, telescopic sights or other paraphernalia. However the need for sling, jacket, spotting scope and glove still means a lot of gear to be lugged about - no shooter gets an easy walk up the range.

Modern target rifles are extremely accurate, and are a far cry from their military surplus forebears. However the sport's governing bodies - the NRA and NSRA - have made efforts to ensure that the sport does not become dominated by highly expensive custom-made rifles. To keep the playing field as level as possible without stifling progress, the rifle, or all of its component parts, must be 'readily available in quantity'.

Fullbore TR involves prone single-shot precision shooting using aperture iron sights at 'round bull' targets at distances from 300 to 1000 yards, with each shot carefully scored and analysed. The usual calibre is 7.62mm, though 5.56 is beginning to gain popularity. While many shooting disclipines attract the use of hand-loaded ammunition to get the best possible results, TR competitions are shot with issued ammunition, again to ensure shooters compete on the basis of personal skill alone rather than gaining a technical advantage.

Meanwhile smallbore TR is shot at either 25 yards indoor or 50 metres outdoor. Smallbore target rifle is the way most people get into the sport of shooting. For many it remains the discipline of choice, while others add fullbore target rifle to their stable.

On the Continent, 300m shooting combines the best of both worlds. Originally a 7.62 disclipline, it has evolved to use rifles chambered for high-power, low recoil ammunition, usually 6mm benchrest rounds. Shooters tend to swap a smallbore action and barrel into their fullbore stock for practice. Whereas Switzerland boasts a 300m range in most towns, the sport is only beginning to take off in the UK, with Bisley having the only 'real' 300m range. With covered firing points and electronic targets, the attraction is clear to anyone who has frozen their butthooks off, or pulled their back setting up the butts at some of our Army ranges!