News for 2010
Gallery Rifle & Pistol sub committee update January 2010
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION GALLERY RIFLE & PISTOL COMMITTEE
We have received several questions about the new definition of Gallery Rifle Centre Fire and think it will be useful to give a brief explanation of what the rule means in practice when you are filling in an entry form.
Gallery Rifles in a centrefire calibre are divided into three types as follows:
GRCF Standard - a lever action rifle with an integral tube magazine.
GRCF Open - any other Gallery Rifle of different design.
GRCF Classic - any Gallery Rifle which complies with the Classics Discipline definitions of eligibility for the Imperial Historic Arms and Trafalgar Meetings.
GRCF Standard
This type covers what the majority of us already use. There are no limitations on calibres other than the usual ones. That is, you must comply with the limits on velocity and energy in the Range Safety Certificate and downloaded full bore rifle ammunition is not allowed.
GRCF Open
This gun type covers a variety of designs and includes bolt actions, straight pull actions, rifles with detachable magazines, handle cocking actions and more. Lever action rifles with integral tube magazines are not included - the rule says “Gallery Rifle of different design” – as this is to provide competition for a different type of gun
The same restrictions on calibres apply as for GRCF Standard.
GRCF Classic
The key words here are “spirit of the original”. This applies not only to the gun but also the sights which should be metallic and contemporary. (The two time periods usually referred to are up to 1918 and from 1919 to 1946.)
Types covered include lever action, “rook and rabbit”, “low power sporting” and other rifles.
Calibres can include .357mag and .44mag but they must be downloaded to .38sp and .44sp. Downloaded full bore rifle ammunition is not allowed but calibre reducing adapters are.
If you have any other questions please get in touch via gallery@nra.org.uk and we will do our best to answer them.
Although we are now in the quiet period with very few open meetings, there is plenty going on in preparation for the new season. This is the time of year when the national teams and their captains are chosen, when any rewrites to the rules are drafted and changes made to the software which underpins so much of what we do. This email summarises what is going on right now. (You may have read some of this already so here is a reminder.)
GR&P Rules Handbook
The 2010 version will go to Shooting Committee for approval at the end of the month and will be published in time for the new season.
There are only a few changes, the major one being the division of GRCF into three gun types. Briefly, these are: Standard (any tube magazine lever action), Classic (anything qualifying for the Trafalgar) and Open (anything else).
There are some changes to the Bianchi event with disabled competitors given more opportunity to shoot the barricade match and enabling prone shooting in the practical and plates matches, among others.
The practice of allowing range crew to go forward when any competitor has a loaded firearm will be explicitly banned in all circumstances.
Some changes are also to be made to the zeroing facility on the 50m target on Melville Bay A.
Open Meetings Booklet
As before, the 2010 edition of the general Open Meetings Booklet (also known as the Phoenix Booklet) will be published at the same time as the Rules Handbook. There will be a few changes to some of the Standard Medal scores, and some additional courses of fire added.
Please note that this booklet which is published annually in the same binding as the GR&P Rules Handbook covers all the Open Meetings and not just the Phoenix. It is available free of charge at the NSC and available for download too.
Software updates
The database which contains your contact details and your highest scores and classifications is being rewritten ready for the 2010 season. It will do what it did before but also keep historic records of each score registered in all classified events at all open meetings, at the NSC or elsewhere. This will provide good data for the national team selectors as it will show how consistent you are as well as what your highest score is. (Currently this is done manually and very time consuming it is too!) The other major change is splitting up the individual classifications for each gun type in each event.
Classification system
From 2010 each competitor will have a classification in each event for each of the four gun types. This will be a big change for the Short Event classifications which will no longer be grouped together. For example, you will have a classification for GRCF T&P One and another one for GRCF Multi-Target and so on. This means you would not have to compete in X class in GRCF Phoenix A just because you are putting in top scores in GRCF T&P One.
Great Britain Gallery Rifle Team Captain
The Captain of the GR Team is now appointed by the Trustees, as is the case with all GB Teams. Nominations for the post must be made in writing, bearing the original signatures of the candidate and supporters, to the Secretary General of the Association and reach him by 5pm on 15th January.
Nominees must have been full members of the Association for a minimum continuous period of three years to be eligible for appointment and must remain so during the entire period of appointment. The supporters must be fully paid up members of the association at the date of nomination.
Great Britain Gallery Rifle Team
If you want to be considered for the 2011 Team please be aware that you won’t be considered for selection unless you are a member of the Association. All GB Team members must be full members and existing membership would be taken into account as evidence of commitment. If you are not already a member then the joining fee for the first year is only £35. There are, of course, other criteria so please get in touch if you want to know more.
Other National Teams
England Wales and Scotland also have GR Teams and their own selection processes. I will forward any requests for information to the representative of the relevant NGB.
In the case of England, the National Governing Body is the English Twenty Club and, just like the GB Team, you won’t be considered for selection for 2011 unless you are already a member. Annual membership is £10. Please let me know if you want more information at chris@galleryrifle.com.
Contact
Please email comments, requests for information or assistance to the sub committee at gallery@nra.org.uk and we will do our best to help.
Enjoy your shooting this year and do well.
Chris Farr
GR&P Discipline Representative
NRA General Council
