Coffs Harbour Open
30th June- 1st July, 2007
NSW M.S.D. Grand Prix Round 7 - Rifle & Pistol
Match Report
Coffs Harbour Rifle Club has a beautiful setting for their range near Dairyville in the hills twenty minutes west of Coffs. In deep valleys surrounded by forest, the complex has three main ranges all very well maintained. The two in use for this weekend were the rimfire/pistol range out to 100m with turning targets and the main rifle range up to 500m. The main range has ten newly installed pneumatically operated butts’ targets.
Pistol
The Class 1/2 pistol events were shot looking into the sun though the scores were reasonable despite this. In the deliberate 50m match Rob Irving (Sthn. Highlands) top scored with 116.03, followed by John Lewis (Sydney) on 106.01 and Greg Mills-thom (Grafton) on 92.01. The 25m three position match was again won by Robert Irving on 176.10, with Greg Mills-thom on 166.03 and John Lewis third on 156.02.
Top score in the class 1 / 2 aggregate was by Robert Irving.
Cadet /Trainer
The final event of the day was Cadet / Trainer; this was shot in varying conditions with significant wind gusts in one detail that made it difficult for the trainers.
Top scorer was Greg Mills-thom shooting his No2 mkIV trainer with a score of 277.05, second was John Lewis using a cadet to score 273.05 and third was Robert Irving with a trainer on 265.04.
Standard Rifle
In good weather conditions the Standard rifle events commenced with the 300m Deliberate. Seeing their sights with the targets in the shadow of the steep sided valley proved a challenge for competitors in the first detail. Peter Brown (Grafton) top scored with 49.04, followed by Alan Phillips (Coffs Harbour) on 48.04, with junior Matthew McPherson (Grafton) a close third on 48.02.
The 3P event was contested next with one less competitor, John Lambert had inadvertently dissembled the bolt of his Viguero and all efforts of the shooters could not return it to functioning condition.
Top scoring junior in the 3P was Matthew McPherson with 140.11, followed closely be Andrew Brown (Grafton) on 138.04 and third was young Josh Brown (Grafton) on 106.01.
In ‘C’ Grade Paul Wilkinson (Sydney) produced a personal best of 131.02, followed by Josh Brown on 106.01 and Robert McCracken (Grafton) on 102.02.
‘B’ Grade winner was Alan Phillips with 137.05, with Robyn McPherson (Grafton) second on 119.06 and Ross Wherry (West Wyalong) third on 108.04.
Top scorer in ‘A’ Grade was Andrew Brown on 138.04, followed by Greg Roberts (Coffs Harbour) scoring 137.09 and third was John Lewis (Sydney) on 123.04.
In Master Grade Peter Brown won with 142.09, followed by Matthew McPherson on 140.11 and third was Greg Mills-thom on 141.05.
Top scoring GM Grade was Rob Irving on 142.14.
Action ‘M’
In the Action ‘M’ match Matthew McPherson and Allan Phillips tied for the top score on 49.04, with Peter Brown third on 49.02.
Aggregate top gun was won by Peter Brown on 240.15, followed by Matthew McPherson on 237.17 and third was Robert Irving on 236.22.
Optical Rifle
Optical rifle was won by Junior Andrew Brown with a score of 94.10, closely followed by his younger brother Josh Brown on 94.06, both showing their father Peter a clean pair of heels in third on 91.01.
Conclusion
Great atmosphere, great food and an excellent welcome produced a superb shooting weekend. Our thanks must go to Geoff for scoring and Warwick and Max for the cooking, not forgetting the others who helped with range and butts officer duties. I know we will be making Coffs a “don’t miss” event on the MSD calendar.