Page 84 - RADC Bulletin 2021

SPORT & AT
Hitting the Target
Maj A Armer
Whilst perusing Soldier magazine in early 2014, I noticed a small column advertising
a course on smallbore shooting. I’ve always enjoyed shooting, so I decided to throw my hat in the ring and a few weeks later found myself in North Yorkshire undertaking
a week’s intensive training. One of the
first things I was told, was to forget most
of what I had been taught about Army shooting. Smallbore shooting involves
firing small .22 rounds at stationary targets at either 25m or 50m. The fundamentals
of position, aiming and breathing are the same, but we are shooting at static targets, not moving targets. Making a stable platform for the rifle is key, and this is where the sling comes in. By the end of the first day, I was shooting more accurately using a sling, rather than the rifle being supported by a sandbag. Trigger control is another major difference. We all know how you have to ‘pull’ on an SA80 trigger, whereas our target rifles are set up with hair triggers
– the slightest pressure will send a round downrange. By the end of the week, it would be fair to say, I had the shooting bug.
Following that initial training, I was selected to attend the advanced course
in September 2014 at Bisley. This course raised the bar again, focusing on the ‘small gains’ that when added up can make a big difference. Towards the end of this course, I was asked if I would like to represent the Army in the upcoming combined services competition... “Sure” I said, “When is it?”, to which the answer was tomorrow! With no time to get nervous I was thrown in at the deep end and posted very respectable scores for my first competition and helped the Army win the 60 shot team match and earned my first team gold medal. I was ecstatic.
In competitions, we have 60 minutes to fire 60 shots. Sounds easy right? A minute per shot is plenty of time. However, throw into the mix manually loading each round, taking up the exact same position again and again, open sights, an unsupported position and trying to get all 60 shots to
fall within a grouping no bigger than a 5 pence piece, if not smaller, is no easy feat.
It is a highly disciplined art that requires constant concentration. Smallbore shooting is also one of the few sports where men and women compete against one another on equal terms.
Over the years I have had the honour
of representing the Army on many more occasions. This has led to me purchasing my own kit and rifle, which I store and shoot when in Bisley.
What makes the difference between
a good shooter and a great shooter is consistency - doing the same thing over and over. Rifle loading, elbow position, breathing, foresight control. If you follow the same process over and over, in a robotic manner, your groupings will naturally improve. It sounds corny, but you really do learn to be ‘at one’ with your rifle.
If you would like to know more about how to get into target shooting, please feel free to contact me anytime.
82 RADC BULLETIN 2021