Going Down the Line.

Why oh why does the government seem to think that it is ok to waste £18 million (if not considerably more wihen inflation, tax and demolition costs are factored in).

Yet more concern expressed over the waste of taxpayers money and the planned Olympic venue for shooting disciplines in 2012. This time it comes in two letters to the Telegraph.

Who is responsible for making this decision and why does there not seem to be anyone ready to listen to the question of a venue and say why Woolwich is such a good venue and that the decision is so economically sound?

Link to Olympic website that details plans for shooting

Link to Olympic website that promises that all plans point towards sustainability and leaving a legacy for each sport. I quote "All the venues and plans have been designed with long-term use in mind."
No mention of this as far as shooting is concerned.

Telegraph letter 29th December 2007

No need for a new Olympic shooting facility

Sir - I just cannot understand why the Olympic Committee has decided to spend some £18 million on a temporary facility at Woolwich for the Olympic shooting events (Letters, December 27).

There is a world-class set-up at Bisley already, on good transport links (rail and M3) with London. If there are any shortcomings with the Bisley site, then surely it would cost a lot less than £18 million to upgrade the facilities, which would then be available for future use.

Can or will anybody from the Olympic Committee or the government ministry responsible for this decision provide any justification for it? This sounds to me like people who are not really accountable to those who are footing the bills, being rather profligate with other people's money.

Rod Dowden, Farnborough, Hampshire

Telegraph letter 27th December 2007

Olympic demolition

Sir - More than £18 million (at the 2006 bid price) will be spent on building the 2012 Olympic shooting sports venue at Woolwich Barracks. After the Olympics, it will be pulled down again.

This is not only a waste of money and an immoral use of resources but, more importantly, it does not leave any lasting legacy for shooting sports in this country.

Every year, Great Britain shooting teams work hard to bring home medals from competing worldwide in disciplines of the International Shooting Sports Federation and Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse. Shooting in Britain deserves a lasting legacy.

Graham Sanderson, Camelford, Cornwall
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Yesterday I went to the only Christmas shoot that I have been able to make it to. Mayland Gun club ran a brilliantly efficient and fun Ozzie shoot and move competition.

The day consisted of 5 double rise birds, 25 single barrel, 25 normal DTL and 50 full use - hit or miss. It was really satisfying to try out different disciplines and I liked the fact that you had to move between shots. Each time you had to reassess stance and position relative to the trap house, so that you were ready to shoot.

I also put in a respectable performance and came 3rd in B class and 13th overall. All in all a really good day.

The results link

I received an email that promoted an E petition for 10 Downing street to ask for a decent legacy for shooters following the 2012 London Olympic Games.

I am impressed that over 1000 signed up but frustrated that more haven't.

This is such an important issue. So many other sports are getting a centre for excellence for their sport whilst shooting is being left with nothing. I know that there are three potential alternative sites that would be permanent.

Bisley - where there is a massive facility that has been built for and used for international competitions. Easily accessible by road from central London.

Dartford - that is on the river Thames and proposes to develop a boat link bringing the competitors along the Thames in order to compete and minimise congestion.

Nuthampstead - already has layouts for all of the Olympic disciplines and is where a lot of British shooters practice (so I have been led to believe). Also accessible from London by road.

There must be more locations that can be left as a permanent shooting ground. Why waste millions building a shooting ground in Woolwich and then spend millions dismantling it. Madness.

E-Petitions
Sign a petition

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ensure there is a Lasting Legacy for Shooting Sports in the UK by moving the venue away from the Woolwich Barracks. More details

Submitted by Mrs Nicola Heron – Deadline to sign up by: 18 December 2008 – Signatures: 1,221

Roll on the weekend! Apart from trying to get some work finished before Christmas, I will be out shooting! I am really looking forward to it.

An Ozzie shoot is what I am going in for. Six of us on the squad instead of the usual five in DTL and we rotate, apparently. I'll let you know more later.

All of this will be happening at Mayland Gun club in Essex.

There was an interesting article in the Times today. I have copied a section of it below. Here's the link for the whole article.

My memory of first learning to shoot is that it is calming. First there is the whole safety issues around handling a rifle or shotgun, then the need to maintain it in good condition through regular cleaning. On top of that, during the actual shooting you have maintain your breathing and, particularly with a rifle really focus. After all it is about a 95% mental sport anyway!

I would be perfectly happy for any child of mine to learn to shoot. In fact I think I would positively encourage it. Not as a wild, murderous hobby but as an exacting skill that hones sound mental discipline and focuses concentration.

From The Times
December 17, 2007
Guns are good for children
School teacher says that teaching pupils to shoot instils a sense of responsibility and concern for others

GIVING restless pupils guns to calm them down might seem a little extreme. But children as young as nine should be taught to shoot, MPs have been told, the Times Educational Supplement (Dec 14) reports.

Target shooting with guns helps to induce a calm atmosphere, particularly among pupils who are “restless under normal school discipline”, says Mary Everleigh, head of shooting at a private school in Cheshire. It also teaches responsibility, concern for others and appeals to pupils who do not enjoy team sport, she says.

The school nurse and former police officer made a presentation to a House of Commons all-party group, stating that while shooting was not an obvious choice for schools, it was a valuable discipline for pupils.

“A common concern among parents who do not know the sport is that familiarity with firearms may lead to a militaristic or aggressive attitude,” she says. “In our experience the reverse is true.”

Have a look at this file. It is my newly devised Down the Line score analysis card (yes I have had a few nights where I can't sleep and have whiled the time away making this) that gives you an insight into the types of shots that you miss.

Today, I went out for a practice and shot a 25/69 and 23/68. I discovered that I tended to second and miss two left handers which has made me think a bit more about my foot position. Anyway, in my quest for DTL perfection I hope that this card will be useful. I definitely wouldn't have noticed this just using a traditional score card.

For the first time in ages I took my wife shooting today. Not that she hates the sport, far from it in fact. Becca appreciates the mechanics of the shotgun and the theory of lead and different coloured lenses. She is adept at quickly calculating my score once I tell her how many seconds and losses I have totted up. Becca does not shoot however. The one time she tried her response was (to I must admit a rather over enthusiastic me) "yes I did enjoy it Andrew, but not enough to ever want to do it again". Some of the smuttier minded among you may well snigger at this remark. However this was all related to shooting and only shooting!

Anyway today we were at a local ground and I took her along because it is nice to have the company and actually spend time together and because I wanted to try out a new way of recording DTL scores and assess which type of shot I tend to miss. I'll post it on another blog entry and would appreciate any feedback on it.

All that aside, we were on a layout and I was putting on my shooting jacket, removing my watch and fumbling for gloves when I realised that I hadn't brought Becca any ear defenders or plugs. So I quickly walked back to the club house to buy a pair of disposable ones. On my way back I could see that some other shooters had pitched up at the stand and had got their guns out and were generally setting up. Fair enough I thought, I'll be able to shoot with them. Actually it's nicer to shoot in a group as there is a better rhythm and pattern to the shoot.
What actually happened was that they arrived and muscled in on where I was clearly going to shoot. They asked Becca if she could score and she said she could but that she was there with her husband and that I had just gone down to the clubhouse. It was also blindingly obvious that I was going to shoot because before I went back to the clubhouse I had unpacked everything and spread out; cartridge boxes were out, even my green leopard ear defenders were loose on the table top. Everything was set except for Becca's ear defenders.
Anyway, the three guys then proceeded to unpack and took up positions on pegs one, two and three and without checking for ear defence, the first one shouted pull (which was audio release) and started shooting. It was just as he shouted pull that I walked back onto the stand.
Now, this is where I would appreciate comments.
My response was to shout at the men and stop the shoot on a point of health and safety since neither me nor Becca had any defense on. They took this with some grumbling but stopped and we then we restarted the shoot and I scored for them.

I was angry with them because they did not check that a spectator (ie my wife) had ear defense - and she clearly didn't.
They were told and could clearly see that I was ready to shoot but had just gone back to the clubhouse.
It strikes me that in this situation they should at least have:
asked if they could shoot ahead of me.
or asked if they could shoot with me.
checked that Becca had ear defenders before starting shooting.

Or was I completely in the wrong and just being grumpy?

Comments please.

Here's a link to the Mayland Gun Club website results pages:

Link to a picture of me as B class winner!

Link to the results page!

Click on them and have a look. Of course this will also give you full access to the rest of the site. Overall you will be able to get a good feel for  just how good the club is!

Winning...

feels great.

First time out as a B class shooter and I win. It was windy and rainy and bloomin freezing but I managed to win!

I was also on a great squad - really good rhythm to the whole shoot and we also fed off each other. (what was also nice was that they were all A class and above and I got a higher score than some of them)

So a successful day out and hopefully one to be repeated again soon.

Well next weekend we have friends round for dinner so no shooting then. I suppose that it is good to have a rest weekend so that I will be fresh.

It's strange how a hobby gets into you. I just want to get better!

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feels great.

First time out as a B class shooter and I win. It was windy and rainy and bloomin freezing but I managed to win!

I was also on a great squad - really good rhythm to the whole shoot and we also fed off each other. (what was also nice was that they were all A class and above and I got a higher score than some of them)

So a successful day out and hopefully one to be repeated again soon.

I got to practice in the rain today.

I really enjoy shooting at Kent Gun Club (KGC). Friendly, helpful, loads of advice and a good laugh. On top of all that the targets are also great.

It just frustrates me - every time I seem to drop one (or worse two) and barrel a two or more. Why oh why oh why!?

Anyway tomorrow - competition and the weather is supposed to be a touch better!

There it is, sitting on top of the TV, an orange clay. My wife thought I was absolutely mad when I brought it home from Southern Counties shooting ground.

Anyway, the whole point of it is to let me really focus on the clay, see the ridges and train my eye to pick out and recognise the shape, apparently. I like to think that it works. I did fairly well the other week and hope to do more of the same this weekend.

What I do is watch the TV and then really concentrate on the clay. I don't just look at it, I LOOK AT IT! Focus and concentrate for a few seconds then look away. I can pick out the ridges now with ease.

This is my new classification from the CPSA. I am pleased to have moved from C to B class but also cross that it isn't a higher percentage for DTL.

CPSA Classifications

Issue 33
MARTIN AP 112392

Discipline Class Targets Shot Percentage
Down the Line B 1400 89.6
Single Barrel C 100 76.0
Double Rise A 300 81.3

I am pleased because I only picked up my gun again back in June (after a 14 month layoff) and so issue 32 rated me with a percentage of 0, since I had not shot at all. But in Issue 31 I only achieved an average of 80. So, after a period of no shooting and then 6 months of regularly shooting I have improved my average by 9.6!! What can I do in the next six months?

A shooting friend suggested that I should consider trying to get sponsorship. Hmmm I laughed, don't think I am good enough...  yet.

So, overall I am getting better. This means that competitions will be harder with higher standards. Bring it on; just have to wait until the next weekend.