This picture shows Anzac Range in action last weekend at the commencement of the 300 metre stage of the Fullbore Queens shoot, day two. I took it from the 800 metre mound while I was checking fences for breaches.
The pic shows that the range is still being used. It’s alive and kicking with good participation rates. People from all over Australia attended – around 150 plus another 21 for Field Class on the Service Range. An interesting point on this year’s event was that there was a small number of shooters who elected to compete in the Optics class, which is offered in Standard Shooting Rules. It allows for shooters with .223 or .308 scoped rifles to shoot unsupported by rests but using a sling only, like the Target Rifle class. It’s not like F-Class, where a scoped target rifle-style firearm is used but with rock-solid rests from the prone position. It could be validly argued that, as a standard sporting/varmint rifle, with enough elevation adjustment in the riflescope, the shooter can compete alongside highly specialised (and sometimes expensive) Target and F-Class rifles, albeit posting lower scores, and this may be a way to build a base for recruitment for the National Rifle Association of Australia in the future, bringing participants around to less expensive but more multi-purpose rigs that can be used across many other disciplines.
This would appeal no doubt to the average working shooter and provide a broad base from whence more elite Target and F-Class participants may be drawn in future, while swelling the numbers. It is food for thought. Kudos to Mark Guest, a councillor on the NSW Rifle Association and a proponent of the Optics Class participants. Mark helped ensure the class was able to participate in the weekend’s event.
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