Once again, the WBSVRC assembled on the helicopter landing pad at Bisley for our annual picnic before representing West Buckland School in the national schools veterans shooting match.

The VRC/OWBA/OBA haven't missed taking part on what we call Ashburton Day since 1946 and we won the veterans match in 1947.

This year, we shot our in-house competition on the Melville 50mtr range, using .22 sporting rifles with telescopic sights (from a standing position!) to determine who would be in the team for the veterans competition. Then, having sorted out the men from the boys, we moved over to the Century Range to fire some practice rounds from 500yds.

Out of the eight veterans who turned up, only five could qualify for the team, so the remaining three all fired twelve rounds each and helped to set the match weapons up for 500 yards. Mike Langdon and Gavin Keegan joined us, having between them not fired a full-bore weapon for over one hundred years! Both of them qualified for the team!!

Mike shot steadily through the match and ended up with our second best score. Gavin had problems with his weapon and had to change it half way through which left him, and us, twenty points adrift at the final whistle. Mike Baggs had a senior moment and adjusted his sights in the wrong direction which cost us another five points. I may have contravened competition rules by failing to return an unused round for a converted sighter so we are waiting to see if we were disqualified. Having said that, everyone who turned up and took part thoroughly enjoyed themselves, especially with the new format for the John Squires competition firing standing and unsupported.

I must thank Sean Beer and Gavin Keegan for all their hard work in organising the day, also all veterans for turning up and competing and lastly my wife, Tracey, for baking the traditional Bisley Cake for our prize giving ceremony.

The John Squire Cup 25 and 50 metres standing .22 sporting rifle
                                                25M                   50M               Total                                                        
Chris Wilson    Cpt.)            89/100.              83/100.           172/200.
Mike Langdon                         87                      81                   168
Mike Baggs                             92                      75                   167
Duncan Gray                          95.1                   70                    165.1
Gavin Keegan                        96.1                   60                   156.1
Nick Bowen                            81                      71                    152
Lewis Pring                             84                     64                    148
Matt Coombs                         92.5                   27                      27

National

Schools Veterans Competition 500 yards  .308 match weapons
Chris Wilson ( cpt.)         46.4/ 50
Mike Langdon                 42
Duncan Gray                  41.2
Mike Baggs                    40.3
Gavin Keegan                21 1
90.9/ 250