Greg Allen takes careful aim with his side-by-side shotgun at the Dave Wallace Range.
Shooting
THE GRIFFITH Sporting Clays organised a special shoot at the Dave Wallace Range recently for members to use their side-by-side or auto-loading shotguns, instead of the over-and-under models they usually use.
About 40 competitors attended, with about one third accepting the challenge to compete with their side-by-side or auto-loading shotguns.
The older-style double-barrel side-by-side shotguns are experiencing a resurgence in popularity and many shooters are now rediscovering the well-established benefits of using these models.
While auto-loading firearms were generally banned under the Howard Government's gun laws, these types of shotguns are still available for use for clay target shooting, with quite a few retained for this sole purpose.
Everyone enjoyed seeing the different types of shotguns in use and voted the novelty shoot a big success.
Local range setters Adrian Emery, Frank DiFiore, Doug Osborne and some helpers set an interesting, varied course of 75 targets.
Very strong, gusty winds caused many shooters difficulties as the clay targets were blown off their intended trajectories in the hot conditions. To add a further challenge, all pairs of targets were set to be thrown simultaneously.
At the conclusion of the shoot, Doug Osborne emerged as the top gun with a score of 61/75 using a side-by-side shotgun. Griffith's Lance Brissenden was best with the auto-loaders with a score of 54/75.
The best scores with a side-by-side or auto-loading shotgun were: Doug Osborne 64, Lance Brissenden 54, Frank Tagliapietra 53, Shaun Krzus 50 and Greg Allen 47.
The other winners were:
l AA Grade: Adrian Emery 55, Lance Brissenden 54, Frank Tagliapietra 53
l A Grade: Mark Di Fiore 52, Jamie Cirillo 50, Flavio Zanotto 49
l B Grade: Claude Beltrame 47, Karl Tagliapietra 41, Randall Collins 38
l C Grade: Brendon Honeychurch 42, Kurt Russel 42, (countback) Peter Gerarde-Smith 40
l Junior: Sebastian Zanotto 32
l Veterans: Sid Gugliemino 53, Jeff Paggett 52, Ray Hillam 44
The next shoot will be held on February 23, when a 75-target sporting clays event will be conducted.
Local shooters Greg Allen, Frank Tagliapietra and Warren Brown have been selected as part of a five-member NSW shotgun team to compete in the North Island and New Zealand Sporting Clays Championships at Wanganui later this month.
With four days of competition and more than 130 of the best sporting clay shooters from New Zealand, Australia and some south Pacific countries attending, the team plans is looking to post some winning scores at these shoots.