Glasgow 2014 - XX Commonwealth Games
Fullbore Rifle Shooting
Barry Buddon July 2014
Barry Buddon was the venue for all 2014 Commonwealth Games shooting events. All of the Fullbore National Technical Officials and some of the Volunteers were drawn from the various Scottish Fullbore Clubs as was one of the International Jury Members.
Chief Range Officer - Alan Mabon
Deputy Range Officer - Julia Adamson
Assistant Range Officer - Mike Barton
Assistant Range Officer - James Bell
Butts Supervisor - Mark Joyce
Butts Officer - Ian Thomson
Butts Officer - John McRae
Fullbore Scrutineer and Armourer Technical Officer - Jim Brown
Classification Officer/Statistician - Peter Burbridge
Fullbore Technical Operations Manager and Spare Shooter - Richard Scott
Supervisor - Fullbore Volunteers - Keith Baxby
Fullbore International Jury Members and Match Referee: ICFRA Technical Advisor Phil Harrison (ENG)
International Jury Member & Chairman - Jim Thompson (CAN)
International Jury Member - John McDiarmid (AUS)
International Jury Member - Tim Kidner (SCO)
Match Referee - Peter Turner (ENG)
On the run up to the actual shooting competitions a number of days were available for practice at each of the ranges (300m, 500m 600m, 900yds and 1,000yds). Given that there were seventeen Commonwealth Countries entered for all over the World it may be of no surprise that there were a few teething problems. One West Indian Island team turned up without rifles! It was remarkable that the rifles arrived at Barry within three days of realising that they had never left the island. It did help to have a games official with some influence with the airline. It was a close run thing - the day the rifles arrived was the last day of practice.
Equipment checks and scrutinising being carried out for all competitors before actual competition. Apart from the usual minor loose sights and trigger problems (despite min trigger pull being only 0.5Kg) only one incident was of note. A rifle chamber bullet head throat jump too tight for the supplied .308Win cartridges (supplied by Ruag). After the second time the bolt would not close on a round and opening the bolt leaving the bullet head still in the rifling and the powder scattered asunder, most of it ending up in the trigger box, the shooter realised that something was not right! The Armourer had the tricky job of reaming out the throat under less than idea field conditions, however it turned out perfectly with just the right amount of 'jump'. It took longer the strip out the trigger box and remove the last vestige of powder grains.
Given that a large team (40 odd) of 'Clydesider' unpaid volunteers were required to support the Full-bore events it was somewhat of a worry that those designated to operate the full-bore target frames in the Butts (the vast majority for the first time) may not turn up for a second day once they realised how much hard work it was. We need not have worried, butts staff Mark Joyce, John McRae and Ian Thomson kept them all in such high spirits it was difficult to get them to rotate duties with the firing point plotters. It was a bit of a concern if there been a accident in the butts as John McRea's works van was the designated 'ambulance', it being deemed that it would take some time for the range to be cleared for safety then get a 'real' ambulance to the butts! We reckoned that the casualty would be in a worse state after travelling in John's van (see photo).
The first Medal Event was the Pairs Shoot competed for by 17 Countries. Shooting was regularly halted with sea haar rolling in over the stop butts, for three hours on one occasion. Other halts during practice days being due to wind surfer incursions into the sea danger area and sun bathing on the beach past the warning signs! A patrol boat kept intruders out on actual Competition days.
Finals day of the pairs shoot at 1,000yds saw the only rain which was a downpour. Some of the teams struggled to cope with rain getting into their lenses. Antigua withdrew a few shots before completing their coarse of fire.
Ian Shaw and Angus McLeod competing for Scotland. Australia putting a shot on the wrong target at 1,000yds virtually gave Scotland the Bronze with a 590v65 (ex 600). Ahead were the Canadian team of Jim Paton and Des Vamplew taking Silver on 592v54 then David Luckman and Parag Patel of England taking Gold on 595v77.
Full results - Individual
The second Medal Event was the Queens Prize Individual Shoot competed for by 34 competitors. Ian Shaw and Angus McLoud competing as individuals for Scotland.
For virtually every day up to the day before the last day, the wind was from the South East to East, which is why along with the very hot weather the harr gave so many problems. On the last day - the final of the Queens Prize, the wind turned round to come from the West to South West, almost a fishtail at times and twice the strength as any previous day.
To compound shooters woes, all the target faces were of the IFCA pattern, in that the scoring rings are very much closer than the NRA ones, especially the four ring. Given the fishtailing wind and the smaller target it was remarkable that a new Games record score was achieved by the winner David Luckman - a 401 ex 405.
Full results - Pairs
