SSAA NSW

Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. 8 The organisation of the 2014 SSAA NSW Lever Action State Title was thrown into disarray in November of 2013. The host, SSAA NSW Northern Rivers Branch, was forced to restrict Centre-fire Three Positional shooting on the Casino Rifle Range due to stricter enforcement of the Range User Guide by the NSW Firearms Registry. Fortunately an alternative range location was quickly found with SSAA ACT offering their facilities at the Majura Range. This also meant moving the date forward from 5 – 6 July to the weekend of 29 – 30 March. It seemed that the drought had really broken with rain on the days prior to and including the practice day on Friday 28. Despite heavy early morning fog providing a new dimension to the pre-shoot practice (remember that lever action is shot with open sights) the main competition days cleared by 9.30am to provide the best of shooting conditions. As might be expected due to the late changes, attendance was down on previous years. A total of 28 competitors attended with interstate competitors travelling from Albany WA and Bowen QLD. The local ACT shooters had the least distance to travel. NSW shooters came from Southern Highlands, Newcastle, Taree Wingham, Coffs Harbour, Merriwa, Coonabarabran and Northern Rivers Branches. All in all a very successful competition was held. Steve Hurley from Albany WA lifted the bar again by dropping only 7 points on the first 8 targets of the Open Competition. He won the Open and the 2 Gun. However Don Chesworth, from Northern Rivers NSW, upset the current Australian Champion with a win in the Classic Calibre. The Ladies Open and the Classic Calibre were both won by Gwen Murrell from Newcastle. The Juniors Open and the Classic Calibre were both won by Alex Williams. Nick Wagner a junior from SSAA NSW Merriwa Branch was runner up. More than half of the competitors (19) qualified for the Veterans and seniors categories. Both the Veteran Classic and Veteran Open were won by Richard Colmer from Albany WA. The Senior Classic was won by Don Chesworth and the Senior Open by Jim Buckley. A big thankyou is required for Col Rees for enabling the use of the SSAA ACT Majura Range and Jenny Rees for organising the Saturday night dinner. Many thanks needs to go to the competitors who pitched in with RO and target changing duties as required. Thanks to the non- competing wives who volunteered to do the scoring. Recognition is also due to the significant sponsorship provided by Total Solutions Engineering, RDT Products, Qld Gun Exchange, Rebel Gun Works, Extreme Outdoor, A&R Industrial and Jim Buckley (Total $3000). Murray Turner won a raffle for a RCBS Chronograph sponsored by Suffolk's Sports Store. Don Chesworth SSAA NSW Lever Action Discipline Chairman Lever Action State Titles

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