Traveling Abroad

Have you ever thought about traveling abroad to shoot, in what you know best galleryrifle, no! shame on you? There are now three international shoots held throughout the year. The first is the Phoenix in May, which I'm afraid, is invitational only. The next international is in Fermoy Ireland closest city is Cork if you wish to have a look, this is open to all that shoot GR as well as the national teams. The last is in Germany in November. Which is the one that I'm writing about, this trip was new for me as I went by car, WHAT!

I here you say, that's a long drive just to go Galleryrifle shooting, as going there was 354 miles, Back to the WHAT that's what the airport would have said if I turned up with 500 rounds of 44, 500 rounds of .22 and 500 rounds of M1 .30 and that's just me Dave Hackett, John Lynch and Cath had ammo too, so the car was full up. Which did not seem to be a problem for the passport and custom people in-fact by the time they got to me they just smiled and said hello. If you get stopped on the other side and asked about your ammo you just say that you are bringing along what you need for a competition. Dietmar Honersch the match director will also if needed send you a invitation that you can show as proof that your shooting in Germany. Not that we needed it but it does make some people happier. At this point I would say that its best to have two or three travel in a car, this will still keep the cost's down as ammo and luggage will be a problem. But lucky for me Sharon and Norman were traveling in their van, so all are luggage went in with them, thank you thank you. This is also shot indoor's so when you're packing it's for a cold range and not wet weather, makes a change. At a cost of 73 pounds for the train, on a four way split the cost of traveling over is to not to bad.

All you need to get started is two days holiday Friday and Monday, which will be your traveling days.
Book yourself in on the channel tunnel train and 35 minutes later you're in France. When you come off the train you go virtually on to the autobahn. You will be traveling for some five to six hours to get yourself to Leitmar, or a short trip around the M25 to get your self to Bisley. But there are loads of small truck stops, café's on the way if you wish to break up your travel time. We used two tanks of petrol over the weekend, but again on a three or four way split costs go down.
There is plenty of accommodation ranging from 12 to 33 euros a night this can be booked by myself, just e-mail me at fastshooter357@hotmail.com to get hold of me, or you can phone up yourself as some of the Germans do speak English.

There lots of places to eat great food at very good prices. Also the Germans normal do a guest evening too. A German evening for all, eating drinking and of course trying to speak some German!

Your two days of shooting will include 1500 in underlever .22 and M1 carbine which is not normal on the shooting calendar for us but is great fun, and this little .30 calibre semi-auto carbine of 1940's with no trigger job and iron sights, shooting a 1500 is still capable of shooting 1490, I know! The best stage is stage four as you have to shoot fifteen rounds in thirty-five seconds, five rounds per magazine and your not aloud to leave one up the spout when you change magazines. Followed by T&P1 NPA-B (Multi-target) in all caliber your have a busy weekend.

Terry Fry shooting M1 carbine on his way to second place in the NPA-B or MT to you and me.

You do not need to be a member of an international team to come and shoot, the international took place on the Sunday afternoon, but the doors are open to anyone, individual or club teams and the shorts events carried on around the main match. I've help with the organizing of the UK national team and the Irish national team's and SLG Bisley at the club level, so I'm shore that I can help you if your interested!?!?!. SLG Bisley had a very high trophy and medal count, somewhere in the regain of over half of all the prizes in individual and team events.

Norman brown, the smiling face of SLG Bisley with his trophies in tow.

Well done to the UK team on winning the German international, that make's it three for three and the best team in Europe. Germany came second and the Irish came in with broken guns, but there is room for improvement.

The match director Dietmar Honersch, handing out are first team win for SLG Bisley, and his nick name for me and David Hackett is "the golden boys" any guess why!! Sorry I have a big ego got team wins across the board apart from one, and now we'll have to try harder next year, Dave.