Gallery Rifle Shooting

Gallery Rifle Shooting is a popular sport worldwide, it commonly uses rifles chambered for traditional pistol calibres such as .22 Long Rifle, .38 special and .357 calibres, .44 and .45. Its popularity increased dramatically in Great Britain after the ban on civilian use of handguns in 1997 following the Dunblane massacre. In almost all available competitions gallery rifles use the same ammunition as the pistols and handguns they replaced.

Description
Rifles may be fired with either iron sights, scopes or red dot sights at various targets, including traditional ring and disruptive pattern targets commonly placed at 25m or 50m from the firing point. The targets may be fixed facing the shooters but are more commonly turning targets (occasionally rail mounted targets, for example when shooting the "advancing target" discipline). Turning targets start at 90 degrees to the shooters before rotating to face them and then returning to 90 degrees either at preset or random intervals for preset or random periods. Turning targets are generally engaged with 6 rounds, with the exception of Service A course of fire (known in the UK as Phoenix A), all of which must be fired within a preset number of turns.

The NRA (UK) defines two categories of GR Smallbore (SB) and Centrefire (CF).

GRSB covers all .22 multi-shot rimfire rifles, be they semi-automatic, lever-action, bolt-action or other types. There is a huge variety available, but by far the most popular is the Ruger 10/22. The NSRA (UK) doesn't use the term GRSB, but instead calls these Lightweight Sporting Rifles (LSRs). However, their definition also includes air rifles of similar performance, which the NRA definition doesn't.

GRCF covers all fullbore / centrefire rifles based on low-power (i.e. pistol) cartridges, of which the most popular are .38/.357 and .44. most of the GRCF rifles are of the classic underlever style, with a tube magazine under the barrel. However, a few innovative pump, lever and even revolver designs are now starting to emerge.

Scoring
If an event is divided into stages, practices, matches or series then targets should be scored at the end of each stage, practice, match or series.

After firing the required number of strings or shots, upon command of the CRO (Chief Range Officer), competitors may go forward and examine their targets but may not touch them.

Targets may be scored by an RO (Range Officer), a Stats officer or another competitor. No competitor may score his own target.

Targets may be scored on the target frames, behind the firing line or in the Statistical Office.

When targets are scored before removal from the frame, the scorer records the hits and has the score accepted by the competitor, using the challenge process if necessary. Each target is then repaired or replaced by a new target.

If the edge of a shot hole comes in contact with the scoring ring of a target, the shot is given the higher value (inward gauging). A shot hole will be scored as a hit provided that it measures no more than one and one-half (1½) times the diameter of the bullet. Any shot hole which is more than 1½ times the diameter of the bullet will be scored as a miss.

When a bullet enters a target from the back it will be scored as a miss.

Hits outside the scoring rings are scored as misses.

Any bullet which does not pass through the target will be scored as a miss.

Hits on the wrong target will be scored as misses.

A hole made by a ricochet bullet will be scored as a miss.

A scoring overlay gauge may be used by any scorer to determine the value of close shots. Plug-type gauges may only be used by meeting officials. The plug type scoring gauge, if used, will remain in the shot hole until the shot value is agreed upon by the competitor and the scorer, or until removed after a challenge. If the plug type scoring gauge is removed prior to an agreement of shot value, the shot hole may not be re-plugged and must be taken to a Jury

If any shots are fired at the target before the signal to commence firing (early shots) or after the signal to cease firing (late shots), the shots of highest value equal to the number fired in error will be scored as misses (e.g. if a competitor fires 2 early/late shots he will lose the 2 highest scoring shot-holes on his target).

Where a shot timer is used to give the signal to cease firing, any shot fired and recorded up to and including three-tenths (0.3) of a second after the signal to cease firing will be scored as a hit.

All shots fired by the competitor after he takes his position at the firing point will be counted in his score, even if accidentally discharged, provided that they are not either early or late shots.

As a general rule only those hits which are visible will be scored. An exception will be made in the case where the groupings of 3 or more shots are so close that it is possible for a shot or shots to have gone through the enlarged hole without leaving a mark and there has been no evidence that a shot or shots have gone anywhere other than through the assigned target. In such a case, the shooter will be given the benefit of the doubt and scored hits for the non-visible shots on the assumption they passed through the enlarged hole. If such assumption should place a non-visible hit in either of 2 scoring rings, it is scored in the higher-valued ring.

If more than the required number of hits appears on the target, any shot which can be identified by the bullet hole as having been fired by some competitor other than the competitor assigned to that target, or as having been fired in a previous string, will be disregarded. If more than the required number of hits then remains on the target, the score given will be that for the required number of hits with the highest scoring values. If the competitor believes that the result achieved by using the highest scoring hits would result in an inappropriate reclassification, he may elect to have the required number of hits with the lowest scoring values recorded instead.

If a competitor fires fewer than the prescribed number of shots through his own fault, and there are more hits on the target than the shots fired, he will be scored the number of shots of highest value equal to the number he fired and given a miss for each unfired shot.

Action shooting
Another popular gallery competition is "action shooting" which is often carried out in tandem with a fellow shooter. A common variation of this is a set of eleven knock down targets arranged along a frame. The five targets either side of the centre are of one colour with the centre target being of another colour. The aim is to be the first of the two shooters to knock down all five of the targets on the shooters own side and the centre target before the opposing shooter does. This is not only a battle of speed but also of accuracy as the targets are often little larger than the centre ring of standard 25 yd five ring targets.