Rifle Shooting Society

The Polytechnic Rifle Society was advertised to particularly for first year students in the McGarel in October 1970. The ranges that were on offer at the time were, .22” Target Rifles, .22” Air Pistol, for beginners and .22” Target Pistol for experts. The rifle society took place in the basement floor of 303 Regent Street during this time. In October 1971, the rifle society started shooting practice at Bisley shooting range, Surrey aswell as 309 Regent Street. Usually, full bore shooting took place at the NRA ranges at Bisley. In November 1971, Jill Bower was reported to achieve the highest score ever shot by a woman at the polytechnic. The polytechnic were at present third position in the Polytechnic League, behind Leeds and Hatfield Polytechnic in February 1972.

During this time, the society’s shooters also competed in internal competitions like the Hailsham Cup, which was a inter-department competition, where teams were devised by team captains in which they would be shooting on behalf of the different departments they belonged to. Along with competing in individual competitions for different categories such as Pistol, The Rifleman and Best All Rounder; the competitions lasted from March 1st- 31st 1972. Other internal competitions the society’s members competed in were the Quintin Hogg Cup, which involved aiming to achieve the best shot of the club and a National Small-Bore Rifle Association badge. External competitions were postal and side-by-side, usually postals were run by the NSRA. Additionally, there was also other external competitions like the Seetech Postal Competition which the society annually participated in.

In 1973, the society did extremely well in the LSBRA competition and were able to win several money prizes. 
One shooter was able to win the County Gilt medal on behalf of the society. Towards the end of the academic year of 1973/74, the polytechnic saw four of its members become N.S.R.A marksmen. These marksmen were Mark Habershon who was the retiring chairman of the society at the time, who won a Master shot badge. Whilst, Garry Markham and Tom Burton were awarded with Class ‘A’ badges. Lastly, the Class ‘C’ badge which was won by Mike Barwise. In March 1974, the club briefly started rifle shooting practice at Hendon shooting club, with shooting distances being over 50 and 100 yards. Their was also the possibility of the society having a handicap competition aswell, along with the Pimpernel and novice competitions starting at this time.

After many years of previous setbacks, the society managed to get training back on for Tuesday afternoons and Friday all day for pistol shooting. Whilst, the rifle club met on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. They were also able to gain a rifle club room, which was helpful for participants when they practicing for competitions. During this time, some of the society’s marksmen took part in the LSBRA competition, and competed in the Bisley Small-Bore and full-bore NSRA competitions.

A team of four shooters competed in the London University Open Meeting, in which the Mark Habershon won the first event. Whilst, the novices competition was won by Mike Henderson and the pistol ladder was won by M. Hubert Cottin. The Quintin Hogg Cup was won by Mark Habershon and Joe Verdi. The Handicap competition was won by Scott Peters. And the Hendon Competition was won by Mark Habershon.

Pistol shooting for the academic year of 1974/75 was under the guidance of Tom Burton who inaugurated the pistol ladder competition in 1974. Whilst, pistol shooting continued to have occasional trips to Bisley throughout 1974, 1975 and 1976, where they were able to shoot with 7.62 rifles. Ammunition was 9p for ten shots, whilst club memberships were 30p per year and shooting tuition was free along with the use of weapons and other equipment. Extra coaching for the academic year of 1975/76 was provided on Wednesdays 2pm-4pm.

In the Summer of 1975, the society devised a team which participated in the London Small Bore Rifle Association, and won their division. In November 1975, they attended a final comprising of the 17 division winning teams in which, the team came in 10th position with a score of 449.344. At the Novice’s competition in December 1975, Haluk Bilger won the NSRA B Badge.

The club’s team A had won the DN.8 Summer League Competition in 1976, with finals being played on the 30th October 1976 at Witan Range. In December 1976, P.Prez and P. Pazor came in 1st and 2nd position in the novices competition.

In February 1978, the society had successfully entered the University of London Rifle Club league with three teams, A, B and Novices, however all teams had to withdraw due to a lack of attendance. In March 1979, the team hit the 10 bull target in the team event at the Hailsham Shield.

In May 1979, the novices team in the society finished the academic year winning the University of London Internal League. Whilst another team within the society had progressed to the second round of their divisions in the Eley National Postal Competition.

Towards the end of the academic year of 1979/80, in June it was reported that Rob Van Jartskamp won the medal L.S.B.R.A and won the novices trophy.

In February 1981, two members who belonged to the society managed to get into the second round of the National Championship Competition and several other members entered into the LSBRA competitions. The Quintin Hogg Cup that year was awarded to Sue Barnes who obtained the highest score in that competition for 10 years, whilst the Hailsham Shield was won by the law department. In May 1981, the society saw eight people through to the second round of the NSRA/ ELEY competition. In June 1981, it was reported in the McGarel that the ‘A’ Team were doing exceptionally well in the London league, after leading the division by a mile after three rounds.

In October 1981, the society won the British Polytechnics Sports Association Shooting Competition and the division of the London Small Bore Rifle Association. A month later it was reported in the McGarel that the ‘A’ team had won division seven and come in fourth in a field of twenty-four in the LSBRA final at Witan Rifle Club.

In November 1982, society members completed a six week course in pistol shooting which was arranged with a club coach from Wembley Rifle Club. In May 1983, the society had devised an ‘A’ and ‘B’ team for the LSBRA Postal competition that consisted of ten rounds.

The society held competitions against other clubs such as Kings College and the Inland Revenue. From 1983, the society went on regular trips to Bisley Shooting Range, where students had the opportunity to shoot full-bore from 100 to 1000 yards. At the beginning of the academic year of 1983/84, the society saw over 50 members join the society at this time.

On Saturday 5th November 1983, the society’s ‘A’ team competed in the LSBRA League finals, which the ‘A’ team attained a score of 463, whilst the ‘B’ team had a score of 420.