Shooting Glossary

.22 – Rim-fire calibre a.k.a “Small-bore”. Available with different casings. We shoot “.22lr” (.22 Long Rifle)

7.62mm NATO – Centre-fire calibre a.k.a “Full-bore”

007 – Replaced by “009”

009 – Barrel cleaning solvent

Aiming Mark — An individual target for shooting at. Usually a black circle, but may also take other shapes.

Allen Keys – Hex keys. Most rifles have hex screws to fix their adjustable features

Appleton – Range near Liverpool where the BUCS Smallbore Championship is held in April/May

Anschutz – Makers of fine target rifles. Based in Germany. Most of the club small-bore rifles are Anschutz.

Axe of Mary – the portent of doom that scythes over you when you monumentally stuff up one of Mary’s County Cards

Bisley Camp – National Shooting Centre

Blat — (verb) to shoot odd rounds to get rid of them / to shoot innaccurately or without too much care. Also used sarcastically.

Bob’s Competition – Class competition (for classes B, C and D) for the Earl Robert’s Prone Championship

Breasts – Smothered in cheese and BBQ sauce make a very nice “Hunter’s Chicken”

British Shooting – GB body for International ISSF style shooting. Selects GB squads and administers associated funding

BUCS – British University and College Sports Association. Replaces BUSA (British Universities Sports Association)

Card – A piece of card, usually with multiple diagrams (aiming marks) printed on it

Century – A range at Bisley. 108 targets at distances of up to 600yds

Cleaning Patch – Soft fabric patch for cleaning rifle barrels

Cleaning Rod – A long metal/plastic rod for pushing cleaning devices down the barrel

Diagram – See aiming mark.

Earl Robert’s Championship – British Prone Championship. Shot at the end of Bisley Small-bore week at 50m and 100yds

Elevation – Regarding vertical change in sight zero/point-of-impact

Embarrassment – Getting ready to fire and realising that you’ve forgotten your bolt, or indeed rifle.

Eley – The leading manufacturer of .22lr ammunition in the world. Based in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham

FAC – Firearm Certificate. Issued by the local Police Firearms Licensing Office. Permits the bearer to acquire and possess firearms and ammunition as provided for on the certificate. Provides a token used to purchase a firearm, rather than a shelf space, it must be renewed every time you wish to reuse a space.

Firing Point – The place you shoot from, usually ~1m wide, sometimes marked. You must never allow your body to lie outside the box. Your kit however (rifle/scope) may lie outside as long as it does not encroach on another shooter.

Feinwerkbau – German firearm manufacturers. Less common than Anschutz but still popular

Hoppes – See “009”

HPS – Highest Possible Score

– (HPS Target Rifles Ltd) Equipment manufacturer. Makers of the System Gemini stocks

Hunter’s Chicken – tasty meal and an excuse for being smutty in glossaries

Imperial Meeting – Annual two-week full-bore rifle meeting in July. Hosted by the NRA at Bisley Camp since 1890 (and before that, on Wimbledon Common since 1860). Officially titled the British Full-bore Championships, it is still called “the Imperial” by pretty much everyone (including the NRA), and will probably remain that way. The meeting is attended by national squads from around the world (regulars include Australia, Canada and South Africa)

ISSF – International Shooting Sports Federation. Global governing body for Olympic/formal styles of shooting

Jag – A metal device that attaches to the end of a cleaning rod and around which cleaning patches are wound

Jenny’s – Burger bar by Century Range at Bisley. Products come with enough grease to give a hippo angina. FantasticSmile

Lapua – The Boris Johnson of ammo – known by all, mocked by most, but has a few staunch supporters.

Lord Robert’s Centre – Home of the NSRA. Also has 50m outdoor range, 50m indoor, 10m indoor air ranges

National Small-bore Rifle Meeting – Hosted by the NSRA at Bisley over nine days in August

NRA – National Rifle Association. GB governing body for domestic full-bore rifle and pistol shooting

NSRA – National Small-bore Rifle Association. GB governing body for domestic .22 target rifle and pistol, air rifle and pistol, and match crossbow shooting

Nylon Brush – A brush with stiff nylon bristles that attaches to a cleaning rod for cleaning barrels

Patch – Usually refers to a cleaning patch

Phosphor-Bronze Brush – A brush with stiff P-B bristles that attaches to a cleaning rod for cleaning barrels

Rattle off — (Verb) see Blat.

Retardation – Grouping 4 shots in one hole in the 8-ring at Appleton

RWS – Lesser ammunition manufacturer.

Scope – Used in the club to find shots on the target after they have been shot. Also used in other shooting disciplines mounted on top of the rifle to allow for greater accuracy.

SGC – Shotgun Certificate. Issued by the local Police Firearms Licensing Office. Permits the bearer to acquire and possess shotguns and ammunition of all gauges

Sinclair Range — a 32 firing point 50m range on the Isle of Man -the venue for the Easter shooting festival rifle events.

Skill – Unclipping your sling from your rifle, Disassembling your sights, putting them back together, regloving, getting hooked back in, getting back into position and firing a 10 in the space of 45 seconds in an ISSF prone rifle final.

Stickledown – A range at Bisley. 50 targets at distances of up to 1200yds

String — sets of 10 shots in a 40 or 60 shot match.

Target — Ambiguous term which can mean the card or the aiming mark.

Ton — 100 ex. 100 (The HPS on a 25yd card or in a 50m string.

Walther – German Firearms Manufacturer. Less common than Anschutz or Feinwerkbau, although they also produce many military style firearms, and do not specialise in target/sporting guns as much as Anschutz and FWB do.

Windage – Regarding horizontal change in sight zero/point-of-impact

Young’s 303 – 009 solvent on steroids. Good for rust removal and inhibition

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