Devizes & District Miniature Rifle League - Updated
Our little rifle league is 100 year old in a couple of weeks time & the BBC is doing a programme us - it will probably end up being the usual hatchet job but we will have to wait & see. Even more exciting is that it looks like they are going to feature The Englishman's beloved Lee Metford which even pre-dates the league. Huzzah! I'll get the beers in. So, in case one or two of you haven't seen this before - here is my original post on what we get up to in the evenings down in these yerrrr parrrrts ...
Monday night is practice night - Thursday night is match night. In the backs of pubs in Wiltshire, on little tube ranges that hark back to the turn of the last century, feats of marksmanship are attempted (usually) before getting stuck into the 6X or the IPA– Stickledown Range, Bisley this is not, welcome to the Devizes & District Miniature Rifle League.
The league was conceived by Staff Sergeant Gregg of the Royal Army Medical Corps and established in 1906, with the redoubtable Major Lord Heytesbury as president. The object was to encouraging marksmanship with sub-calibre service rifles on miniature ranges.
The league championship was open to the depot of the Wiltshire Regiment, any detachment of the auxiliary forces with headquarters at Devizes and any rifle club within a 6 mile radius. In its first season, the league had five teams. That year, the renown Devizes Rifle Club secured the esteemed honour of becoming the 1st champions of the league.
The inception of sub-calibre service rifles to enable training to take place on miniature ranges was brought about on 14 November 1883, by the approval of a removable rifled Morris tube for the Martini-Henry .450 service rifles. The tube in two parts was chambered and bored for the Morris .297/230 centrefire cartridge firing a 37 grain bullet. The tube was inserted from the muzzle & screwed into the chamber.
A similar tube was approved for the Lee Metford bolt action rifle on 29 December 1891, but differed in that it was made in one piece, being inserted from the breech (with the bolt removed) & secured by a set nut & leather washer on the protruding muzzle. The .297/230 cartridge, being centre fire, enabled the existing breech block or bolt to be used.
On 29 November 1904 the blackpowder .22 rimfire cartridge and tubes to were approved for the Magazine Lee Metford, Magazine Lee Enfield & the Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifles. This cartridge required a replacement bolt to be fitted to the rifle to allow for the offset position of the firing pin & priming compound.
One thousand .22 SMLE rifles were issued for trial in 1905-06. The sleeving tubes did not prove particularly accurate, difficult to clean, easy to damage & susceptible to corrosion – so the military’s procurement process hasn’t changed much in 99 years as far as I can see. There followed a host of modifications that culminated in the production of a virtual sub-calibre SMLE from the parts bin.
The outbreak of WWI in 1914 led to a dramatic increase in demand for .22 training rifles & A.G. Parkers’ system of sleeving worn .303 barrels to .22 was adopted to allow ordnance factories to concentrate on .303 barrel manufacture. The blackpowder .22 cartridge was replaced by the .22 rimfire No.1 Smokeless Cartridge in 1915 & the league has not changed very much since that time.
The rifles currently used are predominantly old BSA Martini actions, chambered for .22 Short. Sights are post & V sights, aperture type rear sights & circular foresight elements are not allowed. A match team consists of eight riflemen, the seven best scores to count. Each person fires two sighting shots followed by seven to count & the card is shot in a Z sequence, starting top left. Scoring is inward gauging.
So there you have it, an anachronistic rifle league using rifles, some of which are over 100 years old, in the comfort of your own pub – what could be more perfect – firearm in one hand, foaming ale in the other.
Comments
I suppose modesty forbids you in claiming the target as your own - good shooting.
Posted by: An Englishman | January 6, 2004 2:16 PM
One could say - "ET tu, two two!"
Posted by: expat | January 6, 2004 6:47 PM
What! Alcohol and firearms don't mix!
The carnage!
(Just kidding!)
Posted by: Kevin Baker | January 9, 2004 3:31 PM
This league sounds like a marvelous activity. I wish I were where I could take part. Living in the USA I have far more firearm freedom and own a number of rifles.
Does anyone have photos of the .22 Martini rifles? I have an old Martini that I would like to convert.
Oren Truitt
o.truitt@att.net
Posted by: Oren Truitt | September 11, 2004 3:36 PM
Nice job! Small-bore stuff is seriously hard work and takes a young person's eyes! I think that must be why they decided to make bigger calibers for adults, harder to miss etc. One thing I've heard is that it's just not possible to wear-out a .22LR barrel, what with the little pill and the pinch of powder it takes, so a 100-year old barrel is just getting properly burnished-in! :-)
Posted by: -keith in mtn. view | December 11, 2005 12:43 AM
When I was a boy, I lived across the road from Victoria Barracks in Sydney. This in the '50s. The Army had a small bore rifle range at the end of our street and one of the favourite activities of my "push" was to climb the brick wall at the side of the butts and watch the competition. As I remember, they too used military rifles, .450 Martini-Henry I recall (we had them in Cadets) and .303 SMLE bored to .22 calibre. Don't know the details of the conversions, but we used to have great fun collecting the brass and selling it. Later on in Cadets we used the same M-H pieces for drill and range practice, same .22 calibre...before we were issued .303 SMLE.
Blast from the past, hey?
11B
Posted by: 11bravo | December 11, 2005 1:44 PM
Aaaargh. Wish I could be there, Mr. FM. As I recall, I didn't disgrace myself too badly the first (and only) time I shot there.
I think we Americans can still learn lots from our British cousins, even if Jesus HAS removed his blessing from us.
Trouble is, even if we could get the permits to open one of these excellent mini-ranges in what passes for pubs Over Here, some idiot would start complaining that we won't allow him to use his Barrett .50 rifle...
Posted by: Kim du Toit | December 11, 2005 4:11 PM
Oh, and by the way, I wouldn't let the bloody BBC within a mile of the place. By the time they're done with you, the range will have to be closed because of environmental problems or some such rubbish, and the local Plod will start moaning about guns and beer in the same square mile etc etc etc.
Posted by: Kim du Toit | December 11, 2005 4:13 PM
I want to play too...
Posted by: Misty | December 12, 2005 11:20 AM
I can hardly think of a more pleasant way to spend an evening. An english country pub, a little freindly shooting competition in the company of likeminded fellows and a few frothing ales to follow. England at it's finest and proof that God is, verily, an Englishman.
Wish I could be there.
RM
Posted by: The Remittance Man | December 12, 2005 1:31 PM
jan - You haven't even seen evidence of my talents though...
Or have you...?
Posted by: Misty | December 12, 2005 4:56 PM
jan, I might have a bit of a problem, as not knowing which Pub in Wiltshire they lurk in, and not having a clue what they look like, popping into random pubs whilst holding a .22, saying 'Hello, can I play please?' might raise a few eyebrows.
ps. *blush*
Posted by: Misty | December 13, 2005 12:29 PM
jan: as yet, no details. I have no idea why, as I am a very quiet and shy person who can also handle a gun - albeit rather out of practise*, but I am friendly, house trained, and like ale. I also need to get out more, but that's another story which contrary to popular belief, does not involve a 'cuddle jacket'.
*alas, but finances & gun laws are a bit of a bugger at the moment.
Posted by: Misty | December 14, 2005 1:39 AM
PS. Why on Earth, would a strange blonde girl weilding a .22 and asking to play scare anybody?
Posted by: Misty | December 14, 2005 1:41 AM
Why more than a brunette, in any case?
And isn't it the shy quiet ones you should look out for?
Posted by: kelpie | December 14, 2005 6:52 AM
Misty - I'm sure there is nothing Mr FM and I would like more than to welcome you to our secret range and Pub, any Monday night there is an open practice on at 9:00 pm, the pub is the one at the end of the lane, right, right and right from The Castle, then turn into the Village and bear left until you need to turn right again. See you there!
Posted by: The Englishman | December 14, 2005 8:48 AM
Why Thank you kind sirs! Sounds like fun :)
All I have to do is get my car sorted, dig out my map,... and then try and find the Castle...
(Unless you want to let me know via email that is?)
Posted by: Misty | December 14, 2005 5:40 PM
We may have more firearms freedom here in the US, but a pub where you can shoot? Nope. Closest thing I've ever seen to that is the 10 meter Olympic air rifle range in Anaheim, California which has a bar next to it. But that is a private club of German Schuetzen.
Merry Christmas, Mr. FM and family! Wish you joy of game bird pie, plum pudding and the water of life!
(would yer mind puttin' a link to me website, sorr, now that ye have links? Oi'll do tae same fer ye)
Posted by: Tom | December 15, 2005 10:57 PM
Very good site, congratulations!
Posted by: Nick | January 27, 2006 2:06 PM
Take a closer look at the Firearms Act 1968 (1968 c27):
11 (4) A person conducting or carrying on a miniature rifle range (whether for a rifle club or otherwise) or shooting gallery at which no firearms are used other than air weapons or miniature rifles not exceeding .23 inch calibre may, without holding a certificate, have in his possession, or purchase or acquire, such miniature rifles and ammunition suitable therefor; and any person may, without holding a certificate, use any such rifle or ammunition at such a range or gallery.
http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/fa1968.pdf
I am informed by a reliable source this continues to be extant law and you are entitled to operate a shooting gallery without involving the Police, Home Office, or the certification procedure. I am currently looking into acquiring some .22LR rifles (I'm inclined to Ruger 10-22) and starting a Shooting Gallery myself.
http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/
Posted by: John Pate | October 30, 2008 2:23 PM
A definitive source for the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27) as amended is: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1968/cukpga_19680027_en_1
Posted by: John Pate | October 30, 2008 5:26 PM
The reason I posted the link to FA 1968 is because you may want to look at Section 11(4) -
11 (4) A person conducting or carrying on a miniature rifle range (whether for a rifle club or otherwise) or shooting gallery at which no firearms are used other than air weapons or miniature rifles not exceeding .23 inch calibre may, without holding a certificate, have in his possession, or purchase or acquire, such miniature rifles and ammunition suitable therefor; and any person may, without holding a certificate, use any such rifle or ammunition at such a range or gallery.
Posted by: John Pate | October 30, 2008 7:28 PM