Sunday morning started at 05.55 with the team assembled in the dark at the clocktower in the centre of Coonabarabran for an ANZAC day service. Really rather nice. Australia takes the remembrance of its servicemen and women who gave their lives very seriously. Something GB might rediscover, perhaps?
So, to go shooting. The rain turned the gravel road to the range into a skid pan and the rain kept raining. Then it rained some more. ‘Light-bulb moment’ That’s why its called New South Wales!
Reports from the markers from the practice yesterday were that some of the bullets were still supersonic after travelling 1,500 yards, but some were more in the pea-shooter class. During a lull in the rain some ventured to inspect the stop-but and it was noticed that some of Aled’s bullets could be seen sitting at the bottom of the stop-but. That legendary Welsh thriftyness in putting the minimum amount of powder in the rounds having the bonus that the bullets arrived at a well-subsonic velocity and could be collected undamaged and used again. Tales of the markers catching them in their teeth, were, however considered to be an exaggeration.
The rain relented at lunchtime and we shot the first competition at 1,500 yards.
Shooting at 1500 yards at Coonabarabran
First down on target 3 was Aled and despite the above, he managed to put in a stunning 68 ex 75. We thought this must be good for first place, but Shane Courtney seemed to be even better at this distance and beat him with an amazing 72. Overall 1,500 yards turned out to be difficult. There were times when the bullets went approximately where they were pointed, Then there were periods when the elevations went completely haywire. There seemed to be little indication in the flags as to when this was to happen – perhaps in time we will learn to understand the behaviour of bullets at these extreme distances.
Alex Cargill Thompson on aim at 1500 yards
After a rapid meal, we went for a visit to a small observatory in the Warrambungle region. The night skies are particularly clear for stargazing in this region as there is minimal light pollution. A short talk by the aptly named astronomer Peter Starr was followed by looking at a number of stars and galaxies in various size telescopes, some of which he photographed for us.
Sombrero Galaxy as we saw it, photographed by Peter Starr
It was amazingly cold out in the open. None of us had thought to pack gloves and scarves.
Paul Monaghan blogged today.
