National Cowboy Lever Action Rifle Metallic Silhouette Championships
1-4 May 2009
Monarto Metallic Silhouette & Shooting Club, SA
The Top 10 place-getters were, from top row left to
right, Bill Mutch (WA), Mick Hutton (SA), Rod Pascoe
(NSW), Dave McCarthy (SA), Daniel MacDonald
(NSW) and Peter Gurkin (Vic) and bottom row left to
right, Greg Miller (SA), Robert Tobler (NSW), Ted
Chambers (Tas) and Andrew Judd (Tas).
National champion Dave McCarthy receiving the
3-Gun shield from National Discipline Chairman
Andrew Judd. Imagine if there was a rifle shooting match where all of those expensive modern trimmings went out the window. There are no scopes, no mounts, no slings, no whiz-bang plastic-tipped bullets and you could shoot ammunition for less than 25 cents a shot if you used cast lead bullets. It is called Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette Rifle and it is the newest rifle competition in the SSAA. Remember the sideshows at the local show where you could shoot with an air rifle at chicken targets as they moved? Expand that concept to include an iron-sighted lever-action rifle such as a Winchester or Marlin and 40 animal-shaped steel targets out to ranges of 200m. All you have to do is shoot offhand (standing up) and knock them over. Remember, there are no scopes allowed - this is shot the old-fashioned way with iron sights, either open or peep, just like your grandfather did. If you think this sounds like a bit of fun, wipe the dust off that lever rifle in the gun safe and get stuck into it.
The 2009 National Championship has just been successfully held at Monarto in South Australia. Monarto Pistol Silhouette Club hosted the Nationals and a very hospitable well-managed event was the result. A good roll-up of shooters from all states made the weekend lively, competitive and a lot of fun.
After a practice day on the Friday, everyone was raring to go. On Saturday, the Rifle match began and several Nationals records were set during the day’s shooting. Of particular note was Dave McCarthy’s 37/40 for the first match.
The gear used was varied, the bulk of the rifles being both old and new Winchesters and Marlins. The .30-30 was the cartridge of choice, but a number of other cartridges performed very well during the day. Several .38-55, .32-40, .45-70 and .44 Magnums shot well and there was also a real classic, an 1886 Winchester in .33WCF, on the firing line. The Rifle match was won by Dave McCarthy with a very strong 71/80 for the match.
Sunday again proved calm and still as the Pistol Cartridge match got underway. The target distances are reduced, but so is the target size, so high scores are still difficult to achieve. More Nationals records were set, with Mick Hutton shooting a 35/40 to set the pace. Marlin, Winchester and Rossi rifles were again used, with the .32-20 cartridge being the most popular by far. Several rifles were also chambered for .25-20, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .44-40 and .38-40 calibres. The highlight of the day was Mick Hutton’s 104 consecutive hits on the chicken targets, setting a new Nationals Long Run Record. Mick also won the day with a 68/80.
Monday’s scheduled Smallbore match got cracking on time. This match uses .22 rifles and the targets are smaller, but placed at the same distances as the Pistol Cartridge event. This event was dominated by Marlin 39A lever-action rifles, with a few Winchester, Miroku and Brownings thrown into the mix. Once again, Dave McCarthy came home with a rush to win the Smallbore with a 67/80.
With the three days of shooting completed, the presentation was held for medals in grades and overall positions. The National Champion with a 3-Gun Aggregate of 202/240 was South Australian Dave McCarthy - a very fine effort setting a new Nationals record.
A big thank you from all competitors to the Monarto Pistol Silhouette Club, RDT Products, Nioa Trading and SSAA SA for making a great shoot even better.
The 2009/2010 revision of the Rifle Metallic Silhouette Rule Book will include all rules for Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette Rifle. For more information, contact National Discipline Chairman Andrew Judd on 0418 734 008 or namolov@bigpond.com.au
| Rifle | Pistol Calibre | Smallbore | |||||
| AAA Grade | AAA Grade | AAA Grade | |||||
| Dave McCarthy | 71 | Mick Hutton | 68 | Dave McCarthy | 67 | ||
| Mick Hutton | 58 | Dave McCarthy | 64 | Mick Hutton | 54 | ||
| Con Smith | 53 | Peter Gurkin | 48 | ||||
| AA Grade | Kim Knapp | 49 | |||||
| Bill Mutch | 54 | Kathy Tobler | 48 | AA Grade | |||
| Robert Tobler | 52 | Robert Tobler | 52 | ||||
| Glen Rickard | 45 | AA Grade | Daniel MacDonald | 49 | |||
| Con Smith | 44 | Greg Miller | 61 | Greg Miller | 49 | ||
| Kathy Tobler | 39 | Rod Pascoe | 61 | Rod Pascoe | 47 | ||
| Don Ruwoldt | 39 | Andrew Judd | 57 | Ted Chambers | 46 | ||
| Ian Denny | 27 | Robert Tobler | 54 | Con Smith | 46 | ||
| Bill Mutch | 54 | Kim Knapp | 41 | ||||
| A Grade | Ted Chambers | 54 | Bill Mutch | 40 | |||
| Peter Gurkin | 56 | Ian Denny | 51 | Dave Diebler | 36 | ||
| Ted Chambers | 50 | Daniel MacDonald | 51 | ||||
| Kim Knapp | 48 | Bob Vine | 40 | A Grade | |||
| Richard Cains | 48 | Andrew Judd | 58 | ||||
| Daniel MacDonald | 47 | A Grade | Kathy Tobler | 57 | |||
| Greg Miller | 45 | Richard Cains | 54 | Leon O’Brien | 46 | ||
| Tony Kelly | 45 | Peter Gurkin | 51 | Tony Kelly | 41 | ||
| Norm Coon | 43 | Brett Taylar | 49 | Glen Rickard | 40 | ||
| Leon O’Brien | 43 | Leon O’Brien | 44 | Bob Vine | 40 | ||
| Andrew Judd | 43 | Norm Coon | 42 | David Brougham | 39 | ||
| Dave Diebler | 42 | Glen Rickard | 34 | Richard Cains | 39 | ||
| David Brougham | 41 | Tony Kelly | 33 | Brett Taylar | 38 | ||
| Bob Vine | 41 | Don Ruwoldt | 28 | Don Ruwoldt | 33 | ||
| Rod Pascoe | 39 | David Brougham | 27 | Ian Denny | 33 | ||
| Brett Taylar | 35 | Dave Diebler | 24 | Norm Coon | 32 | ||
| B Grade | B Grade | B Grade | |||||
| Rhonda Cains | 28 | Rhonda Cains | 39 | Rhonda Cains | 43 | ||
| 3-Gun Aggregate | |||
| 1 | Dave McCarthy | (SA) | 202 |
| 2 | Mick Hutton | (SA) | 180 |
| 3 | Robert Tobler | (NSW) | 158 |
| 4 | Andrew Judd | (Tas) | 158 |
| 5 | Peter Gurkin | (Vic) | 155 |
| 6 | Greg Miller | (SA) | 155 |
| 7 | Ted Chambers | (Tas) | 150 |
| 8 | Bill Mutch | (WA) | 148 |
| 9 | Daniel MacDonald | (NSW) | 147 |
| 10 | Rod Pascoe | (NSW) | 147 |
| 11 | Kathy Tobler | (ACT) | 144 |
| 12 | Con Smith | (NSW) | 143 |
| 13 | Richard Cains | (Tas) | 141 |
| 14 | Kim Knapp | (WA) | 138 |
| 15 | Leon O’Brien | (Tas) | 133 |
| 16 | Brett Taylar | (WA) | 122 |
| 17 | Bob Vine | (NSW) | 121 |
| 18 | Tony Kelly | (NSW) | 119 |
| 19 | Glen Rickard | (WA) | 119 |
| 20 | Norm Coon | (WA) | 117 |
| 21 | Ian Denny | (NSW) | 111 |
| 22 | Rhonda Cains | (Tas) | 110 |
| 23 | David Brougham | (WA) | 107 |
| 24 | Dave Diebler | (NSW) | 102 |
| 25 | Don Ruwoldt | (Qld) | 100 |