Gallery Rifle

Gallery Rifle includes short- and medium-distance shooting events for rifles and pistols chambered in pistol-calibre cartridges. The international rule book comprises four main events: Gallery Rifle Centrefire, Gallery Rifle Smallbore, Long Barrelled Revolver and Long Barrelled Pistol, though the SSAA principally supports Gallery Rifle Centrefire at a national level. This event is based around scoped and iron-sighted tubular magazine lever-action rifles in .32-20, .38-.357, .44 and .45 pistol calibres. Gallery Rifle matches require the competitor to load and shoot very quickly either at stationary paper or reactive steel targets.

History

The Gallery Rifle discipline covers matches shot at short and medium distances with rifles and pistols chambered for pistol-calibre cartridges. Most of the matches are graded so competitors shoot against others of similar ability. The SSAA Gallery Rifle community is an open and friendly group that welcomes new shooters and competitors are able to compete in matches ranging from branch level to state, national and international championships. The World Championships is held every two years at one of the current five member countries, while the Phoenix Meeting in Bisley in the UK (the spiritual home of the discipline) is a huge multi-discipline event held in May each year. The SSAA holds the Australian affiliation for the International Gallery Rifle Federation.

View the International Gallery Rifle Federation: Gallery Rifle and Pistol handbook for international rules.

Matches and Firearms

There are four main matches in the international rulebook. The SSAA currents supports the Gallery Rifle Centrefire match at a national level. The other three matches may have relevance to individual states and will have potential for national support in the future.

Gallery Rifle Centrefire (GRCF) is based around scoped and iron-sighted tubular magazine lever-action rifles in traditional pistol calibres, such as the .32-20, .38-.357, .44 and .45. Other types of pistol-calibre rifles are supported in side events. Most GRCF events are shot at distances between 10 and 50m and mirror popular pistol competitions with some adaptation to accommodate tubular magazine lever-action rifles. Competitions include both deliberate precision and action-type events that require a shooter to load and shoot very quickly, such as Falling Plate, Barricade, 50m Precision, Practical, Los Alamitos and The Mover. For a full list of matches, consult the GRCF rule book.

Gallery Rifle Smallbore (GRSB) is principally based around .22-calibre semi-automatic rifles, though other types of .22s are permitted in some of the events.

Long Barrelled Revolver (LBR) was originally designed to comply with United Kingdom firearm laws and permits the use of revolvers with 30cm-long barrels.

Long Barrelled Pistol (LBP) permits the use of long-barrelled semi-automatic .22 pistols, though other types of handguns are permitted in some events.

The most common shooting position is standing unsupported, but some events do test the shooter’s agility and skills from other positions, such as sitting, kneeling and shooting from the weaker shoulder. Targets can be stationary paper, and turning, reactive and steel plates. Individual range templates and energy/velocity limitations will govern ammunition choice.

Gallery Rifle International Team Selection Criteria

Selection Policy

There are two selection methods for SSAA International teams: 

  •  Invitational Team:

The National Board or President may appoint and approve an Invitational or Presidents Team. The selection of this team may be done with advice from the National Coaching and Discipline Supervisor and National Discipline Chairman.   

  • Selection Criteria:

The National Discipline Chairman submits a Team selected according to the Selection Criteria to the National Board for approval. The selection is based on merit and must be approved by the National Board.   

To qualify for a SSAA International Team a person

  • must be a current financial member of SSAA
  • must be eligible for, or, hold a valid Australian passport or have an exemption from the SSAA Inc on our Australian nationality requirement.   

See other details in the document “SSAA Inc Information and General Requirement for SSAA Team Members” as approved by the SSAA Inc Board.

Discipline Selection Criteria

Selection will be based on a disciplines Annual National Championship, with competitors from a minimum of two SSAA State and Territory Associations.

Selection will be based on the top ten placings at a disciplines Annual National Championship in the core match or matches and/or the match or matches relevant to the international competition to be contested.

The core match or matches and/or match or matches relevant to the international competition will be determined for each Discipline. Contact the National Discipline Chairman for this information.

Any Annual National Championships may be used as a selection shoot. If a disciplines Annual National Championship is held six months before the scheduled date of an international event, that National Championship will be used as the selection shoot. If a disciplines Annual National Championship is held less than six months before the scheduled date of an international event, the National Championship of the previous year may, with approval, be used as the selection shoot.  Any variation to this requires approval by the National Coaching and Discipline Supervisor or National President or Board.

There is no guarantee that a SSAA Team will be sent to an international event.

All SSAA International Teams are subject to the approval by the National President or Board and discipline funding. 

A competitor can notify the National Discipline Chairman if they wish to be considered for selection as soon as possible and no later than two weeks after the finish of the National Championships. If notification wasn’t given a competitor must indicate their acceptance or rejection of their team position within two weeks of being officially informed of their eligibility by the National Discipline Chairman.  Any variation to this requires approval by the National Coaching and Discipline Supervisor or National President or Board

The Team Selections should be completed by the relevant National Discipline Chairman as soon as possible after their Annual National Championship and submitted to the National Board for approval. 

All Team Members selected according to the Discipline Selection Criteria must be approved by the SSAA National Board before the selection process is complete.

Approved by the SSAA National Board on 18 November 2018, for implementation on 1 January 2019

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