On Target Africa Oct/Nov 2022

As the SAPRF precision rifle official shooting season concluded with the national in October, the end of November sees a PR22 Provincial match at CMH Sport Shooters Retreat, Vereeniging. The Western Cape Precision Rifle Federation host a training day on 26 November, ensuring that this province gets all the feedback from the four provincial based shooters who competed in the IPRF 2022 World Championship in August. A great initiative and another one of many ways that precision rifle shooters give back and share their knowledge! This great sharing of knowledge and encouraging new extreme long-range shooters to join is evident in the Send IT, ELR shooting group and moreso their 2022 events. They now boast an exciting 2023 calendar. We have seen shooters from the different IPSC disciplines show keen interest…

Although the year is winding down, it was clear from the onset of the first string that all competitors were saving the best for last. Lightning-fast reaction times and even faster trigger fingers were the order of the day. Competitors pushed themselves to the limit and beyond to try and better the times achieved by their fellow shooters. The match required participants to compete in three vastly different events: Stock Gun, Pin Revolver, and a 9 Pin Tipover event. The three different events or disciplines saw competitors proving their mettle with three different handgun platforms (large calibre pistols and revolvers as well as high capacity 9 mm pistols). The aim of Pin Shooting is simple: Competitors need to engage a multitude of 1.6 kg bowling pins at a fixed distance of 7.6…

Send IT events have become a family affair, an opportunity where grown-ups can share their passion with their children and make them part of the ELR community. At the 1 October match, ten father and son/daughter team/spotter combinations had a go at targets as far as 1 857 m. These young shooters are the cornerstone of our development objectives and an important building block to develop the future talent pool. Father and son team Bernard and Pieter Eksteen are formidable competitors. They proved so again with Bernard’s 4th place individual performance and overall 3rd place team result. Edgar Doubell, a keen ELR and firearm enthusiast, teamed up with daughter Jennifer, who showed great composure behind the rifle. Congratulations, Jennifer, on achieving a hit all the way out at 1 754 m! Send IT…

IPRF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP In August the Namibian Precision Rifle Association (NAPRA) attended the inaugural IPRF World Championship in France. We were able to send a team of five, and were determined to make a good showing for ourselves and our country. We think we managed to do so, with Dirk Sauber finishing 7th overall and Namibia finishing 7th in the team category as well. However, we got a huge wakeup call when we saw the level of difficulty of the competition as well as the ease with which the American competitors handled the course of fire. They are on a level to which shooters all over the world aspire to and this is where we would also like to be! With this in mind, the NAPRA committee sets goals for our club to…

All shooters, whether you are a target shooter or a hunter, strive for accuracy. Consistency is the most important factor that contributes to improved accuracy. The team behind Reloading Technology established the business with the specific intent to assist shooters to optimise their shooting accuracy. The official South African Precision Rifle Federation (SAPRF) reloading partner, Reloading Technology supports target shooting organisations as well as SA Hunters & Game Conservation (SAHGCA) and frequently gives presentations to members on how to improve accuracy. It develops, manufactures and supports the Reload range of products used by shooters to reload ammunition as well as on the shooting range and in the bush. The first product brought to market has been the Reload Annealer, a fully automated induction annealer. More reloading units as well as fully integrated…

A pang of anxiety seemed to coincide with a bead of sweat that ran down my neck. As I lay in the hot Namib Desert trying to focus better on my target, the calm, reassuring voice of my spotter interrupted my uneasiness. ‘Okay buddy, remember to come back on your magnification…’ I cranked the magnification setting back and immediately could see my target better. ‘That mirage is running strong,’ I said. ‘I think I should add another two clicks left, what do you think?’ I looked urgently at my spotter who was doing all he could to improve on my original wind call. ‘Just one click,’ he replied. ‘There’s a wind shadow from that hill halfway down range.’ I pushed one click left, careful to ensure it was, in fact, left. Many…