Shooting
Competition
Bell Targets with Air Guns
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Amongst all
the different disciplines and challenges that modern air gunning
has given us over the last 50 years, a very popular competition
that helped the development of early rifles has fallen by the
wayside, in a world of political correctness and overbearing
safety concerns.
At the beginning of the century, last century that is, some of our
grandfathers and great grandfathers found that after a long
laborious day at work, a little friendly (and sometimes out
right rivalry amongst clubs…) target shooting while at the pub
was a way to unwind and finish up the day. That little contest
was called Bell target shooting. |
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The
scene was pretty much like this. At the back of the bar, the
organizers had a small corridor like makeshift range (probably
aligned with the imaginary line formed by the back of other
patrons and spectators) that measured about 7 yards (6 meters,
for you over the pond dwellers).
Right about face height there was a small metallic box whose 2 gate
like openings in the front had a 3/8 inch hole cut in the
middle. Behind the doors and aligned with the hole was a solidly
mounted “bicycle” bell.
As you can see from the picture of
a home made one on left.
If you would like to make your own see link below
Home Made Airgun Bell Target
Bell Target-2 |
Then
the shooters would stand 6 meters away, and with a spring power
rifle that shot about 500 fps (if in good shape, as most of the
times the entire club would share one rifle), they would use
open sights to try to Ring the bell and therefore earn the
highest score possible.
The
outside of the doors was then painted (by every shooter
after their round) with a oily type of paint (to prevent
drying), that was used to mark where the pellets where
impacting.
The shots that missed landed in a 3 ring target and
where given points in accord to where they hit. The
“bell” (and it would make a distinctive ring, and cause
probably quite a commotion in the bar, followed by
cheering, toasting and more drinking) was considered the
perfect shot, and scored the way we score say, a strike
at bowling. |
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Then,
as now, harder airgun competition demanded better and
more advanced sights. The early air rifles relied on the
simple vee and blade. But the orthoptics clamped under
the caps and hats of the .22 men, and their adjustable
backsights, would not be lost on the bell target
fraternity.
They had one of the best sight manufacturers in the
world on their doorsteps and it was not long before
adjustable peep sights were being fitted to their
Lincoln and B.S.A. Air rifles: |
A.G. Parker,
"old Alf", a well known marksman with the full-bore
air rifle, was making first class sights for the
Wimbledon, and then Bisley, competitors.
For more Information about airgun bell targets see
BELL TARGET SHOOTING this was one of our sources
for this article
Article written by Gabe (lillysdaddy)
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