The Notts RA BP Volunteer Cup 2013
The final event of the Thorpe Cloud weekend back in June was to have been a minié competition for muzzle loading Enfield .577" Rifles shot on an 1861 type square target with the Volunteer Cup going to the highest scoring Notts RA affiliated competitor. There are also other prizes open to any competitor for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The competition could not be held on the due date because of continuous rain; but we have been fortunate in the kind offer through Mike Hunting and Jim Bookey of participating in a range day at Beckingham with the Notts & Derbys Vintage Arms Society.
Many of the people who would normally have taken part were not available because of the long distances they would have had to travel and so it was only the locals who took part, plus one from South Yorkshire.
The course of fire on a very windy and dull day was one warmer followed by a non-convertible sighter and five rounds to count at 200 metres, one sighter and five rounds at 300m and the same at 500m. The target is a black square of 28", within which is an 8" square bull drawn in a white line, mounted on a white target face. The scoring of the target is 1 point for a hit in the white, 2 points for the black outside the bull and 3 points for a hit in the bull area. At 500m the scoring is simplified to 1 point for the white and 2 points for the black.
Unfortunately there were only six competitors available to take part in a match that was very challenging due to the strong and fishtailing wind. At 200m the scores were all very close with Bill Parnham just in the lead by one point with three other competitors on ten points, Mike Hunting, Denis Chambers and Jerry Womble. Steve Mullan was not far off the pace with 8 points, whilst Arthur Broughton found himself 'tail end charlie' with 5 points. Both these two fell victim to the conditions at the subsequent ranges.
At 300m the shooting was still very close, Bill Parnham still leading the pack along with champion Enfield shooter Jerry Womble on nine points, Mike Hunting still up with the pace on 8 points with Denis Chambers just slipping back slightly with 6 points.
It was at 500m that the conditions really told and it looked as though whoever could hold the target would take the cup. With only one point between Bill Parnham and Jerry Womble, the competition was heading for a nail biting finish. As it happened Bill and Jerry shot the same score of three points with Mike Hunting just one point behind them with two, this meant that last year's winner maintained his grip on the Volunteer Cup for another year as Bill Parnham with a total score of 23 just beat Jerry Womble's 22, whilst Mike Hunting was third with 20. Bill also won a bottle of fine ale and a glass to drink it out of, while Jerry and Mike received a bottle of wine each. Our sole entrant from outside the county, Denis Chambers put in a score of 17 with Steve Mullan on 8 and Arthur Broughton on 7. Steve and Arthur do not often shoot their Enfields at more than 100m and under the conditions in which they had to shoot they did not disgrace themselves.
Andrew Russell
The competitors (l-r) Steve Mullan, Arthur Broughton, Jerry Womble, Bill Parnham, Mike Hunting, Denis Chambers