Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Swiss straight pull Hammerli rifle is widely used in U.S.<br />
in growing free rifle sport. Insert 22 (above) is for practice.<br />
FEW YEARS AGO Larry Nuessleiny a former U. S.<br />
A international rifle team membery placed the<br />
following ad in one of the most widely-circulated<br />
shooting publications :<br />
FOR SALE: Two caliber .30-06 free riflesy<br />
fitted with Swiss butt platey set triggers and<br />
palm rest.<br />
Nuesslein got no takers but he got several<br />
inquiries to his ad from people who thought that<br />
the rifles were free of price. They indicated that<br />
they could use a rifle that didn't cost anything. In<br />
facty one individual wrote such a pathetic letter<br />
that the advertiser agreed to give the individual a<br />
rifle (not one of those advertised). This ad<br />
demonstrated two things; that free rifles were not<br />
common and that there was little demand for them.<br />
While free rifles may be somewhat more common<br />
now in the U.S. than they were a few years ago?<br />
there are not very many of them.<br />
Free rifles are free (or nearly free) of restrictions<br />
as to caliber? length? weight? sights? and other equipment-restrictions<br />
placed by rule on rifles used in<br />
other kinds of target shooting. The rifle is designed<br />
for use in competitions held under the rules<br />
of the International Shooting Union, which sponsors<br />
world championship events using rifles built to suit<br />
the shootery not to fit a set of rigid rules limiting<br />
rifle specifications.<br />
Free rifles and internationil free rifle competition<br />
are understood by only a f6w American shooters.<br />
Championship American free rifle teams have<br />
competed as recently as l93Oy but their rifles were<br />
of foreign make, finished at Springfield Armory.<br />
Because US. shooters have been guided along<br />
By LARRY F. MOORE<br />
Barrel of Hamnedi free rifle 1<br />
is free floating in beddiig?<br />
does not touch stock at sides.<br />
ALL<br />
other channels of competitiony there has been lit~le<br />
demand for free rifles and none has been factory<br />
made in this country. Riflemen who know free rifle<br />
shooting term it the toughest shooting sport of ally<br />
demanding the highest possible skill in the shooter<br />
as well as top quality equipment.<br />
In the last three years or soy American shooters<br />
and American shooting groups have begun to recognize<br />
free rifle competition. International and<br />
Olympic-type matches are gradually being included<br />
in shooting programs. More and more Americans<br />
are "di~covering'~ these interesting rifles-rifles on<br />
which practically everything is "free" except the<br />
price tag.<br />
Free rifles are not entirely free of restrictions.<br />
They must weigh not more than 9 kilos (19.8<br />
~ounds) ; they must not exceed 9mm (.354") in<br />
caliber; and the sights used must not contain optical<br />
glass. But a competitor is not restricted to the<br />
use of only one rifle in a match? although all rifles<br />
used by him in a single match must be of the same<br />
caliber. The same restrictions and lack of restrictions<br />
.apply to the small bore (-22 caliber) as to<br />
the big free rifles. As regards shape of steck? type<br />
of butt plate? pull-weight of the trigger, and other<br />
specifications-the sky's the limit.<br />
Matches are of the three-position varietyye and<br />
tough: 40 shots from each position-prone? kneelingÂ<br />
standing-with ten sighting shots allowed for<br />
each position if needed. Sighting shots may be<br />
taken before firing for recordy or between each tenshot<br />
string for record? as the shooter wishes.<br />
Competitors fire from shelters to cut wind and<br />
disturbance. Token of the increasing free rifle
Change language