HERTS & ESSEX SHOOTING ASSOCIATION In association with the HBSA

Cordially invite you to take part in

The Historic Field-Firing Match Joint Miniature Rifle Meeting

to be held on Saturday 4th April 2020

at the HESA Range, Seabrook’s Farm, Church Lane, Little Leighs, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 1PG

Refreshments will be available with all profits to the

Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal

Closing Date for Entries: Monday 30th March 2020

The following is a message received by the Home Office from the Ministry of Justice about their work on the Sentencing Code.  It will make a minor but not substantive change to the way specific offences appear in firearms law.

The Sentencing Code is the Law Commission’s consolidation of legislation governing sentencing procedure which brings together the legislative provisions which sentencing courts need to rely upon during the sentencing process into a single Act. Once the Sentencing Code is commenced, sentencing provisions will be moved from where there are currently found in existing legislation into the new Sentencing Code.

There are minimum sentence provisions relating to certain firearms offences as well as a statutory aggravating factor relating to firearms which will be consolidated into the Sentencing Code, insofar as those provisions apply to England and Wales. However, the Sentencing Code will not consolidate firearms offences, nor their associated maximum penalties. These will remain in the applicable criminal law statute, and courts will use the Sentencing Code alongside them when sentencing offenders.

Minimum sentences for certain offences involving firearms that are prohibited weapons – current law is contained in section 51A of the Firearms Act 1968 (minimum sentence for possessing, purchasing or acquiring a prohibited weapon) and section 29 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (minimum sentence for using someone to look after, hide or transport a dangerous weapon) and extends to England, Wales and Scotland. The relevant provisions, insofar as they relate to England and Wales, will be repealed from both Acts and moved into section 311 of the Sentencing Code, leaving behind the provisions insofar as they relate to Scotland in the 1968 Act and 2006 Act.

Statutory aggravating factor for offences where a minor has been used to mind a dangerous weapon – current law is contained in section 29 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 and extends to England, Wales and Scotland. The relevant provisions, insofar as they relate to England and Wales, will be repealed from the 2006 Act and moved into section 70 of the Sentencing Code, leaving behind the provisions insofar as they relate to Scotland in the 2006 Act.

The Ministry of Justice expect the Sentencing Code Bill to be introduced to Parliament in early March, and are hopeful that the Sentencing Code can be commenced on 1 October 2020, although this will depend on the parliamentary timetable.

Some further information can be found in the attached slide pack which  can be viewed here >>>>.  A draft of the Bill (all 592 pages) is available.

Derek Stimpson

Open Historics Match Sunday 8^th March 2020 The annual Open Historics Match will be held on Sunday 8^th March and will follow the same format as previous years. It is open to non BSRC members who do not need to be specifically invited on this occasion. Any non-member wishing to participate in the Match will have to confirm that he/she holds a Firearms Certificate permitting them to use the firearms & ammunition concerned on approved ranges & MUST fill in their FAC & address details on the back of the attendance register. Non-members will NOT be able to borrow others firearms, but BSRC members may. Adrian & others offer a selection of suitable loan rifles .22RF, 7×57, 30-30 & .303 available, with factory ammunition at cost (10 or 12 rounds needed), but please return the empties! The dateline for eligibility of any rifle/calibre/sight combination is 6^th February 1952.  In other words, if, hostilities permitting, you could go to a gunsmith prior to that date & order a rifle in that calibre & with that action & sights, it will be eligible even if your example was made more recently. We will not be over scrupulous in trying to date telescopic sights, but participants are asked to respect the ‘spirit of the original’. All iron sights will be deemed eligible .577 maximum calibre in all cases. The Course of fire will be 10 rounds in each case, with 2 non-convertible sighters on the Running Deer & Running Boar. We reserve the right to amalgamate or sub-divide classifications on the day according to the number of entries & type(s) of rifles used with a view to promoting fairness. 1.       Running Deer Singles. a)       Telescopic sights. b)       Iron Sights c)       Big Bore (.366” [9.3mm] & above up to .577 Maximum) telescopic sights. d)       Big Bore (.366” [9.3mm] & above up to .577 Maximum) iron sights.   2.       Running Deer Doubles – Any sight Double rifles ONLY (.577 maximum calibre) 2 shots per run (6 runs in total).   3.       Running Boar (Slow). a)       .22 rimfire – Telescopic sights. b)       .22 rimfire – Iron Sights c)       Rook & Rabbit Rifles – any sights. d)       Pistol calibres, lever action, restricted to tube mag & iron sights.   4.       100m Sitting Buck. a)       Deer Rifles, telescopic sights b)       Deer Rifles, iron sights.   5.       100m Standing Fox. a)       Any Rifle with telescopic sights. b)       Any rifle with iron sights.           Continued on Page 2       6.       50m Standing (all on Time Limit Range) a)       Rook Target – .22 rimfire rifles with telescopic sights. b)       Rook Target – .22 rimfire rifles with iron sights. c)       Rook Target – Rook & rabbit Rifles, any sights. d)       Rook Target – Traditional Lever Action (pistol calibres) restricted to tube magazines & Iron sights. e)       Buck Target – Traditional Lever Action (pistol calibres) restricted to tube magazines & Iron sights. f)        Buck Target – Other pistol & Rook/Rabbit rifles excluding .22rimfire – any sights. g)       Buck Target –  ‘The Poacher’s Buck’ .22 rimfire an sights.   ‘DEER RIFLES’ should be deemed to include not only stalking rifles, but also such calibres as .44-40, .38-40, .300 Sherwood, .22 savage hi power & anything else (within reason i.e. not .22 rimfire or .297/.230 Morris tube) that ‘Grandpa’ might have shot his Deer with. N.B. Maximum M/E is 7000 Joules, but HME procedures must be adhered to above 4500 Joules.   ‘ROOK/RABBIT RIFLES’ – the include the following calibres ONLY: .297/.230 (Morris Short & Long), .297/.250 (.250 rook), .25-20, .255 Jeffrey, .275 Jeffery, .298 Minex, .295 (or .300), .300 Sherwood, .305, .310 Cadet, .320, .32-20, .360 No5, .380 Long, .425, .430, .442, any rimfire calibres OVER 6mm (but NOT .22 or 6mm rimfire), and any pinfire, needle-fire or muzzle loading rifles using a bullet of less than .380” diameter. N.B. Maximum M/E 2028 Joules (1496 ft/lbs).   ‘TRADITIONAL LEVER ACTION RIFLES – PISTOL CALIBRES’ – These should be deemed to include, as well as  .25-20, .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, such calibres as .38/.357, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, but not .22 rimfire (too small), .44 magnum (too late). Calibres such as 45-70 & .30-30 WILL NOT be treated as ‘Pistol Calibres’ even if you used to have a Thompson Contender chambered for them! N.B. Maximum M/E 2028 Joules (1496 ft/lbs).   The George Kirk Memorial Trophy.   The late George Kirk, a long standing member of the BSRC & of the British Deer Society, wished to institute an event for Big Game rifles & was preparing the trophy at the time of his death. We have decided to include this trophy in the course of fire at our Annual Open Historic Match.   The course of fire will be 12 rounds (6 runs – no sighters) at the Running Deer Doubles target. It will be open to any rifle (bolt action, Lever or Double – not date lined) with a minimum calibre of .366” (9.3mm) & a minimum muzzle energy of 2000 ft/lbs.   It will be shot for in addition to (but if shot with a double can be shot concurrently with) the existing double rifle event.   Please note that there is an entry fee payable for the Historic Match. The entry fee for one entry in each match for BSRC members is £10 (Free with an ASP). The entry fee for one entry in each match for non BSRC members is £15. Please pay your entry fee on arrival when signing in at the office. Pre-entry is not required & re-entries will be permitted on the day (charged at £2.50 per match – payable by all). A full set of rules will be posted at the respective firing points on the day. All enquiries to Adrian Dagger on 07711 628481.  

The new Beretta Model 1934 book

by Adriano Simoni and Prof Uno Menchini (deceased)

– published by Luca Poggliali Editore

will be launched on Sunday the 9th February at HIT Fair in Vicenza.

There is an English Translation

Derek Stimpson

There are two shoots this month:Wednesday Rifle Practice, 19 th February. 100 yards on Short Siberia. Starting 8.30, self marking as usual. Fixed/No Bayonet Competition, Sunday 23 rd . Again 8.30 start.

PLEASE may I have a volunteer to help with this. Mike Townsend, after many years of service, is tailing back his activities. I need someone to get us started in the butts. We have 3 private markers who once shown the ropes will probably be able to cope on their own. We need to make sure the correct targets are hung and ready to go.I have received requests for shoots on Saturdays and for longer range shoots (particularly 600 yds). I will happily book the ranges for these, however, I work Saturdays so cannot run them. If you wish these to occur I need an RO/Organiser and range requirements I will then book the targets (and markers if required). Regards David Carroll

This film was made by Dr Geoffrey Sturgess as a component of his definitive 3 volume opus “The Borchardt & Luger Automatic Pistols”. The film includes contributions and commentary from David Penn.

Information about buying copies of the film DVD and/or of the books can by viewed here >>>

Items deactivated to UK legacy specifications will not have to be notified unless they were (or are) subsequently transferred after the EU specs came into force in which case they will need to have been modified accordingly (the spec. brought up to date) and become subject to the Regulations (notified). Our original post with links to Home Office documents is here >>>>

Derek Stimpson