Smallbore shooting has been part of the NZ Masters Games in Wanganui since the beginning, but this year numbers are down.
The outdoor and indoor shoots are now a single event because of the lower entries. The bonus for participants is one can take part in both events without having to pay twice.
Eleven outdoor and 16 indoor shooters gave it their best shot at the weekend, with yesterday's indoor shoot concluding the smallbore programme.
The 25yd range at Okoia Hall doesn't have the wind and heat problems of the outdoor shooters at the Wanganui Pistol Club, and the shooter has 10 small targets instead of a single large one. Three shots are fired to ensure sights are accurate, and then one shot per target in 12 minutes, with three rounds in all. The highest possible score is 300.
Range officer Sid McAuliffe, who went on to win a gold medal at the event, started shooting in 1966 and has been involved with the Masters since the beginning. "It's a very individual sport ... It's very much about concentration. About 90 per cent of the shooting is in your head. It's a sport you can do for as long as you can see," he said.