Burke, Desmond T.: (970). Canadian Bisley Shooting, An Art and a Science.

Does anybody have a copy of this book?

Reference was made to this book by a publication The Benchrest Shooting Primer (1997)Edited by Dave Brennan, Editor of the late publication Precision Shooting Magazine. On page 231 is a reference to Burke's book. An article on cant "Cant and Group Size" by Jerry Masker makes refference to Burke's publication and to "using the .303 British at 1000 yards".

Needless to say when bench rest shooters in a text on bench rest shooting/reloading make refference to "British .303" and "competative shooting at 1000 yards". it warms my heart.

anyway.....

Burke, Desmond T.
Canadian Bisley Shooting, an Art and a Science
1970 , 213 pgs
Open library.065702881M
LC 701371137

The above information was enough to locate two copiesof this book however......They want 200 dollars per copy......

Does anybody know of this book or have a copy?I recall it being refered to in the past, perhaps by this forum. Did a search one time and thought I "favorited" it. now....cant find it.

Could someone refernce this book by Burke if its available.if they have a copy could they sumerise its contnt and maybe let us know if its a useful book for tuning the rifles, ammo or shooting style.

Not sure 200 is worth it, but whats 200 worth any more.

anyway. If you have a copy of this book and you would like to summerise is content I would be greatfull.

Thanks

Mike16

First copy is $100 US
Canadian Bisley Shooting, an Art and a Science by Burke - AbeBooks

Try and get a kindle version

Yes, I have it. If you are interested in long range prone shooting it is sort of unique in how he approaches the sport.. He spends a lot of times on shooting technique, very little on the actual technical aspects of 1969 rifles. Two cartridges are considered:

.303 MK VII and
7.62 C21 (7.62 NATO Ball)

At that time the accuracy expected with both was not that far off, something under 2 MOA for ten shot groups out of a rifle was considered pretty good. 1.5 MOA was considered very good. His book reflects a period when the tight barrels had just been introduced and they were still messing around with the ideal twist for the C21/L2A1 cartridge (1 in 10 to 1 in 14 twists).


On shooter technique he spends a lot of time on the score book and that is relevant to today, though you can find other sources that talk about plotting and the various British techniques used to get the best centering of what would today be seen as rather large groups. A lot is still relevant but with the super match cartridges today, be it Palma loads with the Berger 155 or the new sierra 2156 Palma bullet or hot 5.56 loads (US m262 mod 1), the accuracy of the cartridges are such that the old group plotting techniques (with the elevation and wind side plotting sheets have no real place in US style shooting. Bear in mind with Bisley shooting you have time between shots because you have 2 or 3 person shooting on one point, the more extensive plotting methods make use of that time.

That said there is a lot of good information in the above

He spends two chapters on releasing the trigger. There is a bit on the influence of the ear and head on trigger release. Worth reading but I would say perhaps not earth shattering info.


On the shooter physiology he deals with a lot of the limitations on the human eye, though those sections are pretty much obsolete, you can get a better understanding of that by reading many of the modern on line articles which have 45 years of added medical knowledge on the topic.

The main focus technically is on the flight of the bullet and how that flight is affected by Cant, Wind, Cartridge variations and atmospheric considerations. Whereas most articles you used to read in precision shooting that were test based did the testing at a relatively short distance, (200 yards or less) Mr. Burke spends a lot of time on groups that he observed at 300 to 1000 yards. Here the book is pretty much without any other match. for example on can alone he spends 5 chapters, from page 69 to page 116. All I can say is a modern Palma shooter of long range prone shooter would find all that very much worth while.

In particular his chapters on group analysis, with his record keeping techniques go a long way to demonstrating that modern long range shooting can be approached as a science. Said another way, each shot is a carefully analyzed event, much like golf.

If you expect a detailed analysis on the rifles...well it is not there. he mentions all of the stuff on compensation and there is nothing wrong with what he writes, it adds a lot of small details to the history of Bisley shooting from 1923 to 1969, but the book is really directed towards serious prone competitive shooters of 1969, not folks looking backward fondly on older target rifles in the .303 era.

Also try Elements of Rifle Shooting by JA Barlow and AGs Book of the Rifle by A.G. Banks both are 1930s 1940s books on technique and use of the Service Rifle. I'd also look for any articles by Laurie Holland on shooting the .303.

robert303, you have those books? or access to them?

by a strange coincidence just picked up 3 books at local sale today

Esentials of Marksmanhip EGB Reynolds 1964
A.G. s Book of the Rifle AG Banks 1958
the Elements of Rifle Shooting Brigadier J A Barlow 1958

Lovely ols Bisely type stuff!

I have those books, what would you like to know?

AG's Book Of The Rifle and his Random Writings On Rifle Shooting must have sold fairly well - second-hand copies can often be seen at gun shows here. They were mostly reprints of his articles in The Rifleman in the '30s and '40s and as such mostly (but not all) covered rimfire shooting and Home Guard shooting.

Success in Prone Rifle Target Shooting Skills & Coaching Aids by John W Jackson believe this was published privately here in Victoria BC. There is no publisher information that I can find but its very good.