SMLE places 5th in VIntage Military Rifle Match

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Games National Championship Matches were concluded this last weekend. One of the matches is for Vintage Military rifles (Not Garands or Springfield 1903s but about everything else). It is usually won by one of three guns; M1917, K-31 or Swede Mauser. All firing is done at 200 yards. I have been following these matches for 10 years and this is the first time the "SMLE" has broken into the top 5 let alone the top 25. Unfortunately, the next two Lee-Enfields finished 117 (Lee Enfiled No.5) and 118 (Lee Enfield No4,) with 266 points. I shot the No.4.

Hooray for Mr. Ellis for shooting so well and for upholding the honor of the Lee Enfield!


2016 National Trophy Rifle Matches & SAFS - Vintage Military Rifle Match Resullts

Competitor (Comp Num), Rifle Type, 200 Prone SF, 200 Prone RF, 200 Standing SF, Aggregate

1 Armstrong, Douglas (19816), US Model 1917 100-1, 100-4, 90-0, 290-5
2 Sollars, Larry, II (109672), M1917 99-3, 98-2, 92-1, 289-6,
3 Betzold, Victor (12130), Enfield P17 98-3, 100-2, 90-1, 288-6
4 Carrier, Scott (188199), K-31 Swiss, 98-3, 99-4, 90-1, 287-8,
5 Ellis, William, (106051), SMLE, 98-1, 95-0, 93-2, 286-3

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Originally Posted by WNO1958

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Games National Championship Matches were concluded this last weekend. One of the matches is for Vintage Military rifles (Not Garands or Springfield 1903s but about everything else). It is usually won by one of three guns; M1917, K-31 or Swede Mauser. All firing is done at 200 yards. I have been following these matches for 10 years and this is the first time the "SMLE" has broken into the top 5 let alone the top 25. Unfortunately, the next two Lee-Enfields finished 117 (Lee Enfiled No.5) and 118 (Lee Enfield No4,) with 266 points. I shot the No.4.

Hooray for Mr. Ellis for shooting so well and for upholding the honor of the Lee Enfield!


2016 National Trophy Rifle Matches & SAFS - Vintage Military Rifle Match Resullts

Competitor (Comp Num), Rifle Type, 200 Prone SF, 200 Prone RF, 200 Standing SF, Aggregate

1 Armstrong, Douglas (19816), US Model 1917 100-1, 100-4, 90-0, 290-5
2 Sollars, Larry, II (109672), M1917 99-3, 98-2, 92-1, 289-6,
3 Betzold, Victor (12130), Enfield P17 98-3, 100-2, 90-1, 288-6
4 Carrier, Scott (188199), K-31 Swiss, 98-3, 99-4, 90-1, 287-8,
5 Ellis, William, (106051), SMLE, 98-1, 95-0, 93-2, 286-3

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Nice shooting all around, his off-hand shooting was excellent.

I'll have to confess that I'm one of those that shot rotten (234-2) with an SMLE (MkIII*,1918 EFD) this year, but am happy to see somebody shot well with one. 286-3 is a GREAT score!

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Originally Posted by M2phil

I'll have to confess that I'm one of those that shot rotten (234-2) with an SMLE (MkIII*,1918 EFD) this year, but am happy to see somebody shot well with one. 286-3 is a GREAT score!

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No doubt, with any firearm. And don't knock your score, I'll bet you had a hell of a good time shooting a great rifle.

Thanks SW, just couldn't seem to get it together at Perry this year. I'm just glad they didn't make me give the T-shirt back! But there's no denying, it was a hell of a good time shooting a great rifle. Ever read Ian Hay's "The First Hundred Thousand"? There's a chapter in it concerning rifle range/qualification, with the SMLE of course, that will make a feller laugh out loud.

I'll have to check that out I have never read it. I'm going to shoot my SMLE and Garand this weekend. Our club Garand match is next weekend so I'm checking zero's.

Your lucky you don't have much of a drive to Perry. I hope the matches there will be able to continue for a long long time.

It's the nut behind the bolt - anyone who's shot in a comp against Bill Ellis will know what a formidable shot he is!

Bill Ellis is one of the leading UK shooters. He came 2nd in this year's UK Civilian Service Rifle Championships. The guy who won it is ex Territorial Army who won the Queen's medal for being the best shot in the TA four times? The guy who came 3rd was head of Markmanship in the British Army and won the Queen's Medal twice. Sad to say I only came 4th this year but I did have surgery for a collapsed disc in my back in late January so training was somewhat curtailed!