Real question, for the foreword in my upcoming book, cos I'm realizing I really can't figure it out, so opinions definitely wanted, 18xx - 1969, or 19xx - 1969?

What dates would define 'golden era of target shooting? as we generally understand it here on our forum?
Would/should it be more accurately called the 'golden age of commonwealth target shooting', or, 'the golden age of Enfield target shooting' to reflect those elements of what made up this great era?
Or is the defining element not the rifle but that general period in which shooting guns for sport wasn't demonized and was respected as a skillful accomplishment of use to self and country?

Would it be the Edwardian gentlemen at the Bisley range with his Fulton rifle being chaired off in triumph, perhaps 1895 to 1914?
If thats the case, what about the fabulous interwar years when so many aperture sights were invented and so rapidly refined, right across the commonwealth, from 1920-1935, and shot so well by the slouch hat wearing colonials ?
If thats the case, where does that leave the great results achieved by the No4 Enfield, battling into the late 60's against much more sophisticated rifles on the 1000 yard range, 1945-1969?

Ok, so I can see that the end of the era came at the end of the 60's, when would you say it began? With the advent of the smle in 1902? Or before that with the advent of the 303 cartridge at the height of the british empire in 18xx ? (I need a date here)

It seems the reality of a the golden era is spread out over a multi generational, multi faceted time, when the shape of the world at its beginning would be scarcely recognized by its end, but that the romantic face of it that we very first think of it is ... ? For me it would be shooters being chaired off at Bisley around the 1900's.

For the lee Enfield to have enjoyed a golden era lasting something like 80 years or three generations, in such a time of technical change is basically just extraordinary.
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