New Trends: Civilian Service Rifle Competition — UK Style
Report by John Morgan-Hosey
Civilian Service Rifle (CSR) is a shooting sport in the United Kingdom shot with bolt action rifles and ‘Straight-Pull’ derivatives of semi-auto centerfire rifles. Why do the UK shooters use manual-operating versions of popular self-loaders? Well, that’s because of legal restrictions. Civilian ownership of semi-auto centerfire rifles was banned in the United Kingdom in 1987.
Give credit to the ingenuity of competitive shooters in the UK. The ban on semi-autos has not stopped shooters from adapting modern rifles such as the AR15. In fact, CSR is the UK NRA’s fastest growing shooting discipline. There are four classes for competitors:
1. Historic Class — Vintage Rifles, mostly Lee Enfields with iron sights.
2. Iron Sights Class — all non-Historic Rifles with Iron (open) sights.
3. Practical Optic Class — Rifles with bipods (and scopes 4.5X or greater magnification).
4. Service Optic Class — Rifles without bipods (and scopes with no more than 4.5X power).
Surprisingly, shooters in the Service Optic Class dominate these matches. So you don’t need a high-magnification scope or a bipod to do well. The most popular rifles are modified AR-platform rifles. These are set-up in the UK with no gas system to ensure they comply with our laws. Side-charger cocking handles are fitted to allow the rifles to be operated easily while in the shooting position. You can see in the photo above a modified AR with the Union Jack on the buttstock. Notice the bolt handle on the right. This opens and closes the bolt.
This video clip shows the side-charging ARs in use.
Note the side bolt handle that cycles the action on this non-semi-auto AR.
Here shooters advance 100 yards to engage the targets at the next firing line.
Competitor uses classic Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifle.
Dave Wylde Sets Impressive Record at the Civilian Service Rifle League Match.
The last matches in the 2014/15 CSR League took place on Sunday, 5 April. With final places in all four classes up for grabs, the fine weather and light winds made for some impressive scores, none more so than Dave Wylde in Service Optic Division. Dave scored a mighty impressive 246 (of a possible 250) in the PM Match. Breaking 235 is tough enough and scoring over 240 a rarity with the match includes standing snap shooting at 100 yards, a sitting rapid at 200 yards, and prone snap shooting at 300 yards with and two run downs to raise the shooters heart rate.
The most popular class, Service Optic, had Peter Cottrell retaining the trophy for the fourth consecutive year with a score of 993. Adam Chapman pushed him hard all season to finish a close second on 987 points, with Bill Ellis, one of the most consistent CSR shooters, third with 972.
Civilian Service Rifle Grows in Popularity
As CSR continues to grow in popularity, the sale of ‘Straight-Pull’ AR-platform rifles is increasing year after year. Accordingly, the United Kingdom NRA is allocation more range space at the Bisley National Shooting Centre to accomodate the increasing number of competitors.
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Tags: AR15, Britain, England, NRA, Service Rifle, Straight-Pull, UK
Thats what happens when you dont have a constitution or have those in power that dont abide by it
Guy, we make do with the hand we have been dealt and we still enjoy our shooting.
The Canadian version of Service Rifle is similar to the UK version, except Canadians can have semi-auto rifles.
Here are some promotional videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3HYdaRD-Hw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNlG2oLbuUU
The reason that semi autos were banned in the UK was down to a madman on a massacre. The fact he had guns at all was an issue, but as usual all law abiding gun holders caught the fall out. The crims who don’t care about the law will always carry on regardless. The legal system predates the US constitution. The UK also banned ALL centrefire/rimfire cartridge handguns following a second massacre, also with a murky police history in licensing grant. The offender having been caught with unregistered guns prior to a license and having threatened an officer with a shotgun. We have a similar situation here in Australia, -a semi auto rifle ban (except commercial control and similar) following a massacre. However semi auto handguns are still allowed and oddly those drop on stocks that convert them to a carbine. Neither country has in place from what I see a good system for confirming mental state on firearms application. The UK does require doctors letter, Australia has only a self declaration!
why on a accuracy website are target iron sights called “OPEN SIGHTS ” all I have ever seen or used are aperture sights sometimes called Peep sights .
This is almost certainly not the venue for griping about laws. I for one am thrilled that our fellow enthusiasts in the UK can develop a service rifle sport, and to see it grow is a good thing. Sure, there’s a long-term political opportunity to change public perception about firearms, but for the present it’s great to see compelling, healthy, competitive opportunities over there.
It’s good to see shooting sports increasing in popularity. I’ve heard they are on the rise in Australia too.
Looks like a white oak hand guard on the rifle that young man is holding. Nice to see our stuff being used abroad.
The madman on a massacre is often used by the anti`s. Unfortunately there plenty of proof of that here in ny.
Good to see shooting sports growing and youngsters taking part. The UK bans are now history and they won’t ever be reversed, however, despite that marksmen are adapting and persevering so good luck to them. Well done.
How cool is that?! I had no idea you boys had that kind of opportunity and kudos for the work-around on the semi-auto restriction. Goes to show what a genius design the AR15 was that it supports so much modification and still remains close to the original design.
Question: when you run between the firing lines, is there some kind of time limit which disqualifies those who can’t run fast enough or do the faster runners just get more time for prep on the next stage?
Our monthly matches here in the UK average 100 shooters per event (25 lanes), so I’d say we’re doing something right
The timings for the rundowns are usually between 30 and 45 seconds depending on the ground conditions. If you don’t make it on time you are not disqualified but the target will no longer be there so you lose potential points. The trick is to get there with just enough time left to get in position, acquire the target and fire a well aimed shot. Run too fast and your breathing is all over the place, too slow and the targets gone.