The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

My club are thinking about entering the falling plate CSR match in the Imperial. The problem is, we don't have access to an actual falling plate setup. Our next best option is a bog standard gallery range (i.e. Century) which, of course, doesn't have any falling plate options.

Has anyone ever tried to reproduce the falling plates on a gallery range? If so, how? All suggestions gratefully received.

It's probably not the shooting you need to practise, it's the 100m rundown. The successful teams do the run and get all the plates down in under 30 seconds, start position is prone, both hands on your rifle. There are a couple of YouTube vids for inspiration.

They have to be housed on the sand backstop in a robust open-front 'box', eg made out of old railway timber sleepers or similar, such that a ricochet off a plate will always be contained and directed into the sand or lodge in the 'box' walls.

Laurie wrote:They have to be housed on the sand backstop in a robust open-front 'box', eg made out of old railway timber sleepers or similar, such that a ricochet off a plate will always be contained and directed into the sand or lodge in the 'box' walls.

Not quite true as there are some military gallery ranges that still use freestanding plates as not all have had the plate boxes set into the mantle. You will usually find, however, that local Range Regulations prohibit civilian clubs using freestanding plates.

John MH wrote:You will usually find, however, that local Range Regulations prohibit civilian clubs using freestanding plates.

Not at Hythe. The military, reserves and regulars, cadet forces and civilians all enter teams. Winner of each then compete against each other. My club has won it a number of times and are the civilian team to beat!

We've also previously beaten team from Para Regt and Ghurka Rifles when they were stationed locally. PWRR neddn't bother turning up!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sim G wrote: We've also previously beaten team from Para Regt and Ghurka Rifles when they were stationed locally. PWRR neddn't bother turning up!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

We'll be seeing you at the Imperial Falling Plates Match then?

John MH wrote:

Laurie wrote:They have to be housed on the sand backstop in a robust open-front 'box', eg made out of old railway timber sleepers or similar, such that a ricochet off a plate will always be contained and directed into the sand or lodge in the 'box' walls.

Not quite true as there are some military gallery ranges that still use freestanding plates as not all have had the plate boxes set into the mantle. You will usually find, however, that local Range Regulations prohibit civilian clubs using freestanding plates.

That's certainly what PSSA at Diggle were told. I'm not sure if that was by the Army in the days when it did range certification, or subsequently by the NRA's officer, who has been to Diggle in recent years and given the club the benefit of his insight.

Maybe there is a 'grandfather rule' situation at work here - as there often is in such matters. If you had the facility in situ and were using it, you're allowed to continue. if you start out now, you're told you must apply such and such conditions or use this and that equipment. For example, the Army stopped certifying new 'no danger area' ranges maybe 10 or 15 years ago, but those that existed can carry on.

I'm thinking the best way to reproduce a falling plate range is to take a gallery target, paint it dark grey and paste three 300mm white squares onto it. They won't fall when hit, but at least that'll reproduce the aiming mark accurately.

Heath Robinson approach- Card targets that'll fall over when hit? I remember a while back at a range someone shooting at empty Eley .22 boxes with the base plate extended upwards. Shoot one of them in the plate and they fall over with no ricochet- bit messy though which card may get around.

IIRC the plates are 110 metres from the firing point?
All I would do is make sure the participants can run that far, in previous years the historic shooters (No.4's) have only had to run 25 metres.
Just zero on a 12" square white target!