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#OnThisDay 10 June 1865 The Cambridge Cup match in Great Britain, which comprised two days shooting at 1,000 and 1,100 yards, fifteen shots at each range each day, was won by Sir Henry Halford using a Gibbs-Metford match rifle. Halford was the first to use the match Whitworth at the NRA(UK) rifle meetings at Wimbledon, and the first to introduce the Gibbs-Metford which was to supersede the Whitworth. The Times of 15 June 1865 had this to say of the rifle: "The weapon with which the prize was won, will, it is said, create some stir among those interested in small-bore and long-range shooting, being on entirely new principles."

This event marked the demise of the Whitworth rifle use by match riflemen. Gibbs-Metford and later Rigby rifles with shallow rifling and hardened cylindrical bullets were to supplant deep rifling and mechanically fitting bullets.

William Ellis Metford - Sir Henry Halford

David

create some stir among those interested in small-bore and long-range shooting, being on entirely new principles."

Small bore being anything less than .577 which was full bore just in case anyone thought it was talking about .22LR !!