MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

New Brunswick fullbore shooters wish all of our good friends in the Maritimes, across Canada, and around the world, a very Happy Holiday Season and good shooting in the New Year.

We hope to see all of you at the range
in 2016.

NOVEMBER 8, 2015 - MINUTES OF THE FULLBORE SECTION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

below are the minutes of the 2015 agm. many thanks to secretary, don coleman for preparing them early - i've had little time to post them until now - so here they are at last!

Annual General Meeting of the RNBRA Fullbore Section was held on November 8th, 2015 at the Four Seasons Motel in Sussex.

In attendance were Thomas Nowlan, JC Gautreau, Daniel Chisholm, Don Coleman, Bert DeVink, Conrad Leroux, Michael Lutes, Ron Surette, Harrison Brown, Gordon Holloway, Adam MacDonald, Ken Kyle, Dollard LeBlanc , Adam MacDonald and Mike Lutes.

The Chairperson for the meeting was Bert deVink and Don Coleman recorded the minutes.

1. New Business arising from a call from the Floor

Item vii -  The 150th Anniversary of the RNBRA by Conrad Leroux

Item viii - APM course of fire by Gordon Holloway.

Item ix -  Electronic Targets by Adam MacDonald.

Item x -  Small memorabilia item to be handed out representing the RNBRA by Ken Kyle.

Item xi - Investment of the Fullbore funds by Conrad Leroux.

Item xii -Team Training by Mike Lutes

Adoption of the Agenda moved by Michael Lutes and seconded by Daniel Chisholm.

JC CUSTOM BARRELS INC. - FULL-TIME RIFLE SERVICE

JC (Jean-Claude) Gautreau has made the big leap to full-time barrel making as of October 23. He is now known by the name JC CUSTOM BARRELS. He has work requested of him from the Maritime Provinces and elsewhere.
JC is an accomplished shooter having shot BR out west and Fullbore in New Brunswick. He is a force to be reckoned with at any match.

JC's barrels are made from the finest stainless barrel steel and samples are performing very well indeed in local, provincial, Inter-Maritime and national matches. He researches what he does, talks to other barrel makers and does a meticulous job on all aspects of this work. I, for one, am very pleased with the barrels he made for me.

Congratulations to JC and we wish him well in this endeavour.

Here are a couple of examples of his work:

F-TR Rifle - BAT "B", RB, LP; JC Custom Barrel in .308, 10.33" twist, 6 groove, 30" long

 HV Bench Rest Rifle - Borden Rimrock BRM, RB, RP;
JC Custom Barrel in 6MM PPC, 13.5" twist, 4 groove, 22" long

Here is a link to his web-site: http://www.jccustombarrels.com
You may contact him at the following:
 jccustombarrels@gmail.com 
and by phone:  506-743-6488

NOVEMBER 8, 2015 - PICTURES OF 2015 FULLBORE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Here are the guys all having a good lunch in between the AGM and the Scheduling Meeting.

Here's Michael Lutes receiving the M. Ellen MacGillivray Award for his outstanding service to Fullbore Shooting over the years.

OCTOBER 18, 2015 - MINUTES OF THE RNBRA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Minutes of RNBRA Annual General Meeting

Sussex, NB

October 18th, 2015

Attendees: Michael Lutes, Steven Stewart, Matt Wolf, Don Brown, Don Coleman, Shelley Gregan, Gordon Holloway, Lorraine Chapman, Edison Chapman, Francis Bezeau, Conrad Leroux, Paul Bastarache, Willie Cormier, April Brewer, Dollard LeBlanc, Brian Bastarache, J.R. MacDonald, Tony Wood, Charles Gregan, Adam MacDonald, Austin MacPhee, Ron Surette, Daniel Chisholm, Jean Claude Gautreau, Hugh O’Neill, Darlene Turner, Rodney Turner, Cheryl Bastarache, Daniel Bastarache, Michelle Cormier, Ken Kyle, Bert deVink, Edward Weatherdon, Ronald Mason, Amanda Bennett, Chris Lynch, Tom Nowlan

1.   Call to order @ 9:35 am. The Rule of Order (Article 10-02 of RNBRA Bylaws) was read by President, Mike Lutes.

2.  A moment of silence was observed to remember deceased comrades of the shooting fraternity.

3     President Mike asked each one of the Board members to introduce themselves and state their position on the RNBRA Board. He thanked those attending on behalf of the Board and stated that the Annual General Meeting is an opportunity to become informed of the news and business of the Association. It is a forum for discussion and input and an opportunity to honour those members who have given so much to the Association. It is also the responsibility of those in attendance to elect the President, two Vice-presidents, and three Directors at Large. Mike spoke of the RNBRA’s reason for existence which is to develop shooting ability in New Brunswick. In 2016 RNBRA will celebrate 150 years of doing that. As the provincially recognized sport governing body for shooting in NB, RNBRA receives funding from the province. As such, the RNBRA is accountable for that money. There is much work to be done and Mike encouraged those in attendance to consider what help they are willing to give. The full text of the President’s opening remarks will be included with the Secretary’s minutes.

OCTOBER 25, 2015 - ATLANTIC HIGHPOWER (FULLBORE) COMMITTEE MEETING

Wendy Reid, who took minutes for this meeting, sends the following link 2015 ATLANTIC HIGHPOWER (FULLBORE) MINUTES

Please Note: 
The Team Composition and selection of each province's team members for the 2016 InterMaritime Match and the British Team Match will change substantially. Here is an excerpt from the minutes:

Inter-Maritime Match and British Team Match Changes: 
 The team composition will change to 4 TR shooters and 4 F-TR shooters from 5 and 3 respectively. 
 Since PEI will have difficulty fielding an 8 person team, the other provinces agreed to share some of their shooters to ensure all three provinces would have enough team members and have 3 competitive teams. 
 Since PEI has difficulty getting enough range time prior to these matches, the matches will be scheduled later in June than traditionally shot. 
 These changes will be a trial situation and will be re-assessed at this meeting next year.

The following conditions and procedures will be followed in doing so:  
1. Each Province with ample shooters will (“protect”) designate 2 TR & 2 F-TR shooters to shoot on their team. 
2. The other shooters from the province (based on their own selection match/method) will be put into a ”pool” and their names will be drawn to represent one of the 3 provinces. 
3. The Fullbore Chairman from each province will coordinate the pools and draws 2 weeks prior to the event and shooters will be notified. 
4. The  teams arranged in this manner will shoot in both the Inter-Maritime match and the British Team match. 

So, for us in New Brunswick, we would have our annual InterMaritime/British Team Match trials and the top 2 TR and F-TR shooters would form the "core" of our New Brunswick Team. 
All other shooters who want to compete in these matches would enter a "pool" of available shooters which would include shooters from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and possibly a few from PEI. From this pool, each province would draw shooters in sequence to round out their 8 person teams. 
So, New Brunswick would have a "core" of our own shooters and could have shooters from both NS and PEI on our team. Likewise, both the teams from NS and PEI could have shooters from New Brunswick on their teams.

2015 - ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FULLBORE SECTION

2015 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE RNBRA FULLBORE SECTION

TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE

ROYAL NEW BRUNSWICK RIFLE ASSOCIATION

OCTOBER 18, 2015

This has been another busy year for the RNBRA Fullbore Section. We sponsored 22 matches in total, which were attended by 204 participants. Each of these matches required the services of dedicated people to prepare, set up and take down the range, to organize the event, to serve as Range Safety Officer and to set up and take down the scoring system. Needless to say, many people helped in making these matches successful.

18-10-2015 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE RNBRA - NEW BOARD AND EXECUTIVE.

The Board and Executive of the Royal New Brunswick Rifle Association for 2015-2016
____________________________________________________________________________
From Left: Don Coleman - Fullbore Representative to the Board; Michael Lutes - Past President; Conrad Leroux - President;
 Lorraine Chapman - Director at Large; Shelley Gregan - Treasurer; Bert deVink - Director at Large; Matt Wolf - Second Vice President; 
Steven Stewart - Director at Large; Gordon Holloway - First Vice President

18-10-2015 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ROYAL NEW BRUNSWICK RIFLE ASSOCIATION

Here are some pictures of the RNBRA - AGM which was held in Sussex NB last Sunday.

Out going Board and Executive from left: Gordon Holloway,
Shelley Gregan, Steven Stewart, Lorraine Chapman, 
Michael Lutes, Don Coleman, Don Brown, Matt Wolf

And again from left: Gordon Holloway, Shelley Gregan,
Steven Stewart, Lorraine Chapman, Michael Lutes,
Don Coleman, Don Brown, Matt Wolf.

OCTOBER 1, 2015 - RAMBLINGS OF A SHOOTING BUM

HISTORY

As the weather cools and I make preparations for the upcoming winter I've had a little time to reflect on the history of our Association. The 150th  anniversary of the founding of our Association will happen in December 2016 and with a year to plan I hope we can put together a program to celebrate and honour those who have contributed to organized shooting sports in New Brunswick.

A quick check with Lorraine Chapman, our current RNBRA  Historian and Recording Secretary, has revealed the below information researched by Ellen MacGillivray who worked passionately and diligently for the RNBRA for many years, until her passing a few years ago. She wrote of a general order, No. 70 dated 3 December 1866 for a meeting to be held in the Mechanics Institute in Saint John

regarding the formation of a Provincial Rifle Association. The meeting was called by His Excellency the Commander-in-chief who wanted to see this happen. Of course, that was Sir Charles Hastings Doyle, lieutenant-governor and chief of the armed forces. Sir Charles Hastings Doyle had a very distinguished military career and is an important figure in Canadian history. The New Brunswick Rifle Association was originally formed from New Brunswick's Militia units to promote marksmanship in order to assist with the defense of the Realm. For many years the association was supported heavily by our armed forces and we still enjoy close ties with the Canadian Armed Forces today.

I recently came across a picture, (thanks Ron), of the winning Inter-Maritime Match team and it is dated 1913. To the best of my knowledge, the Inter-Maritime Match Trophy is the oldest team competition trophy in Canada and it is still an important match held yearly among New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. I'm currently looking for the RNBRA copy of the match history which should contain a wealth of historic information. If I don't find it I'll ask to borrow a copy from Al Mutch in N.S. and get some copies made. Al is a maritime shooting historian and hearing his reminiscences add great richness to my sport.  

Another of our historic trophies is the Prince of Wales Trophy, (presented by the Prince Edward himself on a visit to New Brunswick), which predates our Association by a few years and was entrusted to our Association for annual marksmanship competition. We have lived up to our commitment and continue to record yearly winners. Our trophy book ( available online at RNBRA.ca ) lists our trophies and information about the donors as well as the winners of many of the shooting competitions held in our past. This history and continuous commitment has helped our Association to evolve into the Provincial Sport Governing Body for shooting sports. We are no longer primarily involved in military type shooting and now in cooperation with affiliated clubs we promote several organized competitive programs representing different shooting disciplines.                 

Throughout our history we have been fortunate that many strong willed people have participated in our administration. The commitment and passion of these people is what has led to our Association's survival and prosperity. I remembers attending  meetings in the late 1970s and early 1980s when members would come together to discuss and decide issues and set direction for our Association. These meetings were always passionate, and at times somewhat heated, but they always followed democratic processes and even those who lost a vote understood that the decision was made by the majority without personal prejudice. Often these meetings were after a long day of competitive shooting and the next day everyone would be shooting and working together. I would marvel at their commitment and cooperation after such apparent disagreement the evening before.

As I've  grown older I've come to learn it takes people with strong personalities and respect for other points of view to ensure the success of organizations such as ours.

The strength of our Association has always been it's members and we must continue to attract strong self confident shooters for leadership roles in the RNBRA.

The future of the RNBRA depends on it's members. Please make plans to attend the 2015 AGM on October 18 in Sussex.

Michael Lutes

LIBERAL PARTY FIREARMS POLICY/PLATFORM

CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION / CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION
TEAM CSSA SPECIAL REPORT - October 5, 2015

LIBERAL PARTY RELEASES THEIR POLICY PLATFORM

If you think the federal Liberals have changed their spots, you might want to read this.  This is what their newly released 2015 election policy document says about gun control and their intentions to attack the two million (plus) lawful Canadians that own firearms.

LIBERAL FIREARMS POLICY

We will take action to get handguns and assault weapons off our streets. Over the last decade, Stephen Harper has steadily weakened our gun laws in ways that make Canadians more vulnerable and communities more dangerous.

We will take pragmatic action to make it harder for criminals to get, and use, handguns and assault weapons. We will:

• repeal changes made by Bill C-42 that allow restricted and prohibited weapons to be freely transported without a permit, and we will put decision-making about weapons restrictions back in the hands of police, not politicians;

• provide $100 million each year to the provinces and territories to support guns and gangs police task forces to take illegal guns off our streets and reduce gang violence;

• modify the membership of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee to include knowledgeable law enforcement officers, public health advocates, representatives from women’s groups, and members of the legal community;

• require enhanced background checks for anyone seeking to purchase a handgun or other restricted firearm;

• require purchasers of firearms to show a license when they buy a gun, and require all sellers of firearms to confirm that the license is valid before completing the sale;

• require firearms vendors to keep records of all firearms inventory and sales to assist police in investigating firearms trafficking and other gun crimes;

• immediately implement the imported gun marking regulations that have been repeatedly delayed by Stephen Harper; and

• as part of our investment in border infrastructure, invest in technologies to enhance our border guards’ ability to detect and halt illegal guns from the United States entering into Canada.

We will not create a new national long-gun registry to replace the one that has been dismantled.

We will ensure that Canada becomes a party to the international Arms Trade Treaty.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 - ANY RIFLE, ANY SIGHT MATCH - RESULTS

From Conrad Leroux: I was RCO at the Sept. 19, 2015 Any Rifle, Any Sight Match at Batouche Range. 
The 4 shooters were TR Class: Mike Lutes and Don Coleman; FTR Class: Harrison Brown and Maurice Bennett. All shots were at 900m. Shooters elected to not register their scores despite some fine shooting. 
The e-target system worked flawlessly. Weather was great and a good time was had by all.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 - ST. ANTOINE - "ALL COMERS MATCH" - RESULTS

Thanks to Adam MacDonald for sending these results. 
The "All Comers Match", which has had to be postponed a couple of times, due to poor weather conditions, was finally shot at the St. Antoine Ranges under the direction of Ron Surette. Thirteen shooters contested the Al Lockett Prize which consisted of a plaque and a cash prize donated from his Prize Fund specifically set up for this match. It has been many years since it has been awarded. This year, congratulations go to Ron Surette shooting Target Rifle and to Ken Kyle shooting FTR Rifle - both winners of the prize. In F-Open class Hermel Duguay took home the honours.



RESULTS - TR CLASS:          RESULTS - FTR CLASS:            RESULTS - FO CLASS:
Ron Surette - 149V17             Ken Kyle - 148V14                     Hermel Duguay - 144V6
Don Coleman - 148V15          Paul Bastarache - 146V15          Robert Roussel - 133V7
Mike Lutes - 147V10              Harrison Brown - 145V15            Gaetan Richardson - 127V7
                                             JC Gautreau - 143V8
                                             Adam MacDonald - 136V11
                                             Francis Bezeau - 132V5
                                             Ahmed Alsaggaf - 131V5

SEPTEMBER 7, 2015 - MINI - PALMA - RESULTS

Many thanks to Michelle Cormier for sending the pictures and results of the Mini-Palma. She also enclosed the following brief comments:

• Yesterday for the Mini Palma, the winds were up and switching (gusting) insanely ...
  as you can tell by some of the scores. 
• Charlie Bayne appeared at the Mini-Palma ... on his 85th birthday at that.  He looked fantastic, and
  everyone was so happy to see him.
• Mike Lutes did a fantastic job as wind coach!!  John Marshall, as always was Team Captain.
• It was HOT, HOT and more HOT!!  No rain in sight, fantastic weather.  The weather for the two-day Atlantic Championships were basically the same, very light winds but mirage was running steady.  Yesterday for the Mini Palma, the winds were up and switching (gusting) insanely ... as you can tell by some of the scores. 
• Normally an F-Class shooter Sonny D., worked with Bill Giles and a few others to gather borrowed equipment and shot TR for the first time.  He made the team and did exceptionally well.  I believe we may have a new recruit!  

This year, it had been decided that the Mini-Palma would be held in Nova Scotia at the Beaverbank Ranges so that the American Team could join us in shooting the Atlantic Championships. This, according to the rotation, would normally have been held in New Brunswick. The turn out for the Atlantic Championships is traditionally quite high and this would give the organizers an opportunity to select a Canadian Maritime Provinces Team to shoot the following day in the Mini-Palma. From all accounts, this strategy worked well and the Canadian Maritime Provinces Team was composed of the following 8 TR shooters and 4 FTR shooters who had distinguished themselves in the Atlantics, as well as the captain John Marshall, wind coach Mike Lutes, and organizer Bill Giles, (who is also the chairman of the Fullbore group of the Nova Scotia Rifle Assn).

From Left Back Row: Sonny Desrosiers, Mike Lutes, Marcel Kolb, Paul Bastarache, Adam MacDonald, Bill Giles
From Left Middle Row: Matt Wolf, Ray Smeltzer, Barry Langille, John Marshall, Robert Smith, Michelle Cormier, Jeff Jenkins
Kneeling in Front Left: Ian Hogg, and Right Ron Surette

RESULTS - TEAM NEW ENGLAND STATES (USA) - 2223V141

                                    Relay #1   Relay #2   Relay #3

(TR) Ron Leblanc -         75V12        73V3          49V7

(TR) Dan Sales -             69V3          71V6          47V2

(TR) Mark Millett -           70V2          71V3          48V1

(TR) Greg Grosso -          75V5          71V7          48V1

(TR) Holly Stowe -          75V9          72V6          47V1

(TR) Larry Racine -         73V4          73V7          49V4

(TR) Peter deSanto -       73V7          71V4          45V2

(TR) Ron Ouimette -        69V3          72V7          45V1

(FTR) Greg Grosso -        66V3         57V2          41V2

(FTR) Larry Piazza -        69V1         64V2          37V1

(FTR) Peter deSanto -     69V4         64V2          47V3

(FTR) Larry Racine -        62V3         70V6          46V5

RESULTS - TEAM MARITIME PROVINCES (CANADA) - 2306v199

                                            Relay #1    Relay #2    Relay #3

(TR) Michelle Cormier -          70V4           68V1          49V4

(TR) Ron Surette -                  70V5           75V8          48V2

(TR) Barry Langille -              75V11          72V6          50V4

(TR) Jeff Jenkins -                  75V9           72V5          49V6

(TR) Sonny Derosiers -           71V4           67V6          48V4

(TR) Ray Smeltzer -                75V11         73V6          50V6

(TR) Marcel Kolb -                  75V13         73V9          49V4

(TR) Ian Hogg -                       74V7          74V8           49V7

(FTR) Paul Bastarache -         75V9           72V6          47V1

(FTR) Robert Smith -              74V4           72V2          48V2

(FTR) Adam MacDonald -       69V3           71V9          45V2

(FTR) Matt Wolf -                    70V3           68V7          44V1

SEPTEMBER 6 and 7, 2015 - ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS - RESULTS

Thanks to Michelle Cormier for sending these results and the comments. Thanks also to Michelle, Adam MacDonald, Mike Lutes and Erin Schurman for sending the pictures.

• It was HOT, HOT and more  HOT!!  No rain in sight, fantastic weather.  Theweather for the two-day Atlantic Championships were basically the same, very light winds but mirage was running steady.  

• Normally an F-Class shooter Sonny D., worked with Bill Giles and a few others to gather borrowed equipment and shot TR for the first time.  He made the team and did exceptionally well.  I believe we may have a new recruit!  

• The banquet Sunday evening was very nice, held at the Royal Artillery Park Officers Mess in Halifax, NS.  Wonderful buffet and approx 45 in attendance.  The trophies were handed out and the Team Members were announced, small prizes were also handed out ... a Paderno thermos with NSRA logo on the front for all competitors participating in the 2015 Mini Palma competition.  

• Always great to see our American friends, some familiar faces and some new.  They were always smiling and seemed to be having a wonderful visit.

• Wives / friends and family members of the NS shooters were on hand to pitch in wherever needed.  Lunches, target tenders, record keeping, stats ... even keeping the outhouses stacked with toilet paper (so everyone could visit the bird-eating spider off the 600M range) 

• Matt Wolf and a few others camped right at the range.  Some hauled in trailers and some stayed in the little cabins on site.  They even built a beautiful covered lunch area complete with picnic tables, wonderful area to get some shade, some bottled water on ice and a great snack throughout the day. 

• Our congratulations to Ian Hogg who shot marvelously losing only one point in the entire competition and winning the Atlantic Championship TR Grand Aggregate 

RESULTS - TR CLASS:

                             Lady Slipper        Herring Choker        Blue Nose        Down Easter          Grand Aggregate

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ian Hogg -                 150V22                   150V18                   150V21                99V15                       549V76

Barry Langille -         148V23                   149V18                   150V20              100V17                       547V78

Ron Leblanc -           149V21                   148V11                    150V19              100V11                       547V62

Marcel Kolb -            148V17                   149V19                   150V23               98V11                       545V70

Ray Smeltzer -          150V17                   148V14                    149V16               98V8                        545V55

Holly Stowe -            145V16                   148V14                   149V23               96V15                       538V68

Ron Surette -            145V10                    149V14                   145V15              99V8                         538V47

Larry Racine -           146V11                   148V13                    144V9               97V6                         535V39

John Marshall -         146V14                    147V11                   145V15              96V5                         534V45

Peter deSantos -       146V13                    148V13                   143V13              95V6                         532V45

Jeff Jenkins -             146V17                   142V12                    144V11              95V7                         526V47

Ron Ouimette -          143V12                   144V11                    145V12              94V7                         526V41

Sonny Desrosiers -     143V9                    141V7                      142V12              97V10                        523V38

Michelle Cormier -     142V14                  143V11                    147V13               90V7                         522V45

Steve Maly -               138V4                    138V9                      147V12             97V11                        520V36

Leo Poulin -               134V9                    137V7                      143V5               94V4                          508V25

Chuck Bachmanek -   128V0                    137V9                      133V4               93V2                         491V15

Bill Giles -                  147V12                   141V6                       DNC                DNC                          288V18

Dan Sales -                  DNC                       DNC                      147V16             96V6                         243V22  

Mike Lutes -                 DNC                        DNC                     146V17             95V7                         241V24

Mark Millet -                 DNC                        DNC                     143V11             94V4                         237V15

RESULTS - F-TR CLASS:

                               Lady Slipper       Herring Choker        Blue Nose       Down  Easter          Grand Aggregate
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paul Bastarache -        148V12                 147V11                  149V12                 98V8                        542V42
Wendy Reid -               146V13                 146V14                  148V14                 95V8                        535V48
Robert Smith -             145V15                 147V18                  144V13                  94V9                       530V55
Ken Kyle -                   144V13                  145V15                 147V13                  94V7                        530V48
Adam MacDonald -      147V12                 146V11                 144V12                  93V6                        530V41
Matt Wolf -                   144V13                  147V13                 146V8                   93V4                        530V38
Dale Chiasson -            143V8                    147V13                146V12                 93V3                        529V36
Francis Bezeau -          142V9                    142V4                   146V14                92V7                        522V34
Ken Ferguson -            147V15                  137V5                   145V15                  91V5                       520V40
Maurice Bennett -        141V4                    147V13                 136V8                    94V6                      518V31
Jian Wu -                     139V10                  141V8                   142V10                  94V5                      516V33
Gordon Holloway -       134V7                   140V10                 146V15                   92V2                      512V34
Greg Grosso -               126V8                    122V4                   131V5                   77V3                      456V20
Larry Piazza -              111V5                    116V3                     DNC                    DNC                        227V8
Bill Giles -                     DNC                       DNC                    142V9                   DNC                        142V9