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Sharp-shooter
eyes Commonwealth prize
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AB
Bob Hassall is targeting a Commonwealth event near London
next year as a member of the Australian under-25 team.
Photo by Tim Slater.
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A sharp-shooting
submariner based at HMAS Stirling is taking aim at an international
shooting event in England next year.
ABEWASM Bob Hassall, 23, is a crack shot with a .308 calibre high-powered
rifle.
Bob is a member of the City of Subiaco Rifle Club and next year
will coach and compete in the Australian under-25 team at a Commonwealth
competition near London.
He has already represented New South Wales in the sport before joining
the Navy and represented Western Australia twice in the past two
years.
Bob’s shooting career started early, when as a 14-year-old
he used to go shooting with his brother and Dad in Wagga Wagga.
He started with a .223 calibre rifle and progressed to a high-powered
.308 with a New Zealand-made Barnard action, True-flite barrel and
custom stock.
The sport is demanding mentally, with shooters aiming at bullseyes
ranging in size from 15cm at 300 metres to 63cm at 1000 metres without
the use of telescopic sights.
But they are assisted by their coach who looks through a telescopic
lens and calibrates the rifle’s sights, also factoring in weather
conditions.
Bob loves his sport and spends most weekends practising or competing
in club events.
“I shoot just about every Saturday afternoon, a lot of Sundays
and depending on competitions around the country, I shoot maybe
two or three times a week preparing for them,” he said.
Bob has been picked in the under-25 WA team to compete in Hobart
next January.
And while there he will meet up with shooters in the Australian
team for practise sessions before the UK trip in July.
Most of the time they have to practice on their own.
Bob said training together was important because they will be competing
in a team event.
“You’ve got to get to know the shooter themselves, how
they work, what makes them tick, what gets them going.”
The team will participate in several competitions during the trip,
including a competition in Scotland and an individual under-25 world
championship competition.
Bob said the main factors needed to be a good shooter are having
a good eye, steady hand and being able to concentrate for long periods.
And, on top of all that, you have to be able to relax.
“It takes a lot of concentration, often at the end of the day
I’m really tired and all I’ve been doing is lying there
but the mental strain makes you tired,” he said.
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