1. PURPOSE
To offer all NHSA members equal opportunity to participate in standardised In-House Postal Target Shooting Exercises, which conform with international standards, so as to build-up a personal record of annual shooting participation. The focus is on FUN in participation and not on competition other than with oneself.
2. PARTICIPATION
a. Only NHSA members may participate in these exercises. The Annual National Postal Target Shooting Competition, which is conducted during September annually, has its own set of rules posted on the website in August annually.
b. Members shoot targets on recognised shooting ranges of their choice (see NHSA friendly ranges on the website under postal target shooting). They then fill in the scores they achieve on their personal Natshoot web page under the heading Scores, where they also upload the scanned shot target for verification purposes.
c. Members must always please only use the most current targets as indicated per exercise on the Targets & Exercises page on the Natshoot website.
d. Their scores are then ratified at the office. Scores and dates on which these were achieved are then available on the personal page of a member for as long as he/she remains a paid-up member, and can be used as proof of participation in sport-shooting or target practice when application is entered for a new firearm licence (or for renewals). Members are thus in effect in control of their own activities, can build up an own record of which they are in control, and obtain official proof thereof whenever they would want same from their personal page on the website.
e. Members use the firearm they own, as is, and in the way in which they have adapted these to suit their own needs (open or scoped sights).
f. Members may also use the firearms of their colleagues as long as this is done in a legal manner in the presence of the licence holder.
g. Members may shoot individually or they may organise local groups to shoot simultaneously.
h. NHSA members usually shoot at least 3 in-house events per annum – as they are all serious about firearm ownership and the responsible handling of such firearms.
3. CATEGORIES OF PARTICIPATION
Participants are divided into the following participation categories:
Seniors - participants 60 years of age and older (ladies included)
Men’s Open - all male participants in the age group between 21 and 59
Ladies’ Open - all lady participants in the age group between 21 and 59
Juniors - all members 20 years of age and younger (not gender specific)
4. SHOTGUN RANGES AND RANGE OFFICERS
a. In-House postal clay target shooting is done at any recognised shotgun/clay target shooting range, which presents either Trap (all forms of the discipline), Skeet (all variants), Sporting Clays, or Compak ranges. Members may submit as many clay target shooting score cards as they would want to.
b. Members are required to pay the necessary shooting range fees as specified per shooting range, or as specified by the range for each clay target round.
c. Ranges are not responsible to teach members the rules of participation – that is what this guide is for.
d. Members are requested to please ask the ranges where they shoot to register with the NHSA – registration of ranges is FREE of charge – other NHSA members in the vicinity of the range would also want to make use of the facility.
e. Range Officer = a person from the shooting range staff or fellow shotgunner at the range or an accompanying NHSA member.
5. COURSES OF FIRE
a. Compak
Any Compak range set-up, provided the number of clays are not less or more than 25 per round.
b. Skeet
All variants of Skeet provided the number of clays are not less or more than 25 per round.
c. Sporting Clays
All variants of Sporting Clays, provided the number of clays are not less or more than 25 per round.
d. Trap
All forms of Trap disciplines are acceptable provided the number of clays are not less or more than 25 per round (divide scores of 100 clays into 4 average scores out of 25 and enter)
6. FIRING POSITION
It is NHSA policy that participants conform to standard acceptable shotgunning stances and that shotguns will be handled with the utmost of care and safety in mind – conform to range set standards at all times (eye and ear protection is mandatory).
7. TARGETS
A round of any of the above mentioned clay target shooting disciplines of no les or no more than 25 clays per round consisting of a combination of normal clays, mini clays, midi clays, battue clays, or rabbit clays (thrown with a hand trap or an electric operated trap machine).
8. SCORING
Scoring of clay target shooting rounds is relevant to the standard scoring principles for the specific clay target shooting discipline and will be dictated by the range where the round(s) is/are shot.
A round of 50 clays is cored as 2 sets of 25 clays and entered on the NHSA Shotgun Score Card to be counter signed by any of the 4 (e) stipulated persons.