Marksman Grading System

 ANNUAL NHSA MARKSMAN GRADING SYSTEM

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CONTENT

1.   Purpose

2.   Rational

3.   Marksman Grading Basics

4.   Marksman Grading Levels

5.   Marksman Grading Categories

6.   Procedures for Annual Marksman Grading

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1.   PURPOSE

1.1       To introduce a system whereby NHSA members who regularly partake in NHSA In-House Postal Target Shooting Events, can annually be acknowledged for their shooting skills; while at the same time creating incremental quality precision shooting bench marks (Marksman Grading Levels) towards which all members can aspire in the development of their own personal precision shooting skills.

2.   RATIONAL

2.1       In the period 01-12-2014 to 30-12-2017, NHSA members entered 75,517 In-House postal target shooting scores on the Scores Pages of their Personal Natshoot Profile Web Pages (on average, more than 2,000 targets per month over a 36-month period). 

2.2       Apart from the fact that scores entered for postal target shooting counts as activities towards compliancy for maintenance of dedicated status in the context of number of visits to the shooting range per annum, these remarkable numbers of members’ participation in In-House postal shoots, and the individual shooting skills achievements, are lost in the Association’s and members’ personal archive files.  Archived files accessed only by the members themselves when having to show participation when applying for, or renewing firearm licences. 

2.3       These facts lead Exco to again institute an annual Marksman Grading System similar to the former Shooters Classification System which existed in the early “paper-bound” working days of postal scores logging under auspices of NSA.  So as to, on the one hand, set challenges to our members to enhance their shooting skills by seeking annual personal achievement, and on the other hand, to annually formally acknowledge members’ shooting skills as represented by their entered postal scores on the Scores Page of their Personal Natshoot Profile Web Page.

3.   MARKSMAN GRADING BASICS

3.1       Achieving a specific Marksman Grading Level is linked to shooting a specified average, which is calculated against the six highest handgun or rifle scored targets (or shotgun score sheets) a member annually enters in a specific Marksman Grading Category (paragraph 5). 

3.2       Marksman Grading Categories are linked to existing NHSA In-House precision postal target shooting exercises for rifles, handguns and shotguns. 

4.   MARKSMAN GRADING LEVELS

4.1       Marksman Grading Levels are annually calculated against the six highest in-house postal scores relevant to a paragraph 5 specified Marksman Grading Category entered on a member’s Scores Page; with targets shot between 1 December and 30 November the following year, and of which the scores were entered on a member’s Scores Page before 30 November of a specific year.

4.2       Marksman Grading Levels which can be achieved are:

4.2.1    Distinguished Marksman: High Master  achieved with an average from 97% to 100%.

4.2.2    Distinguished Marksman: Master  achieved with an average from 90% to 96%.

4.2.3    Distinguished Marksman: Expert achieved with an average from 86% to 89%.

4.2.4    Distinguished Marksman: achieved with an average from 80% to 85%.

Note 1:    It is not compulsory for members to submit six Grading Category-specific targets per annum if they do not want to (participation in the Marksman Grading System is voluntary).  

Note 2:    The period 1 December to 30 November the following year coincides with the prescribed period for entering activities to annually maintain dedicated status. 

Note 3:    Scores for targets shot between 1 December and 30 November for a specific classification year, but of which the scores are entered after 30 November of a classification year, will not be taken into account for a specific year’s Marksman Grading (thus scores of targets shot on, i.e., 15 November 2018, and of which the scores are, i.e., only entered on 12 December 2018, will not be taken into account for Marksman Grading for 2018 or for 2019).  The same rule applies for entering activities for maintaining dedicated status - such entries will thus only be acknowledged and not be approved.

Note 4:    Semi-auto Rifle and Rapid-Fire Handgun exercises are not included in the Marksman Grading Categories.

Note 5:     Achieving a Marksman Grading Level will annually be indicated on a member’s existing Activities & Scores Report as, for instance:  2018: Distinguished NHSA Expert Marksman (Hunting Handguns) - with Expert Marksman indicating the Marksman Grading Level achieved, and the in brackets (Hunting Handguns) indicating that the Grading Category in which the distinction was achieved, was for centre-fire hunting handguns.

5.   MARKSMAN GRADING CATEGORIES

5.1   GRADING CATEGORIES - PRECISION RIFLE SHOOTING

Marksman Grading Levels for precision Rifle Shooting can be achieved in the Marksman Grading Categories for Air Rifles, for .22 Rimfire Rifles, and for Centre-Fire Rifles in all calibres.

5.1.1     Grading Category - AIR RIFLES: 

Average of the annually entered six highest scored targets for the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercise:

25m Air Rifle Exercise  -  Exercise Rules

5.1.2    Grading Category - .22 RIMFIRE RIFLES:

Average of the annually entered six highest scored targets in any combination of the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercises:

25m, .22 Rimfire Rifle Exercise - Exercise Rules

50m, .22 Rimfire Rifle Exercise - Exercise Rules

100m, .22 Rimfire Rifle Exercise - Exercise Rules

50m, .22 Rimfire Lever Action Rifle Exercise - Exercise Rules

5.1.3   Grading Category - CENTRE-FIRE RIFLES (all calibres):

Average of the annually entered six highest scored targets in any combination of the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercises:

50m, Historic Rife Exercise  - Exercise Rules

100m, Small Calibre Centre-Fire Rifle Exercise  - Exercise Rules

100m, All Actions Centre-Fire Rifle Exercise - Exercise Rules

5.2   GRADING CATEGORIES - PRECISION HANDGUN SHOOTING

Marksman Grading Levels in precision Handgun Shooting can be achieved in the Marksman Grading Categories for Air Pistols, for .22 Rimfire Handguns, for Centre-Fire Handguns, and for Hunting Handguns.

5.2.1   Grading Category - AIR PISTOLS: 

Average of the annually entered six highest scored targets for the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercise:

10m Air Pistol Exercise  - Exercise Rules

5.2.2   Grading Category - .22 RIMFIRE HANDGUNS: 

Average of the annually entered six highest scored targets (pistols & revolvers) in any combination of the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercises:

5m, .22 Rimfire Derringer & Vest Gun Exercise - Exercise Rules

5m, .22 Rimfire Snubby /Pocket Pistol Exercise - Exercise Rules

8m, .22 Rimfire Box-Gun Exercise - Exercise Rules

10m, .22 Rimfire Handgun Exercise - Exercise Rules

5.2.3   Grading Category - CENTRE-FIRE HANDGUNS:

Average of the annually entered six highest scored targets (pistols & revolvers) in any combination of the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercises

5.2.4   Grading Category - HUNTING HANDGUNS:

Average of the annually entered six highest scored targets (purpose built hunting handguns, revolvers and allowed pistols) of the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercise:

20m, Hunting Handgun (Pistol) Exercise - Exercise Rules

5.3  GRADING CATEGORY - SHOTGUN SHOOTING (CLAY TARGET SHOOTING)

Marksman Grading Levels in Shotgun Shooting can be achieved in the Marksman Grading Category for Clay Target Shooting. 

5.3.1   Grading Category - CLAY TARGET SHOOTING:

Average of the annually entered six highest scored score sheets in any combination of the following existing In-House postal target shooting exercises:

Compak (per round of 25 clays);

Skeet, (NSSA Skeet) (per round of 25 clays);

Sporting Clays (FITASC Sporting, English Sporting & English Doubles) (per round of 25 clays);

Trap (ATA Trap or DTL Trap & Olympic Trap) (per round of 25 clays), and;

Universal Trench (all formats of trench) (per round of 25 clays).

6.   PROCEDURES FOR ANNUAL MARKSMAN GRADING

6.1     It is not compulsory for members to submit six Grading Category-specific targets per annum if they do not want to (participation in the Marksman Grading System is voluntary). But if a member should enter six targets in one Grading Category, s/he will automatically be evaluated for qualification in one or other Marksman Grading Category, if s/he should qualify.

6.2     The NHSA Marksman Grading System will annually be calculated against scores entered for postal targets shot from 1 December to 30 November the following year to coincide with the prescribed period for entering activities to annually maintain dedicated status (the first NHSA Marksman Grading will be done on 1 December 2018 against a member’s scores entered per paragraph 5 mentioned Grading Category for postal target scores shot between 1 December 2017 and 30 November 2018).

6.3     Only postal scores entered on or before 30 November annually for targets shot in the specific grading year (1 December to 30 November), will be taken into account for that year’s Marksman Grading.  Thus scores of targets shot on, i.e., 15 November 2018, and of which the scores are only entered on 12 December 2018, will not be taken into account for Marksman Grading for 2018 or for 2019 because these were not shot in the year for which the targets for the 2019 grading will be calculated.

6.4     A member’s Marksman Grading starts afresh every year without taking the Marksman Grading Level of the previous year into account. A member can thus on 1 December 2018 achieve a Marksman Grading Level of, i.e. Distinguished NHSA Master Marksman (.22 Rimfire Rifles), and on 1 December 2019 only achieve a Marksman Grading of, i.e. Distinguished NHSA Marksman (.22 Rimfire Rifles).

6.5     A member’s evaluation to achieve a Marksman Grading Level in a specific Grading Category in a specific grading year, will only be initiated once s/he had entered a minimum of six target scores for a specific paragraph 5 mentioned Grading Category.

6.6     The six targets for which the highest scores were achieved in a specific Marksman Grading Category in a specific year, could all have been shot on one day.

6.7     A member may annually enter target scores in as many Marksman Grading Categories as s/he wishes.

6.8     A member may annually enter as many target scores in a specific Marksman Grading Category as s/he wishes.

6.9    A certificate indicating the Marksman Grading Level per Marksman Grading Category the member had achieved in a specific year, will on 1 December annually, be available for download on his/her Natshoot Profile Pages under the left-side menu heading, My NHSA Documents.

BY ORDER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

14 March 2018

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