Muller makes history

MOUNT GAMBIER’S Duncan Muller has become the youngest ever Target Rifle National Champion.

The Open Championships are held every year at the Belmont range in Brisbane and is Target Rifle shooting’s ultimate national prize.

Duncan has achieved the highest accolade possible in long range target rifle shooting with a one point victory over three days of shooting against a star studded field including the current Long Range Open, Veteran and Junior World Champions.

The 10 range event is shot over distances of 300, 500, 600,900 and 1000 yards with this year’s format including 3 shoots at 900yards and 3 shoots at 1000 yards on the challenging Belmont range. Duncan scored 497/500 to claim a decisive win against the best in Australia.

Duncan has put in a huge amount of physical and mental training as well as ammunition development to leave no stone unturned in his attempt to win a National Title in his chosen sport of Long Range Fullbore Target Shooting.

Fullbore Target shooting is a sport of supreme accuracy using a .308 calibre rifle without the use of any optics or telescope on the rifle. It is shot in a prone position holding the rifle with the aid of a sling with rifle weighing under 7 kg.

Also sighting is done by peep sights only and the shooters aim to achieve 10 shot groups at 300 yards of only 20 mm and at 1000 yards groups as small as 100 mm.

These groups must also be achieved by constantly judging wind strength and direction throughout the shoot with sight settings being corrected to allow for the large deflection of the bullet especially at the longer ranges.

This can only be done by being meticulous in all facets of the sport from holding technique, sighting, wind judgement, ammunition preparation and mental concentration on every shot.

Duncan has been a part of the past two South Australian target rifle state teams for Canberra 2021 and Townsville 2023, debuting as a state team shooter at the age of 17, the youngest state team member on record, top scoring for South Australia in both of these national team events.