Army Operational Shooting Competition
Encyclopedia
The Army Operational Shooting Competition (AOSC), is the British Army's premier shooting competition. Part of the Central Skill at Arms Meeting (CENTSAAM), it is based at the headquarters of the National Rifle Association
(NRA) at Bisley
Camp, in Brookwood
, Surrey. It also uses Ministry of Defence
(MOD) ranges in the vicinity, such as Ash
and Pirbright
.
started in 1874 with 'non-central' matches on unit ranges. The 'Army VIII' was formed in the same year, its purpose was to select a team for Inter Service matches organized by the National Rifle Association
(NRA).
The Army Rifle Association
(ARA) which was founded in 1893, became the governing body of service shooting. It was formed to encourage interest in service shooting to "promote interest in small arms shooting for service purposes by means of collective competitions, matches being framed to induce practice in methods which le[a]d to increased efficiency on the battlefield". By the 1970s, all three services had established their own competitions and associations, the army's going under the name of 'Regular Army Skill at Arms Meeting' or RASAM, (also known as 'RASAAM'). As part of constant up-dating, the event's name was changed to the 'Army Operational Shooting Competition' in 2009.
Figure targets were first used in 1908. The electric target range (ETR) came on stream in 1967. A moving target match was introduced in 1974 with two infantry night shooting matches being competed-for initially in 1982. Firing in respirators and a 'march and shoot' competition was introduced in 1986. Casualty recovery and the carrying of 15 kilogrammes of personal equipment was brought in in 2009.
Pamphlet No 20 also gives details of rifle, light support weapon (LSW) and pistol matches, in addition it includes a guide for a Unit Meeting.
.
National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom
The National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom is the governing body of full bore rifle and pistol shooting sports in the United Kingdom.- History :...
(NRA) at Bisley
Bisley, Surrey
Bisley is a large village in Surrey, England, which is notable for rifle shooting. Bisley's immediate neighbours are West End, Chobham and Knaphill.- History :...
Camp, in Brookwood
Brookwood, Surrey
Brookwood is a village in Surrey, located about 5 km west of Woking, in a semi-rural location. It lies on the western border of the Woking Borough ....
, Surrey. It also uses Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
(MOD) ranges in the vicinity, such as Ash
Ash, Surrey
Ash is a village and civil parish in the borough of Guildford, Surrey, with a population of 17,549 according to the 2001 census. It is at the far west of the Guildford borough, and the urban development in the parish runs directly into Aldershot, which is on the western side of the River...
and Pirbright
Pirbright
Pirbright is a village in Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include Worplesdon, Deepcut, Brookwood and Normandy. Pirbright parish has an area of some falling into two distinct communities with the military area to the north of the railway and the village to the south...
.
History
Competition shooting in the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
started in 1874 with 'non-central' matches on unit ranges. The 'Army VIII' was formed in the same year, its purpose was to select a team for Inter Service matches organized by the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom
The National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom is the governing body of full bore rifle and pistol shooting sports in the United Kingdom.- History :...
(NRA).
The Army Rifle Association
Army Rifle Association
The Army Rifle Association is the British army's shooting governing body and part of the Army training organisation.-History:The ARA was founded in 1893 by amalgamating inter regimental rifle matches, with the Army VIII club...
(ARA) which was founded in 1893, became the governing body of service shooting. It was formed to encourage interest in service shooting to "promote interest in small arms shooting for service purposes by means of collective competitions, matches being framed to induce practice in methods which le[a]d to increased efficiency on the battlefield". By the 1970s, all three services had established their own competitions and associations, the army's going under the name of 'Regular Army Skill at Arms Meeting' or RASAM, (also known as 'RASAAM'). As part of constant up-dating, the event's name was changed to the 'Army Operational Shooting Competition' in 2009.
Figure targets were first used in 1908. The electric target range (ETR) came on stream in 1967. A moving target match was introduced in 1974 with two infantry night shooting matches being competed-for initially in 1982. Firing in respirators and a 'march and shoot' competition was introduced in 1986. Casualty recovery and the carrying of 15 kilogrammes of personal equipment was brought in in 2009.
Pamphlet No 20
The 'bible' of competition shooting is more formally known as: Infantry Training, Volume IV, Ranges, Pamphlet No. 20, Competition Shooting or 'Pamphlet 20' for short. It includes sections concerning the rules on ammunition, composition of teams, dress and equipment, targets and scoring, penalties, firing postions, timing and many others.Pamphlet No 20 also gives details of rifle, light support weapon (LSW) and pistol matches, in addition it includes a guide for a Unit Meeting.
Prize categories
Prizes are awarded to teams and individuals. The most prestigious for an individual is the Queen's medalQueen’s Medal for Shooting Excellence
Her Majesty The Queen’s Medal for Shooting Excellence also referred to as The Queen's Medal for Champion Shot, is a British military decoration awarded to the champion of the Operational Shooting Competition and the Joint Service Central Skill-At-Arms Meeting...
.