Paul James has been involved in rifle shooting since as far back as 1990 and now, after all that time, has just won his first Welsh Championship at the age of 70!

The event took place at his home venue at Haverfordwest Target Shooting Club and comprised a section for Victorian Military Rifles paired with the Open Competition, which took place over a Saturday and Sunday.

Quick-fire success

"The rifle has to be fired from a standing position without the aid of anything to balance it on,” said Paul, “so it demands arm strength alongside a steady eye for the 13 shots in each category, the best ten of which count for the final total.

"I decided to take my shots in both categories in quick succession on the Saturday and coincidentally managed to total 78 points in each for a combined total of 156, which I thought was pleasing.”

But just how pleasing was revealed the following day when all the scores were totted up and Paul was announced as Welsh Champion before receiving the magnificent trophy to keep for a year.

"It is a steel helmet, the sort worn with body armour in the days when knights jousted, placed on a plinth which then has the names of the winners engraved on small name plates - and is very heavy to carry anything other than a small distance.”

Warm welcome after moving to this area

Paul is a very enthusiastic member of the Haverfordwest club and is full of praise for the friendship shown to him since he retired to the county from south-east England ten years ago.

"My wife Ann originally hails from Haverfordwest," said Paul, "and since we have spent so much time in the county it seemed only natural that we should settle here.

"I had previously been taking part in competitions with the 'Muzzle Loaders Association' club based near Sevenoaks, Kent, for a number of years but never on a hugely serious basis - and to a degree that is what had happened in Haverfordwest until I won my title this season.

"I join some friends at our range on a Sunday morning and we enjoy competing amongst ourselves for a couple of hours before a similar time is spent meticulously cleaning my rifle because any gunpowder residue left on it could lead to rusting and to prevent the build-up of nitrates after firing, the rifle has to be spotless!

Vintage cars another fascination

It is a similar story with Paul's other major leisure interest, which is his fascination with vintage cars in general, and his 1929 MG car in particular, which he sometimes takes on vintage rallies and last appeared at the recent Camrose Vintage Working Day.

"I look after the mechanical side myself because the car has to be nurtured well and I enjoy trying to keep it in pristine condition - and it is great fun to take it out for a spin, although it isn't the most comfortable experience unless you are used to it because it's suspension is very solid and the seats are rather tight fit, to say the least," admits Paul with a chuckle!

Seeking out the right firearm – and a gentle start

Paul took up his interest in shooting as far back as 1987 when he attended an antiques fair in the south east of England and bought a Victorian Coastguard pistol which caught his eye and he decided to join the Muzzle Loaders Association - but he soon realised that his pistol, as fine-looking as it was, was quite useless for serious competition!

It was at this time that Paul felt that rifle shooting was more for him and in 1990 he acquired an Enfield Mark 3 Volunteer Rifle of the 1853 pattern, which was probably made for army volunteers by well-known makers Murcott in 1856 or thereabouts.

"It was in particularly good condition," Paul told us, "and I've still got it now, some 26 years on.

"The gunpowder has to be carefully measured out and I cast my own Minie bullets (named after their inventor) at home, which are then greased and designed to expand in the barrel so that there is grip before it is fired.

"So I began competing in the very mildest sense of the word as we travelled once a month to Bisley to shoot on the 'Short Siberia' range of 100 metres."

Really proud of his ‘wonderfully friendly’ club

But then came the retirement move to Pembrokeshire in 2007 and Paul told us that the Haverfordwest Target Shooting Club is a wonderfully friendly club where newcomers are made very welcome indeed.

"Not many shoot in my discipline but we are an expanding club where newcomers often start with air rifles and then move on to modern copies of older weapons, which works quite well.

"I competed for the first time that year against others who had travelled to the county town from all over England, Scotland and Wales and I was pleased with my fourth place.

"Since then I have continued to be involved and delighted to be in a club where safety measures are paramount and stringent rules to be followed. We have a number of younger club members now and they understand from the outset how important it is to respect themselves and others on the range as we emphasize that it is not the weapon but the person that create danger."

And finally . . .

“His sentiments are echoed by John Munt, a renowned international member of the club, who told us,
“Paul is a great asset to the Haverfordwest Target Shooting Club and we are delighted that he has become a Welsh champion in his discipline.”

Ask Paul about ambitions and he has the immediate answer:
"I just want to carry on what I'm doing now, which is gaining so much pleasure from my participation, where I enter for the sport of it and winning is a bonus in the grand scheme of things."

Chat to Paul James for a short while, as we did, and it is easy to be impressed by his quietly infectious enthusiasm - and long may this gentleman of target rifle shooting continue to grace his sport in our county!