Warren Pistol Club holds 2024 Black Powder State Championships with ‘old school guns’

The Black Powder State Championships was held at the Warren Pistol Club this year with shooters from across WA travelling to compete. Warren Pistol Club secretary Jens Sundahl said more than 30 people attended, including repeat visitors returning for the weekend shooting contest. The competition included a black powder 25m and a 50m range, with participants ranging from A-grade to D-grade at the club’s shooting range on August 24 and 25. Individual scores for each grade formed the first part of the competition, before shooters joined their teams — Cockburn Fremantle, Whiteman Park and Warren Districts. “It was individuals, and then the individuals combined their scores as a team and entered as a team,” Mr Sundahl said. Jeremy Kozak took home the gold for the KT Media Trophy in the 25m, with Karl Friehe winning silver and Leo Caratti winning bronze. Linda Jekel won the gold for the Dave Hartshorn trophy in the 50m, with Mick Greaves taking the silver and Jeremy Kozak with bronze. The Warren Pistol Club team was David Bates, Paddy Fox and John Curtis. Bates represented Warren Pistol Club in A-grade for the 25m with a score of 335, coming in fourth place with Fox competing in the D-grade for the 25m with first place and a score of 288. Curtis was unable to shoot due to a firearm issue. For the 50m round, Bates represented in the B-grade with a total score of 171 placing him fifth on the ladder. Mr Sundahl said gloomy weather didn’t deter the crowd. “Everyone managed to do what they needed to do and we still managed to have our competition without any delay,” he said. “We even had a power outage that held us up for a bit, but we had a great turnout. Everybody that came spoke highly of the spirit of the club.” Mr Sundahl said the black powder competition was a time consuming and serious competition, but shooters enjoyed the “old school gun”. “Most of the people do it simply for the enjoyment of how much you have to get involved with actually keeping such an old or vintage-style firearm in operating order,” he said. “Everything is muzzle loaded. You pour your powder down the front end of the barrel, and then you push your ball down and shoot one shot, and then you have to reload it. “A modern handgun, you go and you load, and you shoot. But these ones here, there’s a lot more involved in it to participate.”