The Way

It seems there are a lot of misapprehensions about "Schuetzen" so I thought it appropriate to add my own. I am often asked if our sport is the same in Germany. The answer is, of course, yes and no. The German Schuetzen Union was organized in 1861 to, among other things, to improve marksmanship both as a skill and a science-just like our NRA a decade later. Our sport loosely replicates the firearms and techniques of the zenith of Schuetzen just prior to WWI. The German branch of our sport has had a couple of major road bumps along the way but remains dedicated to the original purpose. This means, of course, that old single shot rifles are deemed passe', which, in a practical sense, they are. So, to answer the question: no, they have progressed beyond shooting with antiques, for the most part. However, it just so happens that there is yet some lively competition widespread in Germany with odd looking rifles with hooked buttplates, shooting plain-based lead bullets, off-hand at distant targets. The difference is that they are muzzleloaders. It is interesting that one of the makers of these guns refers to them as Schuetzen rifles. The term has emigrated to the US and now back to Germany. So, what about shooting with the Aydts and Martinis that are the models for our rifles? It is still done although I am not sure that the matches are DSB sanctioned. There are some matches, mostly in southern Germany and Austria, that not only keep the tradition alive but also the style. A competitor must not only shoot an appropriately traditional rifle (or Zimmerstutzen) but must also dress appropriately. The schedule for these matches can be found at the website of Josef Albl, an artist woodcarver of Oberammergau. So the answer to the original question is also "yes, sort of."