Nap Bollemeijer (39) from Hoogeveen won a bronze medal during the European Championship for historical weapons. At home he has an extensive collection of antique guns and replicas. “I make the bullets myself.”
Nap Bollemeijer has to laugh about it. “Yes, I was actually born a few centuries too late. And in the wrong country. Switzerland and Germany are real arms countries. There are also many more shooters with historical weapons.”
He shoots almost anything there is to shoot. In other words: the different disciplines within his sport. ,,But I mainly win the prizes with the historical clay pigeon weapons”, says the top scorer. “I can show you that right now.”
Because they are just in his house. That’s allowed. But not just like that. Bollemeijer had to complete a ‘whole paperwork’ in order to obtain the necessary permits. “Completely rightly so,” he says.
Check
Every year he gets an unannounced visit. Then suddenly a police car shows up at the door. “They check whether I have a permit for the weapons I own and whether everything is stored according to the legal rules and standards. For the record, it’s not a search. They work through a checklist. Understandable.”
The neighbors are not surprised by the police visit. “They know about my hobby.”
The fact that Bollemeijer shoots with historical weapons is related to his profession. In daily life he teaches mechanical engineering in Zwolle. “The technique of antique weapons and the craftsmanship fascinate me immensely.”
Blacksmith’s secret
For example, how the gun is made, how it works, what actions are needed to be able to shoot with it. Because ‘just’ firing a shot with an antique weapon is not an option. ,,You have to find the right ingredients together”, says de Hoogevener. “For example, I make the bullets myself. Yes, therein lies a bit of the blacksmith’s secret.”
It is not a cheap hobby, although the purchase of antique weapons is not too bad according to Bollemeijer. “For 700 or 800 euros you can purchase a historical rifle, original or as a replica. I spend 1 euro on ammunition per shot. You also have to rent a court for clay pigeons and you lose money for membership and association contributions.”
Aged men
The total costs for a competition with about fifty clay pigeons are between 75 and 100 euros. Shooting sport is still dominated by older men. Bollemeijer: ,,I think about 15 percent of the shooters are women. For the rest, mainly retired men are active in clay pigeon shooting.”
The top shooter has multiple weapons. The modern copies, replicas and ammunition are safely stored in a safe. The antique guns – which are sometimes just (legally) offered on Marktplaats – are in a special display case, neatly lined up. They are exempt from the law. Ammunition for these weapons must be made yourself.
Napoleonic War
Some are almost 250 years old. “One dates from 1770, from the Napoleonic War. But it’s still working fine.”
There is a downside: if something breaks, it can just be the end of the exercise. Parts of antique weapons are generally difficult to find. Bollemeijer has followed courses to start his own gun shop. “Then I will soon be better able to manufacture and repair my own weapons. But that’s still in the future.”
Ukraine
Shooting sports are also noticing the consequences of the war in Ukraine. ,,All stocks are running out”, says Bollemeijer. According to him, it was already more difficult to find components a year before that battle broke out.
“Since the war broke out, it has really been a drama to get ammunition, powder, percussion caps and bullet heads. All the big factories are running war production, the sport shooter is more or less in the waiting room.”
De Hoogevener has been practicing shooting since he was eighteen. ,,I once went with friends of my father, who shot clay pigeons, and got excited. My father and I then became members.” Clay pigeons, which Bollemeijer often shoots at, are small saucers that are flung away by a machine at about 120 km/h.
Dynamic
,,It is a very dynamic sport”, he continues. ,,The shot is gone in less than a second, but you are working on it for minutes beforehand. It’s relaxing and you’re nice and active in the open air.”
Concentration is of paramount importance for an optimal shot. Bollemeijer: ,,At the moment supreme you have to keep your nerves under control, no stress. That makes the difference, because everyone who participates in major international competitions is already among the top.”
Recently, during the European Championships in France, the Hoogevener won a bronze medal in the historic weapons, type Lorenzoni (replica). “The name refers to a gunsmith, who used to be important. It is a so-called percussion weapon, where the percussion cap is on the outside of the barrel”, explains Bollemeijer.
‘stupid mistakes’
He is not surprised that he missed the gold. ,,In terms of competition experience, I am just a little short. And I made two stupid mistakes. For example, in my head I was still working on a previous shot that went into the fog. Well, that doesn’t help. Although I’m happy with bronze, you know.”
His weapon of choice is a Winchester 1887. “More mechanically interesting,” he says. That gun shoots great. But there are no international competitions for it.”
Image
Shooting sport still has a negative image. There would be a macho culture, with its own mores. Negative stories in the press feed that image. The undercover report by investigative journalist Alberto Stegeman, four years ago at a shooting club in Brabant, did no good. Security was so bad that the club’s licenses were revoked and weapons seized.
Bollemeijer regularly visits shooting clubs and knows the world quite well. ,,They generally have their affairs in order and enforce all the rules. The union is also keen on this. Safety is above all. There is a positive, friendly atmosphere.”
De Hoogevener hopes that his story will provide more understanding and interest in shooting sports. “It is often forgotten that it is also a top sport.”
World champion
Soon Bollemeijer will train together with a German top player. ,,To learn from each other.” Next year he and his father hope to qualify for the World Cup in Italy. Bollemeijer wants to become world champion. ,,Without sounding presumptuous: That will happen one day, I am convinced of that.”
Black powder
Historic firearms are antique rifles, pistols and revolvers from before 1870 that work on black powder (black gunpowder). It is still the most commonly used mixture in pyrotechnic installations, mainly due to the high stability of the mixture.
one Roger Bacon first reported a recipe in the middle of the thirteenth century, in which, among other things, saltpeter and sulfur caused thunder and lightning by ignition with fire (stone).
Incidentally, the effect of the first firearms in those days was extremely small. Often enough, they posed a greater danger to the shooter than to the target.
D The young Reverend Forsyth, an avid chemist, elaborated on the popping powders, because he was always late for the duck hunt. His invention sparked a revolution, culminating in the creation of today’s percussion cap.