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Introduction
Welcome to the Unofficial Home Page of the Whittlesey Rifle Club, and the sport of shooting. Shooting has been given a very bad press recently in the UK. Recently, all large calibre pistol shooters have had to hand in their firearms, and wait for the long process of compencation to take place.
Now .22 calibre pistol owners have suffered the same fate.
This has had an effect on all shooting clubs.
The Whittlesey Rifle Club still has a large number of .22 prone rifle shooters. It is extremely unlikely that these firearms can be used in any illegal activity. Hopefully Rifle shooters will not suffer the way pistol shooters are.
Whittlesey Rifle Club is a club with an annual membership of some 120 people. These members are spread between Rifle, Pistol and Airguns. There is a Committee comprising a President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Section Captains and Nine Members, these people are elected to administer the Club for the benefit of the members and to follow the wishes of the membership. The Club is a registered charity, which means that it is run on a non-profit making basis all excess capital is spent on improving the equipment and facilities.
Inspector Edgeley of the Police formed the club, at about the time of the Second World War. Originally it was called Whittlesey Home Guard and Rifle Club, as the name indicates in those days it was just for Rifle. However at the 1975 AGM Club members decided to embrace Pistol shooting and from this a wider choice was made available with the club.
The Club is affiliated to National Shooting bodies such as the
- National Small-bore Rifle Association
- National Pistol Association
- Muzzle Loaders of Great Britain
and to Local Shooting bodies such as
- Soke of Peterborough Target Shooting Association
- Association of Leeds and District Rifle and Revolver Club
- Cambridgeshire Rifle and Pistol Association
This means that our members are eligible to shoot in a number of national and local postal leagues in all three disciplines.
As a club we try to promote the sport and to help fellow shooters to attain the levels of shooting which they aspire to. This is achieved partly by a program of coaching which is available at all times from a group of qualified coaches within the club. We like to think that we have a club, which is friendly and welcoming, and where help is always available. The Club is run by the members for the members and requires the efforts of as many people as possible, annually, to maintain the facilities and improve them. This work is carried out in the main once a year (by the members and other interested parties) at the start of September and lasts for two to four weeks, depending on the amount of effort applied and the number of willing hands. During this period the range is closed for shooting and nothing ends up left untouched in the interests of having a clean and pleasant range facility to shoot in.
Members of the Committee are not always obvious but a few enquiries will soon establish who are the people you need to talk to and obtain relevant knowledge. Club Coaches are another group you need to get to know and with the Committee they are ready and willing to help you in your shooting whenever and wherever possible.
Don't be put off by the levels of skill needed to shoot Competition, there are Competitions to suit all levels of shooting Competence. The Club also runs internal competitions, which are handicapped to allow all shooters to competence. The Club also runs internal competitions, which are handicapped to allow all shooters to compete on an even level.
We hope this gives you some insight into the Club and encourages you to be an active member of the club within a minority sport. Any comments you might have to contribute would be appreciated and should be addressed to the Secretary.
Safety
Safety in the Clubroom
- Always prove a firearm (is empty) when removing it from the safe, carry case or firing point.
- Always prove a firearm (is empty) when handing it to someone.
- Always carry a firearm with the breach open.
- Always keep firearms and ammunition separate.
- Always point a firearm in a safe direction when "dry firing".
- Never handle a firearm without the owner's permission.
- Never test the trigger without specific permission.
- Never load a firearm or magazine except on the firing point.
- Never point a firearm at anyone.
Range Safety
- Always prove your firearm when removing it from your case.
- Always after firing, prove the firearm, and ensure all magazines are empty.
- Always prove your firearm when packing it away.
- Never load until given the command by the range officer.
- Always keep the firearm pointing down the range when it is loaded.
- Always keeps your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
- Never handle firearms when people are forward of the firing point.
- Always ensure that you know how the firearm works before preparing to shoot.
- If there is an interruption after the command to load, unload and put your firearm down with the breach open and the magazine out (gun empty) pointing down the range. Stand back from the firing point so that everyone can see you are clear and safe.
- Obey the Range Officers commands at all times.
Personal Safety
- Always wear ear defenders when shooting.
- Never smoke on the firing point.
- Always wash your hands after shooting as lead kills
- Safety glasses are recommended when shooting pistol.
- Never enter or leave the range when the red light is on.
Range Requirements
There are a few simple requirements we ask in order to avoid complaint and disharmony within the club. They are as follows: -
All Sections
Empty shells/cases must be cleared from the firing point by the shooter. At the end of the session all empties to be cleared from the floors etc. before locking up. All empties to be placed in the tub provided with the exception of aluminium or steel, these to be placed in the dustbin.
Any unfired rounds required to be disposed of, to be handed to a club official for safe disposal.
A probationary member may not shoot unless supervised by a full member or by a Range Officer.
Pistol Section
A maximum of three cards (plus one sighter in the event of a three card competition) to be shot before allowing anyone who is waiting to shoot to take your place on the firing point, if nobody is waiting you may continue to shoot until someone is waiting.
Rifle Section
All newcomers will be instructed in the safe handling and working operations or the rifles, and will only shoot strips, under coaching supervision, until a standard of grouping is obtained, making it possible to shoot match and competition cards.
