FAQs

Why do people shoot as a sport?

Shooting is a sport that is not only challenging, competitive and rewarding, but it’s represented at the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.

• It’s a sport of skill, which means you can compete against anyone
• Learning to shoot is as social as it is fun
• It’s calming, teaches self-discipline, concentration and determination
• You can shoot for recreation or sport

Does the club run open days for the public?

Unfortunately not, although we do hold guest days where full members can invite friends or family that would like an introduction to the sport.

How do I become a member?

Please contact the club Secretary through the website They will be happy to explain the process. Junior applicants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For the purposes of instruction, the parent or guardian must also apply for provisional membership.

Junior applicants aged between sixteen and eighteen may use the facilities unsupervised by a parent or guardian, but when applying for provisional membership, a parent or guardian must accompany the applicant to provide signed permission, proof of age and status.

All potential provisional members must attend an introduction session to learn how the club operates and range etiquette. Typically introduction sessions are run every 2 to 3 months, but due to demand, there may be a waiting period before the club can invite you to a session.

When you first visit the range, please do not approach the firing point without suitable hearing protection. Spare ear-defenders are usually available in the clubroom.

Do you provide full tuition and equipment for provisional members?

You will be given firearms training and supervised whilst completing your probation. Club guns are available at no additional cost, but you will need to buy your own ammunition from the club when you attend. Club guns and ammunition are brought to both ranges on set days for provisional members.

For the purposes of instruction, junior provisional members under the age of 16, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. The parent or guardian must also be a provisional member.

Whilst there are a few pairs of spare ear-defenders at both sites, provisional members are advised to buy their own. Electronic ear-defenders can be bought for as little as £30.

How do provisional members become full members?

Your provisional membership lasts for 6 months. As a provisional member, you must attend the ranges a “reasonable number of times – 6” over a minimum 3 month period, to ensure you are safe and competent in the use of firearms. If after 6 months you have not achieved a level of competency or you have not attended the ranges enough times, then unfortunately your provisional membership will have expired.

As a certificate holder, you may wish to attend as a visitor at a cost of £30. During your visit, you will only be authorised to shoot rifles that match the authority on your firearms certificate. No shooting visitor will be permitted more than 3 visits, but will be welcome to seek provisional membership at any time. This is total number of visits, not per year. A maximum of 6 visits is allowed if on the waiting list.

How much does it cost to join?

Several different categories of membership exist, depending upon the status of the applicant. The cost for provisional membership is £50 (FOC for a junior) and is non-refundable.

The membership year is April – March.  Membership fees apply from when provisional membership is taken up. When you are invited to become a full member, your fee will be calculated pro-rata on the number of remaining months in the club calendar year from when your provisional membership began. Membership fees for 2023/2024:

How often can I shoot?

The club enjoys an indoor range in Oundle and an outdoor range near Barnwell and between both sites, you can shoot nearly everyday of the year. Out of respect, both ranges are closed on Remembrance Day & Remembrance Sunday and a few other keys days throughout the year.

Session times are typically 2-3 hours and the evening sessions move from Barnwell to the Oundle range in the winter months. The weekend is by far the busiest time, with competitive shooting on a Saturday morning and a standard session in the afternoon. Sunday morning is usually the busiest of all the weekend sessions, which occasionally extends into the afternoon for competitive shooting.

Once you are a full member and a firearms certificate holder, you can shoot at other Home Office approved ranges around the country. Bisley is the hub of British shooting, with ranges stretching out to 1,200 yards. That’s just over 1km and will certainly put your skills to the test. At these distances wind plays a critical factor in determining your accuracy.