Details of
Marple Rifle and Pistol Club membership for Juniors
(aged 14 to 17 inclusive)
We do have a junior membership at Marple Rifle and Pistol Club for those between the ages of 14 and 17 inclusive (that is, from the 14th birthday to the last day of age 17). These notes are here to help you decide if our kind of shooting is for you and / or your child. We do not accept anyone under the age of 14 for any kind of shooting.
The first point to understand is that being under 18 you will probably have to be brought by an adult who will have to stay with you and return you home at the end of a session. Most juniors come with their parents because their parents are shooting members of the club, it is rare for a junior to find a willing adult to fetch and carry them if they are not an active shooter themselves. Do you have a suitable volunteer? Remember that your adult will have to stay at the club the whole time that you are there.
We are not a créche and will not accept any responsibility for child-minding.
The second point is that precision target shooting can seem quite boring and indeed it is not at all a spectator sport. We have had juniors visit the Club who have been described by their parents as being desperate to come and shoot and then lose all interest within quarter of an hour of seeing what is actually involved.
The third point is that we are a private members club, we do not employ people to run the range and ensure the safety of specific individuals. In this respect we are quite different say, to a public swimming bath, which has resident attendants to safeguard users. Nor are we a municipal training facility like an athletics track which is funded from taxation and which by definition is open to all.
We do not shoot at moving targets, we only use round black on white targets. We do not dress-up in combat clothing, or have badges of rank etc.
We do not allow anyone under the age of 18 to shoot airguns on a Thursday night. Juniors under 18 are normally too weak physically to hold and operate an airgun accurately from the unsupported standing position and all our Thursday night airgun shooting is done standing without any support. Additionally, as mentioned above, we do not have the manpower to safely supervise juniors on a one-to-one basis, as is needed for airgun target shooting.
Most juniors shoot .22 rimfire rifle from the prone position, as this does not require much physical strength and the gun is further supported by a sling attached to the upper arm. This kind of shooting is done on Mondays and Tuesdays between 19:30 and 21:30
Admittance to the club is on a case-by-case basis and the decision rests with the Range Officers on the night as to whether a person under 18 can be allowed to become a probationary member. The best advice is to make an appointment by telephoning the club on 0161 427 9133 and making a date for a visit. It is much better to come along and see for yourselves than it is to read an article on this website.
Visitors are not expected to assist in the operation of the range and there is no obligation, or expectation that they must undertake any tasks during their first visit. On the other hand both Members and Probationary members are required to help in the running of the club, by for example, helping to set up the targets, sweeping up at the end of practice etc, and this also applies to juniors. Just because you are under 18 does not mean that you excused from sweeping up; if you are old enough to shoot a gun, you are old enough to use a brush.
In summary, no under 18's for airgun shooting, but other forms of shooting are possible from age 14 depending on the suitability of the applicant.
Revised: 17-Jun-2022.