How to visit Marple Rifle
and Pistol Club
To arrange a first visit call: 0161 427 9133
between 19:00 and 20:00 on Wednesday or Friday
or 10:00 and 11:00 on Sunday
Please remember that we are a club, we are not a business like a bowling alley and cannot deal with more than two new visitors at any one time.
You can come as a shooting visitor once before having to decide whether to apply to join or not.
The cost to you as a shooting visitor will be £10 for your first visit and for this we will supply a gun, ammunition and basic instruction / supervision.
You do not need any sort of licence or certificate to visit the Club and shoot as a visitor or probationary member.
You will have to sign a declaration before being allowed to shoot for the first time, to state that you are not prohibited by law from holding or using firearms (this includes airguns).
We operate a booking system and can only take a maximum of two new visitors per day.
If you are under 18 years old, please read this page before going any further.
If you suffer from any sort of disability, either mental or physical, please read this page before going any further.
As a first-time visitor you will be loaned a suitable gun and hearing protection. You will also be given basic instruction on how to shoot safely. You will be accompanied onto the range by an experienced shooter who will stay with you throughout your visit. The length time that you will be on the Range actually shooting varies a bit depending on the type of shooting you wish to try, but a minimum period is about half an hour.
The total cost of a first visit is £10-00, for which you will be given 50 rounds of ammunition, plus targets and loaned a suitable gun (payment must be by either credit or debit card as we do not take cash).
Anyone can come to visit the club and shoot once, before having to decide whether or not to join and become a probationary member. After joining, a minimum of 18 visits within a 6 month period are necessary before full membership can be granted. Minimum age for airgun shooting is 18, younger persons can be accepted for cartridge shooting, down to age 14, subject to Range Officers discretion.
Should you decide to join the Club and become a probationary member, you can continue to use Club guns at no additional cost.
Visitors are not expected to assist in the operation of the range and there is no obligation, or expectation that they will be required to 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, helping to carry out minor repairs to target frames etc.
When you first come for a visit, please bring some form of identification with you, preferably with a photograph of yourself on it, such as a driving licence.
For details of annual subscription, joining fee etc click here.
We cater for four different types of target shooting
a) Precision .22, using single-shot guns and carried out to international rules on Mondays and Tuesdays from 19:30 to 21:30. You will be loaned a suitable .22 rifle equipped with aperture sights. No air guns, or multi-shot guns can be used on these nights. If you eventually want to get your own gun, you will need to apply for a Firearms Certificate and comply with the security requirements for storage specified by the local police.
b) Sport / hobby shooting using all calibres and types of gun, both rifle and pistol. Guns used range from airguns, to unlimited calibre black powder; these are shot on Wednesdays and Fridays from 19:30 to 21:30 and Sundays from 10:00 to 12:00. As a visitor you will be loaned a club .22 rimfire multi-shot carbine, which usually will be equipped with telescopic sights. If you eventually want to get your own gun, you will need to apply for a Firearms Certificate and comply with the security requirements for storage specified by the local police.
c) Precision airgun shooting using 4.5 mm single-shot guns (both rifle and pistol), from 19:30 to 21:30 on Thursdays with a minimum age of 18. You will be loaned a suitable air rifle or air pistol equipped with the correct type of sights and supplied with some targets and pellets for a total of £10. (please note that only 4.5 mm airguns are allowed on the 10 metre airgun range). If your impressions of airguns are based on shooting at tin cans, be prepared for a surprise, this is a serious and precise discipline, not at all what many people imagine. It is an Olympic sport for both air rifle and air pistol and it demands great skill and considerable practice to do well. Airguns used in this type of shooting do not require the possession of a Firearms Certificate and do not have any special storage conditions, or police involvement.
d) Field Target shooting using sub- 12 ft/lb air rifles and sub- 6 ft/lb air pistols on our 40 metre outdoor range. The outdoor range is open every day during daylight hours and must be under the control of at least one full member of the Club. At least two members must be present for shooting to take place and a record kept of attendance. A normal range-fee is levied for use and all targets must be of the non-litter type.
Summary of the times and days of the week that Marple Rifle and Pistol Club is open for target practice
Monday from 19:30 to 21:30 for .22 precision shooting: see a) above.
Tuesday from 19:30 to 21:30 for .22 precision shooting: see a) above.
Wednesday from 19:30 to 21:30 for sport / hobby shooting: see b) above.
Thursday from 19:30 to 21:30 for airgun shooting: see c) above.
Friday from 19:30 to 21:30 for sport / hobby shooting: see b) above.
Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 for sport / hobby shooting: see b) above.
All days of the week during daylight hours for Field Target shooting on the outdoor range using non- FAC airguns: see d) above.
For any further information please telephone the club on 0161 427 9133 as detailed above at the head of this page and / or read Marple Rifle and Pistol Club details. It is much better to speak to a Range Officer by telephone than trying to make enquiries by email, as so much more information can be given in a short conversation than by a protracted exchange of messages.
Revised: 02-Jul-2024.