Home on the range

The BASC Rifle Club has operated at Bisley for many years and its shooting range days are immensely popular. Taylor Rikje-Pearson explains what the club has to offer.

Did you know BASC has its own rifle club? I wondered how many members outside the South East of England realised this so, as secretary of the BASC Rifle Club (BRC), I wanted to draw it to the attention of the wider membership and explain what a typical range day at the club can offer.

The BRC is a Home Office-approved club, affiliated with the British Sporting Rifle Club (BSRC) based at Bisley National Shooting Centre in Surrey.

Members travel from all over the country to spend time at Bisley and practise their rifle shooting. The enjoyment for many comes from the camaraderie of being with like-minded friendly rifle shooters and sharing their knowledge and skills.

Not all club members are from a deer and pest control background, many are dedicated target shooters interested in the available ranges. They come from all walks of life including the gun trade, shooting providers, ghillies and recreational deer managers.

For me, joining my local target rifle club was the start of what has become a huge part of my shooting life. I previously worked as a gamekeeper and deer manager, so time on the range was focused on achieving deer management qualifications, setting up and testing new rifle scope combinations and the subsequent zero checks required, before carrying out my duties.

Fast-forward ten years or so and I now devote what downtime I have to several target shooting disciplines. However, I am always drawn back to shooting live quarry and ensuring I maintain my skill level and the opportunity to improve. The obvious choice was to see what was on offer that crossed over between the traditional target shooting disciplines and that of the deer stalker.

Moving targets make it special

The BSRC ranges at the National Rifle Association (NRA) complex at Bisley is where the BASC Rifle Club has for many years conducted member range days and specialist events such as:

Women in Shooting events
Awareness days for police firearms enquiry officers
Non-lead ammunition testing days
Training courses

The NRA is the national governing body for full-bore target rifle shooting, centre-fire target pistol shooting, and target shooting with shotguns in the United Kingdom, and it moved to the Bisley complex in 1890. The BSRC was formed at Bisley in 1962 with the main aim of saving the running deer range.

The BSRC is unique at Bisley, offering the chance to shoot moving and electronic target systems not usually found at other Home Office approved clubs. Competitive shooting is encouraged, along with promoting high standards of sporting shooting both on the range and when in the field.

Training days on shooting technique for both running boar and running deer and the static electronically-scored buck, fox and stalker’s test are held regularly.

BSRC has a wealth of real-world shooting experience among its friendly members, including Olympic and other international competitors, long-range target shooters, professional guides, deer managers, gamekeepers and many more. It has has also welcomed many BASC members into the club as a result of them attending BRC club days.

A vibrant shooting community

The typical shooting range day starts with the important safety brief, outlining the day’s proceedings to ensure everyone has an enjoyable day while maintaining the highest safety standards. Those requiring additional instruction or who are due to undertake safe shooter certification proceed to the time limit range for the start of their day. Other members prepare their equipment to start the day shooting on the ranges.

The atmosphere is what you would expect from a vibrant shooting community. Many members have been attending for years and know each other well, leading to plenty of friendly banter. Several have interesting rifles, both historic and modern, and are only too pleased to explain every detail should you wish to know more about them.

The support offered by the qualified range staff is second to none. Many have volunteered their time for years; they consist of BASC staff, club instructors and deer training providers, so someone is always on hand to help with any enquiry or technical advice.

The BRC currently has around 150 members. Range days are very popular and usually full to the capacity, with up to 35 members or 40 people including staff and volunteers.

Club days are primarily aimed at members who hold a firearm certificate with suitable conditions for their rifles to zero and practise. There are lots of disciplines available, subject to the availability of shooting range space, qualified Range Safety Officers on the day and any NRA shooter certification requirements.

These may include:

Full-bore 100m zeroing statics
Full-bore 100m electronic statics
Full-bore 100m electronic stalkers tests
Full-bore 100m electronic running deer moving target
Full-bore 100m electronic Swedish deer moving target
HME zeroing
HME 100m statics
Non-lead zeroing
Rimfire 50m zeroing
Rimfire 50m electronic running boar moving target x 2
Underlever (pistol calibre) 50m gallery statics
Turning target 50m rimfire/pistol calibre
Mini McQueen’s 50m rimfire

Opportunity knocks

The chairman of the BRC is BASC’s head of firearms, Martin Parker. He said: “The BASC Rifle Club provides a great opportunity for members to zero their rifles and practise shooting in a variety of challenging disciplines, using different types of ammunition. They are also able to ask advice from range officers, who themselves are very experienced shooters.

“Such opportunities are invaluable for honing the skills and marksmanship that form the cornerstone of ethical live quarry shooting. I would recommend it to all rifle shooters who are keen to improve their skills and knowledge.”

BASC member Tyler Miles hasn’t missed a range day in years. She said: “I started going to the BASC range days several years ago. The first time I was so nervous I couldn’t even load my rifle – I was shaking so much. My dad had to stand next to me and offer moral support. Thanks to the BASC staff and my dad I have progressed considerably over the years, especially on the running deer range, which is my favourite discipline.

This is a very male-dominated sport, and more women need to be encouraged.”

Stanton Royle, a BSRC member and BASC training provider, is a range conducting officer and safety assessor at Bisley. He said: “My association with the BSRC goes back almost 20 years, when I undertook the shooting assessment for the DSC1. I have been an accredited BASC trainer since 2009. Since the introduction of the NRA Safe Shooting System, I have regularly assessed those BASC members attending shooting range days who wish to acquire their Shooter Certification Cards, which are now a requirement to shoot on MoD ranges. I joined BSRC in 2017 and deliver the one-day induction course to our new probationary members.”

A haven for shooters

NRA chairman and lifelong shooting enthusiast David Lacey says BASC range days offer a great opportunity to experience Bisley and what it has to offer. He said: “I shoot game and clays with my shotgun, stalk deer and have hunted big game from Tanzania to Kazakhstan. I also shoot competitively in the F-Class League. Bisley is my favourite place to shoot. It is a historic place, and a haven for shooters of all disciplines. You would normally need to be a NRA member to shoot on its ranges.

“The BASC days on the running deer range are a rare opportunity to practise on moving targets. It will not be a routine shot for UK deer stalkers, but practising it is useful in case it is needed for a humane dispatch of a sick or injured deer. I’ve really enjoyed the BASC range days at Bisley since I discovered them in 2021. They are very well run, with range officers from the BSRC working with BASC staff.

“It’s not just the shooting, there’s also the opportunity to swap stories, ask questions and learn from the many experienced shots who attend these days. Everyone is welcoming and friendly.”

How to get involved

Facilities offered at the BSRC include covered firing points, electronic scored targets and well serviced ranges carefully managed by the valued volunteers from the BSRC.

There’s a clubhouse with kitchenette type facilities including a fridge, where you can get soft drinks, tea and coffee, etc. There are also many other facilities on Bisley camp which offer catering options.

If you want to try a BASC range day at Bisley, click here for more information or email rangedays@basc.org.uk. You must be a BASC member, have an FAC and be willing to undertake a safety assessment. BRC club days are popular and have limited spaces, so be sure to book early.