Target Shooting
Cadets at all levels have the opportunity to participate in the sport of rifle shooting.
Marksmanship goes a long way back in the history of Air Cadets and is one of our most popular activities. Cadets need to concentrate on distant targets and fire with consistent accuracy. It's not easy. It requires focus, agility and a very steady hand.
Safety is paramount, and each cadet is fully trained in all aspects of the rifle. Supervising staff are similarly trained to ensure that every shoot is run safely and efficiently.
The basic rifle that cadets are trained on is the No.8 bolt action rifle, which began life as the Enfield No.4 rifle and was modified to have a shorter barrel and to fire the .22 long rifle round. It also no longer takes a box magazine - each round must be fed in manually.
Cadet are trained and shown the No.8 rifle in detail.
The commands and practices used on the rifle range are also explained so that cadets know exactly what to expect before they are allowed anywhere near the range. Only after cadets have successfully passed a comprehensive Weapon Handling Test will they be taken to the range and allowed to fire.
Progress through the various shooting courses and cadets can experience different types of weapons and could even take part in shooting competitions al both regional and national levels. To start with cadets fire at targets that are fairly close - around 25m away. As they advance and their training and skill builds, they can fire at targets 100m or more away.
The No.8 rifle itself is a nice, simple weapon - ideal for training - which operates with a manually fed bolt action. There is very little noise from the rifle, though ear defenders are always worn when it is being fired, and all shooting is carried out in the prone position (the firer lying on their stomach) firing at static, paper targets.
Click on the links below to check out some of the other activities available . . .
The ATC | Training | Activities | Community Activities
