About our club
Our Purpose
Ilminster District Rifle and Pistol Club (IDRPC) is an organisation primarily concerned with prone and benchrest target shooting of small-bore cartridge rifles. Our mission is to make target shooting safe, legal, and entertaining.
IDRPC origin is the .22 rimfire single shot rifle fitted with open iron target sights. Today we have two primary disciplines which are Prone and Bench-Rest. On Prone, the shooter is lying on a mat and the rifle is fired off the hand with the assistance of a single point sling. On benchrest, the shooter is seated at a bench and the rifle is fired from a rest or bag.
The club also has access under license a Full-bore shooting activity which is arranged at regular intervals for members, but not at the Ilminster Range.
A brief description of IPRPC
Affiliation:
The IDRPC is affiliated to the National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA), the national governing body for small-bore rifle shooting in the UK.
Equipment:
The Club possesses six .22 target rifles including a rare left-handed action, two of which are lightweight bolt action Anschutz Model 64, suitable for juniors, and two 7.62 mm rifles. Spotting scopes, ammunition blocks, shooting jackets, slings and elbow pads are available.
Facilities:
Ilminster & District Rifle and Pistol Club operates from a 25-yard indoor range situated at the junction of Ditton Street and Orchard Vale in Ilminster, behind the Library. The building includes a club room. Parking is limited using the library car park only when it’s closed.
The range has three firing points and the butts are rubber covered sand backed by an iron plate. The bench-rest targets have metal pellet catchers.
Two Electronic targets are set on Lane 1 and Lane 2. A third electronic target will be on line shortly on Lane 3 which will also accommodate 3P and Air Pistol. The club room is carpeted, and mats are available for use on the firing point. The range has an earth floor for safety reasons.
Range Safety:
The club has a number of qualified Range Officers who manage all aspects of entry, administration, and safety in the club room and on the range. No shooting will take place without a Range Officer present. There is a CCTV in operation for RCO monitoring on the firing point.
Teams & Competitions:
The Club membership is about 50.
We enter teams and individuals in the Somerset Small Bore Shooting Association postal competitions and any other competitions where we are eligible. Competition is voluntary and is meant to be enjoyable and interesting. The club has a number of qualified scorers to mark cards. The club has two NSRA currently credited electronic targets for the prone discipline.
Club Nights:
We have up to four club evenings. Monday and Tuesday is benchrest, Wednesday and Thursday is prone. As the two disciplines require different equipment on the range, the two are not interchangeable.
Shooting can take place on additional evenings, and during the day, by prior appointment.
Newcomers:
Newcomers are welcome on Club Nights and will receive instruction in the safe handling of firearms and in the use of the equipment.
It is recommended that they bring an old jacket with a non-slip surface to allow the sling to grip on the upper left arm. (Right arm for a left-handed shot.) The club also have a number of prone jackets.
Newcomers will be expected to sign a declaration concerning their suitability to handle firearms. They should also give the Secretary 24 hours notice of their first visit.
The declaration functions as an application form to join the club, the details of which will be notified to the Police. Probationary membership will then be granted for a period of 3 to 6 months depending on experience or omitted on possession of a relevant Firearm Certificate.
Satisfactory completion of the probationary period will permit full membership, confirmed by a Committee Meeting.
The Club operates a data security policy in accord with the General Data Protection Regulations, details of which are available on request.
Charges:
The annual membership is £40 for Adults and £20 for Juniors, defined as aged under 18 on March 31st.
A range fee of £3 (£1.50 for Juniors) is charged for every visit to the club. The membership year runs from April to March.
Ammunition for use at the range is available from about £4 for a box of 50 rounds. Any unused ammunition must be left in the Gun Safe.
Ammunition may not be removed from the range unless entered onto a Firearm Certificate.
Website
Members can access the clubs noticeboard on this site by logging in with their user name and password to see reports from the latest results of county and national competitions as well as reports from the captains and the committee.
Hierachical Structure
IDRPC are proud to announce that we have members who have reached all levels.
