Winter indoor season started RSA Smallbore Target Shooting

Ambrose O'Rourke and WHS student Scott Gray (right) proudly displaying the first new Anschutz .22 smallbore target rifle which was jointly funded by Whanganui Community Foundation and Pub Charity. The specialised jackets and gloves they are wearing were funded by Powerco Wanganui Trust.     

RSA Target Shooting Wanganui started back in 1945. Returned servicemen wanted to continue to hone their shooting skills and in 1944 helped dig out the basement shooting range.  “At one stage target shooting was so popular and competitive in Wanganui that there were between 60 and 70 clubs,” says Graeme Simpson the coach at the club. Today there are just two clubs – RSA and Westmere.

Smallbore rifle target shooting is a sport of skill, not strength, which allows anyone over the age of 14 to become involved in a safe, strictly supervised sport. It is suited to both boys and girls, men and women, and a firearms licence is NOT required to participate. All equipment, ammunition, and coaching is provided by the club, for a small charge, and you get to take home the target you have shot to prove how good you are.  Anyone new is supervised on a one-to-one basis.         

Graeme says that “over the last four years we have been steadily upgrading our club equipment, and this is due to the generosity of several trusts such as the Whanganui Community Foundation, Pub Charity and the Powerco Wanganui Trust. An RSA Junior Development Squad has been set up. The equipment is very competitive and can be used when competing in local and district competitions.

They also have an outdoor shooting range in Okoia. This is their main competition base where they can accommodate 20 shooters at the same time.                           

The group meets every Tuesday at 7pm at the indoor range at the RSA, 170 St. Hill Street. For more information call or text on 020 408 1967 or 3432772, and “become involved in a very challenging sport.”

 (River City Press 5/5/16)