Stourbridge Rifle Range

I was back on the campaign trail in the snow during the first week of the new year. But only one meeting out of five was unaffected by the snow. A few were cancelled, venues were closed and attendance shrank. But there was no let up at the Edwin Newton Brazier Memorial Rifle Range in Stourbridge and my visit went ahead as planned; and despite being quite difficult to reach in the snow everyone attended as expected.

Like a lot of women I am not exactly drawn to shooting so I was glad to get the opportunity, courtesy of Stourbridge shooting enthusiast Stephen Millward, of learning more.

The range is down near Stourbridge tip and although not as long as some ranges it is a very well used local resource. Servicing at least five local shooting clubs it runs at near capacity and Ian, Secretary of the Stourbridge Old Edwardian Rifle Club, one of the clubs that utilises the range, says they are looking at options to expand.

The sport is heavily regulated. It is right that strict controls should be in place to prevent firearms getting in to the wrong hands. But some of the controls don’t seem to have any effect other than to restrict the participation in a perfectly legal sport which can be enjoyed for three or four hundred pounds a year. Very accessible compared to a lot of sports.

A particular concern members have is the ban on shooting with pistols. This was introduced in the wake of the tragic deaths at Dunblane to prevent guns getting in to the wrong hands. Yet since then guns have become so easy to come by for those with criminal intentions, it can safely be said that this ban has had no effect other than to deny target shooting enthusiasts and compromise the sport at international level.

At the moment Olympic rifle squads have to train abroad. The use of pistols is completely banned in the UK. Presumably this ban will be lifted during the Olympics themselves. One consequence of the ban will be the tearing down of the brand new rifle range that is being built at Woolwich Barracks. That seems an appalling waste of public money, perhaps it is time to review the ban instead.

Anyone interested in trying their hand can get more information at http://www.oldedclub.org/rifle.asp

Photo: Stephen Millward, Linda Bonehill, Margot, Ruari Bonehill and Ian Marshall at Stourbridge Rifle Range.