Rifle club finds new home in Elmwood

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This article was published 17/09/2021 (1827 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Purveyors of sport shooting in Manitoba have hit the bulls eye with their new indoor range.

The Manitoba Provincial Rifle Association, the sport governing body for target rifle shooting in Manitoba, has a new home in the basement of the Elmwood Legion (920 Nairn Ave.)

 Founded in 1872, the association’s mission is to promote safe firearms handling and rifle shooting as a sport. A member of both the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association and Sport Manitoba, the MPRA’s new indoor range provides members, from novices to high performance shooters and seniors, as well as local cadets, with a place to practice shooting small bore rifles and pistols throughout the year.

“We’re very excited to have the Manitoba Provincial Rifle Association with us,” said Ted Beddington, president of the Elmwood Legion Branch 9.

Previously, the association’s indoor range was located at 711 Leola St., but the building was recently sold, with plans to build a multifamily housing development on the property.

“It was a bit of a chore to find another location, but we were fortunate to get in touch with Ted and the Legion, who were able to provide a range space for us,” MPRA president Murray Sloane admitted.

Association vice-president Gord Oliver is looking forward to welcoming members and new participants to the new space. Novice shooters of all ages are welcome to come try target shooting before becoming full-fledged members and undertaking training.

“It’s a very basic program, lots of safety, where we introduce the students to air rifles and to air pistols,” Oliver said. “It’s actually one of the safest sports you can get involved with, so long as you follow the rules. You’re much more likely to end each practice in one piece, as opposed to playing football or rugby.”

Those who continue on past novice training can train as marksmen. Those who excel at that level can pursue high performance training, which could lead to opportunity to take part in competitions both at home in Manitoba, across Canada, or abroad.

“Our people have shot all over the world in various competitions,” Oliver noted.

“There’s opportunity for international travel, if you’re good enough,” added Sloane, who has competed internationally in full bore shooting competitions.

The indoor location allows shooters to practice with precision air rifles and pistols, which are used in conjunction with digital scoring technology.

“These are a little different than your normal air rifles. They’re much more accurate,” Oliver explained. “They are really superb instruments.”

The association runs programming for junior level competitors as well as seniors who wish to shoot recreationally.

“We have shooters from 60, and our oldest is 89,” Oliver said. “We have a lot of fun.”

Beddington hopes to get other local Legions involved in some friendly competition in conjunction 

Members of the association have the opportunity to practice .22 calibre and full bore rifle shooting outdoors at the St. Charles Rifle Range, a military training facility, though that has been closed to the public over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When it’s all said and done, we hope to get back on there,” Sloane said, noting the outdoor season generally runs from May through October. “But given we’re already mid-September, I don’t think we’ll be shooting this year.”

For more information, visit manitobarifle.ca or call 204-771-4403.

Sheldon Birnie
Managing editor

Sheldon Birnie is the managing editor of the Free Press Community Review. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca or call him at 204-697-7112

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