Ashton-Under-Lyne Rifle Club

History

Ashton-under-Lyne Rifle Club was formed circa 1939 as a Woman’s Home Defence Unit based in Audenshaw. Their Range was in the basement of the old Cornecroft Mill.

In 1942 the Club was affiliated to the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs later to become the National Small-Bore Rifle Association. In 1942 the name was changed to our present title and men were allowed to join, the Club also joining the County of Lancaster Small-bore Rifle Association.

The Club moved to the Compo Soap works, Crescent Road Dukinfield in 1949. After three years the club relocated to the top floor of Nordown Engineering work, owned by Mr. M. Downs one of the Members. The Range being used continually until the Range at Dukinfield Town Hall was built by the Members and opened in 1990.

The Range was solely funded and built by the Members. Tameside Council, Sports Council, County Association and the NSRA refused any funding. We pride ourselves on the rapport with the local residents, Firearms Department at GMP and Tameside Council. Membership numbers thirty-five. We have a nucleus of three junior Members with five more showing promise who will be joining soon. We hold training evenings. Where fully qualified coaches and instructors, hold sessions on the safe handling of firearms, correct shooting techniques and instruct probationary and junior members. We have a number of disable shooters.

In 2003, we had to vacant Dukinfield Town Hall due to the re-furbishment and the resulting re-allocation of the space for a Book Storage Area.

As from 1st January 2013 we took over the lease of the range and set in motion a number of improvements, the first of which was to demolish an old store room ready for the start of Phase One.

Phase 1 is now fully complete.