Getting kids into shooting - Qld-specific.

[bladeracer]

My daughter would like to get her young bloke (11) involved. So I'm trying to work out her options. She's an hour or so northwest of Brisbane I think - around Moreton Bay.

Does anybody know what clubs and ranges might be around the region that she could take him to so he can try different things to see what grabs him?

I have no idea what might appeal to him, but she thinks he might enjoy shooting, and she wants to get the kids back into some outdoor activities. He's tall so I thought he might enjoy busting clay birds. Some sort of .22 completion would be ideal to keep costs manageable. Like lever-action rimfire Silhouette maybe.

Does PCYC still do air-rifle competition in Qld?

Any ideas are welcome

[Wm.Traynor]

If she is around Moreton Bay, then both the QRA and SSAA are at Belmont. There are pistol clubs there too. I live further north and that is where I go but she has chosen a holiday time of year and clubs take days off their normal schedule.
Take a look here https://ssaabris.org.au
This should give here an idea of what happens.

Edited 7:08 pm.
with thanks to bladeracer

[bladeracer]

If she is around Moreton Bay, then both the QRQ and SSAA are at Belmont. There are pistol clubs there too. I live further north and that is where I go but she has chosen a holiday time of year and clubs take days off their normal schedule.
Take a look here https://ssaabris.org.au
this should give here an idea of what happens.

Thanks WT.
Just had a look at Belmont's site. That's the mob that don't allow loaded magazines, right? That would suck all the enjoyment out of shooting lever-action. I watched their safety video just now. I like that they leave it up to shooter whether they want to use hearing or eye protection, but I can't find any site rules for general things, like not loading mags.
And this noise rule about 20" barrels, 3200lb-ft and 3500fps sucks. It doesn't strike me as the place to send somebody if I want them to get hooked on shooting, more of a place an already-hooked shooter might go because it's closer than going somewhere better.

Is the "single-shot" rule only for SSAA or is that endemic to all clubs at the Belmont Complex?

I can't find the "QRQ" though, do you mean QRA as that appears to be in Belmont? I did find Belmont Junior Air-rifle club, but they require twelve-years-old, not eleven. That does seem to defeat the purpose of allowing kids to shoot a year younger than other states.

[Wm.Traynor]

Yes bladeracer, I did mean QRA. Sorry
They shoot from 300 to 1000 yards. Different disciplines. Prone with sling, where aperture rear sights are used called Target Rifle. F Class Standard is "prone benchrest", where the rifle is supported and sights are scopes. In F Open calibres are not restricted to 308 and 223. Single round loading only.
I know of nowhere that magazine shooting is permitted, except for Silhouette with SSAA but there is Military about which I know absolutely nothing.

In any case, this young man would have to do a course to get a licence and I suspect he is too young. It looks like he is not going to enjoy himself. Sorry again, br.

[bladeracer]

Yes bladeracer, I did mean QRA. Sorry
They shoot from 300 to 1000 yards. Different disciplines. Prone with sling, where aperture rear sights are used called Target Rifle. F Class Standard is "prone benchrest", where the rifle is supported and sights are scopes. In F Open calibres are not restricted to 308 and 223. Single round loading only.
I know of nowhere that magazine shooting is permitted, except for Silhouette with SSAA but there is Military about which I know absolutely nothing.

In any case, this young man would have to do a course to get a licence and I suspect he is too young. It looks like he is not going to enjoy himself. Sorry again, br.

Cool, I'll stop looking for QRQ then
I'm familiar with most shooting disciplines I think, just not what might be available around his area. Belmont doesn't sound like they want people to enjoy shooting purely for the shooting, which is pretty fundamental to getting non-shooters hooked on the sport, in my opinion, and puts them on-side with GCA. Semi-auto .22's are a big drawcard in most other countries for getting kids hooked on shooting. With those taken away from us we need to work at other things that increase the enjoyment, like reactive targets, informal shooting games, and physical movement and exercise, not pure competition. Sitting at a bench week after week shooting the same course time after time is for old people, not kids.

He doesn't need a licence to shoot under supervision, and minimum age in Qld is eleven, that's why it'd be good to get him involved now. Down here it's twelve, but here I'd have to take him to a range, unlicensed people can't handle firearms except at approved ranges in Victoria. In Qld he can shoot supervised on private property at eleven without a licence. If we get him licenced soon, once he turns twelve he can come down here and shoot with me on my properties and in the bush. I don't know of any ranges within two hours of me. There are a variety of clubs, but I don't think most are amenable to non-members having a go.

It might be best to find somebody local that can take him out shooting, without the arbitrary rules and restrictions of club shooting. Let him get a feel for what sorts of firearms and shooting he enjoys the most, and then look at competition options.

[rc42]

The 'single load' rule is SSAA Brisbane branch specific and only applies to the main practice range when not running competitions, other branches may have it too but no other club on the Belmont complex does as far as I'm aware. Well, except for small bore rifle shooting at BISC but those rifles don't have magazines, just single load trays.

BJARC is a good club, lots of young members and regular competitions and high quality PCP target air rifles free to borrow, but the range fees at BISC are high, even members have to pay each visit, around $12 per day or $500 for an annual pass.

There should be clubs much closer if they are an hour north of Brisbane, there are certainly a few in Caboolture although shooting types, member numbers and opening hours will be less than at the Belmont complex.

[bladeracer]

The 'single load' rule is SSAA Brisbane branch specific and only applies to the main practice range when not running competitions, other branches may have it too but no other club on the Belmont complex does as far as I'm aware. Well, except for small bore rifle shooting at BISC but those rifles don't have magazines, just single load trays.

BJARC is a good club, lots of young members and regular competitions and high quality PCP target air rifles free to borrow, but the range fees at BISC are high, even members have to pay each visit, around $12 per day or $500 for an annual pass.

There should be clubs much closer if they are an hour north of Brisbane, there are certainly a few in Caboolture although shooting types, member numbers and opening hours will be less than at the Belmont complex.

Thanks for this info RC42. We're only interested in informal shooting initially as I can't see anybody signing straight up for competitions. We want him to be able to try everything to determine the things he enjoys the most.

That does sound steep for entry level junior air-rifle competition. But the fees sound like they shoot every week, which is good. Still seems weird they wouldn't allow eleven-year-olds to join though. They're unlikely to join after spending their first year of shooting with some other club.
I'll see what I can find around Caboolture as I think she is near there.

I was thinking Simulated Field shotgun might be something he'd enjoy as well if that's available around these.

[6mm Remington]

Try the shotgun range at Burpengary. I have been there a couple of times and found them to be most welcoming. It is a great facility that covers all disciplines of shotgun sport.
Another recomendation would be to try the indoor pistol range at Rothwell. The bloke who runs it has a son around the same age.
You are correct that Belmont is not somewhere that would encourage anyone to get into shooting.

[JSS]

Moreton bay region there's Caboolture clay target club & the SSAA Caboolture pistol club next door to each other in Burpengary East. The pistol club's a bit clicky but the clay range has a good bunch of people involved with it & is very cruisy, it'd be the place i'd recommend for a friendly & helpful reception to shooting.
They'll be closer for her than Belmont if she's North West of Brissy.

[bladeracer]

Appreciate all the info guys, and I'm passing it onto them

Moreton bay region there's Caboolture clay target club & the SSAA Caboolture pistol club next door to each other in Burpengary East. The pistol club's a bit clicky but the clay range has a good bunch of people involved with it & is very cruisy, it'd be the place i'd recommend for a friendly & helpful reception to shooting.
They'll be closer for her than Belmont if she's North West of Brissy.