Holmes Chapel Shooting Ground – there’s no place like Holmes!

Airgunning stalwart, Nigel Curtis, discovers a fantastic new club right on his doorstep

I met David Hurstfield last September when I was looking for somewhere close to home to practise my field target shooting. At that time, I wasn’t aware of the Holmes Chapel Shooting Ground – and it is only seven minutes from my house!

Holmes Chapel Shooting Ground is located in Crewe, Lancashire, and it’s a dedicated down-the-line shotgun range run by David, and is quickly gaining status as a quality facility. In pursuit of a broader range of quality shooting options, I have since been helping David to set up a comprehensive air rifle practice facility for air-rifle shooters of all ages and abilities to enjoy. The new facility provides a comprehensive practice/plinking range out to 55 yards, and a 30-shot field target course, set in woodland will put all your practice to the test.

Setting up your air rifle

This new air rifle facility has a comprehensive practice range with boards at measured five-yard increments, from 10 yards to 55 yards. This allows you to set up your zero at a preferred range, and to check your trajectory before tackling the field-target course. There are also a good number of reactive targets on the practice range to improve your shooting skills.

Shooting the field target course

The course consists of 15 target lanes with two targets per lane. You are welcome to shoot the FT course more than once, and HCSG request that you take no more than two shots at any one target when progressing through it. This will give you a maximum of 60 shots per course completed, and ensure good progress.

Suits all styles

The course is set up with a good blend of target positions and ranges so that all shooters will be challenged. All targets with front-mounted reducer plates suit the hunter field target discipline. The average range to target is just over 35 yards; a range at which many people choose to zero their air rifle. The shortest target is just 11 yards away.

‘Advisory’ positional lanes on the course are set to suit the standing and kneeling positions, but shooters may choose to shoot all targets from any regular position; prone, sitting, kneeling or standing. On your first visit to Holmes Chapel Shooting Ground, you will be informed of the range rules and course management procedures. This information will be available at all times.

It’s all about practice and improvement

The whole ethos for air riflers at Holmes Chapel is to practise and improve. The FT course allows you to practise against a realistic, quality woodland course and the practice range aids accurate set-up for

your rifle.

If you are within reach of Holmes Chapel – just five minutes off junction 18 of the M6 – this is an excellent, new facility that everyone enjoys, and return visits are increasing. n

More details and location directions can be found on the HCSG website here.