BFTA Affiliation Offers

Full insurance BFTA qualified club instructor Links to many other clubs and associations We have sizable grounds on the Broadlands Estate near Romsey with hard parking, a dedicated area for plinking, and extensive woodland where we put out a mini-course most club days and run club competitions during the summer. Whatever your main shooting interest, be it plinking or competition, practice really improves your success rate and there’s always friendly help to sort out equipment problems, coach your technique, or offer impartial advice on your next purchase.

The Club

The wooded area is shaded by mature trees keeping off the sun on hot days and light rain away when it’s wet. It also has interesting and varied terrain but can get a bit muddy at times so make sure you wear suitable footwear. The terms of our lease mean that we have a limited number of days we can shoot per year and club days are always on Sundays, usually starting at about 9 and finishing around 12.30. Often the day gets extended slightly if the weather is good and members want to stay on for a while longer but it tends to be decided on the day so don’t bank on the club being open at 12.31! Being in a rural setting we don’t have access to either electricity or water, so ensure you bring a supply of fluids as it can get quite hot in summer and nibbles to keep your sugar levels up. We have toilet facilities on site. Autumn through to spring we compete in the team-based Central Southern Region winter league against other clubs in the region. But it’s not all about competition so if you’re not looking to take up competitive FT you’re still very welcome and won’t be in any way excluded from club activities.

Safety

BFTA affiliated air rifle clubs have an excellent safety record because we have rules that are rigidly enforced. It’s imperative to realize that air rifles and pistols are not toys, they may have ‘low’ power levels but they are capable of causing serious injuries or even fatalities. On your first visit to the club we will give you a tour of the facilities and provide you with a thorough safety briefing to ensure we all continue to enjoy a safe environment. Strict adherence to these rules is a condition of membership.

How can I get started?

To give you an insight into FT, the equipment and various types of shooting, SBFTC has all the targets and general equipment that you’ll need. Most of the members are very happy to allow you to try out their kit, so even if you don’t have your own rifle you’ll almost certainly get to shoot. If you already have a rifle bring it along (so long as it’s below 12ft/lb.) and get a taste of FT but don’t rush out and buy anything until you’ve been to a club. Rifles are fickle things and you can end up spending a small fortune on something that’s never going to give you the results you want. We don’t sell rifles and we have no association with any manufacturers or retailers but we do have a number of massively experienced shooters that are happy to share their experience and help you find the right rifle. Not everything we do is centered on FT and many of us shoot a variety of ‘non FT’ equipment so we have a really good view of equipment at all levels and can help you make an informed decision. Check out our Starter Page