Elmington Shooting Range
Situated approximately two miles from Oundle, outside the hamlet of Elmington on the Ashton estate, is Oundle School’s full bore outdoor range. At 500 yards long, the range is one of the few of its size in the country to be owned by a school. Rifles can be fired from firing points at either 100, 200, 300 or 500 yards.
Construction of the range started in 1904 and it was completed in 1905 ready for use. The range has four lanes, and personnel can check and mark targets safely whilst situated below and behind a concrete protected gallery. Communication and scoring is made between firing points and gallery either by field telephone or by radio. Targets are raised and lowered in steel framed holders; in 1994 the original old style Hythe double-target type, which have been around since the early 1800s, were replaced by the single frame Siberia Bisley type.
Although the standard civilian target rifle is 7.62mm (the accepted calibre of ammunition for all target rifle shooting both in the UK and overseas) the range can be used for all rifles up to and including 9mm calibre. The range is open all year round, and is used by the cadets, and the CCF Shooting Team. The Cambridgeshire Police Tactical Firearms Unit are also permitted to use the range on a number of days each year.
Small bore shooting (.22 inch calibre rifles) takes place in the School’s
Miniature Range, close to the Armoury building. This is a 10-lane range with
the target area being 30 yards away from the firing point. This facility is
used heavily throughout the School year.