Cadets at all levels of the Air Training Corps have the opportunity to participate in the sport of rifle shooting. Target shooting has been in the Corps syllabus since it’s formation in 1941 and remains one of the most popular cadet activities.
Initially, shooting takes place on a 25 metre indoor range and as a cadet gains experience they will shoot at ranges of 100 metres or more.
Safety is paramount in all activities and shooting is no exception. Training is an integral part of the system and each cadet is fully trained and tested in whichever rifle they will be using. Similarly, all staff are fully qualified range conducting officers, trained to ensure all shooting practices are conducted safely and efficiently.
Initially, cadets are trained on the No.8 bolt action rifle. This weapon started life as the Enfield No4 rifle as used during World War II. It was modified to have a shorter barrel and altered to fire the .22 long rifle round instead of the .303. It also no longer takes a box magazine holding 10 rounds - each round must be fed in manually.
"Dry training" is part of a cadet's initial training and they are shown the No8 rifle in detail. The commands and practices used on the range are also explained so that the cadet knows exactly what to expect before they come anywhere near the range. Only after the cadet has successfully passed the Weapon Handling Test (WHT) - which supersedes the Test of Elementary Training (TOET) - will they be taken to the range and allowed to fire ammunition.
The No.8 rifle itself is a simple weapon - ideal for training. The sights are iron-sights (as with all cadet weapons) and it operates with a manually fed bolt action. There is very little noise from the rifle, though ear defenders are always worn when it is being fired.
Cadets over 14yrs old may fire the L98 Cadet GP rifle (L98). The L98 is again a modification of an existing design, but in this case it is modified from the standard British rifle on current issue - the Enfield L85A1. It fires the same ammunition (5.56mm) as the L85 but is manually cocked and can only fire one round at a time so it is just like the No.8. The primary difference in operation is that ammunition is supplied in a magazine which is fitted to the rifle rather than loose to be fed by hand each time the rifle is fired.
