O.U.R.C.

Welcome to the Oxford University Rifle Club

OURC

Welcome to the Oxford University Rifle Club

Oxford University Rifle Club (OURC) is formed primarily of students from the University of Oxford. We compete in both small-bore and full-bore (target & match rifle) classes, and have a lively social calendar as well. If you would like to join, please email us by contacting the secretary of the club on secretary@ourc.org.uk. Do also explore our website to learn more about the club and rifle shooting in general.

OURC shoots three different disciplines, all using single-shot breech loading rifles, and most shot in a prone position (i.e. lying down). Small-bore is performed with a small-bore target rifle, usually over an indoor range of 25 yards, with .22 inch diameter bullets. Target Rifle (TR) and Match Rifle (MR), the two full-bore disciplines, are shot outdoors, and involve distances ranging from a minimum of 300 yards in TR, to the furthest of 1200 yards in MR, with a much larger 7.62 mm calibre round.

OURC is a discretionary full blue club, and one of the oldest Varsity clubs in the university. We compete against Cambridge University Small-Bore Club (CUSBC) in the small-bore varsities, the Heslop (mixed) and Bentata (ladies), and against Cambridge University Rifle Club (CURA) in the full-bore varsities, the Chancellor’s (Target Rifle) and Humphry (Match Rifle), as well as in county and national leagues and competitions.

The Humphry IV outside the English Eight
The Humphry IV outside the English Eight

Latest News and Events

OURC Dinner 2023

Last November saw the club host its annual dinner at St Peter’s College with guest speaker Ben Craig.  The event was a great success, with over 80 current members and alumni of both universities in attendance. This year, the dinner will be hosted at St Hilda’s College on Saturday 11th November 2023.Invitations attached in downloadable […]

154th Imperial Meeting

Hopton On the back of a very successful Trinity Term, we had a strong showing at the main meeting of the year. Seven members shot all or part of the Hopton, while a total of fourteen current students shot in the Grand Aggregate. Match Rifle week got off to a good start with MR captain […]

Easter Bisley and Trinity Term Fullbore

Immediately after the end of Hilary Term, twenty members descended on Bisley where they enjoyed four days of TR and a further two of MR training. Much coaching and expertise was provided by alumni and friends of the club including Ben Craig, Michael Horrell, Hattie Mansell and several others. The first match of the fullbore […]

Smallbore Report: Bentata Cup Success

The season began in Michaelmas 2022 with a large intake of over 100 new members.  Taster sessions were fully booked for ten days, allowing a vast number to try rifle shooting for the first time, before training and competition began more seriously.  The development squad shot their first shoulder–to–shoulder match againstOakham School’s 1st VIII, while […]