Rifle Club Celebrates 75 Years

Caption: Dennis Klimowski of Delhi participated in the indoor pistol championship match at the Oneida Rifle Club held on March 7.

Indoor, outdoor ranges offer diverse shooting possibilities

By Margo Frink

(Oneida) This year marks the Oneida Rifle Club’s 75^th anniversary and it celebrated the milestone by having t-shirts made emblazed with its 75^th anniversary logo designed by member Mike Lumbrazo.

Activities at the Randel Road clubhouse include more than just a place to shoot a gun. With more than 200 members, most of which hail from the immediate area, the ORC boasts a Junior Rifle League, distributes its own newsletter and holds national shoots and hunter safety programs, among other activities for gun enthusiasts. It has a board, elects officers and holds regular meetings.

“Our sight-in day is open to the community,” said ORC President Ron Mandronico. The sight-in day is offered to hunters who would like to sight their guns in before hunting season. It’s usually held on National Hunting and Fishing Day in September.

“Our woman’s day is open to women to come in and see what we do, and possibly join,” Mandronico said. The ORC currently has about a dozen women members.

Firearms used at the ORC range from flintlock to semi-automatic versions of the latest military rifles and pistols. The Junior Rifle League teaches beginners to shoot effectively and how to practice gun safety.

There is an indoor and outdoor shooting range. Winter leagues at the indoor range offer everything from indoor bulls-eye pistol shooting, a defensive pistol league, a NRA action pistol league and sporter rifle league. The Junior Rifle League for members 12 years old and older is training for young people with the goal of getting the NRA Distinguished Expert ranking. The indoor target range is 50 feet with 10 positions.

Summer leagues offer outdoor bulls-eye pistol shooting, a rifle league, a black powder league and trap shoots. The outdoor range is 100 meters. There are also bunkers at 25 and 50 yards.

The club also offers open activities that don’t require membership.

Awards are given in competition play.

The ORC has training programs for New York state pistol permits and hunter safety certificates.

The club also leases its building out to other groups including cowboy action shooters.

ORC members ask that you come see what the club is all about and pick up an application. Most of its leagues are open to friends and guests, so shooting is possibly while getting acquainted with the club. Most club members are willing to share what they know about reloading, firearm care and disassembly and many other areas of the shooting sports.

For more information about the Oneida Rifle Club visit www.oneidarifleclub.com.

Club History

The Oneida Rifle Club, Inc. was formed in the winter of 1933-34 by Leroy Short and Larry Stress. The ORC received its charter from the National Rifle Association in 1936. Shooting was done at the Oneida Armory.

In the winter of 1942-43, the club purchased four acres of land on Randel Road with three more acres added in the 1990s. The clubhouse took two years to build with volunteer labor by club members.

One Comment on "Rifle Club Celebrates 75 Years"

karl wendt on Sat, 1st May 2010 2:54 pm

I need to take a pistol permit class. When and where is the next available? Thank you.

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Rifle Club Celebrates 75 Years

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