Swiss Smallbore Rifle Club
1A Campbell Parade,
Manly Vale, NSW, Australia
SUNDAY 08:30 - 10:30
FRIDAY (Select Nights)
Junior, Adult, Senior and Family memberships available.
Join our community of recreational and competitive shooters, promoting safe shooting sports.
50m Prone / Bench Rest / Sporter
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50m Prone / Bench Rest / Sporter /
Our Disciplines
50m Prone
50 metre prone rifle shooting is a precision target shooting discipline governed internationally by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). It forms one of the core events in both Olympic and World Championship shooting programmes, although it was removed from the Olympic Games after Rio 2016 in favour of mixed-gender events. Despite this, it remains a central discipline in national and international competition calendars, including the Commonwealth Games and ISSF World Cups.
In this event, shooters fire a .22 calibre smallbore rifle from the prone position (lying face down), at a target 50 metres away. The prone position is considered the most stable shooting stance, enabling shooters to achieve remarkable levels of precision. The competition emphasises extreme accuracy, breath control, body stability, and consistency over sustained periods.
Competitors use specialised .22 LR bolt-action rifles with finely adjustable aperture sights, typically weighing between 6 to 7 kilograms to enhance stability. The rifles are fired unsupported, meaning no mechanical rests or bipods are permitted; stability is derived entirely from the shooter's body, shooting jacket, sling, and position.
Shooters wear highly structured shooting jackets, trousers, gloves, and boots to support posture and reduce muscular fatigue. A sling is used to anchor the rifle to the shooter's non-dominant arm, facilitating recoil management and consistent positioning.
Bench Rest
In 50m benchrest shooting, competitors shoot from a bench—a solid, level platform—using a mechanically supported rifle. The rifle rests on a front rest (usually a pedestal or joystick rest with fine elevation and windage control) and a rear sandbag or cradle. Shooters do not shoulder the rifle or use a sling; instead, they align, aim, and fire using light fingertip contact, often with a two-stage or set trigger to eliminate disturbance.
Benchrest focuses on maximising mechanical stability and minimising human input to assess the accuracy potential of the rifle, ammunition, and setup. The event is characterised by sub-millimetre group sizes, meticulous equipment preparation, and continuous adaptation to environmental variables, especially wind
Sporter
50 metre Sporter Class small-bore shooting is a precision target shooting discipline using .22 LR rimfire rifles at a distance of 50 metres, under conditions designed to prioritise marksmanship over equipment. Sporter Class imposes strict limits on rifle weight, configuration, and accessories, distinguishing it from unrestricted classes such as Benchrest or Match Rifle. The goal of this category is to provide a cost-effective, accessible, and skill-based pathway into competitive small-bore shooting.
The Sporter Class was developed to:
Encourage grassroots participation in small-bore shooting
Provide a class with minimal equipment barriers
Reward technical marksmanship, breath control, and body positioning
Facilitate competition between shooters of different means on equal footing
This class is often recommended for junior development, club-level competition, and inter-school or military cadet programmes. Many elite shooters start in Sporter Class before graduating to Free Rifle/Match Rifle formats with custom equipment.
Try Shooting
Try Shooting - by appointment only
Complete the form below if you'd like to join
If you are joining us: please arrive about 09:00
Please arrive with a complete NSW Police P650, and current valid photo ID.
Fee: $50 charged by EFT on the day
What is smallbore rifle shooting?
As Don Brook eloquently puts it: Smallbore Rifle Shooting is "The exacting sport".
It is enjoyed by many throughout the world - male, female, able bodied and disabled from age 12 to 92!
We use .22 or 5.6mm rimfire ammunition, so there is almost no felt recoil
At Swiss and most smallbore target rifle clubs in NSW, the target is 50m away, and the bullseye is 10.4mm in diameter
We also offer Smallbore Benchrest disciplines. Originally introduced for older and infirm shooters, it has become a discipline in its own right at local and international levels. Here you are seated at a bench, and most people have telescopic sights, unlike in prone where iron sights are used.
We generally offer "Try Shooting" to allow you to learn about and try the sport. We will give you a safety briefing, loan you a club rifle, and give you 1:1 coaching for 25 shots.
This document provides more detail if you are interested in learning: Beginner Guide to Prone
VISITORS
Fee:
NSWSARAI - $15 charged by EFT
Other Licensed - $25 charged by EFT
NSWSARAI AFFILIATED MEMBERS
We welcome our brothers and sisters from NSWSARAI clubs. You will be charged at member rates on production of your NSWSARAI blue membership card.
Other licensed shooters
You are welcome as a visitor at one of our club shoots, but we'd like to know in advance. If you have a Category A license and have "Target Shooting" as a genuine reason, you can shoot with us.
Only Standard velocity target ammunition may be used.
Please use the contact form below to "Book In" your visit.
Membership
After 3 "Try Shooting" or licensed visits you are eligible to apply for membership of our club.
We accept applications from prospective members who have shown themselves to be of good character and who are either:
licensed or
have passed the longarm license safety test, have prepared their license application
and are interested in taking up this sport as a member of our club.
You will need an existing member to propose you and another to second you. Then at our next committee meeting we will assess your application for probationary membership.
There are a number of categories of membership: Junior / Adult / Senior / Family
License Safety Tests
Swiss Smallbore Rifle Club are an accredited Longarm safety test centre. We run regular safety tests throughout the year, where instruction and testing is performed. We have a very high pass rate.
Safety tests are one of a number of essential items required to acquire a shooter's license, the others being:
A Genuine Reason (Eg being a member of Swiss Smallbore Rifle Club for Target Shooting).
A police check - which is done on submission of your license application.
Step 1: Download and study the Firearms (Longarms) Users Guide.
Step 2: Familiarise yourself with the information regarding safe storage
Step 3: Book yourself into our next test by filling in the form below.
Upon successful completion of the test, you will receive a 'Completion Certificate'. With this certificate, you may proceed with the application of a Firearms Licence. (You will also need a "Genuine Reason" eg membership of a target shooting club for "Target Shooting" or land permission for "Hunting".
Please note that you will NOT be firing any firearms during this course. The practical section consists of firearms handling, using dummy rounds.
Preparing for the course & what to bring:
You will need to bring a photo ID such as driver licence. We recommend you bring a pen, dress warmly, as our club house can be quite cool during the winter months.
Where we are located:
Our club is located on Campbell Pde, in Manly Vale. Driving North on Pittwater Road, turn right into Campbell Pde. Drive (almost) to the end, and our club is located on the left, just after the Calabria Bowling Club.
If you have any doubts, or need any clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us by filling in the below form and our accredited course lecturers will be in touch with you in a 'shot'!
Fee: License Safety Tests are $100 for adults and $50 for minors.
About SSBRC.
Foundation
The Swiss Smallbore rifle club was founded by a community of Swiss people in the Northern Beaches of Sydney in 1977. We have lost most of our Swiss connection, but each year we host the Swiss Club of NSW to try their skills and have some fun
What we do
We are a club within the NSW Smallbore and Air Rifle Association who promote and foster the highly enjoyable sport of smallbore rifle shooting.
Do I have to be Swiss?
No - In fact we have only a few members left who are Swiss - Anyone is welcome, but if you have some Swiss friends we would love to meet them!
Contact us.
Club President: Dave 0418 642 101
1A Campbell Parade,
Manly Vale, NSW, Australia
SUNDAY 08:30 - 10:30
FRIDAY (Select Nights)