Additional Information

WWCCA Air Gun Range Rules and Shooters Information

The standard gun handling safety rules apply on the air gun range. Treat your Air Guns just as you would a firearm.
#1: Your gun must ALWAYS be pointed in a safe direction.
#2: NEVER Load your gun until you’re a ready to shoot.
#3: NEVER put your finger on the trigger until you are on target and you are ready to shoot.
#4: When shooting from an offhand position you must bring your gun up from a 45 degree ready position. Never bring your rifle down to the target.
#5: Safety glasses must be worn at all times on the Air Gun range, and on the walk through range.
#6: Pre charged guns must have the bolt unlatched, not necessarily cocked but that it may be seen easily that it is in a safe condition. Under lever and side cocking spring guns must have the cocking lever unlatched. Break barrel guns must have the barrel in the unlatched position. When cocking your spring gun you must hold on to your cocking lever or your barrel as you are loading your gun. They do have a mechanical safety that will protect you but as with any mechanical device it is prone to failure. We don’t want you to hurt or lose a finger. When you transport your guns to the range they must be in a case. Also when you transport them to the Field target range they must be cased.
#7: WWCCA has a 45 foot pound limit on our Air gun range. We are an AAFTA affiliated club and the 20 foot pound AAFTA match rules apply to our Field target events.
#8: No one may cross the red firing line for any reason unless a cold line has been called.
#9: When a cold line is called you must make your gun safe by unloading it and put it in a case or place it in a safe position behind the yellow safety line. No one may handle any gun when the line is in a cold or safe condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What are Field Targets?

Answer: Field Targets are usually silhouettes of typical air gun quarry that have a hole (kill zone) and are mechanically designed to fall unless a pellet strikes the edges (grazes) the kill zone of the target. They are typically 6 x 6 inches in size but have kill zones of varying sizes of 3/8 to 2 inches.

Question: What are Spinner Targets?

Answer: Targets used primarily for winter matches and shoot-offs for breaking ties. Basically a kill zone (paddle) that spins vertically and returns to set position by gravity after impacted by pellet.

Question: What other things should I bring to a match?

Answer: We recommend, depending on weather conditions and preferences; Bug spray, proper clothing for weather conditions, sun screen and water for hydration.

Question: What air gun can be used? I have a Crossman 760 multi-pump gun that also shoots pellets will this work?

Answer: Yes! Any multi-pump pneumatic, spring piston, pre-charge or CO2 will work as long as it has maximum muzzle energy of 20 foot pounds and shoots lead pellets typically of .177 caliber and other calibers can be used.

Question: Do I need to join the club or W.W.C.C.A to participate?

Answer: No, you do not need to join W.W.C.C.A. to participate.

Question: I believe I do not have the right equipment. What do I need to bring with me?

Answer: Bring what you have or bring nothing at all. We would be more than happy to answer questions and guide you in the right direction. Many of our regular participants started off the same way.

Question: How are new shooters handled?

Answer: All new shooters are placed in the squads with our most advanced shooters. They will be rotated to other squads at each subsequent match with the purpose of giving the new shooter the best possible experience.

Question: I must confess I feel a little intimidated and after looking at pictures on the web sites some of your shooters have really nice equipment. I’m not sure if I’m ready to attend?

Answer: We highly encourage you to visit us. It is important to remember that all the regular participants in our club started off just like you. Many showed up without an air gun. There are no obligations and we have no membership. We are very casual group consisting of members that simply love to shoot air guns. Our matches are designed to be fun and yet challenging for those members who love competition. Our members are not really competing against each other but competing against themselves.

Question: Who attends these matches?

Answer: Air gunners are a diverse group. We have members of all ages in all walks of life with one common goal to enjoy air gunning, share experiences and have fun.

Question: How does a typical match proceed?

Answer: A typical match proceeds in the following way: At 9:00 AM the practice range is open. Shooters arrive during this time and practice with their air rifles at the practice range. The match organizers are present to determine the course layout and gather the names of the participants. Between 10:00 and 10:30AM there will be a pre-match meeting. The match organizers will discuss the course layout, handout any awards from the previous match and share any pertinent information with all members. Also, new members are introduced to the group. Between 10:30 and 11:00AM the match begins. Participants gather their equipment and take it down to the course forming their squads. A match typically takes about 3 hours ending around 2:00PM in the afternoon.

Question: What about safety?

Answer: Safety is our most primary concern. We have a safety officer and match director. There are safety rules for the club and W.W.C.C.A. All new users are instructed on safe procedures. All air guns must shoot pellets and not exceed 20 FPE. Eye protection is required at all times. If you wear glasses with plastic or polycarbonate lenses you do not need additional eye protection.

Question: I have additional questions!

Answer: Select Contacts page for email addresses and we will be more than happy to answer any additional questions.

HISTORY

Field Target, the sport, was imported from the British in the mid-eighties to
California and Florida. The British have gun control laws that are burdensome in that anyone wanting to shoot and avoid regulation and red tape turned to air guns as an alternative. Airguns under 12 foot pounds of energy are not subject to these laws and regulations. It is even more popular now in the United Kingdom than ever before. Some of the very best air rifle shooters in the world are our British cousins.

A formal air gun program began at Western Wayne County Conservation Association in the year 1990. Prior to this an ad hoc group of shooters met on Dr. John Griebe’s farm near Chelsea, Mi. This group was led by Roz Sumpter from 1987 thru 1989 when Ron Smith, one of those shooters, was able to bring the group to WWCCA Ron was a member of WWCCA and prevailed on the Board of Directors to include air gunning as one of the shooting disciplines offered by WWCCA. Ron began the program as the Air gun Chairman and took the lead in developing the program as we know it today. Roz Sumpter, a Tennessee resident now, has been referred to as the “father” of air gunning in the Detroit area for very good reason. Ron and Roz combined their skills and talent to bring WWCCA into the air gunning world. About this time AAFTA (American Air gun Field Target Association) came into being as the sanctioning body for Field Target in the United States. The present air gun practice range is the third practice range we have had and was especially built for air gunners. It is over 60 yards deep, more than enough to practice for the maximum distance allowable in field target, of 55 yards.

It is still being developed. It will be protected from winter wind and maybe the office will be heated as well. In the past we have borrowed various club ranges for practice.

The course we use for our monthly matches is the same course carved out of a left over area of the club. Early on, Ron Smith came up with the idea of casting cement pads to anchor the specially designed targets that are common to all field target matches now.

Rick Stoutenberg came up with the design and eventually fabricated all of the current targets we use. We have over 70 such targets for our use at local matches as well as for use in major regional matches. We have retired and sold our original targets some time ago. Rick’s targets are quality built and are used by many other clubs throughout the United States.

WWCCA has sponsored many major matches in history. The Midwest Regional’s, The Great Lakes 100, the US Nationals in 1992 and 2003 and the World Championships in 1993, 1995, and 1997 to name a few.

WWCCA is the only club in the US to have had been chosen to host the World Championships three times. We are honored by the distinction.

We at WWCCA pride ourselves in offering a monthly match during the season that is purposely designed for the beginner and novice shooter. We firmly believe that a shooter must enjoy their self and be able to knock down some targets with a minimum of equipment! If you have an interest in air gunning, whether for yourself, your son or daughter, grandchild, you are invited to come out to join us or call for information to any of those listed on the contact page.