Ruislip Rifle Club was founded as a Home Guard Rifle Club in 1944 and began shooting on various local wartime military ranges. This ended with a spell shooting in the old 4MU depot by West Ruislip station.
Permission to use this range was withdrawn in 1956 and the club eventually received permission to build a range on our current site in 1957.
The Club did most of the work and this new building opened in 1959. It was the club's first permanent home, although not so permanent as it turned out because it was a wooden building that was destroyed by fire in 1966. Unfortunately many of the early club records were lost in this fire.
Subsequent to this setback, the present brick building was erected, again by the efforts of the members, and opened in 1969.
Recently, the future of the club has been made uncertain by the proposed HS2 railway. Current plans would see the club's range building demolished. We are currently searching for a suitable new site in the Ruislip area.
60th Anniversary
In 2004, the Club celebrated its 60th anniversary. The main event to mark this milestone was a Dinner for all club members, past and present, and invited guests. The dinner was held in the London and Middlesex Rifle Asociation's clubhouse at Bisley, at the end of the NSRA Bisley Rifle Meeting and British Championships. The dinner was well supported by members and former members, and we took advantage of the event to ask Tim Elson, the British Champion in 2003, to present our prizes and awards.