The Werribee Rifle Club is governed by a set of Standing Orders which all members and visitors must adhere to at all times. These rules govern conduct when shooting observing or even just visiting.

We are an equal opportunity club and a space where everyone is welcome to enjoy our sport, have fun, and learn in a respectful and safe environment.

Please take the time to review the Standing Orders and Code of Conduct before your next visit.

Standing Orders

Code of Conduct

• A Range Officer must be in attendance.

  In order for shooting to occur, a fully qualified Range Officer must be in attendance and that Range Officer cannot shoot. If the Range Officer needs to leave the mound and no other Range Officers are available, shooting must cease until either the Range Officer returns or another fully qualified Range Officer can take their place.

• Listen to and take direction from the Range Officer.

  The shooting mound is not the place for debate or argument. When on the mound, what the range officer says, goes. If in doubt cease fire or call a cease fire and ask the Range Officer on duty.

• Be respectful.

  We all come from different walks of life and will have different beliefs, approaches and opinions as a result. Always keep this mind.

• Agressive behaviour will not be tolerated.

  There is absolutely no excuse for the use of agressive language or behaviour on or around the mound or at any time when at the club. Not only is it dangerous but it is disrepectful to the club and its members. Any individuals engaging in abusive and/or aggressive behaviour will be instructed to leave the range immediately.

• A rifle is to have its bolt extracted and unloaded until you are on the mound and ready to fire.

  A fully disarmed rifle cannot fire and is thereforee deemed completely safe.

• Only point the rifle in a guaranteed safe direction.

  This means there is no-one within 90 degrees of the direction the rifle is pointing, but also that there are supervisors, fences, locked gates or landforms which guarantee that no-one can move into that space for the whole time you intend to be there. At a rifle range, this means you must always point your rifle downrange towards the targets, parallel to the ground, and there must be a Range Officer who is controlling the movement of people on the range. You must never, even momentarily, swing around to talk to another person, or point your rifle sideways or upwards while reloading. This control over direction must apply rigidly until you take the bolt out of the gun, AND some other person has confirmed the rifle is cleared. Regarding accidental overshoot, remember that a small increase in the elevation angle can increase the bullet range by several km.

• Always unload the rifle, remove the bolt, have the rifle cleared and insert a safety flag before leaving the mound.

  By removing the bolt then looking down the barrel (from the rear end), we can prove that the rifle is incapable of firing accidentally. In this respect, target rifles are safer than pistols and rifles fitted with magazines, where it is easier to overlook unused rounds.

• If anything untoward happens, STOP, DON’T FIDDLE.

  Put the rifle down pointing in a safe direction and call the Range Officer or someone more experienced. For example, you do not attempt to clear a jammed round by yourself, unless you are sure you know what you’re doing. Always notify the Range Officer of any problems.