About us

TONDU TARGET SHOOTING CLUB has been in existence under varying names since 1896. Although believed to have started out originally as a militia training range it was soon turned to civilian use and has remained so to this day. The land that the club stands on was bought and gifted to the club in the 1960's, thereby helping to ensure its continuing existence as a great venue for target shooting. A fuller account of the clubs history can be found by clicking the history button above.

The club is situated just off the A4063 Bridgend to Maesteg road, in the village of Tondu, and is approximately 1 mile from the village of Aberkenfig, giving easy access from jct. 36 of the M4. The range complex is situated alongside the river Llynfi and covers just over 3 acres of land. The surrounding trees and woodland give excellent screening from the road and houses, ensuring minimal noise disturbance to the local residents.

The Club has 7 shooting ranges, 5 outdoor and 2 indoor. We have recently finished the building of a new dedicated indoor 10m airgun range with five firing points, two of which have electronic targets fitted.

The indoor range in the old clubhouse is primarily used during the winter months and evenings and can cater for three prone .22 rimfire shooters at 25 yards. This indoor range is also available for 10 metre Air gun shooting at varying days during the week and is fitted with a returning target system for each of the three Air gun firing points.

The first of the outdoor ranges is 25 metres and is for 22 rimfire cartridges. The range has a covered firing point which is situated between the indoor range and the river. Prior to the 1997 pistol ban this range was used for various 25 metre International pistol disciplines and was the first range in Wales to be kitted out with a full set of turning targets. Nowadays it is used primarily for .22 semi-automatic sporting rifles. recently we have built a furtehr firing point at 35m for airgun only shooting.

The second outdoor range is situated just the other side of the old indoor range and has covered firing points, with 15 positions at 50 metres. This range is for .22 rimfire shooting and can accommodate rifle at prone, standing and kneeling - including sitting for disabled shooters, or bench rest shooting. The range is also approved for 50 metre standing .22 Pistol and has recently been used for Field Target shooting.

The third outdoor range is at 100 yards and can accommodate 8 .22 rifle shooters in the prone position only.

The fourth of the outdoor ranges is the 25m walled Pistol range, built by the club to accommodate International competition pistol shooting for the hosting of the 1983 Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships. This range is one of the few International standard pistol ranges in Wales and is now used for shooting a variety of Black Powder pistols and rifles. As well as these, members can also use "pistol calibre" carbines on this range.

The fifth of the outdoor ranges is specifically for air rifle Field Target shooting and utilises the woodland at the lower end of our site. It is used twice a year to hold rounds of the WAFTA championships and has limited access due to the need to close the 50m and 100yd ranges.

As one of the best outdoor range complexes in Wales, Tondu regularly hosts premier matches, among them the Welsh 50 metre Championships, the Wales v Army, Wales v Police matches, the 6 Nations Championship, and the European Division Championships for the Commonwealth shooting federation. with the ranges continually being used for many of these events. Our complex is also used by the WSRA development squad for training purposes.

The photo shows the 50 metre range firing point looking from the stop butt through a fish eye lens - 3p standing shooting in progress.

With the M4 being so close, the club draws its members from a wide area, with members travelling from Llanelli to the west and Chepstow to the east, as well as many more locally. There are currently around two hundred and fifty members at Tondu, with year on year increases over the last few years, proving a growing interest in the sport in spite of the pistol ban and anti-gun attitude shown by most of the media. There has been a big increase in the use of the ranges by disabled shooters, ably encouraged by Kerry Davies and her late husband Clive, with the club continuing to strive to improve the facilities for the disabled. Recently there has been a surge of interest in Field Target shooting with even one or two members using the ranges for archery practice. During 2013 we also opened a facility for the blind and visually impaired to be able to shoot air rifle by using an acoustic system of aiming.

With the old clubhouse, on the end of the indoor range, showing its age and lack of facilities, the club took the decision a number of years ago to build a new clubhouse with full facilities. After a lot of time and hard work this was finally completed and has now been in use for some years. The new kitchen has certainly proved to be a great success, and this ability to provide catering has proved very popular with competitors and members at events.

The club has been affiliated to the NSRA (National Smallbore Rifle Association) since 1904 when the NSRA was formed as the governing body for smallbore shooting in Great Britain and we are proud to have received an award in 2004 for our 100 years of affiliation. 

We also have adopted, and conform to, the NSRA Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult policy and procedures, all of which can be viewed on the club documents web page.

Currently we hold a Disability Sport Wales Insport Club Ribbon award.

Apart from the Officers listed on the Officers page, found under the 'contact' button above, we have a number of members who are qualified in various positions within the club:

NSRA Range Conducting Officers   
NSRA Club Coaches
NSRA Field Target Instructor
NSRA County coach
ISSF Judge                                      (ISSF - International Shooting Sport Federation)
Welfare Officer responsible for Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults
We also have a number of registered First aiders

Finally if you've got this far and are interested in joining the club - you'll find most of what you need on the joining rules and the documents pages from the menus - top left. Then email our membership secretary and arrange to meet at the club, when you can be shown around and any questions that you may have can be answered.