FULLBOREAlberta Fullbore Rifle Association |
THE EXTRAORDINARY HISTORY OF THE FULLBORE CLUB
the early days of the territorial rifles & the alberta provincial rifle association
(left) Priddis team at rifle match, Calgary, Alberta.", 1895, (CU189491) by Unknown. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.
In 1874, the Government of Canada encouraged civilians in the Calgary area to form a local militia to prepare civilians for military duty. The first rifle club to be formed in Calgary was the 'Calgary Rifle Association' in 1884 and early matches were held on the grounds that would eventually become Stampede Park. In the summer of 1902, residents in the Calgary area formed the Territorial Rifle Association and began holding regular competitions. Meanwhile, the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association (DCRA) had received a federal charter in association with the Department of National Defence. This national association offered privileges such as providing ammunition, rifles, access to ranges, and military cooperation, attracting many army enthusiasts. When the Territorial Rifle Association affiliated with the DCRA, it enjoyed these same benefits. In return, members of the Association would become part of the Reserve Militia. During this time, the Association had a range in what is now known as Inglewood, and had a variety of names such as Brewery Flats Range, Riverside Rifle Range or East Calgary Rifle Range. This was the beginning of the ‘citizen soldier’ program.
During this period, Association members used the 1853 Enfields which were muzzle loaders, later converted to breech loaders starting in 1866 and called Snider-Enfields. Snider-Enfield rifles were used in competition from 1873 until 1883, when the Martini-Henry finally replaced the Snider-Enfield in competition in 1884. For the militia, the Magazine Lee-Enfield (MLE) rifle chambered for the .303 British cartridge replaced the Snider-Enfields beginning in 1896, displacing the Martini-Henry from competition in 1898.
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First annual Territorial Rifle Association meet at Calgary, Alberta", 1902-08, (CU271724) by Snider, K. W.; Curlette, E. B.. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.
In 1905, when Alberta became a province, the association was renamed the Alberta Provincial Rifle Association (APRA). The military leased an area in east Calgary to build the Riverside Rifle Range, which was used until 1928, when nearby home construction forced its closure.
.577 caliber Snider Enfield Rifle
Elbow River Rifle Club team.", 1904, (CU192155) by Steele and Company. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.
Alberta team at Dominion Rifle Association in Ottawa, Ontario.", 1907, (CU192158) by Harmer, W. M.. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.
CALL OF DUTY - GETTING ReaDY FOR WORLD WAR II
In 1915, a new military range was built at Sarcee on a training area leased from the Sarcee Indian Band. This range featured firing points at 100-yard intervals, ranging from 100 to 1,000 yards, and was used by APRA for both practice and competitions. In exchange, the APRA assisted the military in training soldiers to shoot; the eve of World War II was upon us. At the Riverside Range, APRA had built a clubhouse that also served the military. When the range closed, the building was sold with the land, which was redeveloped into a golf course. The military later erected a new building for APRA’s use. In 1933 this entire area became part of Canadian Forces Base Calgary.
Calgary Rifle Club, Calgary, Alberta.", 1954-11, (CU1139007) by De Lorme, Jack. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.
A handgun and smallbore rifle range were later added to the training area. After World War II, the APRA was reactivated, hosting the Provincial Championship matches along with “Running Deer” and “Rising Bear” competitions on a 300-yard range in the Sarcee area. Handgun and Smallbore Championships were held in cooperation with Canadian Civilian Association of Marksman (later called the Shooting Federation of Canada).
Canadian FN 7.62mm semiautomatic rifle
In 1952, the Alberta Rifle and Revolver Association was formed in Edmonton, staging annual competitions. The same year, the Calgary Rifle and Pistol Club leased an area in Inglewood from the Western Irrigation District and built a 100 yard Smallbore Range. By 1959, after the dissolution of the Alberta Rifle and Revolver Association, the APRA resumed responsibility for these competitions, and the following year the Calgary Rifle and Pistol Club assigned their Inglewood range lease to APRA. During this period, the APRA upgraded their rifles initially to .303 caliber, then to the semiautomatic 7.62 mm FN. As well, during the 1960’s, Target Rifle (TR) was adopted using the .308 caliber Musgrave rifle.
Musgrave .308 Target Rifle
In 1973, the City of Calgary required the Inglewood area for the Deerfoot Trail. After extensive negotiations, the city granted APRA a lease on a new site where the Steve Johnson Range was built. The city also provided a cash settlement, performed the necessary earthwork, and paved the parking area. The city finished it’s work in 1979 with the range being completed in 1982. The National Smallbore competition and the Western Canada Games were held there.
In 1981, the military closed the Fullbore ranges at Sarcee. The APRA continued to host a Provincial Championship event in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Provincial Rifle Association at Dundurn, Saskatchewan. After evaluating five different sites, the APRA secured a 20 year lease in Kananaskis Country from the provincial government and established the Homestead Shooting Center. Initially, a target rifle range with six firing points (from 300 to 900 meters) and a hunters’ sighting-in range were constructed. A separate 300-meter range with six targets was also built in the same area, with an additional six targets added by the Swiss Rifle Club Calgary. Later, a Metallic Silhouette and Benchrest range were added, along with various buildings.
THE ALBERTA FULLBORE RIFLE ASSOCIATION IS BORN
To accommodate various shooting disciplines, the APRA reorganized under new by-laws in 1992. In 2010 the Alberta Provincial Rifle Association was renamed the "Alberta Fullbore Rifle Association". The APRA became the umbrella organization responsible for administering the Kananaskis property and coordinating the common support services on behalf of the clubs. Today, the APRA is composed of the Alberta Fullbore Rifle Association, the Swiss Rifle Club Calgary, the Buffalo Target Shooters Association, and the Rosebud Silhouette and Benchrest Club. As of September 2025, the APRA begins a new 25 year lease on the Kananaskis property.
"THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE ALBERTA FULLBORE RIFLE ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZES THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF IT'S VOLUNTEERS AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE LAST 120 YEARS. WE HAVE WEATHERED CHANGES IN CITY BOUNDARIES, WORLD WARS, MILITARY BASE CLOSURES, AND HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS COME AND GO. FINALLY, WE APPRECIATE AND WILL REMEMBER ALWAYS, THE EFFORTS OF FORMER ALBERTA PREMIER PETER LOUGHHEED AND HALL OF FAME SHOOTER PETER PAPASIDERIS IN FINDING US A NEW HOME."