Wheaton Rifle Club About Us

An OLYMPIC sport:
TARGET RIFLE SHOOTING at WHEATON RIFLE CLUB

Are you are interested in exploring competitive rifle shooting, like the Olympics or national competitions, in precision smallbore (.22 caliber) and air rifle? We welcome you to contact the Wheaton Rifle Club, in west suburban Chicagoland, and talk with our NRA certified coaches & instructors. The main Club activity is competitive smallbore rifle (.22 cal) and air rifle target shooting, for adults and youth. The Wheaton Rifle Club, founded in 1937, has produced many successful shooters over the years: state & national champions, in indoor & outdoor shooting, and even Olympic and world champions. We may be the only private club in the country that can boast of having two shooters who have won Olympic gold medals! (Jack Wrighter 1972, Nancy Napolski-Johnson 2000).

Our instructors also teach NRA Basic Rifle marksmanship classes, host Boy Scout rifle merit badge sessions, and offer Olympic-style archery lessons and summer practice. The Club owns basic gear including slings, shooting jackets & gloves that are available for use by beginning shooters. Members can try out equipment before they acquire their own.

Our range is open on Wednesday evenings for Juniors, Friday evenings for ALL members to practice, and Mondays & Sundays by appointment. We have an indoor 50-foot range w/ heated floor, and a comfortable meeting room with kitchenette, soda, fireplace, etc.

Junior shooters (age 11 - 21) have their own night of coaching & practice every Wednesday from 7 PM to 9 PM. You can earn certificates, medals & patches with your practice scores via the NRA Qualifications program, and shoot in competitions. All equipment is provided; ammunition supplied for a small fee. As a bonus with Wheaton Junior membership, shooters age 14 - 20 become Boy Scout Venture Crew 79 members at no extra charge.

Our Club has been a dominant member of the Western Rifle League for many years. Teams compete thru the winter, on indoor 50-foot ranges, firing 10 shots in each of prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing positions. Junior shooters are invited to join our team, competing with the best shooters in Illinois.

Wheaton Rifle Club activities include special nights devoted to air rifle and air pistol shooting, a December Wild Game potluck dinner, summer picnic, and outdoor Olympic-style archery.