Ridgway Rifle Club

Ridgway Rifle Club established the first Silhouette range east of the Mississippi River in the early 1970s. Since then, it's become the most decorated competition venue in the country—hosting more national championships than any other independent club in the nation.

Founded in 1927 as the Ridgway Rifle and Pistol Club, this organization has been central to rifle sports in Pennsylvania for nearly a century. The club moved to its current Grant Road location in 1937 after the original range faced noise complaints from the borough. Members built the outdoor range during World War II, and after the war, membership exploded as returning servicemen took up competitive shooting.

The dream of an indoor facility started in 1937 but didn't materialize until spring 1980. After renting space in basements and the Masonic Temple ($10/month), the club finally built their own clubhouse and indoor range for $35,747.83—funded through timber sales ($19,473.99) and gun raffles.

Since hosting the first National Championship for High Power Rifle Silhouette in 1986, Ridgway has hosted more national championships than any other independent club in the nation.

That 1986 event required extensive expansion of range facilities and target stands. The club gambled its entire monetary reserve on the project, relying on competitor entrance fees in February to stay solvent. The gamble paid off—competitors praised the facilities, and the club's reputation locked in.

Today, Ridgway remains one of only two sites in the nation (besides the NRA range in Raton, New Mexico) with facilities to host both High Power and Small Bore Rifle Silhouette championships in one location.

The club runs monthly matches and hosts major competitions:

• •High Power Silhouette
• •Small Bore Silhouette
• •VBR (Varmint Bench Rest)
• •Lever Action Silhouette (2025 Lever Action Nationals held here)
• •Black Powder
• •Cast Bullet Silhouette
• •IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association)
• •Military Rifle

The club operates an indoor range at the main clubhouse on Grant Road, plus multiple outdoor ranges:

• •High Power Silhouette range (with new security gate—swipe your proximity card)
• •Small Bore range (behind clubhouse)
• •VBR (Varmint Bench Rest) range
• •Cowboy Lever Action range
• •Varmint range (added 2010)

Ridgway sits on the Allegheny Plateau about 2 miles outside the borough of Ridgway, Pennsylvania—the county seat of Elk County. The club lands border the Allegheny National Forest, making it ideal for shooters who also enjoy hiking, mountain biking, hunting, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing on the Clarion River.

From I-80 (East to West): Take Penfield exit to Route 153 North, then Route 219 North into Ridgway. At the first traffic light, go straight onto Main Street. Continue through three more traffic lights. About 1 mile after the last light, watch for a blue sign on the left—turn right on Grant Road. The club sits 1.75 miles on the left.

From I-80 (West to East): Take the DuBois/Route 219 exit and follow Route 219 North to Ridgway, then proceed as above.

From the North: Take Route 219 South into Ridgway and follow directions above.

Monthly meetings are held the second Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM at the clubhouse on Grant Road. The annual meeting is in September, when officers are elected for the following year. Members are encouraged to attend.

For membership information, contact Bob Bilick at (814) 389-2489 or [email protected]. Send dues to: Ridgway Rifle Club c/o Bob Billick, 16118 Boot Jack Rd., Ridgway, PA 15853.

In the 1940s, the club fielded an outstanding 30-caliber team that won the Pennsylvania State Match in both 1940 and 1941, shooting with Springfield Rifles and ammunition furnished by the DCM (Director of Civilian Marksmanship). The team eventually disbanded when the DCM stopped supplying equipment.

In the 1950s, after the club decided to remain a shooting-focused organization rather than become a general sportsman club, an interesting bit of history was made: members worked with Bruno Manno to create "Manno's corn bomb"—ears of corn tied to sticks and dropped from airplanes to help deer find food during severe winters.