You are invited to test yourself and your skills at the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club by attempting to complete a set of shooting challenges, which will provide an opportunity to sample all Club activities and identify you as a first class marksman. The challenges are a personal adventure for all junior members of the Club who wish to participate and they will teach you the discipline and skills necessary for safe and responsible shooting.
The Quest is open to all junior members and there is no time limit as long as you are registered as a Club junior. You proceed at your own pace on your own schedule. You will need an adult club member as your mentor, and your mentor would be responsible for the instruction and supervision of your challenge. You may choose several different instructors for the various challenges. The Club can provide a mentor for those registered in the official club youth program.
There are currently 40 challenges covering all the shooting activities at the club and some that must be done at other locations. Many of the challenges require practice before you know you can meet the challenge. You can practice at any time, but you will usually require a supervisor to provide guns and ammo and we can probably arrange that for you.
There are 3 levels and you can choose to undertake just one level or proceed through all of them.
Level 1. Musketeer Award: Complete 8 challenges and you will be awarded the Musketeer Certificate and a GunQuest patch, presented at the AGM or one of the club events.
Level 2. Gunner’s Award: Complete 20 challenges, including Level 1 challenges and you will be awarded the Gunner’s Trophy, and a one year free club membership, presented at the AGM or one of the club events.
Level 3. Marksman Award: Complete 30 Challenges, including levels 1 and 2, and you will be awarded the Marksman’s Trophy and your name will be engraved on the Marksman Plaque in the clubhouse. The President will present your trophy at the AGM or one of the club events and you will also receive a one year free club membership and prize.
Duke of Edinburgh Award: Those seeking to fulfill the skills section of the Duke Award must register for the Quest and complete Challenges 1 and 2. You may choose any additional challenges to complete the appropriate Duke time requirements.
Training
Juniors will typically require instruction and close supervision in meeting the challenges. Preliminary training in safety and operation of the relevant firearm is recommended before engaging in each of the shooting categories. Close supervision is required by legislation for juniors without a Minors Licence. Supervision may be relaxed for those with a licence once they gain experience.
Age Recommendation
GunQuest is aimed at those aged 12 and up. However, younger shooters may participate in any challenge within their capability. Challenges identified with * are particularly suited to younger juniors.
Registration
If you would like to take up the Quest you must first register with the Youth Co- ordinator, aviex@nf.sympatico.ca, who will provide you with the official Quest Passport, which you keep for the duration of the Quest and where you enter your challenges and have them signed off.
Registration is open to all junior members of St. John’s Rod and Gun Club. Parental permission is required at the time of registration.
A1.* Join the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club and attend an orientation.
A2. Pass the Canada Firearms Safety Course taught by the College of the North Atlantic. You may also choose to apply for your Minors Firearms Licence if you wish.
A3.* Volunteer to help out at one of the club work sessions.
A4. Attend the club Youth Day organized by the Wildlife Division of the Provincial Government.
A5* Attend the in-house safety training sessions and pass the internal tests.
A6. Officiate or volunteer at a club or regional shooting competition.
B1 Attend either the Beaumont Hamel Shoot or the Red Rifle Shoot and experience some of the classic military firearms.
B2 Demonstrate how to sight in a rifle with maladjusted optical or peep sights and shoot an accurate 5 shot group. The rifle may be any calibre.
B3* Using any .22 rimfire rifle shoot 5 paintballs with 20 shots at 20m. Rest permitted.
B4* Recycle 12 unbroken clays and make 4 triple clay rifle targets.
B5 Using any rifle break 3 vertically mounted, standard clays at 50m. using 5 shots.
C1 Shoot 4 arms of the ‘Texas Star’ at 12m with any handgun and 1 magazine.
C2 Shoot a 5 target steel challenge at 12m. in 6 seconds or better.
C3 Complete an IDPA course of fire (steel/reactive targets), including a reload.
C4 Complete a multi gun course of fire, including reloads using at least 2 different guns.
D1* Attend an archery league shoot (indoors or outdoors) and an archery orientation session. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the compound bow and how to perform basic setup and tuning.
D2 Shoot a Canadian 300 round and score 200 points or higher.
E1* Attend a sporting clays shoot. Learn the basic rules, operation and safety of launchers and do the scoring.
E2 Break 3 pair of sporting clays with 8 shots at any station established by the Clays Committee.
E3 Score 35 out of 50 on a regular sporting clays round.
E4 Break 2 teal clays in 6 single shots.
F1* Attend a trap shoot. Learn the basic rules. operation and safety of launchers and do the scoring.
F2 Shoot 20 out of 25 singles in a regular trap round.
F3 Shoot 5 doubles in a regular double trap round.
G1 Field strip, clean and reassemble:
G2 Show you understand single and double action. and strip, clean and reassemble:
G3 Field strip the SKS rifle completely and reassemble it within 5 minutes. You may ask for help in removing and replacing the trigger assembly.
G4 Field strip the AR platform rifle and reassemble it within 5 minutes.
G5 Check the pattern of any shotgun using the club pattern board.
G6 Measure the muzzle velocity of a projectile and calculate the trajectory.
H1 Catch, clean, cook and enjoy a local trout.
H2 Learn to tie a fishing fly and produce 2 salmon flies.
H3 Cast a fly to a 3 ft. target at a distance of 50ft.
H4 Learn how to establish a GPS waypoint and navigate to a waypoint.
H5 Pitch a tent, cook a hot meal and spend a night under canvas.
J1 Learn how to identify ammunition calibre and sort a bucket of brass.
J2 Reload and subsequently shoot 5 rifle cartridges . You must prepare the cases, set up the press and weigh the powder,
J3 Reload and subsequently shoot 5 handgun cartridges. You must prepare the cases, set up the press and weigh the powder,
J4 Undertake the Club’s RSO exam (open book) and become a Junior Range Safety Officer.
J5* Adjust the sights on a competition air rifle and shoot a Bulls eye at 10m. No limit on the number of shots.