Morning,
Is anyone aware of a shooting range near Zurich that allows non-Swiss to turn up and shoot (maybe after a cursory safety lesson - in English), using hired guns?

Ideally somewhere that has a few different guns, and both 50yds and 300yds, while allowing me to bring the whole team on a day out.

M.

I know that "Schützenverein Adliswil" does organise teamevents and gives courses, but have no clue about normal rental, prices or what they actually have, i do hear them shooting on regular base tho, and their lanes go from 50mtrs upto 300mtrs.

You might want to give them a call, and if they can't satisfy your needs they should know who can.

http://svadliswil.ch/

Not being part of any Shooting Club and being a foreign national will pose some problems. It's not near Zürich but your best best, especially with a Group is the Brünig Inddor. It has everything from 300m (we don't use yards here) to 50m and blow darts etc.

At pretty much all the ranges they are a specific type, 300m or 50m or 25m (pistol).

Guns for hire is somewhat rare and reserved mostly for the young shooters, in this case you will get the SIG 550, that's pretty much it. The ranges here really don't support the one time come in. IF you want to do this, you often have to befriend a shooter from the club and he will take you along as a guest.

Another issue is insurance, all shooters have a mandatory shooters insurance which will cover in case of a Shooting accident, this will come from Helsana and is paid by the club you are in.

Finally if you bring your own gun, they won't let you shoot with it unless it is a specific gun. For 300m, this is either the K-31, SIG-550, STG-57, or a competition rifle firing a 7.5mm round. Some rare exceptions apply.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but the shooting ranges here are a lot more exclusive here. One might say "how typical Swiss" but because of this, we have next to nill for any accidents. We have Shooting competitions with 150'000+ people and no accidents.

They offer free Shooting Course for people under 20, after that they assume you know how to handle a gun as you should have gone to military service. It's rare that someone who managed to get out of military service is an avid shooter.

So, your best bet is to go to a range, see if you can make a friend and let them invite you to come shooting, once you develope a good reputation, then you can bring your own guests. I strongly advise against walking up with a group and asking to shoot...9 times out of 10 they'll send you back the way you came.

__________________
Arthur

My experience in Geneva (as an individual, not a group), while unhelpful to the OP is different.

I called the range, asked if I could turn up and shoot. Was told sure, bring ID and residence permit.

Took a lesson. 4 safety rules, manipulating the firearm, clearing malfunctions, ammunition management, safe drawing, reloading, shooting from different distances etc.

From the lesson, until I received my first acquisition permit, which the range applied for on my behalf, I rented their firearms when I showed up.

Although not obliged, I continue to take lessons, which have substantially improved my accuracy, control and safety.

I enjoy the discipline and structure of shooting. And, I find the rules in Switzerland both pragmatic and reasonable.

Great!

I think the OP is more looking for more of a one time deal Thing, which is not that supported here, like I said, the Indoor is more meant for that.

If you are serious about shooting and wish to learn how to use a Swiss firearm and their methods, most clubs will welcome you. However depending on where you are, they may also be quite reserved. Romandie I find to be a lot more open and welcoming of foreign residents.

My main club is in the Berner Oberland, they will do anything for you...once they get to know you.

__________________
Arthur

OP the shooting range in the Tivoli center in Spreitenbach appears to be a perfect match.

Just don't let the website scare you off

Note that they take cash only, no cards. Not sure if that's a good omen

Nationality appears to be irrelevant as long as it's not one of the following:
Albania, Algeria, Sri Lanka, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegowina, Serbia, Turkey

Emailed them - hope they speak English as my team's common language is English...

does it mean if you have/want any other gun, which uses any other ammo (say scar 17-h which uses .308), they won't allow you to shoot it on the range? is this general swiss shooting rule or this is range-specific

Hello

I found the only hunting dedicated firing range in Embrach

http://jagdschiessanlage-zuerich.ch/vjsaz/programm.asp

https://map.search.ch/Embrach,In-der-Au?z=256

I went with swiss friends, but it was a pain as a foreigner. Greatest shooting range for hunter I saw though.

decent german required.

hope it helps

They're very responsive - now sorting out dates Thanks!

I have to second the Brünig Indoor. I think it's safer, if you have never done long range before, and the people are very helpful.

Plus, it's in a beautiful area!

Dunno if it's gonna be of any help to you, but Brüttenm(a Town some 20minutes drive from Zurich) is celebrating 150 years of it's shooting club and they are meeting up and partying and shooting and stuff , on 18. / 19. / 20. / 26. / 27. August 2017

https://sv-bruetten.ch/

You could get a lot of info from there.

BOTH, the ranges here have special microphones designed for certain rifles, I work for one of the companies that makes the targets, Polytronic. Also in the past some ranges have had people destroying the special targets when using their own ammo, some jokers ruin the fun for everyone, especially when using hunting ammo. So GP11 and GP90 is what is used and the only ammo sold as well at the ranges.

In competitions, you are only allowed to use the following firearms for 300m (long range competitions are all 300m) they are the K-31, the STG-57 and the Sig-550 (STG-90). With a points reduction you can use a competition rifle using GP11 only, so 7.5mm.

__________________
Arthur