Another nail in the coffin by the UK NRA

[24626151]

I arrived home to read this email, it seems that their put off wishes from 3 years ago to take over virtually all licensing of shooters in the UK is on its way!

From 1st January 2009 it will be a mandatory requirement for a civilian

shooter to have a certificate of competence to shoot on an MOD Range

(including Bisley). The certificate will be issued on successful completion

of a Range Safety and Competency Test (RCST).

The NRA are still at the draft stage of what the RCST needs to include but

we expect this to be published shortly.

The RCST is to certify the shooter, not the rifle so you don't need a RCST

for each rifle you own. You need to be certified by 31st December 2008 for

2009 and thereafter annually.

Your completed RCST certificate will need to be sent to the NRA with a photo

for them to issue a card to state you're competent to use an MOD Range.

There will be a charge for this, probably in the region of £15-£20 that

would be paid direct to NRA.

Thats me never going to Bisley ever again!

[DuncaninFrance]

..........and I am sure you are not going to agree with what I say but here goes anyway. ( Puts on bone dome, flack jacket and running shoes!!)

Firstly, I would advocate that under NO circumstances should you risk not being able to shoot on MOD ranges. Here in France there is only one military range in the whole country that civies can shoot on as far as I know. Military ranges are the icing on any Milsurp cake.

Secondly, I do not feel that (providing the certification is well thought out) a Certificate of Competence to use MOD ranges is anything but a GOOD thing. I was Range Qualified when I was in the TA, running ranges at Catterick and Strensall and I do not think any safety training is wasted - for any range.

Thirdly, While accepting that more paperwork is a pain in the donkey - sorry - ass and additional costs are bound to create friction, it would be a very good idea to start and batter the NRA now about the price charged, including a concerted effort to obtain justification of the costs.

Throwing your webbing out of the APC will not solve anything. You have to get on with it now and don't leave it to others to complain - they are leaving it to you

[joseyclosey]

This was discussed at our club AGM yesterday.

As far as we are aware the shooters competence is judged by your own club officials, why the NRA feel they need to charge me £15-£20 a year to issue a certificate of competence, without even seeing my conduct on a range is a joke beyond comprehension.

My belief is the RCST should be issued by the club you are a member of, gratis.

After all, if someone is unsafe / incompetent on the range they should not be in a club or hold a FAC.

Sorry but i just see this as a revenue raising exercise for the NRA.

My twopenneth,

Joe

[dhtaxi]

I agree with Joe you are only deemed to be competent by who ever signs your bit of paper it means nothing.

Its a way of squeezing more money out of us and into the NRA coffers its out fault for letting them get away with it.

The majority of people I speak to think the NRA does us more harm than good.

The group of people I shoot with are all competent and safe shooters if any of us were not we would not be members of the club.

I don't need a piece of paper to tell me joseyclosey is a safe shooter and competent to shoot on MOD ranges I know he is and so are the other members thats why we shoot together.

All the bits of paper in the world wont make me share a range with somebody I decide is not a safe competent shooter no matter who signed his bit of paper.

[Tom-May]

How long is it likely to stay at £15-20 p.a?

I can see NRA seeing that range users as a handycash-cow, then HMG deciding that, if these certificates are required, why shouldn't they should get their trotters in the trough. If that happens, how long before the "Rubber-Spoon" squad using it as yet another way to force down the number of gun-owners, without all that boring stuff like trying to get (yet another) disarming act through parliament (and without all the hassle of having to compensate their victims, either).

Yes I'm cynical, but am I wrong?

Tom

[DuncaninFrance]

I also agree with Joe however 'officialdom' might say that allowing clubs to carry out the certification is like putting a fox in charge of a hen house. They may argue that the club has a vested interest in having qualified members (for MOD ranges) so it can continue to use the ranges. Perhaps that point should be considered while working out your opposition.

Here, if I want a Category 1 or 4 weapon, first the club have to agree that I am competent and fill in an application. They then send it to the prefecture and if they agree the paperwork goes to the local gendarmerie who rubber stamp the application provided they are happy which in the vast majority of cases they are. The onus for range safety is with the shooter themselves and their club but the certification allows me to shoot anywhere.

[Woftam]

The onus for range safety is with the shooter themselves

Making people responsible for their own actions . Steady on lad . Who knows where that could lead

[DuncaninFrance]

Good point W, we are talking the French here so had better buy a flack jacket me thinks

[24626151]

As a former club secretary we have had for over 30 years to my memory been required by plod to certify members as suitable to progress from probationer to full easing their FAC application along the way. Now the NRA has decided that having had its paws stamped on by the Govt in asking to be sole body responsible for all fac applicants nationally that it will achieve this through the back door.

I wont part with a penny to the NRA. I can shoot all I need to on my own land and if neccessary will get the rest of my collection varied for land use.

I see no reason for the NRA to make money from ordinary FAC holders who will never join the NRA or visit Bisley. Competence management sits with the clubs and is a heavy responsibility. For the NRA to attempt to make money without providing anything of value smacks of "Because we can!" attitude.

Well as an ordinary FAC holder I wont be spending a penny at Bisley ever again, I wont turn up unpaid to assist with range open days.

If every FAC holder that visits Bisley once a year or more said "Sod it, its not worth the petrol this month!" then the NRA would possibly fold. In these days of financial cutbacks the last thing shooting needs is more charges and backdoor attempts to take control over the sport in which they had zero interest until they realised how bankrupt they had become. For failing to stand up against 2 dangerous theft acts and this recent olympic farce means they dont deserve the support of ordinary members.

In fact the SRA has a bigger membership yet is never invited to talk to the Govt or MoD to my knowledge!

[24626151]

The NRA is sending the forms out now to club secretaries, one a friend has just emailed me to moan about a whole new list of requirements they want. I did tell him to unnafilliate the club, get together with other clubs and lease a range. It shouldnt be too difficult, its an insurance issue rather than a range safety cert now!

The Chairman signed off the letter with Happy Shooting, my mates comment is unprintable but includes a gem about him only ever playing golf and never shot a rifle!