NRA membership department

[meles meles]

It does seem that there is plenty going on in the background that we are unaware of. Perhaps it wouldn't harm to pop an occasional paragraph or two in the NRA journal to let the plebeian hordes know what is being done on our behalf.

[Ovenpaa]

I would agree with the Badger type. A brief note to the masses outlining the work Iain and others are doing would probably be very well received by the membership.

[IainWR]

Errr ...

Andrew has written a couple of pages about what we are up to in each Journal since he joined us. The Trustees do really strategic oversight, but Andrew is the man on what we are trying for. I think that you have to take what he gives, and if that is not enough detail (which I can understand might be the case) ask your Regional / Discipline Reps for the fill-in. Or if you have a specific rather than a general question, call me if it's about technical or legal stuff, or just ask our clever reception staff to put you through to the manager that deals with your area of concern (have your membership number to hand).

Iain
NRA
01483 797777 x 154

[Gaz]

I do think the NRA website could do with a "media" page. Even if it just says "refer to BASC" it'd be better to be seen to be aware of stuff going on in the wider world, and to be seen to be working in harmony with the other NGBs to put out a common message on behalf of the shooting sports.

Just my tuppence as someone who's often had to go ferreting around organisations' websites in search of a relevant comment and dismissing them out of hand when one was not to be found.

[Blackstuff]

While the shooting lobbys response to the Cumbrian shootings was a joint affair behind closed doors, it was BASC sticking its neck out on tv/radio etc defending ALL of us.

We've been through this at least twice before - the NRA knew about the Cumbrian shooting first, informed the other bodies and they all decided to speak with one voice. That voice was decided by all the organisations to be BASC. They did not "stick their neck out" - they were acting WITH all the other shooting bodies so that ONE voice spoke for all.

I know as I was in the NRA offices and Iain was on duty in Cumbria (so that should be easy to work out how the NRA got to know first!)

As you had feet on the ground so to speak, do you know what BASC and not BSSC, the supposed umbrella organisation for all shooting weren't the ones making the statements? Would BASC not share their toys or was it felt that a game/pest control focused (rather than target shooting) organisation would be best?

[Blackstuff]

I haven't been told anything either, but you are making assumptions.

Maybe the IPSC invited other organisations to apply to become the GB representative because they want to look at alternatives? Who knows? All we know at the moment is that the NRA have put in an application and certain members of the UKPSA seem to feel very threatened by that piece of information.

if the UKPSA were in really great shape and doing a marvelous job of representing the IPSC, there is no reason why anyone would feel threatened or view the application as "hostile". Instead, they would just shrug it off and get on with the job in hand.

Forgive me for feeling passionately about my #1 form of shooting but when something comes completely out of the blue it can surprise and shock you. Particularly as i can't really see the difference between UKPSA ISPC shooting and NRA IPSC shooting, they're both going to be ran to the IPSC rulebook, so as a shooter (not someone vying for control of the organisation), i simply don't see how any benefits could come about to the shooters. For one i'd presume that if the NRA bid is successful (and i doubt this has move has come from IPSC themselves), i'd have to become a member of the NRA, which is a 40% increase in membership costs for a kick off. Added to that the alleged lack of representation in the North, it doesn't exactly bode well for anyone further up the country than Rossendale does it?

[The Cupcake Kid]

I haven't been told anything either, but you are making assumptions.

Maybe the IPSC invited other organisations to apply to become the GB representative because they want to look at alternatives? Who knows? All we know at the moment is that the NRA have put in an application and certain members of the UKPSA seem to feel very threatened by that piece of information.

if the UKPSA were in really great shape and doing a marvelous job of representing the IPSC, there is no reason why anyone would feel threatened or view the application as "hostile". Instead, they would just shrug it off and get on with the job in hand.

Forgive me for feeling passionately about my #1 form of shooting but when something comes completely out of the blue it can surprise and shock you. Particularly as i can't really see the difference between UKPSA ISPC shooting and NRA IPSC shooting, they're both going to be ran to the IPSC rulebook, so as a shooter (not someone vying for control of the organisation), i simply don't see how any benefits could come about to the shooters. For one i'd presume that if the NRA bid is successful (and i doubt this has move has come from IPSC themselves), i'd have to become a member of the NRA, which is a 40% increase in membership costs for a kick off. Added to that the alleged lack of representation in the North, it doesn't exactly bode well for anyone further up the country than Rossendale does it?

I forgive you. But as we don't know what the NRA is proposing, we can't speculate or guess on what the difference might be if they were to become the IPSC rep. We need to wait and see.

[lapua338]

I'm a member of 3 other affiliated clubs and fail to see the benefits of individual NRA membership. I also encouraged all my shooting colleagues not to renew too.

I have been a member since 2006 and in that time I've witnessed the continued failure and incompetence of the organisation. The facilities are archaic and a national embarrassment. The range has been mismanaged/misgoverned for decades.

How on earth do they expect to see civilian shooting flourish throughout the country?

In my opinion, the NRA is another self-appointed, arrogant and self-promoting organisation with a rather glossy propaganda magazine that does little to promote and secure the future of shooting sports. Reading the latest edition of the Journal reinforces my belief that the NRA is simply an "elite" TR club which allows other forms of shooting albeit within the constraints of the "Bisley system". For example, a 16.30 finish Tues-Fri during the summer season! What's that all about? There's at least another 4 hours of daylight.

The NRA is not the be-all and end-all in the world of shooting. I do not recognize the NRA's authority in controlling any discipline I care to shoot. The NRA does not represent me or many others like me. The NRA only really understands the needs of the TR-type shooter.

What happened to the original aim of the NRA, which was the promotion and encouragement of marksmanship?

The NRA should be promoting the art of riflecraft... the "art of the rifle". The NRA does not understand the rifle nor its use. The late, great Jeff Cooper summed it up perfectly... "the specialization and formalization of target shooting has led the majority of practitioners astray, in much the same way that the sport of fencing has obscured the art of swordsmanship" (or words to that effect).

TR is not a measure of marksmanship nor is it fun. It's the dullest and least imaginative form of shooting on the planet. From my understanding, it's also a dying discipline (and all the better for it) therefore, the NRA should be promoting gun handling/skill-at-arms and more practical forms of shooting, e.g., CSR, etc. But the NRA are incapable of providing this level of service as they don't have the knowledge, the experience nor the imagination to conduct exotic (and remain safe) courses of fire.

That's one of the many reasons why you won't see civilian shooting flourish throughout the country because formalized TR/Match Rifle, etc, is so damn dull.

I would encourage anyone wishing to take up shooting not to join a TR club with their prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Find a club that embraces more practical forms of shooting. I've been lucky enough to find a club where we have the freedom to do what we like with lever-actions as long as its safe.

[Strangely Brown]

I'm a member of 3 other affiliated clubs and fail to see the benefits of individual NRA membership. I also encouraged all my shooting colleagues not to renew too.

I have been a member since 2006 and in that time I've witnessed the continued failure and incompetence of the organisation. The facilities are archaic and a national embarrassment. The range has been mismanaged/misgoverned for decades.

How on earth do they expect to see civilian shooting flourish throughout the country?

In my opinion, the NRA is another self-appointed, arrogant and self-promoting organisation with a rather glossy propaganda magazine that does little to promote and secure the future of shooting sports. Reading the latest edition of the Journal reinforces my belief that the NRA is simply an "elite" TR club which allows other forms of shooting albeit within the constraints of the "Bisley system". For example, a 16.30 finish Tues-Fri during the summer season! What's that all about? There's at least another 4 hours of daylight.

The NRA is not the be-all and end-all in the world of shooting. I do not recognize the NRA's authority in controlling any discipline I care to shoot. The NRA does not represent me or many others like me. The NRA only really understands the needs of the TR-type shooter.

What happened to the original aim of the NRA, which was the promotion and encouragement of marksmanship?

The NRA should be promoting the art of riflecraft... the "art of the rifle". The NRA does not understand the rifle nor its use. The late, great Jeff Cooper summed it up perfectly... "the specialization and formalization of target shooting has led the majority of practitioners astray, in much the same way that the sport of fencing has obscured the art of swordsmanship" (or words to that effect).

TR is not a measure of marksmanship nor is it fun. It's the dullest and least imaginative form of shooting on the planet. From my understanding, it's also a dying discipline (and all the better for it) therefore, the NRA should be promoting gun handling/skill-at-arms and more practical forms of shooting, e.g., CSR, etc. But the NRA are incapable of providing this level of service as they don't have the knowledge, the experience nor the imagination to conduct exotic (and remain safe) courses of fire.

That's one of the many reasons why you won't see civilian shooting flourish throughout the country because formalized TR/Match Rifle, etc, is so damn dull.

I would encourage anyone wishing to take up shooting not to join a TR club with their prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Find a club that embraces more practical forms of shooting. I've been lucky enough to find a club where we have the freedom to do what we like with lever-actions as long as its safe.

Have you shot CSR at Bisley in recent times, i.e. within in the last year??

[lapua338]

I've wanted to but I've had a shoulder problem for the past 12 months. I may also have myotonic dystrophy and waiting to receive the test results.

Plus, I don't have a modern, dedicated CSR-type rifle.

I was thinking that perhaps a K31 would be appropriate for the Historic category? And that's limiting because it only has a 6-round magazine. Although, I do have 3 magazines + spare chargers.