NRA membership department

[SevenSixTwo]

Soon to join a 'civilian' club... concerns me.

Will they force me to take all my shots prone?

Sod that. #boring

[karen]

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.

Well that just shows how little you know doesn't it?

[mag41uk]

Wow! There are a few folk with chips on their shoulders!
I was an NRA member back in pistol days and I always felt like I was an imposition when at Bisley.(pistol shooting)
I think us pistol shooters were " tolerated" as 60% (?) of the NRA`s income came from us.
I had got into cowboy action shooting and went to the first big comps but the ban effectively stopped that.
Actually it wasn't a ban, just a reclassification!
I stopped my NRA membership about 1995.
I got into gallery rifle shooting and also bought a No4 303.I joined LERA.
The first Phoenix took place at Bisley and I rejoined the NRA with one of their cheap offers.
I still shoot gallery rifle, PSG and also have several F/B rifles.
I do believe in years gone by dodgy goings on were happening within the NRA.
However bear this in mind. It wasn't long ago that Bisley was nearly sold and turned into a housing estate.
That would have been a tragedy for ALL of US.
I live 20 minutes away so its handy for me. If Bisley wasn't there where would I shoot fullbore?
I firmly believe that the NRA are moving on and I find the constant slagging off about them tiresome.
It would be interesting to find out how many people shoot at Bisley each year.
It was a real pity they didn't get Olympic funding.
The NRA "Damned if they do and damned if they don't".
I think the NRA is good value for money, there, I said it out loud!
Tony

[karen]

I do believe in years gone by dodgy goings on were happening within the NRA.

Very true but certainly those times are well and truly over

However bear this in mind. It wasn't long ago that Bisley was nearly sold and turned into a housing estate.

Not true for a great many reasons - that is just a rumour

I think the NRA is good value for money, there, I said it out loud!

Hurrah! Well said and totally agree

[mackie]

I guess I'd better tell James that he's doing nothing for practical shooting. I take it you are aware that the NRA have made a bid to be the IPSC organisation in the UK?

[Gaz]

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.

I'm pleased to see the anti-Bisley/TR/NRA/anything-that-i-dont-shoot-myself brigade are not only 7+ years out of date, they're also factually wrong to boot.

[The Cupcake Kid]

I guess I'd better tell James that he's doing nothing for practical shooting. I take it you are aware that the NRA have made a bid to be the IPSC organisation in the UK?

Who's James?
Yes, we are aware of that and you would have been too if you had read this thread from the beginning.
What do you know about the bid?

[mackie]

I should have made it clear that I was addressing lapua338 specifically. I only know what has been mentioned here and on f4i.

[mag41uk]

I do believe in years gone by dodgy goings on were happening within the NRA.

Very true but certainly those times are well and truly over

However bear this in mind. It wasn't long ago that Bisley was nearly sold and turned into a housing estate.

Not true for a great many reasons - that is just a rumour

I think the NRA is good value for money, there, I said it out loud!

Hurrah! Well said and totally agree

Thanks for that Karen.
The sale of Bisley did seem plausible back then due to the dire financial situation of the NRA.
The potential collapse of the NRA/Bisley,for whatever reason,still does not bear thinking about.
Tony

[Hauptman]

I think Bisley/NRA is excellent value for money. Obviously, there will be glitches from time to time in any organisation, but so what? Chill, and come back next week.............

I hack up from Southampton roughly once a fortnight to shoot there.............without Bisley, I wouldn't be shooting full-bore.

It's as simple as that..............

H/man