The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Within a week for me, only a couple of weeks ago. I was told to expect longer timescales, so was pleasantly surprised.

Sorry if I didn't clearly direct my previous question.

RCO accreditation does not require you to be a member of the NRA. There is a strange anomaly around the RCO card that we discussed when I did my Club Instructors ticket that you can be an NRA RCO without being in the NRA! I did my RCO regionally and half the guys on the course are not members.

Joining the NRA is a whole lot easier and cheaper if you are trained in an affiliated club in my experience.

HALODIN wrote:I'd like to join the NRA, but the application process is out of date and you can't join over the phone which is irritating. The NRA is missing out on my membership because it can't modernise with online forms. Considering it's only a couple of days work for a developer, why aren't they doing something about this? I'm sure it would pay for itself in just a few weeks...

Would others join if they made it quicker and simpler?

As a member of NRA, which is also a shooting club, you can apply for FAC and buy firearms. The last thing we need is a facility to join online ..... unseen and unvetted! I think that the process is too easy, in fact, and I cringe when I see some of the new recruits shooting with NRA Shooting Club. No obvious interest in target shooting and most would not last five minutes in any club.
You get down there in person and you will find them welcoming and helpful. If it is too far for you to travel to Bisley to shoot, then why are you joining the NRA?
Target shooters are born, not made and should not need inducement to take up the sport.

I'm a probationary member at a small local club, from application to actually getting my probationary membership was about two months...

I sent off my application for the NRA on Wednesday, it arrived Yesterday, and they called me today and confirmed my training dates in April and May.

Two thumbs up to the NRA from me! The only reason my training is booked for April, and not March is because I've no leave left.

Alex said "I see some of the new recruits shooting with NRA Shooting Club. No obvious interest in target shooting and most would not last five minutes in any club."

Well, I'd have thought that parting with whatever the NRA membership fee is now, plus 30 squid for a few goes, would demonstrate some interest..............the trick is to ensure they have such a good experience that they want to come again.

Pete

alexham wrote:As a member of NRA, which is also a shooting club, you can apply for FAC and buy firearms. The last thing we need is a facility to join online ..... unseen and unvetted! I think that the process is too easy, in fact, and I cringe when I see some of the new recruits shooting with NRA Shooting Club. No obvious interest in target shooting and most would not last five minutes in any club.
You get down there in person and you will find them welcoming and helpful. If it is too far for you to travel to Bisley to shoot, then why are you joining the NRA?
Target shooters are born, not made and should not need inducement to take up the sport.

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

I'm already an FAC holder and a member of an NRA affiliated club. I'm not suggesting anyone is given membership who is "unseen or unvetted," that would be ridiculous. My only point is I can apply by post and cheque, which is such a pain in the arse, I'm still not a member 6 months on. They're missing out on my money and support and I doubt I'm the only one... Why can't they modernise? I joined BASC for insurance and to support the shooting fraternity in about 10 minutes online and I'll continue to do so, because it's easy. I would like to join the NRA but I won't do it until I'm next down there as they couldn't be bothered to turn up to the shooting show and their application process is as technologically advanced as the 1920's.

alexham wrote:As a member of NRA, which is also a shooting club, you can apply for FAC and buy firearms. The last thing we need is a facility to join online ..... unseen and unvetted! I think that the process is too easy, in fact, and I cringe when I see some of the new recruits shooting with NRA Shooting Club. No obvious interest in target shooting and most would not last five minutes in any club.
You get down there in person and you will find them welcoming and helpful. If it is too far for you to travel to Bisley to shoot, then why are you joining the NRA?
Target shooters are born, not made and should not need inducement to take up the sport.

HALODIN wrote: My only point is I can apply by post and cheque, which is such a pain in the arse, I'm still not a member 6 months on. They're missing out on my money and support and I doubt I'm the only one... Why can't they modernise? I joined BASC for insurance and to support the shooting fraternity in about 10 minutes online and I'll continue to do so, because it's easy. I would like to join the NRA but I won't do it until I'm next down there as they couldn't be bothered to turn up to the shooting show and their application process is as technologically advanced as the 1920's.

Well, they have advanced from the gaslight era somewhat, but I agree that there is a long way to go yet. I had similar experience when attempting to enter competitions online and finding that I had to download the entry form and send it in the post with the cheque. And that was a huge leap forward from the time when competition entry forms had to be collected from NRA offices!! So, I used the feedback facility on the website to complain and tell them that I would not be entering any competitions untill online entries became posssible. Obviously, others have done the same and online entries are now the norm, but it took several years.

However, I would like to emphasize that unless you are going to shoot at Bisley often and hire targets in your own name, membership of NRA will bring you no benefits other than insurance, which you already have with BASC.

Pete wrote:Alex said "I see some of the new recruits shooting with NRA Shooting Club. No obvious interest in target shooting and most would not last five minutes in any club."

Well, I'd have thought that parting with whatever the NRA membership fee is now, plus 30 squid for a few goes, would demonstrate some interest..............the trick is to ensure they have such a good experience that they want to come again.

Pete

There's enough idiots out there with some disposable income

BASC insurance doesn't cover me for damage to equipment if I remember correctly, there were other subtle differences where having both BASC and NRA insurance were of benefit. It's worth doing because it doesn't cost a lot and if nothing else, I'm supporting British shooting. Besides that I do get to shoot there occasionally.

alexham wrote:However, I would like to emphasize that unless you are going to shoot at Bisley often and hire targets in your own name, membership of NRA will bring you no benefits other than insurance, which you already have with BASC.