UK AR15 Forum - Is there one?

[Sim G]

I bumped into an old mate at Bisley who looked like he was having a good time with some of the CSR community. They weren't my "cup of tea".

I suppose that's why I also found it supremely ironic that their new forum is entitled "Shooting for real men" and a warning sign declaring "no walts"........ Mmmmm.

[Mikaveli]

I bumped into an old mate at Bisley who looked like he was having a good time with some of the CSR community. They weren't my "cup of tea".

I suppose that's why I also found it supremely ironic that their new forum is entitled "Shooting for real men" and a warning sign declaring "no walts"........ Mmmmm.

It's a bit of a shame - I've got an open slot for a .223 that I'd planned to try CSR with (amongst other disciplines).

I saw their site and the slogans / pictures did put me off a bit - more so the fact that it's a closed forum. I tend to 'lurk' for a while, before joining a forum to get a feel for it - regular posts, attitude, topics covered etc. Keeping things private may keep some idiots out, but it probably puts a lot of other people off too.

Other than what's on the NRA site, there's very little (public) info online. That can't help the discipline in the long run.

[John MH]

Well the numbers speak for them selves with most League Matches sold out with 50+ competitors. The slogans on the site entrance are not in anyway offensive and the reference to 'real men' is amusingly appropriate given the conditions in which events sometimes take place at Bisley:



Which picture on the site entrance put you off? If you find a Fig 14 offensive then CSR is certainly not for you.

I think the discipline is doing fine right now and growing year on year. There are even three Queen's Medalists shooting regularly. http://www.queensmedal.net

[Mikaveli]

Well the numbers speak for them selves with most League Matches sold out with 50+ competitors. The slogans on the site entrance are not in anyway offensive and the reference to 'real men' is amusingly appropriate given the conditions in which events sometimes take place at Bisley:



Which picture on the site entrance put you off? If you find a Fig 14 offensive then CSR is certainly not for you.

I think the discipline is doing fine right now and growing year on year. There are even three Queen's Medalists shooting regularly. http://www.queensmedal.net

I said it 'put me off a bit' - not that I found it offensive. I've spent years shooting at fig 11's and 14's. That landing page just looks like it contradicts itself - it's not for 'walts', but looks very 'walt'. It sends the message "We're 'ard men that shoot at people targets". Obviously there's more to the discipline than that - but an outsider wouldn't learn that from the site.

What put me off is the fact that there is no publicly visible information on the discipline: this is what it is, this is what we do, faq's, for further info go here etc. It's just closed off - not welcoming to and new / interested shooters at all.

[John MH]

"We're 'ard men that shoot at people targets"

Everyone is entitled to their own view, it doesn't suggest that to me. Maybe I'm not Liberal enough?

This might give more information. http://www.highpowerrifle.co.uk/node/2

[Andy632]

"We're 'ard men that shoot at people targets"

Everyone is entitled to their own view, it doesn't suggest that to me. Maybe I'm not Liberal enough?

This might give more information. http://www.highpowerrifle.co.uk/node/2

Nor me.

[Christel]

I just followed kennyc's link...there is nothing there. Not very inviting to the new shooter who is not in the know.

[bobbob]

I bumped into an old mate at Bisley who looked like he was having a good time with some of the CSR community. They weren't my "cup of tea".

I suppose that's why I also found it supremely ironic that their new forum is entitled "Shooting for real men" and a warning sign declaring "no walts"........ Mmmmm.

I have been biting my tongue on the topic of this group for some months.

Towards the end of last year our club were booked in for a whole day on 300 yards at Century. Due to mobility issues, once we are on the range we don't move, we cater for ourselves and happily look after other club members stuff while they go off for lunch. (Obviously they take their firearms away with them.) On this day we were in a little way from the gate, with belongings of three other people. Someone from the range office came along and started to put the "Danger Live Firing Ahead" boards out. We were puzzled as they were blocking off the entrance and exit from our position to the gate. The chap putting the boards out said he was just doing as he was told.

The range office was called and a representative came out to see us. Apparently if we wanted to stay on the points we were on, we would have had to stay there until the other club to our right had packed up for the day or walk all the way back to the Gallery Road. As I said before, walking that distance was not a possibility that was why we had our vehicle behind the point. You can't drive back to the road due to all the ditches. In effect we would have been stuck if we needed to get out for any reason.

As time was getting on we had to call the other club members to come and get their belongings. I then managed to carry what I could to the gate which was swarming with camo gear. Our other club members arrived by then and as they tried to get through the car park they were quite aggressively told they couldn't go through. We managed to get everything together.
The range office managed to get us some space on another range but by then the heavens opened. The attitude towards other range users was very unfriendly. Our club book ranges as soon as they are open for booking. If our club had been told that there would be access issues on that day, they would have asked for a different range as most of the members are a bit “older” so they also would have needed to come and go. We did wonder if there was some pressure to allow the lane arrangements as they were, we were told it was the only way the layout would work. I believe one of our committee members wrote to someone about the situation but didn’t get a reply.
I don’t have a problem with anybody else’s shooting sport preference, I owned a very nice AR15 myself. The problem I have is one group giving the impression that they are more important at the detriment to other range users.
As for the comment, "Shooting for real men", does that include those unfortunate enough to have a disability? If being a “real man” means you become selfish and ignorant of other people’s problems I’d rather not be associated with them.

I hope it was just a one off and maybe down to poor communication.

[Mikaveli]

Everyone is entitled to their own view, it doesn't suggest that to me. Maybe I'm not Liberal enough?

This might give more information. http://www.highpowerrifle.co.uk/node/2

That's kinda my point - if you already know and / or you're already involved with the discipline, it wouldn't. But just think if someone happens upon that site after seeing CSR mentioned on the NRA site (or wherever) - what message is that landing page and lack of other info giving?

Thank's for the the links though - I'll check it out. I am genuinely interested in CSR, I like to sample all of the shooting disciplines.

[John MH]

I bumped into an old mate at Bisley who looked like he was having a good time with some of the CSR community. They weren't my "cup of tea".

I suppose that's why I also found it supremely ironic that their new forum is entitled "Shooting for real men" and a warning sign declaring "no walts"........ Mmmmm.

I have been biting my tongue on the topic of this group for some months.

Towards the end of last year our club were booked in for a whole day on 300 yards at Century. Due to mobility issues, once we are on the range we don't move, we cater for ourselves and happily look after other club members stuff while they go off for lunch. (Obviously they take their firearms away with them.) On this day we were in a little way from the gate, with belongings of three other people. Someone from the range office came along and started to put the "Danger Live Firing Ahead" boards out. We were puzzled as they were blocking off the entrance and exit from our position to the gate. The chap putting the boards out said he was just doing as he was told.

The range office was called and a representative came out to see us. Apparently if we wanted to stay on the points we were on, we would have had to stay there until the other club to our right had packed up for the day or walk all the way back to the Gallery Road. As I said before, walking that distance was not a possibility that was why we had our vehicle behind the point. You can't drive back to the road due to all the ditches. In effect we would have been stuck if we needed to get out for any reason.

As time was getting on we had to call the other club members to come and get their belongings. I then managed to carry what I could to the gate which was swarming with camo gear. Our other club members arrived by then and as they tried to get through the car park they were quite aggressively told they couldn't go through. We managed to get everything together.
The range office managed to get us some space on another range but by then the heavens opened. The attitude towards other range users was very unfriendly. Our club book ranges as soon as they are open for booking. If our club had been told that there would be access issues on that day, they would have asked for a different range as most of the members are a bit “older” so they also would have needed to come and go. We did wonder if there was some pressure to allow the lane arrangements as they were, we were told it was the only way the layout would work. I believe one of our committee members wrote to someone about the situation but didn’t get a reply.
I don’t have a problem with anybody else’s shooting sport preference, I owned a very nice AR15 myself. The problem I have is one group giving the impression that they are more important at the detriment to other range users.
As for the comment, "Shooting for real men", does that include those unfortunate enough to have a disability? If being a “real man” means you become selfish and ignorant of other people’s problems I’d rather not be associated with them.

I hope it was just a one off and maybe down to poor communication.

Your range allocation problem is with the Range Office not the range users on the RHS of Century. I suspect that this was an NRA Event (not another club) and as such they should have explained to you that in the afternoon you would not be able to access across the range to the 300 yard car park as the event taking place on Butt 19 was falling back to 400 and 500 yards.

If your club members were told they could not access across the range when they came back it may have been that the NRA event had already started and they would be crossing 300 yards in front of the firing taking place at 400 yards. Whilst there should be no excuse for rude aggressive behaviour I my self have had on occasion to robustly remind range users not to ignore the signs placed by the Range Staff, for their safety, as they bimble about in complete oblivion to what is going on around them, fact is the "Danger Live Firing Ahead" signs do get moved during the day on both Century and Stickledown so don't be surprised if you can't take a short cut for convenience.