Rifle clubs, MPs and politics

[Blu]

IMHO I believe that the UK like the US needs one body that represents the interests of shooters regardless of their preferences be it air rifle, shotgun, rifle or any other type of firearm. Now then how much do you reckon it would cost in start up costs just to get it going? I read here that there are 800,000 licensed firearms holders in the UK, now then if they were to say pay £35 each per year, that would make it around £28,000,000 per year income to fight for your gun rights. I'm sure you'll all agree that £28,000,000 is a sizeable chunk of change to get thing started. All it needs is someone or group to start it, talking about it isn't going to get it done.

Blu

[paxtond]

The problem with the uk is lots of shooters hate other types. You also have a lot of tight people who would refuse to pay.

When clay shooting last week I was shocked by the amount of people being turned away due to no insurance

[Blu]

The problem with the uk is lots of shooters hate other types. You also have a lot of tight people who would refuse to pay.

When clay shooting last week I was shocked by the amount of people being turned away due to no insurance

paxtond, it's the same over here, I find a lot of the clay shooters can be rather snooty towards rifle shooters but despite that we all have one thing in common, the NRA. Of course you are going to have the tight gits, we have them here as well. I guess folks will watch how it's presented and watch say the first challenge in court over firearms legislation if it's put together. The US NRA offers insurance, why couldn't a new UK organisation offer it?

You know over the years I have read a lot of posts about why it can't be made to happen or why it won't happen both on here and on other UK based shooting sights, the one thing I have never read is why don't we make it happen. You certainly have the numbers to get it started, so why not. Hell even contacting the US NRA and telling them of the plight of UK shooters and asking them for advice might not go amiss, they might even want to help.

At the end of the day guys when all is said and done, it's up to you folks to help yourselves. If you aren't prepared to fight for something then it's going to be taken away eventually. Me? Hey I'm sitting pretty over here, the anti's keep trying but there isn't anyone going to take away my guns any time soon and the reason for that is because we fight them. We fight them in the press, on telly shows and we fight them in the courts and tie them up for years if we have to, we do whatever it takes.

Blu

[Gaz]

Anybody know what happened to the Shooting Industry Fund?
Anybody ever aware of it?
I can only think that if it becomes more difficult for us to carry on shooting, how much harder will it be for overseas visitors and newcomers.
The loss in revenue and to the industry would be catastrophic.
We need this to be an international stance with reciprocal support and advice from other organisations abroad.
What we don't need is another clowder of self interest clubs taking revenue and doing nothing useful.
And we don't need a March or a petition.
We need a voice.
And we need to fund it

What was the Shooting Industry Fund?


I think the problems with setting up an all-new campaigning body are:

a) Shooters hate other shooters. Posh gits in tweed look down on boring snoring TR shooters in their ridiculous bondage gear, who sneer at the Walter Mittys who dress up Action Man style and pretend they're (still) in the military. (I bet you've heard all of these stereotypes and more)

b) Shooters are sceptical by nature. It's all very well setting up a new body but it has to prove itself by achieving something big - say, getting the 97 Acts repealed. Until then it's just another flash in the pan, etc etc. (sound familiar?)

c) Shooters are already gouged for cash by existing bodies, like Graham M points out. Do you really want to stump up another £30-£40 for yet another body claiming to give you the moon on a stick?

[Blackstuff]

Anybody know what happened to the Shooting Industry Fund?
Anybody ever aware of it?
I can only think that if it becomes more difficult for us to carry on shooting, how much harder will it be for overseas visitors and newcomers.
The loss in revenue and to the industry would be catastrophic.
We need this to be an international stance with reciprocal support and advice from other organisations abroad.
What we don't need is another clowder of self interest clubs taking revenue and doing nothing useful.
And we don't need a March or a petition.
We need a voice.
And we need to fund it

What was the Shooting Industry Fund?

IIRC it was a 'war chest' set up to defend shooting/the gun industry if another Dunblane happened

[Blu]

Gaz, I think the problems with setting up an all-new campaigning body are:

a) Shooters hate other shooters. Posh gits in tweed look down on boring snoring TR shooters in their ridiculous bondage gear, who sneer at the Walter Mittys who dress up Action Man style and pretend they're (still) in the military. (I bet you've heard all of these stereotypes and more)

We have the same problems here mate, the toffee nosed with their mega dollar shotguns, the purists, the TR shooters the black gun haters, we have the exactly the same thing, lord knows I've met more than my share of them. The one thing we all have in common though is the NRA.

b) Shooters are sceptical by nature. It's all very well setting up a new body but it has to prove itself by achieving something big - say, getting the 97 Acts repealed. Until then it's just another flash in the pan, etc etc. (sound familiar?)

I understand what you are saying mate but you have to start somewhere, again shooters there are no different from shooters here, a right bunch of sceptical buggers as well.

c) Shooters are already gouged for cash by existing bodies, like Graham M points out. Do you really want to stump up another £30-£40 for yet another body claiming to give you the moon on a stick?

You don't have to stump up any more money, just belong to one organisation that looks out for the interest of all shooters like the US NRA. Thing is mate you aren't going to know until you try and if it takes challenging the government or the authorities in court then so be it.

Either that I suppose you could all stop giving your money to the organisations that already exist and see if that will get them off their backsides and do more. Has there ever been a legal challenge in court say in the past ten years by any of the shooting bodies, taking it all the way up as far at it will go? Was the handgun ban challenged in court by any of the UK governing bodies? I ask because I don't know. Over here mate the NRA has taken Local, State and Federal governments to court and taken it all the way to the Supreme court and won. If you don't challenge them then the government will do what it wants

Sitting there writing reasons why it won't work isn't going to make it work.

Blu

[Blu]

Okay, let me ask you all this, the airgun rule change that's about to hit Scotland, is it being challenged in court by any of the shooting organisations?

Blu

[paxtond]

In the uk we are useless, my only chance of owning a proper pistol is finding a American lady and move over to you guys

[Blu]

paxtond, well I'm thinking that was written tongue in cheek there mate but if finding an American woman just so you can own and shoot pistols is your only reason, then there is a very good chance you are going to be mighty unhappy. As for being useless mate, well if that's the way you feel, that's the way you'll stay and you won't need to wonder why when one day you are looking at an empty gun safe that you can't sell for any amount of money.

Blu

[Blu]

paxtond, tell you what mate why don't you kick things off. Start with something like a simple poll on here and depending on the results take it to other shooting websites as well. Something like who here would throw their weight behind a national shooting body that supports all styles of shooting and will get off their backsides and mount legal challenges when required to do so, something along those lines.

Blu