FAC & Club Attendence Minimum Requirements

[the running man]

Try and justify your interest all you want, your still pointing guns at people.....something I do not like....The end......

Signing up was a bit silly then wasn't it?
The people using them know they're not firearms, the same ways kids with water pistols (you have some serious issues btw) know that their friends or parents aren't going to die from a little soaking.
If you're having trouble separating reality from fantasy I'd suggest some sort of counselling mate, most normal people don't have that problem so I think you may be projecting a little

Am I suppose to rise to this? wtfwtf ..kids with water pistols is one thing, armed forces are also another thing......grown adults using very realistic looking airsoft stuff to shoot at other people , my understanding of firearms I find wrong.....that's my personal veiw , your not going to change my veiw by saying I need counselling or I have issues many if not most of my fellow shooters feel the same way.....most people I know see airsoft folk as FAC and army rejects and I know of cases of airsoft skirmishers being refused entry to clubs becase of a cavalier attitude towards firearms......

If u wanna go shooting your airsoft stuff go ahead, I'm not stopping you, I am just of the opinion that it's not right...as I respect your right to exercise your activities you should respect other people opinions......

[Demonic69]

I'm just playing TRM. Airsoft has never interested me but I used to go paintballing quite a lot. Not the type where you get kitted up in your best surplus gear and get your M4 looking Tippmann ready for a bit of guerilla warfare re-enactment. I prefer tournament style PB, which emulates warfare in about zero ways.
I'm not knocking airsoft or woods ball though, everyone has their thing and we've been simulating warfare for as long as we've been swinging clubs.

[Fedaykin]

Well to be honest "the running man" you are very much making my point. Why don't you actually talk to people who participate in Airsoft or Paintball rather then judging them as worrying and doing something coherently wrong.

Because here is the rub that is EXACTLY what many people regard those who participate in shooting sports are like PERIOD! As far as I can make out the vast majority of those who participate in Airsoft or Paintball are perfectly capable of separating reality from fantasy. So how do you regard reenactors? Lots of them about playing soldier at the weekend! Do they scare you as well? I mean they are pointing guns at each other! What is the difference between somebody who spends his weekend reenacting a Peninsula war battle vs somebody who does Airsoft/Paintball skirmish?

As long as they are clear about safety, that they are pointing an Airsoft gun or Paintball marker at each other is immaterial. If we are asking the general public to not be bigoted against those who participate in shooting sports what does it say about us (people who participate in shooting sports) if we can't hold back the bigotry against Airsoft/Paintball?

So you did time in the army, great I respect that. But why the suspicion in respect of somebody who likes to do Airsoft/Paintball as a weekend hobby? Why judge them as dangerous when you clearly haven't taken the time to get to know them. Do you not see it is rather offensive to the many thousands who participate in Paintball and Airsoft to say they probably can't separate reality from fantasy. I would be! Next shooting show go and have a chat with them, you will probably find an interested audience who are keen to explore shooting sports further. Or you could just go and insult them...
What you call a "Higher moral code", I call "Snobbery"!

Seem fair to you?

Try and justify your interest all you want, your still pointing guns at people.....something I do not like....The end......

Now why don't you wind your neck in...

Where did I say that I participate in Paintball or Airsoft? I don't! I participated in a couple of paintball matches over the years, once whilst at uni and the other time on a work team building day. That is the sum of my participation in Paintball and I have never participated in Airsoft.

So YOU currently think what they do is wrong based upon your time in the Army, YOU also claim to speak for the opinion of the majority of those who participate in shooting sports...stroll on! You speak for yourself.

People like yourself are exactly the reason why the sport of shooting gets Salami sliced to death in this country. You don't understand another shooting discipline, so brand it as wrong, suspicious or dangerous and write it off rather then taking the time to talk to those who participate in it and learn. So you are uncomfortable with them shooting at each other, talk to them, learn about what safety measures they employ. It would be a darn site more constructive then branding them dangerous.

As just pointed out reenactors are probably far worse at keeping tabs on what is going on with their members and they are using it as an excuse to get Firearms.

[dromia]

OK gentlemen getting a bit heated and veering towards the personal let us just leave it there.

[dromia]

Post removed, you have been told take heed.

[M1Charles1M]

I asked the original question as an exercise after a question was raised I could not answer. It appears there were, repeat were instances where FAC conditions did at times stipulate that a holder must attend on a given number of occasions within a specified period.

That does not seem to a common, so perhaps not an issue.

Clubs stipulating minimum attendance in their terms and conditions I believe is an unnecessary and divisive move. I choose to attend that club, I PAY for that privilege, it is not for the Club, or anyone else to tell me how, and when to run my life, just be grateful you have the revenue, without it you would not exist.

Thank you to all for doing the poll, very much appreciated.

[Gaz]

I asked the original question as an exercise after a question was raised I could not answer. It appears there were, repeat were instances where FAC conditions did at times stipulate that a holder must attend on a given number of occasions within a specified period.

Which force, and what was the wording (if known)?

This needs to be nipped in the bud at source.

[John MH]

Clubs stipulating minimum attendance in their terms and conditions I believe is an unnecessary and divisive move.

I don't see that as unreasonable, if a club stipulates a minimum attendance to maintain your membership they are acting responsibly and many do allow flexibility if non-attendance is due to illness or other justifiable reasons such as working away or deployments; they may also have a waiting list for membership so why hold a place for a non-attendee when a new shooter is looking to join and participate.

If your FAC is dependant on you target shooting and names a primary club that you must continue to be a member of as a FAC Condition then if you don’t attend in a 12 month period is the club not obliged to inform Firearms Licensing.

[Hauptman]

My previous local club would lapse anyone who failed to attend AND shoot for one year, or who failed to renew their membership, and the membership secretary would then inform the firearms office. A warning would be sent to the member prior to this. I think this, or something similar, might be stipulated somewhere in the home office regs.

H/man

[Sim G]

Since 1997 there have been reams of instructions, orders and guidance around the firearms act. Due to this no doubt, there are instances where someone will remember something, but doesn't remember where it was said or written, etc. that doesn't mean it isn't the case, or is a new "oppression" of the police.

Nominated clubs and attendance have been stipulated in direct response to Hamilton. He had a lapsed membership and firearms that were wholly inappropriate for his club.

Club attendance as noted is required. Notification of non attendance is required. Frequency of use falls under good reason to possess and according to the Home Affairs Select Committee's Second Meeting, back on 2000, is permissible for a Chief Constable to consider when looking at revoking a certificate.

"(c) Frequency of use (subsidiary to good reason). The chief constable may refuse a firearm certificate because he has reason to believe the firearm will not be used, or has not been used regularly enough to demonstrate good reason; frequency of use is no ground for refusing or revoking a shotgun certificate."