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

If the electronic targets go in and work and they don't charge silly money then I shall be a very happy bunny!

A lot of good stuff in there. Positive from the NRA for a change, and very nice to see.

There are a lot of positive points made in the policy statement, but personally while not wishing to be negative in any way I am still not fully convinced that the policy is still not too Bisley based, and that only lip service is being paid to the rest of the nation.
I feel that there is a real need for the NRA to engage more fully with the affiliated clubs without which the NRA will not survive.

I have to agree on that one; living up here in the 'Frozen out North'.
I fail to see what benefits being affiliated to the NRA actually bring to clubs outwith the 'Bisley' area.

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Rifle & Pistol Shooting in the Highlands with Strathpeffer Rifle & Pistol Club.

In order to function as a true national association, the NRA needs funds. To help support the regions and develop new facilities it has to have a money generating machine. All it has is Bisley and. although previous administrations have been well meaning, they have not exploited the Bisley site as a cash generating business. Of course the strategy is Bisley orientated---what else could it be? Success at Bisley can enable the NRA to spend and suport elsewhere. Not supporting the NRA is cutting off any hope of shooting developing and succeeding in the long run.
Fred

Spot on.

I think that is one sided, there are many things the NRA can do outside of Bisley that does not cost money. I have contacted both the NRA and the local rep in the past regarding ideas to promote the NRA and in turn the NRA supports the local club, all I was met with was..."we have no money"...so frankly I gave up.

On reading this for the first time Fred I thought that you were suggesting that Bisley was supporting and subsidising the various affiliated clubs that are based nationwide which clearly isn't the case. It is probably the other way around with the affiliated clubs getting very little for the ever increasing capitation fees charged each year and the subs from the clubs actually being used to bolster Bisley.

No, I wasn't! I was suggesting that the situation was exactly as you describe and that it should be so until Bisley generates enough funds to be able to spend it outside. or are you suggesting that, if they didn't pay their affiliation fees, the clubs would have enough money to be able to develop ranges for themselves? Without Bisley, we have nothing: investing in it is our only hope for the future.
Fred

No Fred what I was suggesting is that without the affiliation fees from the affiliated clubs the NRA would be in a much worst situation than they are now and possibly no Bisley.

Several clubs have told me that they are paying over £3,000 per annum in capitation fees and get virtually nothing for their money. My own club has seen it's affiliation fees rise frees rise over a period of five years from around £245 per annum to over £900 though I should point out that the way the fees are calculated has changed and our membership has increased slightly. Some clubs are actually seriously considering what the benefits of NRA affiliation are and should they be looking at alternatives.