Is it worth Joining the NRA?

[alexham]

To get a truly national NRA we need to see people joining it nationally, instead of standing on the touchline whinging and waiting for someone else to sort it out.
Fred

Wishful thinking, Fred. I am a member and I am not shy to express opinions and I can tell you that it has no effect nor will it ever! Members are there to provide funds and to elect Council that rules without reference to anyone.

Do you believe that joining the Conservative Party you will have an influence on anything? Well, joining the NRA is just as effective in getting things changed.
However, "whinging" and sniping from the touchline can be effective. If your suggestion is constructive and good for the NRA, NRA will hear you whether you are a member or not.

They are running a business! Thing may change now that the NRA is generating substantial profits from Bisley and we shall have to wait and see if any of that money will be applied to promoting shooting away from Bisley. My guess is that it might be, so we live in hope.

[techguy]

I will join again when they truly support ALL shooting , remember I was a member who was sold up the river during the s/a rifle ban and then again the pistol ban !

They won't get another chance to shaft me !

They support and actively promote all current disciplines. What support do you think is lacking?

[techguy]

Thing may change now that the NRA is generating substantial profits from Bisley and we shall have to wait and see if any of that money will be applied to promoting shooting away from Bisley. My guess is that it might be, so we live in hope.

If their strategic review is anything to go by, it's one of their main aims:

Perhaps the greatest threat to full bore shooting lies in the steady reduction in access for civilian
shooting on MoD ranges. It is obvious that increasing demands for range time from Forces returning
from abroad and the growing number of reserves risks squeezing out our members.

Cost cutting is being blamed with some ranges being shut at weekends; we are exploring the need /
possibility of training up range wardens to allow civilian shooting.

During 2015 to 2017 we should consider facilitating / funding a number of regional ranges, probably
in partnership with local affiliated clubs. In 2015 we will be recruiting a Regional Ranges Manager,
based away from Bisley; and establish a Regional Ranges Committee to investigate current UK range
facilities and develop a regional ranges strategy. Longer term we need to create an effective network
of staff, volunteers and agents to promote full bore shooting and maximise opportunities for
shooting away from Bisley.

2015 Target: Recruit Regional Ranges Manager; establish Regional Ranges Committee (to
provide interim report by September 2015)

[tackb]

I will join again when they truly support ALL shooting , remember I was a member who was sold up the river during the s/a rifle ban and then again the pistol ban !

They won't get another chance to shaft me !

They support and actively promote all current disciplines. What support do you think is lacking?

They claimed to before the previous bans .........

[alexham]

I will join again when they truly support ALL shooting , remember I was a member who was sold up the river during the s/a rifle ban and then again the pistol ban !

They won't get another chance to shaft me !

They support and actively promote all current disciplines. What support do you think is lacking?

They will rent you targets for a hefty fee (parking spaces not guaranteed) and they do not care what you shoot, provided it is within the range approval limits.
They run a few competitions without understanding what they are about, but drop them without hesitation if they are not "profitable". But if you are chucked off your local MoD range, NRA will not be able to help, because MoD does not give 2 figs and all the NRA will do is pretend to be helping whist doing nothing.
Even the current drive to promote Bisley and increase membership is attracting wrong types, interested only in gun ownership.

[The Gun Pimp]

[/quote] They support and actively promote all current disciplines. What support do you think is lacking?[/quote]

Can you see 'benchrest' mentioned anywhere on the NRA website?

Many disciplines are supported by a small number of countries - like Target Rifle and F Class. Benchrest usually has 20 odd nations taking part in its World Championships - not six!

[techguy]

They will rent you targets for a hefty fee (parking spaces not guaranteed) and they do not care what you shoot, provided it is within the range approval limits.

What do you consider a hefty fee? Which range do you shoot on? Why should they care what you shoot, as long as it's within the approved limits for that range?

They run a few competitions without understanding what they are about, but drop them without hesitation if they are not "profitable". But if you are chucked off your local MoD range, NRA will not be able to help, because MoD does not give 2 figs and all the NRA will do is pretend to be helping whist doing nothing.

Interesting. What competitions have been dropped? What disciplines do you shoot out of interest? I don't have a comment on the MoD range issues, as I don't know enough about it, I know there was some discussion about it on here previously and thought it was resolved/improved.

Even the current drive to promote Bisley and increase membership is attracting wrong types, interested only in gun ownership.

Funny.. Dromia would disagree with you that it's a bad thing! I can't say I've seen that from my interactions with new shooters at Bisley (I help to run the TS intro day, as well as help run shotgun and pistol comps) but my exposure to other disciplines and other new shooters is limited.

It seems that as Bisley is a such a large shooting ground, and with so many disciplines to cater for, some may be feeling that their discipline isn't getting the attention/coverage/facilities they require. From my perspective, I shoot CSR, TS/PSG and LBP at Bisley and I have absolutely zero complaints on costs, facilities or *anything* and it keeps getting better and better each year. Both discipline reps which cover those areas are fantastic at what they do and are both are always open to feedback/suggestions on anything which can be done better in the future.

[techguy]

They support and actively promote all current disciplines. What support do you think is lacking?[/quote]

Can you see 'benchrest' mentioned anywhere on the NRA website?

Many disciplines are supported by a small number of countries - like Target Rifle and F Class. Benchrest usually has 20 odd nations taking part in its World Championships - not six![/quote]

Fair point.

[rox]

Many disciplines are supported by a small number of countries - like Target Rifle...

Benchrest usually has 20 odd nations taking part in its World Championships - not six!

There were 21 countries shooting full-bore (TR) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Are there 20 teams *of 20* at the Benchrest World Champs?

How many people enter the British Benchrest Championships?

...apples and pears...

..

[dromia]

To get a truly national NRA we need to see people joining it nationally, instead of standing on the touchline whinging and waiting for someone else to sort it out.
Fred

I am currently and have been a member for nigh on 30 years and have tried my best with the organisation offering regional help in my area and have never had a response back other than can't do.

So I am not on the sideline whinging, I am a current member who has tried to be active regionally to no avail.

From my experience as a fuly paid up NRA member doing so makes not a jot of difference.

The NRA has a lot of history which reaches right up to today to overcome, it is not a welcoming organisation and difficult to get involved in, I'm not talking about Bisley here which is their trading arm so to speak but the National part,whatever that is.

Just as people have to join the NRA also has to give them some reason to join and being honest about what they do and can do would be a start.

There has to be a very good reason why individual NRA membership is so low out with the Bisley catchment and I would suggest that reason is lack of relevance, that is the key issue that the NRA needs to address and has needed to for all the time I have been a member.

Also I take exception to the Bisley/NRA lovers jumping on people like me who find the NRA wanting and calling us whingers and bashers, if the truth of the matter cannot be allowed to be discussed then that is even more damning for the organisation.

No doubt many shooters are indirectly financially supporting the NRA anyway through their club affiliation fees which is paid for through their club membership fees.

Every shooter has a right to his or her view of our "national" organisations whether they are members or not and are free to express those views here without the NRA lovers calling them names.