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Have you contacted the NRA with your concerns?

You are more likely to get an answer/solution that way.

I had a impression many staff members resigned under Mr.Mercier command....it is not easy going there....and I am just outside observer

pb86 wrote:Have you contacted the NRA with your concerns?

You are more likely to get an answer/solution that way.

Yes I did contact the Ranges Manager and exchanged a couple of very polite emails, but when the questions required a considered answer "Yes we have a problem and we are going to do this, this and this to resolved them....." He stopped replying. So don't rely on an answer or solution, because they don't seem to have any. It is almost as if you have no right as a member to question what the management have decided - a sham democracy like most thing where someone has taken control.

ColinR wrote:

Chapuis wrote:The simple fact of the matter is that without hiring out certain ranges to the police the NRA would have been in an extremely vulnerable position and very possibly may not have survived.
Maybe it galls to pass those ranges and find that they are not in use at that particular time but the range time has been sold and is no longer available to the NRA. I don't know if you have ever tried to organise a training programme but resources need to be available and it is a complete pain in the arris to try and work around other users so it is much easier to simply block book and perhaps not fully utalise facilities but at least have them available should you require them.

The location and availability of MOD ranges in various parts of the country is totally irrelevant. As Bisley is being used as a central training facility and a fairly good one at that.

Just be grateful that the NRA were able to come to an arrangement with the police because I personally have no doubt whatsoever that without this much needed influx of rent Bisley would be a very different place and maybe may not be at all.

In effect you are saying the membership should just grin and bear it - the reason the NRA got into this position was due to mismanagement, no management. Its easy to rent out existing facilities to generate some cash and to be fair it has been re-invested, but now they should be considering releasing SS back to the membership, sorting out an other arrangement with CNC and allowing members full use of the facilities they pay for. I'm sure you'd not be so happy if, as a solution to another financial crisis the NRA were to block book Century or Stickledown to some outside agency.

Yes I agree Colin its an unpleasant situation for the NRA to be in as a result of previous mismanagement and poor decision making. Incidentally I don't think the police would have been very interested in hiring either Century or Stickledown if those ranges had ever been offered to them as they wouldn't have suited their needs. Highly unlikely that they would ever need to engage attackers at such ranges.

[/quote]Yes I agree Colin its an unpleasant situation for the NRA to be in as a result of previous mismanagement and poor decision making. Incidentally I don't think the police would have been very interested in hiring either Century or Stickledown if those ranges had ever been offered to them as they wouldn't have suited their needs. Highly unlikely that they would ever need to engage attackers at such ranges.[/quote]

It was hypothetical not referring to the Police or CNC, but how would you have felt if Century or Stickledown were block booked to the MOD for instance. The arrangements on SS might not affect you but I'm sure if similar was in place on Century or Stickledown you might take a different view, The shooting fraternity have historically been unsupportive of anything unless it affects them personally so we all need to take a broader view and stand together on all issues affecting whatever aspect of shooting.

"The shooting fraternity have historically been unsupportive of anything unless it affects them personally so we all need to take a broader view and stand together on all issues affecting whatever aspect of shooting."

Absolutely, united we stand divided we fall.

There is a lot of this "to hell with you Jack I'm all right" attitude still amongst gun owners. You would think people would learn from history but the 21st century post modern attitude just seems to about "me and now".

No maturity whatsoever.

ColinR wrote:

Yes I agree Colin its an unpleasant situation for the NRA to be in as a result of previous mismanagement and poor decision making. Incidentally I don't think the police would have been very interested in hiring either Century or Stickledown if those ranges had ever been offered to them as they wouldn't have suited their needs. Highly unlikely that they would ever need to engage attackers at such ranges.[/quote]

It was hypothetical not referring to the Police or CNC, but how would you have felt if Century or Stickledown were block booked to the MOD for instance. The arrangements on SS might not affect you but I'm sure if similar was in place on Century or Stickledown you might take a different view, The shooting fraternity have historically been unsupportive of anything unless it affects them personally so we all need to take a broader view and stand together on all issues affecting whatever aspect of shooting.[/quote]

Actually Colin being a stalker rather than a long range shooter hypothetically the loss of SS would affect me more than the loss of Centuary or Stickledown. What this has highlighted is that there is a definite need/requirement for the shorter ranges at Bisley.

Actually Colin being a stalker rather than a long range shooter hypothetically the loss of SS would affect me more than the loss of Centuary or Stickledown. What this has highlighted is that there is a definite need/requirement for the shorter ranges at Bisley.

You are absolutely right, but not any short range such as 100 and 200 on Century. If SS is unavailable then another 100 and 200 range with high windbreaks, undercover etc. I think the NRA management fail to understand the unique nature of SS in the complex and what it offers in terms of a virtually wind free range for zeroing. My experience is that trying to zero or load test on Century at 100 or 200 is fraught with wind problems and on two occasions now I have just given up. Apart from people wanting to shoot at shorter distances SS is the ideal range for zeroing, so depriving shooters of its use suggests that the management have no idea of what shooters need.

I think that they are also missing a trick in that if they had a range that sporting shooters shooters, FAC holders not necessarily NRA members could hire by the hour it could be a bit of a money spinner. Nothing too grand just a 100 or 200 yard zeroing range on a pay to play basis. Commercial ranges normally charge between £17 and £20 an hour for such a facility, though the likes of H&H charge far more on their shooting ground from what I hear. I also understand that there is a real shortage of such a facility in the South East and home counties.

Can you not shoot 100 and 200yds on Century during the week?