Interesting Ideas for sports shooters
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On this page we will be posting any news we have about our sport, with the most recent items at the top. ELECTION TIME - TIME TO HELP YOUR SPORT(4/1/10) Wouldn't it be great if there was a website somewhere where we could see if an MP or candidate was pro or anti shooting?The British Association for Shooting and Conservation are building such a site now - but it needs your input. Campaigning for the general election has effectively begun already, and if you go to BASC General Election 2010 Page you will see a mechanism whereby you enter your postcode, then a list of the candidates in your constituency will be shown together with a form of letter you can e-mail to them (automatically) asking for their opinion on shooting. You can customise this letter if you like. When you get a reply, you can add it to the BASC database by sending a copy of your e-mail to them at election@BASC.org.uk. This will have two effects:
AJ "Smoker" SMITH DEAD.(13/1/10) We are very sorry to announce the death of AJ Smith, one of the UK's best-ever clay pigeon shooters.See The Daily Express AJ was a character and a phenomenal shot - and he will be missed sadly by our sport. MORE TROUBLES AT BISLEY ?(10/1/10) It seems that things are not going well at Bisley - again.see NSC Chairman and Director resigns RANGE CLOSURES, AND POSSIBLE FEES INCREASE(20/12/09) The MoD have just said that they intend to close the Whitburn Range in the North-East and the Blarbuie Range in Scotland during 2010 as part of the economies necessary to enable them to better equip troops in Afganistan.There is also a proposal to reduce the use of MoD ranges over weekends from 1st April 2010 to save on Range Warden's overtime, but this is subject to a study which will not report until January 2010. Whatever the outcome it may well be that there will be an increase in costs to clubs who use MoD ranges to cover wardens' overtime over weekends, but the good news is that the current hire charges (2009) are likely to remain as they are. THIS WILL AFFECT US(16/12/09) The Government have announced that there will be a £500,000,000:00 cut in police spending over the next five years, and I'm sure they will say that much of this can be made from "efficiency" savings.One of the few income streams the police have is from firearm and shotgun licensing, and they have have long complained that the current certificate fees don't cover their costs. So, you can guarantee that the fees will be looked at with a view to increasing them. Some forces are clearly far less efficient and effective than others, and I'll be willing to bet that around £200 for the grant of a certificate is the amount those less efficient forces will be looking for. Perhaps if they stopped using police officers as Firearms Enquiry Officers (Merseyside, North Wales and the Met) they would save a considerable amount, or if they stopped wasting time and money in demanding "good reason" for a change in the conditions on a fiream certificate (not required by law) or made conditions more sensible so that they didn't have to constantly change them, or... well, we could go on and on about the less efficient forces' procedures.We shouldn't have to pay for inefficiency, but I'll bet we find we do. NEW BASC PRESS RELEASE(25/11/09) BASC condemns decision to pass airgun law to Scotland.25th November 2009………………………………………..…….immediate release The Government’s announcement that it has decided “in principle” to devolve control over airguns to the Scottish Parliament has been condemned by the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). Christopher Graffius, BASC Director of Communications said “This is the politics of populism, not of practicality. While it is natural for the Scottish Secretary to be concerned about his party’s standing in Scotland in the run up to an election, he should be aware that in the whole of the UK there are millions of people who own airguns, many of whom will be appalled.” The Scottish Secretary also said that this decision will require primary legislation, which will not take place until after the General Election. Christopher Graffius said “BASC will be pressing all political parties for an assurance that if elected, all control over firearms law will be reserved to Westminster. The curse of British firearms law has been its piecemeal development. Devolving control over airguns to Scotland is more tinkering at the edges which will do nothing to improve safety.” BASC’s Director for Scotland, Dr. Colin Shedden said Offences involving airguns have shown a dramatic fall in Scotland, and have more than halved over the last twelve years. There could be enormous practical difficulties in enforcing one set of controls in Scotland and another over the border. Airguns are used for safe and effective pest control, target shooting and sporting shooting. They will feature in the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The use of airguns is well regulated and politicians should instead be looking to improve enforcement and education.” ENDS For more information please call BASC Scotland on 01350 723226 or the press office on 01244 573031 I have not seen press releases from any other shooting organisations on the subject - they may exist, but I haven't been able to find them. It would be particularly intertesting to see what the Scottish Shooting Associations make of this move. You might wish to see ( and sign!) Petition to prevent the devolution of aigun laws to Scotland.The Crime & Security Bill(20/11/09) The current government has decided to pass more laws relating to air guns in a Crime and Security Bill.Some details of the Bill have now been published at The Crime & Security Bill. and – if you wish – you can follow the progress of the bill at Crime and Security Bill 2009-10 This includes a nifty way of getting details of that progress sent to you by e-mail as it happens. More importantly, it gives you a way to let YOUR opinions be known – but if you’re going to take that route you should be VERY sure to make a polite, properly spelt, grammatically correct and carefully thought-out submission. Do NOT ask rhetorical questions. (eg: “Who do you think this is going to help?” or “How can this be any good?”) A bad submission will not help our cause, so you would be best to take advice before taking this route. HERE you’ll find some help and advice to help with the format of your submission, and how to submit it to parliament. This is a very powerful tool – and like any power, it should be used with care and not abused. RESTRICTIONS ON AIR GUNS(18/11/09) We understand that the Queen's speech has included a measure to ensure that airguns are stored securely.This seems very sensible on the face of it - but how to you do that? Will this mean gun cabinets for air guns? Who will be the person prosecuted for leaving a gun "out of security"? What will be considered "secure storage", and by whom? Many questions - few answers. See THE BBC WEBSITEunder the "Crime and Security Bill." To quote "Brings in a legal requirement to store air guns safely." 18/11/09 - 16:00 - See Leader of the House of Commons Site For a little more detail - not much, but it's something. It does seem to give us some room for manoeuvre - and there is the chance that there will not be sufficient time to get this into law, or that the next government finds more important things to do. BASC press release 18/11/09 Airgun safety is a matter of common sense. Britain’s largest shooting organisation says airgun safety should be a matter of common sense rather than legislation. Responding to the Government’s proposal in the Queen’s speech to draft a law to ensure that airguns are stored securely out of the reach of children, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said airgun safety is a matter of good sense and good practice and all legitimate users of airguns are aware of safety precautions including access and storage. Bill Harriman, BASC’s Director of Firearms, said: “It is regrettable that a small number of incidents of abuse and carelessness have prompted government action. However, even a single accident is one too many and BASC understands public concern and will support measures which will reduce the misuse of airguns while not impinging on the practices of safe and law-abiding airgun users.” “We have been discussing this matter with government for some time, and have represented the views of responsible airgunners in a constructive meeting with the Home Office minister Alan Campbell. We are awaiting detailed guidance on the proposal from the Home Office, but anticipate legislation which, if parliamentary time allows, would place a responsibility on airgun owners to take reasonable precautions to keep them safely stored and out of the reach of children. This is a common sense approach and one which will already be followed by the vast majority of airgun users.” There are estimated to be at least six million airguns in the UK and the proportion of accidents is very small. Airguns are commonly used for pest control in situations where they offer an effective method of humane control with minimal disturbance and risk to safety. Airguns are widely used in target shooting sports and the sale and use of airguns is already well regulated. ENDS For more information please contact the BASC press office on 01244 573031
(19/11/09 - 08:55) MORE ON THE OLYMPIC SHOOTING VENUE(6/11/09) On 4/11/09 John Cruddas MP asked the Minister for the Olympics, Tessa Jowell What assessment she has made of the cost-effectiveness shooting sports part of the Olympics at the Royal Artillery barracks at Woolwich. Her reply was that"it would not be appropriate to publish commercially sensitive budget and cost information as the procurement for the facilities required for hosting shooting events has not yet begun." Yet see - costs for the Olympic Park - including roof trusses. Do you think that has answered the question? Is there something we should know?
NOT what we wanted to hear(18/10/09)
I wonder if there is any chance of planning permission being rejected?
FROM PHOENIX TO MOSTYN(24/09/09) We've just put a press release out to the Wirral Globe newspaper - see From Phoenix to Mostyn. and THANK YOU to everyone who so kindly contributed towards the gun - it really has been greatly appreciated by the kids.POLICE NIL, SHOOTERS ONE(24/09/09) Dale Barnard was out pigeon shooting safely and on land where he had permission to shoot, when he was approached by a policewoman who told him he was committing an offence by shooting too near a road, and then prosecuted him for an offence under the Highways Act 1980. It is an offence to shoot within 50ft of the centre of a highway IF by so doing, a user of the highway
is injured, interrupted or endangered. BASC opposes devolution of airgun law(22/06/09) STOP PRESS - there's now an on-line petition at Scottish gun ban petition which you may wish to sign.
BASC press release BASC director of firearms, Bill Harriman, said: “The call for devolution of firearms control powers is an overtly political initiative that is not evidentially based. Scottish statistics show a low level of firearms incidents, which are in decline. Education and enforcement of existing legislation is undoubtedly the best way to address any problems.” The vast majority of people who use airguns do so lawfully and there are already sufficient powers available to deal with the small minority who break the law. BASC believes that a new airgun law that only applies in Scotland will be almost impossible to enforce, and BASC will strongly argue against it. ENDS For more information please contact the BASC press office on 01244 573031 More on the Scottish anti-airgun campaign(06/07/09) Kenny MacAskill has sent out this Press release about the next phase in their campaign relating to air guns. You'll see that it seems to have been broadened now to include ALL firearms legislation.THAMES VALLEY SHOOTING UPDATE(24/09/09) Thames Valley Police have just been fined £40,000:00, with 25,000:00 costs at Southwark Crown Court for a breach of Health & Safety rules after an instructor "accidentally" (!?) shot a member of staff with a .44 Magnum revolver.A Thames Valley Police firearms instructor had "mistakenly" loaded a Magnum .44 revolver with a live round from a sweet tin, then pulled the trigger while pointing it at a colleague during a classroom tutorials. The instructor was fined £8,000:00 with a further £8,000:00 costs. The victim - a phone operator who used to shoot for Britain, underwent five hours of surgery for damage to his bowels and a kidney, as well as lung and liver damage; he was unconscious for 12 days. Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said: "The firearms training manual specifically states every gun should be treated as loaded. No gun should be pointed at anyone unless you intend to shoot them. These rules, I would have assumed, would have been paramount and instinctive to firearms instructors. However, these rules were not adhered to as absolutely as they should have been. Different instructors interpreted the rules differently." That last sentence beggars belief - how do different police officers interpret that rule "differently?" DURHAM(10/09/09) Two Police officers in Durham have been charged with theft and misconduct in public office.It is alleged that guns which had been handed to the police for disposal had been sold to other certificate holders. We have heard of cases where firearms enquiry officers have told certificate holders that if they didn't get rid of a number of guns, they would be forced to have a specialist alarm system as it was "force policy." Could this have been the case in Durham? I'm sure it wasn't. IS NATSS DEAD ?(09/09/09) The Clay Pigeon Association (CPSA) have decided to withdraw from the National Association of Target Shooting Sports (NATSS) discussions. (See their CPSA press release.)They say this is "due to the slow progress" and "The end of funding." Whilst they say they will continue to work with the National Rifle Association and the National Small-Bore Rifle Association, it would seem that NATSS - having run out of the money for consultants for the project, may well be dead in the water now. SHOOTING CLUB SCAM(15/07/09) We've received the following e-mail:From: owen.smith31(AT)gmail.com Subject: INQUIRIES FOR GUN SHOOTING... To: owen.smith31(AT)gmail.com Date: Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 7:33 PM
TRIPOD CONSULTING COMPANY.
DEAR, ARRIVAL DATE: 20 August 2009. DEPARTURE DATE: 26 August 2009. PLEASE CHECK THE AVAILABILITY AND GET BACK TO ME WITH THE TOTAL COST FOR ALL THE 10 ADULT IN 5 DAY'S OF OUR TRAINING.
REGARDS,
This is a scam which has been operating for some time with hotel, B&Bs, wedding services etc as the targets, but now it seems that we are seen as a new
set of dupes. See False accommodation scams.
Even if you are not taken in, simply replying shows the scammer that your e-mail address is "live" and that you
answer your e-mails, so it is likely that your e-mail address will be sold on to other scammers.
BCAP DON'T LIKE SHOOTERS(26/08/09) The British Code of Advertising Practice lumps shooting in with prostitution and pornography- and this is our response. Phoenix Shooters Association's response to the BCAP consultation
The Thin Read Line(26/04/09)
The militaria book store with expert knowledge behind it - no less than Dr Richmond Dutton!
SHOOTING SPORTS SURVEY(20/04/09) There has been much discussion over the past year or so about the threats and challenges posed to the shooting sports, and the efficiency or otherwise of the shooting organisations - so if you have a minute, could you possibly let us know your views? Pride and Sorrow(19/04/09)
We are both proud and sad to announce that we are at our membership limit, and will no longer
be able to accept new full members. Ministry of Defence Ranges - the Certification System.(07/01/09) We have had quite a number of people contacting us worried about the MoD/NRA "Safe Shooting System" and the certification system.We appreciate that the information from the NRA at Civilian use of MoD ranges, and Certification is very complex and confusing, but I'm afraid that's what we have to deal with. If you read through the information carefully, you'll be able to work out who requires what sort of certification, and the processess to obtain it. One thing is absolute - you will NOT be able to shoot on MoD ranges if you do not have a certificate for the type of firearm you'll be using, unless you are supervised on a one-to-one basis. We've tried to put together a simple guide - see our "Interesting" page under the heading "MoD ranges - things you'll need to know" - bearing in mind this was written for one specific range and club - but it may be of some help to you. "NOTES FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL"(23/12/08) If you can get a copy of the latest NRA Journal it's well worth reading Glynn Alger's - "Notes from the Secretary General" Here are some selective extracts which may interest you -"The National Rifle Association was created to promote Marksmanship in the United Kingdom and overseas." "As such, there was an implicit intention to own ranges nationwide. The NRA never achieved the ambition to host events around the country nor did it make provision to create a national range structure." "Over time, either because of circumstance or finance, the NRA has failed to meet those original objectives. Instead the National Rifle Association has chosen largely to focus on Bisley and, as a result in more cynical circles is known as the 'Bisley Rifle Club.'" "Membership is limited by our focus on Bisley, our failure to invest in regional ranges and truly to represent fullbore rifle shooters." "It has to be said that, if we remain where we are, it is likely that the NRA will return to being a failing organisation, the 'Bisley Rifle Club.' "However,if the NRA does the right things at this point in time, there are great possibilities for target shooting. Those opportunities only exist if we are willing to work closely with other target shooting bodies to create an inclusive and representative sport." These are brave words, brave admissions, and whilst these are selective quotations from the article, I believe they represent an honest and forthright statement of facts. The whole article is here , and I'd recommend you read it to get the full flavour. We should support such brave initiatives - I'm sure these statements will not have made friends amongst the reactionaries who believe that Bisley and "TR" are at the centre of the universe - I believe Glynn (and hopefully the rest of the NRA) is absolutely on the right track - and I don't say that lightly. | |
"A PHOENIX RISES"(18/11/08)
The November/December edition of the BASC magazine "Shooting & Conservation" has a three-page article headed "A Phoenix Rises"
featuring the Geoffrey Place Range (GPR), Mostyn House School, and of course Phoenix Shooters Association. The conversion of the air raid shelter into the Geoffrey Place Range is largely due to the hard work of Phoenix members who gave their time, energy, expertise, money and support to this project. We have to thank the Friends of Mostyn House for their support and financial help, and most importantly, the keen support of Suzi Grenfell, the headmistress of Mostyn House School.
You can read the three page article here - Page one -
Page two and
Page three.
Air raid shelter - or shooting range? (28/2/08) On Wednesday, 27th February 2008 the Geoffrey Place Range at Mostyn House School had its formal opening. This is the first shooting range to open in the Wirral area for well over fifty years - and it's been built by PSA in partnership with the school. The range has been constructed in the school air-raid shelter which had been used as an indoor sporting facility for some time, but that came to an end due to poor lighting and seepage, leaving it as a store full of rotting equipment and rubbish for many years. 
We have tried to retain and renovate some of the artefacts found when we cleared the shelter, such as signs, lighting accessories and a pump, and we've decorated it in the original style and colours, which we hope this will give some idea of the way the shelter must have looked when it was first built. Our estimate was that it would take between three and four years to clear and prepare the shelter, and to build the range and clubroom but due to the incredible support, hard work and expertise of the members, we opened in less than two years after the start of work, which was in May 2006.  |
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