The PH Gun Cabinet - Shooting Matters
Discussion
There's a balance to be had, certainly, but I think it must be quite daunting for someone who's starting out and hasn't got a family member or close friend to guide them through the process so they can get an FAC or SGC.
We probably lose a lot of potential newcomers to the sport simply because it's very difficult to get the right information and resources up front and what I often hear is even when they contact local clubs to find out more, the response (or lack of) can be very off-putting.
We probably lose a lot of potential newcomers to the sport simply because it's very difficult to get the right information and resources up front and what I often hear is even when they contact local clubs to find out more, the response (or lack of) can be very off-putting.
I'm lucky in that my local club shoots pretty much everything. We have air rifles, archery, clays, practical shotgun, practical BB, full bore and small bore.
Once a month we have open days when interested parties can sign up and come along to try out shooting and club members are only too happy to let guests have a go. On guest days I will take everything out the cupboards and see who wants a go, the Mosin is always popular and so is the Martini Henry.
Then once a guest decides to join they become a probationary member and can shoot the club rifles or, again, have a go with the full members rifles until they qualify for full membership and can apply for an FAC of their own.
Once a month we have open days when interested parties can sign up and come along to try out shooting and club members are only too happy to let guests have a go. On guest days I will take everything out the cupboards and see who wants a go, the Mosin is always popular and so is the Martini Henry.
Then once a guest decides to join they become a probationary member and can shoot the club rifles or, again, have a go with the full members rifles until they qualify for full membership and can apply for an FAC of their own.
FurtiveFreddy said:
We probably lose a lot of potential newcomers to the sport simply because it's very difficult to get the right information and resources up front and what I often hear is even when they contact local clubs to find out more, the response (or lack of) can be very off-putting.
Indeed.When I tried to get back into the sport about 6-7 years ago, I had the same situation, and ended up pretty much giving up, when by chance a good mate got an introduction to our now club via an old friend (who I also vaguely knew but not that he had a FAC) and thus once he had gone through probation period, I got then my introduction. While not a big club, its nicely informal in terms of none of the clique-ness I'd seen when seeking out clubs previously.
Only thing is I quite fancy a go at Mini-Rifle comps but its not something that my club does, but I suspect that I probably couldn't find the extra time needed to do that as well, so its not such a big deal to me.
Anyone know of a club in Yorks who will let FAC holders come and zero a rimfire (.17hmr) at 100 yards perhaps?
quite happy to pay a fee, on the one off occasions you need to sit and bench rest to re-zero/check zero
I did find a tunnel range in Ashbourne (derbyshire) thats helpful for this, but its a trek.
quite happy to pay a fee, on the one off occasions you need to sit and bench rest to re-zero/check zero
I did find a tunnel range in Ashbourne (derbyshire) thats helpful for this, but its a trek.
aeropilot said:
Only thing is I quite fancy a go at Mini-Rifle comps but its not something that my club does, but I suspect that I probably couldn't find the extra time needed to do that as well, so its not such a big deal to me.
There are open mini rifle matches run by various clubs you could enter. The NRA have a mini-rifle league with matches at various ranges around the country. How about having a go at one of those?200Plus Club said:
Anyone know of a club in Yorks who will let FAC holders come and zero a rimfire (.17hmr) at 100 yards perhaps?
quite happy to pay a fee, on the one off occasions you need to sit and bench rest to re-zero/check zero
I did find a tunnel range in Ashbourne (derbyshire) thats helpful for this, but its a trek.
Lincs rather than Yorks but North Cotes Butts near Grimsby has a 100m tunnel. Will depend which bit of this fine county you live in I guess. quite happy to pay a fee, on the one off occasions you need to sit and bench rest to re-zero/check zero
I did find a tunnel range in Ashbourne (derbyshire) thats helpful for this, but its a trek.
200Plus Club said:
Anyone know of a club in Yorks who will let FAC holders come and zero a rimfire (.17hmr) at 100 yards perhaps?
quite happy to pay a fee, on the one off occasions you need to sit and bench rest to re-zero/check zero
I did find a tunnel range in Ashbourne (derbyshire) thats helpful for this, but its a trek.
North Coates butts is a good shout because it’s cheap to join if you are far enough away.quite happy to pay a fee, on the one off occasions you need to sit and bench rest to re-zero/check zero
I did find a tunnel range in Ashbourne (derbyshire) thats helpful for this, but its a trek.
How far north in Yorkshire? Chesterfield club shoot on the police range in Doncaster 100 meters about once a month. I belive Wakefield or pontefract somewhere around there have an indoor club that has 100 meter range.
aeropilot said:
red_slr said:
Once you complete your probationary period you are then issued with full membership.
Once you have that you do the class room stuff. You can then shoot another members rifle to demonstrate safe handling. TBH its probably a bit of a unique situation as the club is more geared to existing FAC holders and due to its size its not really suited to novices.
Don't get me wrong we do get people who have never shot before but I would say a good percentage are people who already shoot and have FAC.
Mine isn't really suited to complete novices either, as we don't have our own facilities and most new members we've had, if not already FAC holders have had enough prior experience, that its more refresher training than ab-initio, but we still do have two club guns.Once you have that you do the class room stuff. You can then shoot another members rifle to demonstrate safe handling. TBH its probably a bit of a unique situation as the club is more geared to existing FAC holders and due to its size its not really suited to novices.
Don't get me wrong we do get people who have never shot before but I would say a good percentage are people who already shoot and have FAC.
But we only really do two types of shooting (one club gun for each type), so its not such a big deal.
I could easily see a new member getting frustrated by that lack of hands on for such a long time though, but I suppose, if they stay the course to actually getting to fire something, at least you know they are probably serious about the sport which is a good thing.
It’s a very relaxed club.
Pesty said:
North Coates butts is a good shout because it’s cheap to join if you are far enough away.
How far north in Yorkshire? Chesterfield club shoot on the police range in Doncaster 100 meters about once a month. I belive Wakefield or pontefract somewhere around there have an indoor club that has 100 meter range.
Interesting do you have a link please if poss? I enquired once with a club near chesterfield but was told no hmr use.How far north in Yorkshire? Chesterfield club shoot on the police range in Doncaster 100 meters about once a month. I belive Wakefield or pontefract somewhere around there have an indoor club that has 100 meter range.
IMPORTS:
I want to buy some magazines from South Africa.
The are a reputable shop, so they will write "magazines" on the customs declaration.
Does anybody know if I will have any difficulties on the UK side with importing magazines?
Some courier companies don't ship anything related to firearms, even if they are not restricted, what courier companies have you used in the past?
I want to buy some magazines from South Africa.
The are a reputable shop, so they will write "magazines" on the customs declaration.
Does anybody know if I will have any difficulties on the UK side with importing magazines?
Some courier companies don't ship anything related to firearms, even if they are not restricted, what courier companies have you used in the past?
creampuff said:
IMPORTS:
I want to buy some magazines from South Africa.
The are a reputable shop, so they will write "magazines" on the customs declaration.
Does anybody know if I will have any difficulties on the UK side with importing magazines?
Some courier companies don't ship anything related to firearms, even if they are not restricted, what courier companies have you used in the past?
Magazines are not a restricted item in the UK, or own/buy/import, and ITAR is only applicable to exports from the USA.I want to buy some magazines from South Africa.
The are a reputable shop, so they will write "magazines" on the customs declaration.
Does anybody know if I will have any difficulties on the UK side with importing magazines?
Some courier companies don't ship anything related to firearms, even if they are not restricted, what courier companies have you used in the past?
On a side note, why South Africa? Can't you source them from UK or Europe? And I would make sure the send it via couriers, as the postal system in South Africa can't be trusted, but I'm sure they know that.
smack said:
On a side note, why South Africa? Can't you source them from UK or Europe?
I'm guessing its to do with the new mag capacity limits in EU...?No chance of getting any more 25rd mags for my StG.44 any more other than from USA (if you can find someone to export them that is) as GSG will only be making them for markets other than the EU.
I recently got invited to a handgun shooting competition in Bavaria. 90 people competed, 60 from the military and 30 civilians. I haven't shot anything in 20 years and I still came 2nd overall and 1st amongst the civilians. I was well happy, as beforehand I had been boasting that I was once a fairly decent shot with a rifle. The guns were a S&W 357 mag revolver and a Glock 9mm pistol.
Gloating over.
Gloating over.
Kawasicki said:
I recently got invited to a handgun shooting competition in Bavaria. 90 people competed, 60 from the military and 30 civilians. I haven't shot anything in 20 years and I still came 2nd overall and 1st amongst the civilians. I was well happy, as beforehand I had been boasting that I was once a fairly decent shot with a rifle. The guns were a S&W 357 mag revolver and a Glock 9mm pistol.
Gloating over.
Hahaha, that's a bit of a worry if you are a civilian, you haven't shot for 20 years and you beat 60 military people in a shooting match!Gloating over.
aeropilot said:
I'm guessing its to do with the new mag capacity limits in EU...?
smack said:
On a side note, why South Africa? Can't you source them from UK or Europe? And I would make sure the send it via couriers, as the postal system in South Africa can't be trusted, but I'm sure they know that.
Magazines in question are not available in Europe, unrealated to the 25 round problem. That leaves the US, which is a major butt ache, if not impossible without actually going there. Or South Africa. On the courier thing: have you had any problems with couriers? I've read online reports of people who have had problems with couriers, eg DHL, where the courier company has a policy of 'no parts which have anything to do at all with firearms' or that the courier company holds the item on arrival and asks for government import clearance documentation which is not required because the item is not regulated.
Edited by creampuff on Thursday 22 February 12:06
creampuff said:
Kawasicki said:
I recently got invited to a handgun shooting competition in Bavaria. 90 people competed, 60 from the military and 30 civilians. I haven't shot anything in 20 years and I still came 2nd overall and 1st amongst the civilians. I was well happy, as beforehand I had been boasting that I was once a fairly decent shot with a rifle. The guns were a S&W 357 mag revolver and a Glock 9mm pistol.
Gloating over.
Hahaha, that's a bit of a worry if you are a civilian, you haven't shot for 20 years and you beat 60 military people in a shooting match!Gloating over.
The expectation is that Police and Military are all crack shots because of all their 'extensive training'.
The fact is they probably have the same proportion of exceptional shots as the civilian shooting community. At the end of the day, it's a skill which can't all be taught. Some of it is having a natural aptitude, some of it is practice and some of it is being interested in the subject.
The fact is they probably have the same proportion of exceptional shots as the civilian shooting community. At the end of the day, it's a skill which can't all be taught. Some of it is having a natural aptitude, some of it is practice and some of it is being interested in the subject.
200Plus Club said:
Interesting do you have a link please if poss? I enquired once with a club near chesterfield but was told no hmr use.
Dates here sprotbourough is where the police range is in Doncaster. I’m sure hmr won’t be an issue. You could always go across river to ours rated for everything but only 50meters. New club opening in Rotherham too.Chesterfield dates
http://cdrpc.co.uk/calendar_2018.him
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