If you reload your ammunition the NRA want to have YOUR views. If you want to take part in their survey, please e-mail them at – survey@nra.org.uk
Category Archives: Club News
Counter Terrorism poster
We have been asked for our co-operation by Counter-Terrorism Policing Northwest – see below letter and poster – and there’s a link to their “e-learning” site for anyone interested.
The Geoffrey Place Range History
It struck me that we had so many pictures from the work we all did to build the Geoffrey Place Range that it might be an idea to use some of them in a brief history – so here it is ! It’s also interesting to see that when the range closed, it marked the end on over a century of target shooting in Parkgate.
See –
“The Rise and Fall of the Dive.”
Deactivated Firearms Guidance
The latest (last!?) EU legislation on deactivated firearms is complex and confusing, but the Deactivated Weapons Association (DWA) has put together a guide to what should be notified and when – see the tables at the bottom of this page.)
We may be officially “out” of the EU, but we’re still in the transition period sat the moment (18/2/20) and this particular law was enacted before we left.
You’ll note that the “who” to notify hasn’t been included, but now that’s been made (nearly) clear at – Deactivatedfirearmsnotifications@homeoffice.gov.uk
You should use the forms provided at – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0102019-firearms-regulations-2019-and-the-firearms-amendment-no2-rules-2019
What possible way this can enhance public safety is – to say the least – questionable, but it prevents the UK having to pay a massive fine to the EU if they haven’t “done something” to comply.
This is the very least they could do to comply with the legislation and still avoid that fine.
| Possession | ||
| Type of Deactivation? | Notify? | When to Notify? |
| UK legacy specifications deactivated prior to 7th April 2016 | No | N/A |
| 2010 UK Specification (for firearms outside the scope of the EU Regulation – mortars, flare pistols, launchers, etc.) deactivated from 8th April 2016 | No | N/A |
| EU Regulation 2015/2403 (EU Spec 1) deactivated from 8th April 2016 to 27th June 2018 | Yes | BUT Not before March 14th 2021 |
| EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 28th June 2018 to 13th September 2018 | Yes | March 14th 2021 if taken into your possession by 13/09/18 or from now if taken into your possession on or after 14/09/18 |
| EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 14th September 2018 | Yes | Now |
| Transfer (for more than 14 days) | ||
| Type of Deactivation? | Notify? | When to Notify? |
| UK legacy specifications deactivated prior to 7th April 2016 | No | N/A |
| 2010 UK Specification (for firearms outside the scope of the EU Regulation – mortars, flare pistols, launchers, etc.) deactivated from 8th April 2016 | No | N/A |
| EU Regulation 2015/2403 (EU Spec 1) deactivated from 8th April 2016 to 27th June 2018 | No | N/A |
| EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 28th June 2018 to 13th September 2018 | Yes | From now upon sale/transfer |
| EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 14th September 2018 | Yes | From now upon sale/transfer |
Salute to Ron Stoll
On Saturday 18th January we stopped all activity at Sealand in order to fire a five-volley salute to our (sadly missed) friend Ron Stoll.
Quite a number of members turned up specifically to pay their respects to Ron, but as we were limited to firing numbers by MoD rules, we had a squad of five – selected by lottery.
You can view the video below –
What was all that about?
We have received this today from the NRA.
[The MoD] have just confirmed that as long as the civilian firearm does not exceed the ME limit for the range , which for Sealand is 4500J, and that restrictions in range orders are followed ( no firing beyond the 300M Firing Point ) calibres like .303 are permitted. The onus is on the RCO to make sure that no one is using a firearm and ammunition that exceeds 4500J on the range.
We are still waiting for confirmation that the restriction on Black Powder has been lifted….
Since we have not been able to use High Muzzle Energy (HME) firearms at Sealand for over 20 years, it makes little or no difference to us now. The Muzzle-Loading bit is probably because they don’t know if any of them can exceed the HME limit……
As for ” no firing beyond the 300M Firing Point ” that’s interesting; the MoD have just spent (wasted?) a fair bit of time, energy and money to provide a 400 Metre firing point on B range, as well as re-writing range orders and installing barriers and extra safety procedures to allow this. Well, if this firing point is now to be abandoned, at least we had a chance to use it once.
AntiSocial media
Can we once again make a plea to any member who posts on social media? PLEASE – DO NOT POST ANYTHING RELATING TO YOUR SHOOTING ACTIVITIES WITH THE CLUB. If you bring a guest along – please acquaint them with this.
It’s not that people who post such stuff act maliciously, it’s just that the police, criminals and those opposed to our sport can use your information in ways that wasn’t intended by the poster.
Light-hearted comments meant as a joke are often seen differently from the original intent: Just try telling an airport security officer that you have bombs in both shoes and that you’re employed by Al-Qaeda. You may not see the funny side when the rubber gloves are being pulled on…..
The Police DO monitor Facebook, Whatsapp, Youtube etc, and use that information when looking at the grant, renewal or variation of YOUR firearm and/or shotgun certificates.
AND….. it’s not just what you post: a BASC member had his certificates revoked because of “criminal associates.” These turned out to be Facebook “friends” – of whom he had hundreds, and he had no idea that among them were criminals. (BASC got his certs back later)
Think about that a moment.
Your Facebook pages, for example:
Showing you shooting
Showing you drinking in different pubs and clubs
Showing you out of the country on holiday
Showing your latest car/motorbike
Showing you outside your home
Hearing that you are depressed about your football team’s performance
Seeing you tagged with others who you don’t know
….. and that’s just criminals looking. The Police can see this as well, and have greater powers and technology to dig even deeper. They can – and do – use such posts as supporting evidence for prosecutions and certificate revocations.
At Phoenix we keep rules and regulations to the absolute minimum – enough to cover the law, safety , sportsmanship and good manners.
It is coming to the point where we may have to say in the future that NO photographs can be taken at our shoots.
PLEASE – THINK about the above before you post anything on social media.
Found at Sealand on Saturday 27th July 2019
Magazine, probably 7.62.
Clubs “Good Practice Guide.”
This document was put together by the Metropolitan Police Firearms Enquiry Team together with representatives from the British Shooting Sports Council.
You may recognise one or two of the photos in the guide, so you can guess where the main input from the BSSC came from.
I’d particularly like to bring to your attention a statement in the foreword-
“We must do whatever we can reasonably do to support the continued lawful practice of target shooting, whilst protecting public safety.”
Rob Atkin MBE (T. Commander, Met police Armed Policing)
The whole document rests on honest and clear co-operation between the police and the clubs, and if all police forces and clubs were to adopt this guide, we’d be in a much better place than we are at present.
Met Police Clubs Good Practice Guide.
This document is worth reading as it explains a lot about the relationship between clubs and firearms licensing departments, and while the Home Office have started to charge for things which weren’t chargeable before, the main thrust of the guide remains good.
More tax (attacks?) on Target Shooting Clubs
The Home Office have just published their response to the consultation of various fees for Firearms related businesses, clubs and schools.
They are –
Club first time approval grant £444
Club renewal £372
There are also other fees for such things a changing the secretary, club name, etc, varying between £300 & £36.
These are far less than the original proposals but still a very considerable hike from £84 for both grant and renewal, and NO fee for variations. to quote the Home Office – “The review led to fees that are approximately 58% lower than those proposed in the consultation.”
We have always tried had to keep costs to a bare minimum to Phoenix members, but these extras will have to be factored into our subscriptions or range fees over the coming years. but basically it means that our costs will rise by £60 a year, although paid out in a lump sum every six years – 2020 being our next renewal.
That’s £60 a year we will not be able to use for the benefit of the club or the sport.