Category Archives: General News

General sporting related news and media.

It is with considerable sadness that we have to report the death of the great Colin Greenwood, who died peacefully on Friday 10th November. The funeral, was held at 11:30 on Tuesday 28th November at the Church of St Thomas the Apostle, Church Street, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 7NT. The family requested no flowers,, but if desired donations should be made to MacMillan Cancer Support. ( We did)

Mary & Mike attended with Bill Harriman from BASC – a very sad day for all of us, and a great loss to the shooting sports.

.50 calibre rifles and “rapid fire” rifles – BASC press release

Club News, General News, Public, , , ,

BASC seeks government clarification ahead of public consultation on knives and firearms

BASC is seeking clarification from the government following the announcement of a public consultation on offensive weapons.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has announced that among the proposals on which the government will consult are restrictions on the online sales of knives and the transfer of two firearms (.50 calibre and “certain rapid firing rifles”) from the general licensing arrangements to the stricter provisions of section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968.

While the UK’s largest shooting organisation welcomes efforts to tackle crime, it cautions against measures which may not be evidence-based, comply with the principles of better regulation and may impose unintended consequences on legitimate traders or end users.

Bill Harriman, BASC’s director of firearms, said: “The details of this consultation have not yet been released, but BASC is seeking clarification from government as a matter of urgency.

“BASC will ensure that the views of its members will be represented as part of the consultation process. We will continue to challenge proposals for changes in legislation if we believe they are incorrectly targeted or will be ineffective.

“BASC will hold the government to account and demand that any proposals to change legislation are proportionate and evidence led. While we will be supportive of measures which tackle crime, it is important that legislative changes are not made as a knee-jerk response.”

BASC is approaching government to clarify proposals for .50 calibre and rapid firing rifles.

Mr Harriman added: “The ability of terrorists or criminals to acquire .50cal rifles is insignificant. These have been possessed lawfully without incident. The current wording around proposals for certain rapid firing rifles are too vague to allow a detailed response at this stage.”

The Home Office has also announced it will consult on proposals to restrict the online sale of knives so they cannot be delivered to a private residential address and must instead be collected at a place where age ID can be checked.

Mr Harriman added: “Banning the delivery of bladed items by mail order may be detrimental to the legitimate knife trade and end users. It would, for example, likely cause immense difficulties for those who make a legitimate living from hand-crafting niche hunting knives to sell them online.

“Such legislation may not meet the regulatory proportionality test or have a demonstrable effect on criminality. And it would do nothing to stop people using kitchen knives to commit crimes.”

Ammunition limits on MoD Ranges – a clarification, and something we all need to know.

Club News, General News

I now appreciate that the Muzzle-Energy  graph we were supplied with was probably incorrect, (Thanks Mike R !) so to clarify the position I’ve taken this from the NRA website re limitations at Bisley and on most MoD Ranges, including Sealand.

a maximum muzzle velocity of 1000 m/s (3280 ft/s) and

a maximum muzzle energy of 4500 J (3319 ft lb);

Cartridges which, when normally loaded, would exceed the ME/MV limits of any specific range may not be used on that range even if downloaded.

This is not something we wanted (neither did the NRA) but it is what we are lumbered with.  Please ensure that your ammunition conforms – all the ammunition we supply does.

Scottish Airgun Law

General News

From 31st December 2016, the law in Scotland requires certificates for low-powered airguns  – and you can obtain them  like firearm certificates – from the police – at least the law-abiding shooters will.

Criminals won’t be allowed certificates which will simply mean they’ll continue to abuse airguns as before, and that’s even assuming that they’ll apply for them – which I sincerely doubt.

So, much more work and bureaucracy for the police and the shooter – at a time when airgun crime is at its lowest level ever in Scotland. Good news eh ?

For all Home Office approved target shooting club secretaries in the UK

From 1st August 2016 – the New Home Office Club Criteria.

The new Home Office Criteria for Target Shooting Clubs.

After pressure from the shooting organisations and the police, the Home Office have reviewed the criteria for target shooting clubs approval.

Most of the changes are simply updates of addresses and organisations, but some WILL affect your club.

  1. Applying for approval. Now when applying for approval, the application goes to the police force where the secretary or person responsible for application lives.
  2. The club must inform the police of ANY member (other than probationary or guest member) who has not shot with the club for 12 months or who has ceased to be a member.
  3. The details provided by the club to the police must now include the full name and address, AND the date and place of birth of the applicant/member.
  4. The club must inform the police of the date on which a person became a full member.
  5. There is no longer a requirement to provide “the outcome” of an application to join, as it’s effectively covered by 4. above.
  6. The declaration on the membership application form about prison sentences has been updated to include suspended sentences of 3 months or longer.
  7. The club must now have access to ranges where “adequate financial arrangements” are in place to meet claims (read “Insurance”) instead of the old range safety certificates.
  8. ALL notifications (applications for membership, members leaving or not shot for 12 months) must be sent to the police force through whom the approval was sought, or renewed.

The fee is still £84, and you can pay by Credit or Debit card by calling  0845 010 0125 and quoting your Home Office club reference number and the payment code of 0120/295004/61010: .

Two opportunities were missed –  the Home Office were asked for evidence of any problems or benefits to the public safety to help the group reviewing the criteria, but none was forthcoming, neither were they prepared to bring S1 shotguns and long-barrelled pistols under the Home Office approval banner.

Despite pressure from the shooting organisations, the Home Office did not remove the unnecessary bureaucratic requirement to record the make, type, and serial number of every guns used by every member with a Firearm certificate every time they shoot.