British Airgun Championships

[biggles]

Instead of offering an opportunity to complain my thread was intended to wish those who are competing good luck.

I am not a representative of the NSRA.

I guess that if you did the various disciplines involved in the championships at Bisley you would make sure you were aware of the competitions much the same as we do HFT or FT.

Hi Levidog

Last thing I wanted was to be labled as a whinger ... just not my sort of thing. AND I will add to yours my hearty best wishes to all shooting in this comp at Bisley over the next three days.

I can also see that the NSRA web site is new (major revamp, launched last month) and says it will be developing more and more. This is good news.

I shot small bore for donkeys years, becoming almost attached at the hip (well - shoulder ) to an Anschutz 1813, shooting a couple of night every week in the winter and 3 or 4 days a week the rest of the year. I still hang on to my collection of trophies and the badges which I removed from my shooting mat and (as Bullbarrel called it) bondage jacket. As result, I am very familiar with the NSRA and what they do for our sport (paper punching variety).

BUT, in terms of promoting the sport to 'outsiders' (including many of the BBS community), I'd strongly encourage the Association to add to the web site the sort of thing that most of us have on ours, quite often on our home pages. i.e. a "welcome to the sport" section, describing what it's all about, the different disciplines and classes and the equipment, etc. AND how people with an interest can become involved. Ever increasingly so, we need all the new people we can in our sports.

As, with their staff shortages, I imagine they have little time to trawl the BBS (), I'll find a way of expressing this opinion directly to the NSRA web meister.

ATB

Biggles

[another_dom]

All,

As some of you are clearly aware, the NSRA have had some serious issues recently. I do believe they are now on the road to recovery as it were!

The Association do host a number of junior shooting clubs at the Lord Roberts Centre, aimed at attracting them to the sport in a safe environment. They work alongside the NRA to organise open days at Bisley, where you can try any (UK legal) shooting discipline you care to. There is also a great deal of tie in with British Shooting (the rebranded GBTSF) to support the national sides, including development squads. They also support the national coaching scheme and run workshops dealing with psychology, electronic training aids (SCATT, Noptel) etc.

The NSRA also run a huge number of competitions, both postal and at Open Championships, covering small bore, air rifle and pistol and cross bow. It is incorrect to say the association is predominantly small bore - indeed the bulk of the facilities are geared towards towards 10m Olympic air events. You do not have to be a member to use the facilities, and can hire a lane by the hour, half day or day. Similarly, you do not have to be a member to enter most of the competitions.

Now for the slightly contentious bit! The NSRA is not a charity and has a huge annual turnover. I would encourage everyone involved in target shooting to join, if only for the comprehensive insurance cover, the 'right' to enter the competitions, and to bring my membership costs down a bit! It might also reduce the Association's dependence on swimming lessons, radio control cars, indoor bowls, dancing, roller hockey and weddings (I jest not) to stay afloat. Joining the relevant associations also ensures we have a political voice. I should add that I am not connected to the NSRA, other than being an annual member!

Biggles, you are absolutely right to say the accessibility of this information leaves a lot to be desired.

Finally, good luck to all competing this weekend!

Dom.

[another_dom]

Bullbarrel,

A bit of a technical error in your description of the olypmic air rifle discipline - a 10m air rifle bull is actually 0.5 +/1 0.1mm diameter (inward gauging), even so scores of 400 are made at the highest levels of the sport and there is discussion into reducing the size of the targets again. This will probably result in removing the 10 'spot' altogether!

All a bit precise for me - I'm sticking to small bore where you get a nice big 10.4mm diameter 10 ring. Unfortunately it's outdoors at 50 metres!

Dom.

[Powderfinger]

BUT, in terms of promoting the sport to 'outsiders' (including many of the BBS community), I'd strongly encourage the Association to add to the web site the sort of thing that most of us have on ours, quite often on our home pages. i.e. a "welcome to the sport" section, describing what it's all about, the different disciplines and classes and the equipment, etc. AND how people with an interest can become involved. Ever increasingly so, we need all the new people we can in our sports.

As, with their staff shortages, I imagine they have little time to trawl the BBS (), I'll find a way of expressing this opinion directly to the NSRA web meister.

ATB

Biggles

Excellent ideas and well put. NSRA has been hampered for decades by some fuddy-duddy ideas. I hope as time goes by, we can give more enouragement to get new members in and some fresh ideas.