From: Jonathan Spencer, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
In all this discussion of the Great British Weather, range availability,
courses of fire, prize money, sponsorship, TV coverage etc we do seem to
have overlooked, perhaps more fundamental, reasons why people do not
come into shooting - or do not stay.
There is a common belief amongst non-shooters that it is near impossible
to obtain a firearm certificate. And there is a common view, seldom
expressed in public, amongst senior police officers, that the public
should not have guns - and they pursue policies towards that aim.
While such views prevail, it'll be difficult to introduce people to the
sport. And for so long as licensing decisions are left to the whims of
individual licensing officers, with the only source of redress being an
expensive appeal to the Court, shooters and potential shooters are going
to find it difficult to engage in their chosen hobby.
--Jonathan Spencer, firearms examiner
"Justice is open to everybody in the same way as the Ritz Hotel."
Judge Sturgess, 22 July 1928
--
We just need to get more people shooting, using whatever method we
can come up with. The police can be a PITA but frankly they are
not quite so bad if all you want is a .22 or a shotgun, it's when
you start asking for the more elaborate Section 1 (or 5) stuff it starts
to get sticky. I realise that is a generalisation and I am sure
someone has a horror story about their shotgun certificate being
pulled.
The best method I have found is not prize money, advertising or
any of the rest of the suggestions that have been offered so far -
the best method is to simply put a flyer on the noticeboard at
work and being prepared to make the effort to take people shooting
with you.
You must have the guts to talk to people about the sport. A lot
of people don't because they think they'll be treated like a leper
but I'd rather that than attempt to follow conversations about
football!
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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