The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi all,
I was wondering if it's possible as a full NRA member to rent a lane at Bisley and take a non-shooting/non-FAC friend with you and let them have a go under close one-to-one supervision?

I'm pretty sure this would be fine out in a field somewhere if you were deer shooting and were the shooting rights holder or his agent (or words to that effect, I can't remember chapter and verse, just intent). Is the situation effectively the same at Bisley if you rent your own lane? Do Bisley's own rules prevent this happening?

I know that the normal route is to go to the NRA open day or another club's open day that's hosted at Bisley but that's not always a practical solution. I'll bet this happens regardless of the rules but I nevertheless wondered what the correct position is.

Paul.

As far as I am aware this is not allowed. Every single person who pulls a trigger at Bisley (because it is a MOD range) has to have a SCC.

Hi

Short answer is no.

Longer answers have to do with a number of complexities of the Firearms Act, the conditions on your FAC, membership, Home Office Approval and insurance. Curiously, lack of an SCC would not be an issue - the friend would be a novice shooter under supervision of the member.

Ways you can do this:
Open day as mentioned.
Guest day - the NRA Shooting Club run guest days where any NRA member can bring a friend to shoot, and it is also possible to book guest days at Bisley as a commercial activity.
Get your friend to join the NRA
Get your friend to join an affiliated Home Office Approved Club and get the club to book the range space.

If you just do it, you and your friend are in breach of NRA rules, uninsured and committing a crime. Please don't.

Iain

I stand corrected, thanks Iain.

Thanks for clarifying the rules. To set your minds at rest, I've no intention of doing it out with the rules.

Probably the simplest thing for me to do would be join another club that does run guest days and then use those days. I've had more than one friend ask me about this in the past and it's such a pain it's almost easier just to go abroad to a sensible country for a day. :-)

Thanks,
Paul.

Having re-read your message Iain, I realise I missed your point about NRA guest days. Can I rent a lane on the guest day and shoot my own rifles with a friend or is it limited to participating in the activities provided by the NRA?
Thanks again,
Paul.

You pay for the target space, and you can use your own rifles or hire them, and buy ammo or BYO.

And I'm guessing you are going to ask when the next guest day is - sorry don't know, that's one for Heather - memsec@nra.org.uk.

Iain

Sorry to hi-jack the thread, it is a (sort of) related question...

If I have a friend who

• does have an FAC,
  is a member of an NRA afilliated club,
  doesn't yet have an SCC

then (as an NRA member with SCC) I can book a lane and he can shoot, provided I supervise closely at all times?

Thanks.

Individual,
No.
Your friend can only shoot as a member of the Affiliated Club and the Affiliated Club makes the booking. If your 'friend' just tagged along with you (on your booking) he is not insured. Your friend should also have a SCC issued by his affiliated club so that when he shoots with his club, he does not require one to one supervision at all times.
I am sure that Iain will correct me if I am wrong.

Steve E wrote:Individual,
No.
Your friend can only shoot as a member of the Affiliated Club and the Affiliated Club makes the booking. If your 'friend' just tagged along with you (on your booking) he is not insured. Your friend should also have a SCC issued by his affiliated club so that when he shoots with his club, he does not require one to one supervision at all times.
I am sure that Iain will correct me if I am wrong.

Steve E - Ok thanks.

Well we can probably book through the club easily enough, as we are both members. Just a case of who makes the phone call/email to the range office. Although it seems a bit of a daft distinction, but I can see how it might matter for insurance. Does the range office only accept club bookings from a 'designated' official?

Bit of a chicken-and-egg with the SCC since the club won't issue one until shooter has proved safe (which is right thing) but only place our club can shoot FB is Bisley.