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With regards to the NRA and SLR ban, I'm not a direct member so will make no comment on how the NRA is run now as I have no direct experience apart from reading posts about it here.

The lack of support for the SLR shooters is an issue, If I recall correctly the NRA came about with the rise of the Rifle Volunteers in the latter half of the 19thC. These units were the heritage of the the Anglo-Saxon militia. The NRA as far as I have read and recall were set up to promote target shooting with the current issue service rifle so as to help form a backbone of marksmanship for the nations armed forces.

This being said, any lack of support for maintenance of SLRs flies in the face of this.

However, I read and was told this a long time ago, so someone please correct me if I am wrong.

dave_303 wrote:With regards to the NRA and SLR ban, I'm not a direct member so will make no comment on how the NRA is run now as I have no direct experience apart from reading posts about it here.

The lack of support for the SLR shooters is an issue, If I recall correctly the NRA came about with the rise of the Rifle Volunteers in the latter half of the 19thC. These units were the heritage of the the Anglo-Saxon militia. The NRA as far as I have read and recall were set up to promote target shooting with the current issue service rifle so as to help form a backbone of marksmanship for the nations armed forces.

This being said, any lack of support for maintenance of SLRs flies in the face of this.

However, I read and was told this a long time ago, so someone please correct me if I am wrong.

I read somewhere that even earlier than the ban, when 7.62x51 came in accross NATO, while the US NRA were using Semis (Garand, M14 etc) with decent ammo and hand loads where they could, our NRA shunned the SLR and went down the cut and shut lee enfield etc.

So no, they were never really onboard with the SLR to start with.

I joined the NRA partly to support but also as stated, I should not moan if I dont do something proactive.

I think they really need to be more vocal in good times (rather than just clamming up or firefighting during the periods of bad publicity).

But hey, I enjoy shooting at the NSC, usually 3 times a month, and I reckon I get my moneys worth and things are improving.

Being able to book a target with some oppos, and have a (usually) hard working and enthusiastic marker do their best has to be a major bonus to start with.

Maggot wrote:I read somewhere that even earlier than the ban, when 7.62x51 came in accross NATO, while the US NRA were using Semis (Garand, M14 etc) with decent ammo and hand loads where they could, our NRA shunned the SLR and went down the cut and shut lee enfield etc.

So no, they were never really onboard with the SLR to start with.

Absolutely true!

As an aside the Aussies introduced a single shot target rifle based on the L1A1 (SLR) so that SR"b" could continue.
The rifle was an unmitigated disaster with a little over 100 being built by Lithgow. However I believe they are highly sought after in Australia as collectors items!

Just as an historical aside below is transcript I made from the original Lord Elcho letter, of which I have a copy, found in the Sutherland papers whist undertaking research on Volunteer ranges, amongst other things.


Lord Elcho National Rifle Association Letter to the Duke of Sutherland.

" 11 Pall Mall East

Aug 16 60

My Lord

The committee of the National Rifle Association wishing to see the taste for rifle shooting widely diffused and thoroughly nationalised and believing that nothing would tend more to this than the establishment of county associations, venture to hope that you may be induced, as one of our vice presidents, to take an active interest in this and promote the establishment of such an association in your county. Local associations of this kind cannot fail to call forth a spirit of rivalry and competition amongst the different corps and companies in each county and the best shots from the local meetings would subsequently have opportunities against each other at the annual Prize meetings of the Central National Association a general feeling of emulation would be aroused which would unquestionably add to the numbers and increase the permanence of the volunteer force. These County Associations should, we think, be formed as far as possible on the model of the National Association, adopting the same rules and systems and in order to to encourage their formation and to establish a connection with them we are prepared to render them all assistance in our power by the loan of Targets, Mantelets (?) etc, should these be required, and we have further resolved to give each properly constituted county association a Bronze Medal to be competed for at the annual local meeting held under its auspices - The Council however being anxious to discourage as far as possible the unnecessary multiplication of Prize Medals hope that the national association Bronze Medal will supersede all local medals and that they will be considered the highest honour open to the competitors at the prize meetings of the County Associations- To these Bronze Medals we would gladly add a sum of money if our exchequer admitted it, but in the meantime this might be done from local funds if thought desirable- On the other hand the County Associations might assist in supporting of the national Association by establishing prizes, bearing the county name, to be shot for by all comers at our annual prize meetings. A precedent for this being already formed by the prize given by the ladies of Northampton at the recent Wimbledon meeting- Such there is a rough outline of the system which the council are anxious to see established and for which we claim your favourable consideration in the belief what has been found to work so successfully in Switzerland and to contribute so much to the strength and security of that country will not be found ill adapted to our own land-

I remain

Your Obedient Servant

Elcho"


So there you have it, the original vision for the NRA set out by Lord Elcho himself in 1860.

And clubs and country associations still get the bronze medals too clapclap

Love

karen

Strangely Brown wrote: As an aside the Aussies introduced a single shot target rifle based on the L1A1 (SLR) so that SR"b" could continue.
The rifle was an unmitigated disaster with a little over 100 being built by Lithgow. However I believe they are highly sought after in Australia as collectors items!

Sorry for the thread hijack, but I'd never heard of a single shot target rifle based on the L1A1 so I did some searching. It seems 131 were made in the late 60's - long before semi auto's were banned in Australia in '97.

http://www.lithgowsafmuseum.org.au/comp ... tml#target

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/fn-fal-t ... -shot.html

karen wrote:And clubs and country associations still get the bronze medals too clapclap

Love

karen

Is that Country or County Karen? You haven't slipped a R in by the slip of the keyboard have you.

I am, been a member for 3 years

No maybe I am wrong but from what I have being reading on this forum, they would not be doing much to support my favourite shooting disciplines and the ownership of the firearms I use. It could just be the views of some that are in the NRA that have being posting on this forum that come across as more anti gun than pro gun that are making me think that.

A simple poll.
How strange that as soon as the NRA word is mentioned every thing goes south not just this post but any post that has any thing to do with the NRA. I wonder why that could be.
By the way I am also a muzzle loading instructor I did not see that up there. Why would any body pay good money to a organisation that does not support or help to establish any thing to do with shooting out side of Bisley. Join BASC stop wasting your money on NRA membership unless you live within driving distance of Bisley of course.