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

There are not many alternatives for 'Home Office Approved' clubs.

Chapuis wrote:No Fred what I was suggesting is that without the affiliation fees from the affiliated clubs the NRA would be in a much worst situation than they are now and possibly no Bisley.

Several clubs have told me that they are paying over £3,000 per annum in capitation fees and get virtually nothing for their money. My own club has seen it's affiliation fees rise frees rise over a period of five years from around £245 per annum to over £900 though I should point out that the way the fees are calculated has changed and our membership has increased slightly. Some clubs are actually seriously considering what the benefits of NRA affiliation are and should they be looking at alternatives.

If these clubs are paying over £3000 per year in capitation fees then they must have a membership of at least 375 non NRA members. Somehow I find that hard to believe, please enlighten me on the true club membership levels. I think someone has got their sums wrong and are telling less than the truth.
Club affiliation fees are £75 plus £8 for every non NRA member. Insurance and a range licence (£30 for the licence)are on top. I belong to one of the biggest clubs at Bisley and are fees are know where near that level for our non NRA members.

What does the 'Range Licence' cover?? Especially for clubs that don't used Bisley or can't afford to hire a MOD range?

Andy632 wrote:What does the 'Range Licence' cover?? Especially for clubs that don't used Bisley or can't afford to hire a MOD range?

If your club has insurance other than the Through the NRA, you need the range licence In order to book range space at Bisley. It's in effect another insurance. Of course if all your clubs members are NRA individual members you do not need the range licence. To shoot on MoD ranges your club needs the MoD range licence which is entirely different and is imposed on clubs by the MoD and not the NRA.

Steve E wrote:

Andy632 wrote:What does the 'Range Licence' cover?? Especially for clubs that don't used Bisley or can't afford to hire a MOD range?

If your club has insurance other than the Through the NRA, you need the range licence In order to book range space at Bisley. It's in effect another insurance. Of course if all your clubs members are NRA individual members you do not need the range licence. To shoot on MoD ranges your club needs the MoD range licence which is entirely different and is imposed on clubs by the MoD and not the NRA.

Therefore in our case, nae earthly use whatsoever. Cos, we don't use Bisley & can't afford the MOD charges.

Andy632 wrote:

Steve E wrote:

Andy632 wrote:What does the 'Range Licence' cover?? Especially for clubs that don't used Bisley or can't afford to hire a MOD range?

If your club has insurance other than the Through the NRA, you need the range licence In order to book range space at Bisley. It's in effect another insurance. Of course if all your clubs members are NRA individual members you do not need the range licence. To shoot on MoD ranges your club needs the MoD range licence which is entirely different and is imposed on clubs by the MoD and not the NRA.

Therefore in our case, nae earthly use whatsoever. Cos, we don't use Bisley & can't afford the MOD charges.

Fair comment.

The review aims to at least employ a regional manager and start putting together some strategy by the end of the year...so realistically we're not going to see any significant changes for a few years.

I can fully understand why folk who live a long way from Bisley see no benefit in NRA membership, but I do think that there's a bit of a 'chicken and egg' thing going on, in that the NRA say they don't have the money to help, but folk won't support them financially until they do...

...hopefully things will improve in the near future, but for that to happen everyone (that's the regional clubs as well as the NRA...) is going to have to stay positive and do their bit...

John MH wrote:There are not many alternatives for 'Home Office Approved' clubs.

John I was always under the impression that in order for a club to have H.O. approval then the club must belong to either the NSRA, MLAGB or the NRA. In fact when I club I started many years ago sought approval it was necessary for us to obtain the application form from either the NSRA or the NRA and our local force insisted on proof of affiliation before the Chief Constable would give his approval for forwarding to the H.O.

I have recently been told by another shooter that this is not the case and that a club can be Home Office approved without belonging to one of these organisations so naturally I went looking for information to confirm what the actual situation is but but so far haven't been able to find that information printed anywhere. Can anyone quote chapter and verse to tell me where to find the required information that confirms this one way or another as my initial search of the relevant section of the guidance to police document with regard to clubs has failed to shed light on this.

P.S. Our club has it's own private range so does not use M.O.D. ranges and suitable insurance could be obtained elsewhere than via the NRA scheme should we ever decide to go down that route but don't get me wrong the club is actually quite supportive of the NRA and it's objectives.

Chapuis wrote:

John MH wrote:There are not many alternatives for 'Home Office Approved' clubs.

John I was always under the impression that in order for a club to have H.O. approval then the club must belong to either the NSRA, MLAGB or the NRA. In fact when I club I started many years ago sought approval it was necessary for us to obtain the application form from either the NSRA or the NRA and our local force insisted on proof of affiliation before the Chief Constable would give his approval for forwarding to the H.O.

I have recently been told by another shooter that this is not the case and that a club can be Home Office approved without belonging to one of these organisations so naturally I went looking for information to confirm what the actual situation is but but so far haven't been able to find that information printed anywhere. Can anyone quote chapter and verse to tell me where to find the required information that confirms this one way or another as my initial search of the relevant section of the guidance to police document with regard to clubs has failed to shed light on this.

P.S. Our club has it's own private range so does not use M.O.D. ranges and suitable insurance could be obtained elsewhere than via the NRA scheme should we ever decide to go down that route but don't get me wrong the club is actually quite supportive of the NRA and it's objectives.

Criteria for approval are quite clear.........

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... -clubs.pdf

Andy632 wrote:Criteria for approval are quite clear.........

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... -clubs.pdf

Very interesting, thanks. So in short no; the club doesn't have to be affiliated with the NRA, NSRA or MLAGB. The club needs safety officer(s) with recognised qualifications that may have been granted by those organisations and it needs a range safety certificate that those organisations can assist with, but continued affiliation with them is definitely not necessary or required at renewal time.

You cannot shoot on a MoD Range without being affiliate to one of the NGBs so unless your club has its own Range then by default you have to be affiliated and prove your affiliation iaw this: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _13_02.pdf