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

[quote="Sim G"]
"since the current management took over, everything is about making a pound"

And since they took over, they've installed electronic targets, which for me has to be the single biggest improvement.
As a result, myself and a few mates get to shoot at least twice as often as we used to, without the marker hassle.
Plus, the bogs are all clean and working, the firing points are tidy, and you no longer need a 4x4 to get to them.

Pete

We need more private ranges, just in the hands of shooters, I know of two being built at the moment and I regularly use two others, more ranges, more opportunities, more diversity.

I have to echo Pete’s comments, huge amounts of work has gone into the ranges, the 300 yd car park has transformed use there, toilets, electronics ( despite some issues) have all been improvements. But that said i’m a rifle shooter , so have benefited, other groups seem less well pleased.
The changes have it would seem ,from the number of bookings that get turned down, been popular and range use has increased significantly.
The pavillion cafe whilst initially a bit underwhelming is apparently far from complete and is going to be much bigger and offer more when completed.
Accomodation for me is the downside, too expensive to go the night before , ( the abc lines indoor camping experience has gone up an extortionate amount for the honour of sleeping on a sack of rags over a piece of chain link fence, whilst listening to next doors beard grow).

The NRA’s main problem is its being a Bisley centric organisation, fingers crossed profits from Bisley will allow facilities elsewhere to be opened and developed, this is being in done but in the case i’m aware of it seems to be very much a 1 forward 2 back process dealing with all the interested parties involved.

I agree with Pete & Artiglo's comments on the work the NRA have carried out at Bisley. Especially the electronic targets, which my club uses exclusively on Stix and Century; we won't go back to having a marker again as it slows things down too much.

We also shoot regularly on the various pistol ranges, particularly the revamped Cheylesmore and Winans. Again the NRA have put alot of time, effort and money into getting these ranges back in use and it shows. I've also found their current staff to be positive, helpful and knowledgeable and I applaud their efforts.

Regarding criticisms about being Bisley-centric rather than being a National organisation, I have no direct experience other than noting that there is now a Regional Ranges Manager and reading on this forum it is evident that the NRA is supporting the development of new ranges such has Frome and Silverstone, but I don't know by how much!

My club has also shot on the Bisley Shooting Grounds sporting clay layout previously, but have moved elsewhere because the restrictions BSG impose - limiting the number of stands at weekends and only allowing SGC holders to shoot on their Pay&Play basis. I do very much like their layout on Long Siberia and always found their staff to be excellent, so we'd go back there if it suited my Club better under NRA management. With the dispute between BSG and the NRA, there are always two sides to every story.

Triffid

One person out of how many staff to try and develop ranges beyond Bisley, that is just lip service to the "National" claim of Bisley Shooting club.

MoD range access for civilian shooters is getting harder and harder and when that goes the majority of non Bisley full-bore shooters will have nowhere to shoot and therefore no reason to posses. The MoD have just banned civilian shooters from field firing ranges, another nail in the coffin of full-bore shooting beyond Bisley. I have heard nothing from the NRA about this, once again rolling over and taking a shafting on our behalf.

If the NRA intend to run these two facilities will they take on more staff ?

Or maybe they will let the facilities run down till there is nothing left except an empty clubhouse like the Muzzle Loaders .

MistAgain wrote:If the NRA intend to run these two facilities will they take on more staff ?

Or maybe they will let the facilities run down till there is nothing left except an empty clubhouse like the Muzzle Loaders .

According to their press release, the NRA has already taken on the staff.

IainWR wrote:

MistAgain wrote:If the NRA intend to run these two facilities will they take on more staff ?

Or maybe they will let the facilities run down till there is nothing left except an empty clubhouse like the Muzzle Loaders .

According to their press release, the NRA has already taken on the staff.

I guess the local job centre has more than a few people on its books who can run a shotgun range and a rifle range .

This makes interesting reading .

http://abcat.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ ... b-2018.pdf

It seems the NLRC is instructing solicitors to start court action against the NRA in relation to the electric chaarges .

Unfortunately, if we want to continue to participate in target shooting, then it appears we just have to suck this kind of totalitarian bureaucracy up.
As Dromia pointed out, with the progressive withdrawal of civilian use of MOD ranges, and it's associated difficulties with "Reason to possess", the NRA are in a sellers market..............if you live south of the M4, where, we are constantly told, is where the money is.............

Pete

Pete wrote:Unfortunately, if we want to continue to participate in target shooting, then it appears we just have to suck this kind of totalitarian bureaucracy up.
As Dromia pointed out, with the progressive withdrawal of civilian use of MOD ranges, and it's associated difficulties with "Reason to possess", the NRA are in a sellers market..............if you live south of the M4, where, we are constantly told, is where the money is.............

Pete

Or, how about changing it from within ?

Rather than boycott ( as some seem to suggest ) due to not liking the direction they are taking, become an active member and use your vote ?