Category Archives: Information

Classic McQueen Sunday 15 April Updated

Busy day with a good turn out. Some very nice looking kit on display with classic rifles, 4T, L42, K98 and M41b. Scores were ok for the classics but is a small target to hit with a 3.5 power scope. Rob B got the highest classic score but it was with a P14 & Unertl x16 scope so it’s a challengeable qualification in the classic category. Still we aren’t that fussy and it was a fun day and its about having a decent shoot and not waving the rule book around.

The modern shooters did well and Andy B who hasn’t been along for a while hasn’t lost his touch.  The V count was low as it was all shot on a Fig14 200 target that has a tiny V bull.

The scores are on the results page and if there are any mistakes then it’s probably my fault!

The next shoot is the Kirby Cup and the AGM Afterwards

2018 Administration & the Christmas Shoot. – Update

First things first –

2018 membership forms will be emailed soon and we would like to have the membership process completed by 31/1/2018. The forms are on the membership page but are below in pdf and word versions below:-

pdf 2018 Dorking Renewal Form Doc word 2018 Dorking Renewal Form Doc

2018 programme – on the relevant pages and as below

pdf 2018 Shooting Program xls 2018 Shooting Program

2018 Shooting Record

pdf 2018 Shooting Record xls 2018 Shooting Record

Christmas Shoot

Christmas fast approaches and we have to sort out a Christmas Shoot so here is what we have in mind. We have a potentially large number of people to cater for and as it will be cold and/or wet it needs to be something we can shift through at a reasonable pace so no one has to hang around for too long.

The shoot will be over three distances 100, 200 and 600 yards and shot in pairs so its time to find a friend and or team up with someone on the day. The entry fee will be a wrapped gift to the value of £5.00. No gift, no shoot. If you turn up late then all the friends will be taken as well. We will be starting at 9.30 sharp.

100 yards Shot on the Gallery Rifle targets 10 shots each on to a standard PL7 targets. These are grouped in pairs and the scores will be no more than 10 shots on each target. Shoot in no more than 3 minutes.

It is surprising how many members cannot either count or hit the correct target.

200 yards will be shot in pairs on a figure 11 and a figure 12 targets both showing at the same time. Again both targets will be up at the same time and you can decide who is the better shot so someone gets to shoot on the smaller target. There will be penalties if you cross fire. There will be a two-minute time limit on this and we will need a butt crew of 8 people per detail.

600 yards electronic targets shot in your pair with a time limit so no one is going to be allowed to take ages.

So that’s the plan. We will finish up at 600 yards and then have a prize giving in the club house. If you want to bring along something else like sausage rolls, mince pies or similar that we can heat up in the oven will be a welcome addition.

You can use any gun you like for the shoot and can use a different rifle for each stage if you like. We may well be able to have the club guns and we have some ammo as well.

Scores added to the Results Page – Happy Chirstmas and new year.

Service Rifle 4 26 November 2017 Update

Update

Scores on the results page. – Chilly day but great fun. Next shoot is the Christmas ‘fun’ shoot – got to work out something to do but there is an entry cost of a wrapped gift to the valeu of £5.00 – See you then.

 

The course of fire for the Service Rifle shoot is on the COF page and a link is below

171126 SR 4 Course of Fire

I have added a new page relating to legislation changes that is for members information. It does  not necessarily represent the opinions of the club but is intended as ai information resource. The changes will affect us all sooner or later and you should not ignore them.

A Whyte, Garrick Cup and some Photos

Update

Scores added to the results page – well shot everyone some great scores, particularly from Euan R who managed a 149.23. Pretty Good shooting and the competition was tight at the top. I think its time to make the targets smaller!

The warning to the TR shooters was well heeded as we had a total turn out of  – 4. Disappointing. Still there was plenty of room for everyone.

On a brighter note Graham B.s’ son-in-law Andy Caton cam along to the last Gallery Rifle shoot and took some excellent photos. They show the club in its true ethos, namely a collection of shooters (men and women) enjoying a day out and their sport. Long may this continue. The photos are excellent and don’t show anyone really in an angle where they can be identified but if you have any objection to an image that you think is you then contact the club and I will remove the image. See the Photos Page.

The AW and G cups are on the programme for tomorrow, Sunday 29 October. It is a TR shoot with 2×15 at 300 and 500 yards. Scoped Rifles are welcome to shoot alongside.

Note to the TR boys – this is a bit of a use it or lose it event. I am about to work on next years program and the some of these events are not well supported from a TR point of view. We can use the range time more widely for more popular shoots if they remain poorly supported.

I have managed to sort out some of the scores for the Barclay and these have now been posted. See you tomorrow and make sure you respond to the home office consultation on Firearms restrictions.

Potentail Ban – Update

Link to the Home office Brief

Click to access Offensive_and_Dangerous_Weapons-Consultation-.pdf

 

Link o They work for you – the best way to lobby your MP

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/

The home office Document

Offensive_and_Dangerous_Weapons-Consultation-

The message below cam to me via a source – it shows what further measures the Police would like. If you dont have a MARS and think a Lever Release isnt included or that this doesnt apply to you – they will get to you eventually so please act now to stop additional legislation

The below was obtained by a shooting organisation through a FOIA request, it is from an ACPO – whatever it is now called – position paper from 2015. We have no reason to doubt its authenticity and much fits with  long standing police aims. They are now working through their ‘wish list’ to be done in stages as the opportunity arises and of course depending how much fuss is kicked up by shooting organisations and the shooting community (that’s us).

 

  1. End Section 2 – all to be Section 1.  They have been trying for this since 1973 – latest excuse is that it will be more efficient and cheaper to have one certificate. Rubbish and the potential impact on shotgun ownership is huge

 

  1. All, yes all, semi-automatic firearms to be prohibited as Section 5. If it has to be done in stages they’ll do shotguns first and then .22 RF – starting by changing law to say that nothing bigger than .22  RF is permitted in semi-auto

 

  1. Introduction of magazine capacity limits for rifles – not specified but assume 10 or possibly less, 5?

 

  1. Reclassification of LBR and LBP to Section 5 and therefore prohibited – they have never liked them and claim people can saw down the barrels to make them pistols

 

  1. End the miniature rifle range exemptions which the police claim allows an unregistered trade in .22 RF rifles.  Again they have never liked the old exemptions and have tried to deny their use over the years

 

  1. Prohibit .50 calibre by moving to Section 5 as per current proposal

 

  1. Airguns – ‘further restrictions should be placed on such weapons’. The announced consultation is to determine whether England should follow Scotland and licence as firearms. Police will claim it’s an anomaly in England and therefore the law should be standard across the UK so licensing for England is necessary

 

  1. Old spec deacts – police want to make it a criminal offence to be in possession of a deactivated firearm that has not been deactivated to the CURRENT standard.  Anyone with an old spec deactivated firearm will have to have it done to the current standard if they wish to keep it. Creates lots of new criminals.  Coincidentally the Government has now stopped its prison closure programme…….

 

  1. Antiques – requirement for antique dealers to keep registers like RFDs do for non-antiques. Reclassification of some antiques to Section 1

 

  1. ‘Shotgun cartridges to be licensed’ – not sure what this means given you have to produce a certificate when buying – assume it  means the same treatment as Section 1 ammunition, limits on numbers held and entry of each purchase on certificate

 

  1. Mandatory training and testing of individuals before a certificate is issued.  Not clear who does the training and decides if a person meets the standard

 

  1. New powers of entry to search without a warrant – they may have got this already, or claim to have. Basically it’s to allow them to take firearms from a certificate holder without having to show good reason

 

  1. Abolishing court appeals on firearms certification matters. Courts to be replaced by a ‘non-binding tribunal’.  Currently the police are bound by court decisions but a tribunal would limit the rights of the individual and for the police to be unaccountable. This is quite worrying as it would enable to Police to make up the law and do what they want without proper oversight

 

  1. ‘Family members’ to be consulted prior to grant or renewal of a certificate on the suitability of the applicant.  Police want this to find ‘evidence’ of non-suitability.  ‘Have often do you argue with your spouse?’ ……

 

  1. The current Home Office Guidelines on Firearms law to become mandatory and binding – but only after the police have re-written them.

 

So there you have it – as we said, winter is coming.  If they get the current proposals through relatively easily expect things from the above list to be presented for ‘consultation’ quite quickly.   The shooting organisations are moving into action and so will you by writing to your MP to object and request him/her to object to any changes to the current firearms legislation currently being proposed/suggested.

 

Another Attack on Ownership Looms

I received this message below from a member with is also a member of another club. For those of you who have been down this road before it is not welcome information.  We don’t have any 50Cal’s in the club but there are pleny of MARS and Lever Release items legally owned (following home office approval owned by members. If you have been under a rock you might have missed this information.

The message is repeated below and I have remove d names etc but you get the drift. I expect there will be some sort of web site where we can log on and make a comment . You can also contact your MP. You can do this using the very good @they work for you’ web site below

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/

Message Text below – published for your information.

Gents – please read below an update e-mail from Chris Stevenson of the.50 Cal Shooting Association who has an inside track on the proposed Government consultation and proposed new restrictions.

It appears that the Government intends to pass primary legislation as soon

as JANUARY 2018 !

Oh, and apparently the Home Office REALLY doesn’t like lever release firearms

so it looks like those will definitely by subject to some form of proposed restriction.

The consultation period will be very brief (no doubt to try to restrict the number

of well reasoned representations from shooters) so it is really important that you

watch out for when this consultation opens and you submit your representations

swiftly.

Anyone who understands how Governments work will realise that this is just

the start of the ratchet process. First they ban anything over 10,000 ft.lbs. then

incrementally every few years they will reduce that limit…..

 

Dear member,

Last Friday Andrew Mercer (NRA), and Paul Dale (BASC) met with the home office regarding such matters as the club license fees. However they also took the opportunity to raise the issue of the proposed ‘ban’ on .50 and ‘rapid firing’ firearms, in an attempt to establish what exactly is the background to this consultation.

Apparently .50 and lever release firearms have been on the agenda for a while now, the Home Office have taken the opportunity to include these additional firearm controls in the latest raft of prohibitions on acids and the mail order of bladed weapons.

The following points are not set in stone, and until the consultation is open we cannot assume that these are 100% accurate, they may be subject to change.

  1. The consultation process will open very soon, possibly next week.
  2. The consultation will be short, and the outcome (if this results in changes or a ban) will be enacted as primary legislation (law) in JANUARY 2018.
  3. The restriction will apply to anything that is capable of generating a muzzle energy that exceeds 10,000ft/lbs
  4. The concern over civilians having access to .50 rifles has been elevated following the theft of a .50 rifle from an RFD, however the Home Office believed that the theft was from a regular shooter. They will be corrected on this matter. The stolen firearm was completely functional, in that it was taken with its bolt.
  5. The other primary concern is that of the potential “material destructive” capabilities.

The following observations and comments were raised at the meeting.

  • Andrew pointed out that the FCSA is a very well run club, with an excellent safety record. No criminal use in the UK.
  • If these rifles are banned, then the compensation payments bill will be very high due to the extraordinary cost of such rifles and associated equipment.
  • We do not use section 5 ammunition, we use target ammunition that is not designed to have any destructive capabilities.
  • BASC are most upset that this consultation has been announced without any prior warning, as this in contrary to an agreement previously put in place to eliminate any ‘unexpected surprises’.
  • The Home Office REALLY doesn’t like lever release firearms.

I spoke with Andrew at length after his meeting. We discussed the above, in particular points 4 and 5.

If the Home Office is concerned that these rifles might fall into the hands of criminals (point 4 above) then we need to provide a solution. The solutions discussed (between the Home Office and the NRA) were as follows:

  • Complete ban
  • Grandfather rights – i.e. you can keep and use your .50, you can never sell it to another shooter, when you die it gets destroyed.
  • Make .50 rifles section 7.3, this was deemed impractical as we travel vast distances between ranges, we have no armoury to store the rifles in at a range.
  • Improve home security, separate the bolt and keep this in a separate safe in a separate room. Possibly require a monitored alarm system for the premises. I prefer this option.

The Home Office believe that these are material destruction devices (point 5). This is clearly rubbish when using section 1 ammunition. Andrew advised that to counter this argument we need to state the exact properties of a target projectile, or mil spec ball, impacting on a variety of targets. I have witnessed Amax turning to dust on the surface of a sand backstop, ball ammunition has similar properties. However rather than rely solely on a statement from us, we are calling in an independent ballistic expert, a non-member, and using a private range facility will conduct a series of tests. The evidence gathered will be used to prove our point.

BASC is on our side. However not all shooters are, yet. One worrying development that I leaned of today is that one police force are now reluctant to issue a variation for anything over .300 win mag, even to FCSA members. Hopefully this is just one police force and not a new national trend. Unless the entire shooting community backs this opposition campaign then expect to continue to see a never ending wave of consultations, resulting in the eventual ban of everything we enjoy.

Social media continues to be a huge problem, some outrageous comments being posted, along with photographs of military looking weapons that would scare the hell out of the average Guardian reader. So please don’t get involved in any such online discussions, please don’t post photographs and whatever you do don’t get angry. Everything we do online is being watched, angry folks with guns can expect an unwelcome visit from the law, especially in the current political environment.

As soon as the consultation goes live I’ll send out another email, with advice on how to respond.

 

Gravett Cup and RCO Course

A late update of things as I have been away for a bit and am just catching up. The scores  for the Gravett cup are on the Results page. The master plan for security is to have the names in a First name / Last initial format but this only works if you know the names.  I am claiming that I didn’t prepare the file so they are not all in that format. Apologies I will try to do better in future but I am a bit time poor at the moment.

The clubs first RCO course was run at the weekend and all the delegates passed. This is excellent news and it ups the skills of shooters and RCO staff we have. We should be ever mindful of the legal issues surrounding our activities and the better recognised skills are always welcome. We need to be on top of all the legal and safety activities at all times and it is ever-changing.

We will probably run the course again next year so if you are interested make sure you register in time (not now!).

We will probably be revisiting the issue of competency cards at some point as a number of you have asked about it. If we do follow the NRA procedure then all shooters at Dorking will need to be certified and if not take a course either with us or the NRA.  If we go down this route then there are implications and administration for all. We will have another look at it and let you know.

See you on Sunday for the next shoot – the Barclay Cup being a 2 x 10 at 500 & 600. TR shooters first etc.

See you then.

Work Party Sunday 10th September Update

The work party took place on Sunday and was a great success. We got lots of essential jobs done and a huge thank you for all those that turned out to help.

Running the club takes a massive effort and any pair of hands is appreciated. I wont list all the stuff that got done or individuals by name – you know who you are – Many Thanks.

The manual targets have all been refurbished and fixed up. We need to store the Fig 11’s flat as leaning them up against the wall causes damage at the top. The target hut has been tidied up so please keep it that way.

Thanks again for all your help.

The next shoot is a TR 300/500/600 (I think) we have guests attending so please make them welcome and try to keep the Muzzle brakes away from the TR shooters.