Hi All
I am currently starting a University assignment regarding membership to Shooting schools and shooting grounds.
I need to research the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a member of a club and what your thoughts are. What discount should be given to members in terms of shooting and products in the shop or cartridge purchases? What is a reasonable membership fee per year? In general, what incentives should be given to members?
I am also looking at game shooting schools and how membership incentives may help to keep a demand for practice during the closed season.
Cheers
Joe
Joe,
The shotgun fraternity is probably not the place for this targeted research you need to focus on Rifle or some of the more specialist clubs around Black powder IMO. Clay venues are different as has been described and I would say are rather more populated by regulars than members.
The National Rifle Association of the UK can be found
here
HTH
You also asked about the benefits of shooting in a 'club' environment. Well, first off its a place to learn not just the correct techniques, but also a lot about safety and culture. It isn't just about what you see or hear either its what OTHERS see too. Folks will share tips and hints and even 'warn' folks if they are not behaving appropriately. In the Rifle environment the process of just joining can be protracted with full membership taking close to a year to achieve. These clubs are not just responsible for the safe handling and use of deadly weapons on their grounds, but also 'to a degree' the assessment of the shooter. A reckless nature or other concerns shared by folks acts as both an opportunity to educate and/or reject unsuitable candidates.
Whilst many friends overseas see our approach in the UK as incredibly over regulated, I take the view that the responsibility needed to safely own and use firearms is not a right that should be taken lightly. Checks and balances in the management of shooting help keep up an excellent safety record and limits, to a considerable extent, the crossover into criminal activity. We might not like all the hoops at times, but I am sure we all know folks who shouldn't have any access to firearms at all!
That said I also think some people shouldn't be allowed to drive, have kids, drink, or indeed vote until they have demonstrated that they have more than two brain cells to rub together ... so maybe I am not the best person to judge this :spiteful: . I am very much in favour of individual rights, but ask that this be balanced by responsibilities and appropriate respect for others ... (this doesn't include
aggressive vegetarians, most mainstream TV producers/journalists and those flippin Chuggers that try to grab money on the streets by waving a bucket but who produce a Direct Debit form.)
