You’re right , It should be pretty simple Wonko , but let’s just look a Shotguns as they are by far the largest group of weapons in the U.K. that need certification . There are something in the region of 550, 000 shotgun licences issued in the U.K. The two major shooting organisations: BASC around 150,000 members , CPSA and other home nation Clay associations around 30,000 members . There are a few other organisations for gamekeepers etc , but on the face of it only a third of U.K. shotgunners are in an organisation that represents them . Numbers mean political clout , and we’ve not got a whole lot , only 1 in 3 certificate holders are members of the two biggest organisations.
As an afterthought , More worryingly that means a greater proportion of shotgunners could be shooting without any liability insurance cover, or quick access to firearms legal advice . ( although before anyone tells me off, I do realise there are other ways to get shooting liability insurance, through direct policies , employers etc . )