A can of worms!

[RobertBeard]

Darkside

Perhaps you have been unlucky with range officers that you have encountered. You don't tend to find anyone who is not good at the job or who is condescending being range officer at any meeting of any stature. They just can't carry the respect that the position demands from the shooters and then their authority is lost. Yes I've come across one or two bad ones. They tend to be people you would not normally notice but they get in a position of authority and start shouting the odds. Most tend to be vertically challenged and they are trying to make up for it. I wasn't pleased to be shouted at by a Northern Irish Range Officer this very year who fitted my description to a tee but I then heard that he had failed to get any appointment to officiate at the olympics for the very reason that he shouted about things that did not matter and got everyones backs up.

If I bore you with comments on a system that works and is safe then I'm sorry. I only want shooting to be safe for everyone. You'll have to ask Matt for an Ignore Member button

 

[Les53]

Darkside

Perhaps you have been unlucky with range officers that you have encountered. You don't tend to find anyone who is not good at the job or who is condescending being range officer at any meeting of any stature. They just can't carry the respect that the position demands from the shooters and then their authority is lost. Yes I've come across one or two bad ones. They tend to be people you would not normally notice but they get in a position of authority and start shouting the odds. Most tend to be vertically challenged and they are trying to make up for it. I wasn't pleased to be shouted at by a Northern Irish Range Officer this very year who fitted my description to a tee but I then heard that he had failed to get any appointment to officiate at the olympics for the very reason that he shouted about things that did not matter and got everyones backs up.

If I bore you with comments on a system that works and is safe then I'm sorry. I only want shooting to be safe for everyone. You'll have to ask Matt for an Ignore Member button

Don't worry Robert, it's only a bit of fluffy rabbits ! :.: :.:

 

[ips]

Yeh, les and i are used to putting our heads above the parapet, when your as opinionated as us you soon get used to it.

These range chaps certainly sound .... Er keen, remind me of caravan club site wardens

 

[Les53]

Les

I dont blame people for being suspicous of new fangled H&S stuff its a bleedin nightmare

I am used to it as my business invloves sensitive sites and environments so we are inundated with RAMS and H&S therefore it doesnt bother me. Unfortunatelly weather you like it or not we live in modern times were you cant just do what you want without the propper training and or induction etc etc etc. Mandatory safety training for shooters WILL undoubtedly come in, surely its better to implement it now rather than be dragged there kicking and screaming. After all what harm does it do and we have it from a new shooter that it is a worythwhile thing to do.

Ian, my first gun was a "Gat" air pistol when I was about ten years old I guess, and before I was allowed to use it my father, as an ex military person, instructed me in how to use it. He also showed me the belt that he would hit me with if I did not do what he told me to do! :.:

 

[ips]

Argh gat air pistol yep mine too when i was 11 saved me pocket money and bought it for i think 3 quid. My dad (god rest his soul) also military (in fact i was born and brought up on an RAF statio) he too gave me an interesting lesson on the benefits of responsible gun handling.

 

[ips]

Oh sorry to go off topic a bit but les do you remember them darts you could shoot through the gat. Oh and as a matter of interest did you ever actually hit the barn door ?

God they were accurate ... Not.

 

[Les53]

Argh gat air pistol yep mine too when i was 11 saved me pocket money and bought it for i think 3 quid. My dad (god rest his soul) also military (in fact i was born and brought up on an RAF statio) he too gave me an interesting lesson on the benefits of responsible gun handling.

The good old days Ian!

 

[Mick.J]

Argh gat air pistol yep mine too when i was 11 saved me pocket money and bought it for i think 3 quid. My dad (god rest his soul) also military (in fact i was born and brought up on an RAF statio) he too gave me an interesting lesson on the benefits of responsible gun handling.

How the rich lived!

Had to make do with a catapult, i was not aloud to take a 410 out around the village :.:

 

[ips]

nowt wrong with a good old catty Mick

 

[jake.keeling]

Gats and Cattys, Oh the memories!

 

[ips]

Yep bet we had more fun than the poor kids now stuck indoors on a play station. Yes i know i am tapping away on me phone but its cold outside and me catty is broke.

 

[ExSCA]

You'll have to ask Matt for an Ignore Member button

There is one... http://www.shootclayforum.com/topic/2448-a-gift-for-every-shootclay-member

 

[Darkside]

Darkside

If I bore you with comments on a system that works and is safe then I'm sorry. I only want shooting to be safe for everyone. You'll have to ask Matt for an Ignore Member button

BOOM!!! Gone, thanks again Matt!!!

 

[Lock Stock & Barrel]

Is there a popcorn smiley?

 

[Shaun Hopkins]

OK guys I may be opening a can of worms here, but here goes anyway! I have over the years seen so many potentially fatal things done with shotguns that it has always made me wonder why training has never been made compulsory, before a person is granted a certificate, not after. It would cost money obvioulsy, however if certain establishments, such as gun clubs, were licensed to do it, then it would surely put money into the sport. I have heard it said that such a scheme would cost shooters too much, however nobody has ever put a figure on it as far as I know, because I doubt that anyone has thought about it enough. I fail to understand why we can be let loose with a gun without any training at all, however if you wanted to drive a vehicle you need to pass a test and that requires tuition of course.

I am not talking about some lengthy course that would try to turn a non shooter into a champion, I'm talking about a short course on how to safely own and shoot a shotgun. At a guess I would say that it should not take more than a day to take such a course, so it should not cost that much and if a person could not afford such a course, well could they really afford to shoot at all? I think not!

So what do you guys think?

Perfectly valid point Les in my opinion for what its worth only good would come from such a scheme, and why anyone would find it a problem is beyond me! we have all seen at sometime or another some goon waving his gun around or stepping out of the cage with a loaded gun this could be down to ignorance or just forgetfulness but usually someone steps in to point out in no uncertain terms the error of there ways. in my eyes this constitutes being educated, surely this sort of behavior could be eradicated long before he or she steps foot onto the shooting ground .

 

[Shaun Hopkins]

Les, you said it yourself - "potentially fatal....."

How many people do you know who have actually HAD fatal accidents which can be squarely set at the door of newbies/numpties/lack of common sense or knowledge??

For christ's sake, we already live in a nanny-state society where all the assholes who have such meaningless and shallow lives believe they know what's best for everyone else!

You're more likely to have an accident crossing the pissing road!! Or loading the dishwasher!

And I'm NOT getting me coat! :angry:

Over the years there has been many fatal and near fatal accidents involving shotguns in the uk not all involving yo samity sam but prob some well educated people with years of shotgun ownership behind them you just never know when it might happen to you, You can call me a meaningless shallow asshole but should someone wave there barrels in my general direction i will waste no time telling what i think is best for me or anyone else in the line of fire :angry: God forbid you ever get shot but doubt you would appreciate me telling you how lucky that at least you did not get run over whilst loading your dishwasher :huh:

 

[teepee1234]

Over the years there has been many fatal and near fatal accidents involving shotguns in the uk not all involving yo samity sam but prob some well educated people with years of shotgun ownership behind them you just never know when it might happen to you, You can call me a meaningless shallow asshole but should someone wave there barrels in my general direction i will waste no time telling what i think is best for me or anyone else in the line of fire :angry: God forbid you ever get shot but doubt you would appreciate me telling you how lucky that at least you did not get run over whilst loading your dishwasher :huh:

So tell me how an hour's tuition on the safe handling of guns which, to use your example, would have happened years ago at the beginning of ownership, would solve this problem??

And as I've already said, we should all police safety when we're out with guns, and I would also make it known to any idiot waving barrels in my direction. The point is, a mandatory teaching session is NOT going to account for these numpties.

 

[Harley]

My first lesson at LVSC, consisted of how to put a gun away, and all the stuff In between shooting and the walk to the next stand, it was good. But then again im a new guy, not a no it all. Just less than two months ago, I had a guy turn from a stand at A1 close the gun and aim right at me, both his shooting mates watched and said fck all. Maybe if that was rifle shooting he would of got it in the ear from everyone around, silly dangerous idiot.

 

[Skeet UK]

People who are introduced to the sport, should have the safety drummed into them.

People who are not new, should know better...most of it is common sense after all.

ANYBODY, who does something that could be deemed unsafe, should BE TOLD.

Nobody should feel that they cannot say something, even if you request a fellow shooter to come with you while you explain your grievance.

There are nice ways to say things, for minor infractions and there are firm ways to say things, for major infractions...without starting a row.

If the offender gets arsey, a word with the ground or shoot owner should help, as they will not want an accident and I feel sure would be very happy to convey their feelings to the offender and escort them from the ground if need be.

 

[teepee1234]

There are two completely different issues here.

1. The original post is about having a mandatory training session before you're allowed to own or shoot a shotgun.

2. The other, and more serious issue, is the experienced shooter/gun owner who acts like a complete prick and endangers other people.

I will say it again for the benefit of those who didn't understand; number 1 will absolutely NOT solve the problem with number 2.

All of you who disagree with my first post have stories of near misses - I do too!! But having a training session that may have been years and years ago is not the answer. Or should we go the whole hog and have mandatory training sessions imposed upon us every year?? Because I'm telling you now - and you know this to be so - it won't stop the numpties!!