flers1916 Posted 2 October , 2014 Share Posted 2 October , 2014 Can anyone please advise me if there is club/organisation in NW England that will provide live firing WW1 era SMLE, Webley, and/or Colt New Service Revolver for me to shoot? I have a collection of deactivated WW1 weapons and it would be very instructive if I could fire similar weapons. Obviously I will need training and supervision and I would pay for the experience. Any ideas please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 2 October , 2014 Share Posted 2 October , 2014 Can anyone please advise me if there is club/organisation in NW England that will provide live firing WW1 era SMLE, Webley, and/or Colt New Service Revolver for me to shoot? I have a collection of deactivated WW1 weapons and it would be very instructive if I could fire similar weapons. Obviously I will need training and supervision and I would pay for the experience. Any ideas please? Join a Club. Most rifle clubs have members who own old service rifles, and I would say that the most common one is the SMLE. The club may own such rifles collectively, which you should be allowed to shoot once you are a member. There is a Civilian Service Rifle discipline which is popular. Shooting handguns is more problematic, as these were prohibited back in 1997. With a Firearm Certificate you could own the two revolvers you mention,(subject to police being satisfied with your good reason) but only as collectors items, and there will be a "not to be fired" condition on your certificate. Section 7(1) of the 1997 Firearms (Amendment) Act. There are provisions allowing the shooting of handguns, (s.7(3)) but this requires the weapons to be of some aesthetic, technical or specific historical interest, and they must be stored at a specified "heritage pistol" site. There is such a site in the NW. I have edited this post to remove the contact address of a particular club - you should be able to find one simply enough by googling. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dman Posted 2 October , 2014 Share Posted 2 October , 2014 Or could move to US Many jurisdications (sadly not my state) allow people to "open carry" rifles/pistols - weapon carried in full view In Pennsylvania (where I lived for time) have state hunting preserves with shooting range........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willywombat Posted 2 October , 2014 Share Posted 2 October , 2014 Most clubs (my own included) will have a number of 'open days' in a year when guests may attend and shoot. This is intended primarily to allow people who might be interested in joining the club to have a try-out. There are many different types of club and you really need to speak to some members of different ones near you to see what they're all about. Some are dedicated target shooting clubs where everyone has the latest high-tech gadgetry on modern rifles, whilst others might cater perhaps for hunters and vermin controllers wishing to zero their rifles. My own is a mix of some deer stalkers but mainly historical and military rifle buffs, so Lee Enfields in all their guises are very common. As Stoppage drill says, my club also has a couple of Lee Enfields for people in the probationary period of membership to use, before they are granted an FAC of their own. Joining my club was one of the best things I've done and i've managed to shoot most military rifles used during the two World Wars, plus a few muzzle-loaders as well. There are some very knowledgeable people there and I've learned a great deal. Whilst the opinion amongst most of the public is that it is next to impossible to get an FAC and shoot in this country, nothing could be further from the truth. So long as you're a "Mr Average", of good character and neither a loony nor a criminal, you won't have any difficulty joining a club and getting an FAC, and the sport needs more people to participate. Good luck! Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 4 October , 2014 Share Posted 4 October , 2014 The law on Home office Approved club guest days is specific, the guest must be known to a full member, or be from an organisation, (Scouts, British Legion etc) and complete a section 21 declaration. That precludes anyone off the street shooting having a go. The NRA have special dispensation for OPEN days cubs are allowed a maximum of 12 Guest Days per year not Open Days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 6 October , 2014 Share Posted 6 October , 2014 (edited) Can anyone please advise me if there is club/organisation in NW England that will provide live firing WW1 era SMLE, Webley, and/or Colt New Service Revolver for me to shoot? I have a collection of deactivated WW1 weapons and it would be very instructive if I could fire similar weapons. Obviously I will need training and supervision and I would pay for the experience. Any ideas please? As has been said, the NRA http://www.nra.org.uk/ hold Open Days at Bisley Camp, Surrey. (IIRC the next one is in May 2015.) We (HBSA/LERA) run a Historic firing point where visitors get the chance to fire Historic rifles, including the SMLE. As has been said the visitors (who MUST pre-book) get a chance to fire many historic rifles including SMLEs. As a member of the Public, you can pretty much forget being able to fire ANY Great War pistols or revolver. They all fall into Section 5 (Prohibited Weapons) of the 1968 Firearms Act. As has been said it IS possible to own and fire them under Section 7(3) (I have a collection of live Great War pistols and revolvers under that law.) BUT there is no way that Joe Public would be allowed to. However as a collector, you may already be on the way to Section 7. I suggest that you get in touch with HBSA https://sites.google.com/site/hbsauk/ Northern Group. Edited 6 October , 2014 by Beerhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdoyle Posted 6 October , 2014 Share Posted 6 October , 2014 I trek down to Bisley every so often to shoot with the NRA Shooting Club. A number of Lee Enfields are available for loan to members including an SMLE (and an unusual No 5 in 9mm). Recommend the Bisley Open Days for firing a range of old and modern rifles. I head over to Ireland for pistol shooting but haven't had my hands on any WW1 era pistols sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 10 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2014 Thank you all for these extremely helpful replies. I will try locally otherwise get a B&B for overnight stays near Bisley and pre-book their open day sessions. Thank you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierce09 Posted 10 October , 2014 Share Posted 10 October , 2014 Failing all of that, book a flight to Las Vegas, where the gun laws are a little more 'relaxed' and you can fire pretty much anything you can think of. Battlefield Las Vegas is a good tourist firing range with a vast array of weapons, including SMLEs. It's a little bit expensive just to fire a rifle though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 12 October , 2014 Share Posted 12 October , 2014 Thank you all for these extremely helpful replies. I will try locally otherwise get a B&B for overnight stays near Bisley and pre-book their open day sessions. Thank you all. We look forward to seeing you. In the past we (HBSA) have also held an Exhibition of Historic Arms in a marquee on the firing point on Century Range. I have said in the past because there is a new regime in place at the NRA and so we haven't quite got all our ducks in line for 2015 yet. At the Exhibition not only will you be able to see many historic arms but you will be able to talk to some VERY knowledgeable people; about the law as well as the historic firearms themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garron Posted 12 October , 2014 Share Posted 12 October , 2014 I've been to the NRA open day at Bisley and can't sing it'd praises enough, I spent most of the two visits on the LERA/HBSA line going back and forth working my way through the various rifles. everyone there was great and help/was fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 12 October , 2014 Share Posted 12 October , 2014 Do they do black powder shooting as well? SMLE is nice to shoot but I want to try a musket. Bisley is a nice place, I enjoyed the celebrations after the Queens Prize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 12 October , 2014 Share Posted 12 October , 2014 Do they do black powder shooting as well? SMLE is nice to shoot but I want to try a musket. Bisley is a nice place, I enjoyed the celebrations after the Queens Prize. Yes, rifles, muskets (not the same thing) and handguns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 12 October , 2014 Share Posted 12 October , 2014 In that case hello Bisley again. Just the Musket for me, I have fired everything else I want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 12 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2014 We look forward to seeing you. In the past we (HBSA) have also held an Exhibition of Historic Arms in a marquee on the firing point on Century Range. I have said in the past because there is a new regime in place at the NRA and so we haven't quite got all our ducks in line for 2015 yet. At the Exhibition not only will you be able to see many historic arms but you will be able to talk to some VERY knowledgeable people; about the law as well as the historic firearms themselves. Thank you for this very helpful comment. I am a bit confused, however, aged 71 I am a complete novice re firearms. I use an air-rifle to reduce the local squirrel population but have not fired a 'proper' rifle nor own a fire arms certificate. Would it still be possible for me to book a session at Bisley Open Day and fire a SMLE? If so I will book a cabin now for the 2nd May Open Day. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 13 October , 2014 Share Posted 13 October , 2014 Thank you for this very helpful comment. I am a bit confused, however, aged 71 I am a complete novice re firearms. I use an air-rifle to reduce the local squirrel population but have not fired a 'proper' rifle nor own a fire arms certificate. Would it still be possible for me to book a session at Bisley Open Day and fire a SMLE? If so I will book a cabin now for the 2nd May Open Day. Thanks again. If the 2015 Open Day goes ahead the answer to your question is - yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 13 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2014 If the 2015 Open Day goes ahead the answer to your question is - yes. Brillaint, thank you very much. I will look out for the confirmation and book a place and accommodation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 3 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2014 Latest update for the Bisley Open Day as of November 2014. "We are in the process of organising an Open day for May 2015. We will be inviting people to the event early next year and it will be on the Website. You would need to be a member of the NRA to shoot here." For a novice like me it will require me to attend the Probationary Membership Course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 3 November , 2014 Share Posted 3 November , 2014 Yes, rifles, muskets (not the same thing) and handguns. Well - there are rifle-muskets, such as the Enfield 1853 and derivatives... Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 3 November , 2014 Share Posted 3 November , 2014 (edited) Well - there are rifle-muskets, such as the Enfield 1853 and derivatives... Regards, MikB The term rifle-musket is generally regarded as a Americanism and in English-English a contradiction in terms. That is to say muskets are smooth-bore and rifles are rifled. In the UK, the Pattern 1853 is called a rifle Edited 3 November , 2014 by Beerhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 3 November , 2014 Share Posted 3 November , 2014 Latest update for the Bisley Open Day as of November 2014. "We are in the process of organising an Open day for May 2015. We will be inviting people to the event early next year and it will be on the Website. You would need to be a member of the NRA to shoot here." For a novice like me it will require me to attend the Probationary Membership Course. Do you have reference for that? There has been no requirement to be a member of the NRA in the past. That is the whole point of Open Days (for which we have to get Home Office permission.) to allow non-members to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 3 November , 2014 Share Posted 3 November , 2014 The term rifle-musket is generally regarded as a Americanism and in English-English a contradiction in terms. That is to say muskets are smooth-bore and rifles are rifled. In the UK, the Pattern 1853 is called a rifle A rifle musket or more correctly a rifled musket refers to a musket that has had the barrel rifled or replaced with a rifled barrel or a weapon of the original pattern manufactured as a rifle. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 3 November , 2014 Share Posted 3 November , 2014 (edited) A rifle musket or more correctly a rifled musket refers to a musket that has had the barrel rifled or replaced with a rifled barrel or a weapon of the original pattern manufactured as a rifle. khaki I am afraid that I don't know know of either having been done in the UK, or indeed in the US. . As far as I know the archetypal US rifle musket was the 1861 Springfield which was neither of the above. The British 1853 was also known in the US as a rifle musket but, as I said earlier as a rifle in the UK. Edited 6 November , 2014 by Beerhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flers1916 Posted 4 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 November , 2014 Do you have reference for that? There has been no requirement to be a member of the NRA in the past. That is the whole point of Open Days (for which we have to get Home Office permission.) to allow non-members to shoot. This statement is a direct quote from the reply to an email I sent to the NRA from the membership section, from 'Sarah' dated 31st Oct 2014. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 4 November , 2014 Share Posted 4 November , 2014 This statement is a direct quote from the reply to an email I sent to the NRA from the membership section, from 'Sarah' dated 31st Oct 2014. I don't know why Membership would have anything to do with Open Days. I'll look into this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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