The Future?

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pmh
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The Future?

Post by pmh » Fri Oct 25, 2013 12:44 pm

Despite the recent Olympics, and the upcoming Commonwealth games, shooting still remains demonised in the eyes of the media, and they are doing nothing to reverse this negative and untrue image.

Many field sports enthusiasts are reporting it increasingly difficult to shoot on land for which they have permission, as there are an army of people out there who seem to believe they have the right to roam where ever they please, legally or not, and if they spot anybody with a gun, even if they know full well that the shooter has permission to be there, they still call the Police.

Unfortunately, whether they think "for goodness sake, not again" or not, the Police have a duty of care and must attend.

As a result of this, many field shooters are simply giving up.

My advice would be don't, you are doing nothing wrong, but I imagine it can get to the point where it is just not worth the effort.

In addition to this, I do not think the large number of CO2 replicas has helped the airgunning cause. These can quite easily be mistaken for the real thing, and have no doubt used for illegal activity .

This, of course, is no justification for a ban, but put them in the hands of somebody dressed as if they have just come back from a covert mission and the media have all they need to "prove" their case.

Like any activity on the fringe, it is the responsibility of the participants to show that they are safe and honourable people, and it is the shooters themselves who will ultimately make or break the sport.

If you read the thread on legal airguns being held up at customs you start to get a picture. Any xray of a Walther CP88, for example, is bound to cause concern. How does this look like an air pistol on initial viewing?

I doubt you would get the same reaction from a Steyr LP2, etc.

I am a firm believer that air guns should look like air guns and, in my opinion, this would certainly take a lot of pressure of the sport.

Is there any hope for the future? Well yes, but I do think this lies mainly in the organised target club.

Shooting indoors, in a private space, and with prestigious events tired to the activity, it would be very difficult to argue against it.

That said, there is nothing wrong with a legitimate field target club, and I would like to have a go again, as I used to enjoy the competitions, but modern day attitudes would probably make it difficult to set one up these days.

I would wager that most current field target clubs have been established for some considerable time.

Is there any point to this thread? Possibly, possibly not, I just thought I would raise the general point of shooting and the future, and to remind all shooters that the future of the sport is in our hands.

Act responsibly and we will survive. Turn it into a pantomime and we won't.

Kind regards,



Phil
M0KPH
I now have so many airguns I've had to make a list, which is >>HERE<<
>>North Manchester Target Club<<

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zunmik
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Re: The Future?

Post by zunmik » Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:52 pm

That's a great piece Phil I fully agree with all your comments sadly many of the pistols today are only made in the military handgun style, and why people need to get camo'ed upt to shoot a few bunnies gawd know's when I did it yonks ago we just used suitable drab colours brown, green, grey etc but normal clothing nothing military. Anyway well said, and the future is a question mark. M.
WALTHER LP3],Etc[/b], G0JVB ex G6MUI.

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