From: "John Hurst", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>I wonder if anyone could help me on this subject. We wish to
>set up a mini rifle range at our home office approved club in
>order to host a few more shoots for non FAC holders.
David,
The NSRA were most helpful when one of my
clubs decided to claim their right to the Section 11
exemption. The NSRA are able to provide a form which
confirms the bona fides of an affiliated club which wishes
to operate under the exemption.
Note that all that the statute requires is "A person
conducting or carrying on a miniature rifle range...may
etc.". This is analogous to the fact that a FAC is merely
a document which confirms that its holder is a "fit person".
To quote Pepper v. Hart (again), Lord Oliver of Aylmerton
observed that "A Statute is, after all, the formal and
complete intimation to the citizen of a particular rule of
law which he is enjoined, sometimes under penalty, to obey
and by which he is both expected and entitled to regulate
his conduct".
A certain police inspector in a firearms licensing unit
was not so helpful. When the club secretary courteously
informed him about it he denied all knowledge of Section
11. Later, after consulting force solicitors, he stated
that he found the clubs actions "sinister" because they
enabled it to "evade police surveillance". I understand
the conversation was recorded.
I think that the Firearms Advisory Committee have looked
at the gallery exemption and decided that it is not a
problem. Can anyone confirm that.
Regards, John Hurst.
--
All the FCC have said is that the police have expressed
concerns to them, there doesn't appear to be any huge
problems at present but they haven't had time to look
into it yet.
The NSRA only sell manually-operated .22 rimfire rifles
to miniature rifle ranges, in 1920 when the exemption
was originally drafted .22 centrefires and .22 self-loaders
were pretty rare so I think it is fair to say that the
NSRA is simply following tradition and the exemption
was probably drafted without thinking about .22 centrefires
at least.
The problem for shooters here is two-pronged, because
if licensing for airguns becomes a reality then the
use of them at miniature rifle ranges would be the only
option - but if they're licensed too most of the pub
and school ranges would probably close down.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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