Overview

Earlier this year my 10 year old daughter was watching the news and she watched a clip from the Beijing Olympics turned around to me and said can I do that? I looked at the screen to see what she was watching and it was the woman’s final in pistol shooting so I told her that she could not even try for the sport as it was not legal where we live and understandably she was a little disappointed but as with all 10 years olds she was happy 5 minutes later when sponge bob square pants came on.

Now my daughter is a good shot (I know, I know she is my daughter and I am bound to say that) with a rifle but she struggles with the size of the thing, I went out and got a collapsible stock and that helped but it is still heavy, she enjoys shooting with the air pistol we have and is quite good so when I read about how she could try the pistol shooting that had caught her eye on the TV earlier this year I thought I would see what I could do.

I thought pistol shooting was illegal?

Well it is not illegal it is just prohibited. Pistol shooting is not illegal and neither is the private ownership of pistols illegal but very few are able to take advantage of the acceptable areas of pistol ownership.

Muzzle-loading pistols – You can have a muzzle loading pistol on a normal FAC (See http://www.charcoal-burner.com). 

Section 7.1 – firearms fall into historic firearms that can be stored at your home.

Section 7.3 – firearms fall into those of special interest of as part of a collection and can be stored & used at ranges given heritage status.

Section 5 exceptions (for want of an official classification)

This is the area that interests me as this allows for competition pistol shooting within the current primary legislation.

The government has agreed in principle to allow cartridge pistol training to those who aspire to compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games, the home office have put strict rules around this and all shooting will be administered by British Shooting on a few Ministry of Defence ranges.  

Now my daughter aspires to compete as do I so I have kept an eye out to see how I would be able to have a go and the instructions have finally come out.

According to British Shooting you need to turn up at one of the regional British Shooting training sessions and try out, you will be required to be approved in advance by both the local police and the Home Office for inclusion in this program. British Shooting recommends that you do all the shooting you can with an air pistol to increase your chances of being selected at one of the training sessions.

What I am doing.

I have decided to get the ball roiling for the members of my family who are interested and am in the process of penning the letters to the Home Office & my local Chief Constable asking for whatever vetting process to start.

Since my daughter has express an interest my son has become very interested as well so I will be adding his name to the list, he is a good shot with the rifle and enjoys the air pistol but he will have a head start as he is also good with my .32 patriot pistol

I should be ready to post my Home Office & local police letters on 31^th December 2008.

What can you do?

Well I think it would be good to show that there is still a keen interest in pistol shooting in the UK, the more people we can get approved to attend the regional centres the better as British Shooting will have many people to select from, perhaps even some people who are not on the radar at the moment, the instruction on the British Shooting website do not even say you need a FAC so if an interest in competing and a willingness to train is all you need.

I would like to encourage everyone who is interested in trying out for the pistol shooting events to write into the Home Office and request approval for attendance at one of the regional training sessions, I hope that this would be a shot in the arm to British Shooting as with a show of support and a wide pool of people to select from we could have a real chance of doing well in 2012.

It would also give the Ministry of Defence ranges time to prepare for the correct number of people to try for their place then could plan to provide the necessary range space, parking, road access control & facilities for the day after all I would not want to see such an important day descend into an unorganised farce due to lack of planning. 

I will be completing my application letter to the Home Office over the Christmas break as I am very busy until then, and I'll post it on New Year’s Eve, perhaps you will do the same?

The Home Office address is:
Home Office
Direct Communications Unit
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

For more information please see:

Olympic Cartridge Pistol: -  http://www.nsra.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=403&Itemid=55

British Shooting Briefing note: - http://www.britishshooting.org.uk/content/view/220/31/