CLUB BYLAWS (Updated to 15 March’04)
1. Classes of Membership
1.1. FULL MEMBER
The rights and responsibilities of full membership are defined in the Constitution, clauses 8.1 to 8.6.
1.2 HONORARY MEMBER
Honorary members, elected under clause 8.4 of the Constitution, shall not be required to pay the Membership or Range Fees laid down for other grades of membership.
1.3 SOCIAL MEMBER
Social members shall not be permitted to possess either firearms or ammunition, but may attend without payment on an unlimited number of occasions at the discretion of a Committee Member or the Range Officer for each shoot.
1.4 PROBATIONARY MEMBER
Applicants for probationary membership must be proposed by a full member of the club, and are required to sign a declaration to say that they are not prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition by virtue of section 21 of the Firearms Act 1968 (as amended).
Applicants for probationary membership must supply two passport size photographs with their application. A non-returnable application fee shall be payable at the scale approved by the Committee.
The minimum period of probation shall be three months, which shall include a minimum of 13 shooting attendances.
This clause may be waived at the Committees discretion, for someone who is already a full member of a club that has been approved by the Secretary of State in respect of the same type or types of firearm; or hold a firearm certificate. In this instance a minimum of seven shooting attendance is required before an application for full membership will be considered by the Committee.
The probationary member will receive instruction in safe firearm handling, use of firearms and the principles of target shooting in a manner approved by the Committee. Applications for election to full membership of the club shall not be approved unless a member of the Committee certifies that he is satisfied with the standards reached by the probationary member.
Probationary members when in possession of firearms or ammunition must be personally supervised by a full member of the club who holds a firearm certificate, or by a full member nominated by the Committee as a Range Master by virtue of appropriate experience.
The Committee shall ensure that the number of probationary members permitted in the club shall not at any time exceed the number of full members.
1.5 AIR WEAPONS
There are no restrictions on who may attend and shoot airweapons, nor on whom may apply for Air Weapon membership.
Such applicants for airweapon membership must be proposed by a full member of the Club; must supply two passport size photographs with their application; which may only be accepted by a member of the Committee. A non-returnable application fee shall be payable at the scale approved by the Committee.
An Airweapons member may only be considered by the Committee for election to full membership after they have completed at least four shooting attendances. Applications for full membership of the Club shall not be approved unless a member of the Committee certifies satisfaction with the standards of safe gun handling, gun use and understanding of the principles of target shooting demonstrated by the airweapons member.
Such membership shall only have validity to support an F.A.C. application for air or gas powered guns.
2. Membership Administration
2.1 All applicants for full membership shall be proposed to the Committee by an individual Committee Member who has personal knowledge of the applicant’s suitability. That Committee Member shall countersign the Application Form as proposer, and shall either attend the meeting to speak on behalf of the applicant, or shall supply the Committee with a written report on the applicant's suitability and competence.
2.2 Existing full members may renew their membership during the period permitted by the Constitution, without further proposal to the Committee, by submitting a properly completed ApplicationIRenewal Form accompanied by the appropriate Annual Membership Subscriptions.
2.3 The Club’s Constitution lays down that a member be debarred from membership if their subscriptions are not paid within 28 days of falling due, but only after that member’s debt has been fully discussed at a Committee meeting. In practice this can mean up to 3 months before disbarrement takes effect.
After disbarrement, if a newly elected or annually-paying Member who failed to pay their subs in full within 3 months of the due date, or a BSO-paying Member whose standing order was unpaid for 3 months, then re-applies that ex-Member will be required to complete a Probation of 7 visits before the Committee will consider their application for Membership. Once an ex-Member’s subscriptions remain unpaid for 6 months, they will be required to complete the full Probationary requirements before they may reapply.
2.4 The Club’s support for any member’s F.A.C. application will be at the discretion of the Committee.
3.Range Administration
3.1 Members of all grades must have completed an entry in the Visitors Book at the section where they first attend, and must have presented proof of identity to the Range Officer. All members must have their presence recorded on the Range Sheet on each attendance.
3.2 Whilst attending Club shoots, all members must carry and show on demand their membership card or attendance record.
3.3 All classes of membership except Honorary and Social shall pay a range fee at the scale set by the Committee.
3.4 Range fees will be waived for participants in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme whilst engaged in developing shooting skills for the scheme.
3.5 Section Administrators and Match Secretaries may issue armoury keys to any responsible full member whose name has been nominated to and agreed by the Committee.
3.6 Club guns and ammunition shall not be left accessible for use, but will be held secure by the Range Officer. Members may draw a gun for their own use, returning it immediately after the detail. Club guns and ammunition to be used for training purposes will only be released to the full member supervising that training, who will be responsible for returning them after the detail.
3.7 Full members are permitted to store their guns in the Club’s armouries, with the prior permission of the Committee or Exec, at the member’s risk, and provided that this situation is not as a result of an F.A.C. condition.
3.8 The Club’s guns may not be used with handloaded ammunition. Only branded factory-made ammunition or ammunition sold officially by the Club, may be fired in the Club’s guns.
3.9 No armour-piercing or incendiary ammunition, nor any ammunition that exceeds the muzzle energy limits on the range certificate, nor any ammunition that exceeds the designed pressure limits of the gun may be fired on the range.
3.10 Any full member who needs to shoot match cards shall have precedence for shooting time over members who are practising.
3.11 Members may not use the Club’s logo or ensignia in public in conjunction with any other wording or image that could bring the Club into disrepute.
4. General Range Safety Rules
These Rules represent the Club’s standing orders covering aspects of safety at any Club shooting venue. The Rules do not cover events governed by Practical Pistol or similar shooting disciplines which are covered by other separately defined Rules. No shooting may take place unless two members are present.
4.1 Range Officer Authority
The authority of the Range Officer is absolute on all aspects of safety and shooting during their period of duty. Any and all instructions from the Range Officer must be actioned immediately and failure to respond to these instructions will lead to the Range Officer ordering any offending person to leave the Firing Range immediately. The Range Officer may suspend any individual either from further shooting or from the Club until such time as the Committee can review the facts and take any further action.
4.2 Off the Firing Point
On first arriving at the Club shooting venue, each member of any grade must ensure that his/her name is entered onto the Range Sheet. Members must NOT shoot until their names are registered on the range sheet.
NO LOADED GUN IS PERMITTED OFF THE FIRING
POINT AT ANY TIME.
AT NO TIME IS ANY GUN TO BE POINTED AT ANY
PERSON
Guns will only be handled in the following manner:-
a) On or above any bench
b) muzzle facing the wall, floor or ceiling at all times,
RIFLES - Action or Bolt open:
SELF-LOADING PISTOLS - Holstered and magazine out, or Slide open and magazine out.
REVOLVERS - Holstered or Cylinder open:
AIRWEAPONS - Uncocked and action open.
4.3 Guns Being Carried Into The Firing Range
No-one is to enter the Firing Range until the previous detail has finished shooting, guns benched and checked clear, and the Range Officer has declared the range “CLEAR TO GO FORWARD” and change targets.
Guns must only be carried into the Firing Range unloaded, with actions open, and either the muzzle facing the floor or ceiling. At the Firing Point, guns must be laid down with the muzzle pointing downrange at all times, with the prospective shooter standing well back and away from the point.
Guns may not be handled on the Firing Point so long as there is any person FORWARD of the point.
Any person requiring to go forward of the Firing Point must:-
a) Loudly state the intention to “go forward” and further check that it is entirely safe to proceed downrange, and
b) Enlist the assistance of other members on the Firing Point to ensure that no guns are handled until the shooter returns to behind the Firing Point.
4.4 In The Range
All shooters must be inline with each other: Practical Pistol, Police and Service disciplines must not be mixed with any other event or shooting discipline.
No gun may be loaded until instructed to do so by the Range Officer; (magazines and speed loaders may be pre-loaded when permitted by the Range Officer).
No shot may be fired until permission has been given by the Range Officer.
THE MUZZLE OF THE GUN MUST POINT
DOWNRANGE AT ALL TIMES
Should a gun MALFUNCTION during a shooting detail, then the shooter must:-
a) Keep the gun pointing downrange at all times -
DO NOT SWEEP THE GUN SIDEWAYS TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEM;
b) If the cause is apparent, clear the gun without disturbing the other shooters on the detail, and continue shooting;
c) If there is any difficulty with immediate and safe clearance of the problem, lay the gun on the Firing Point facing downrange, step back and inform the Range Officer.
d) Under no circumstances allow anyone to go forward of the Firing Point until the malfunction has been resolved and the gun proved clear by the Range Officer.
All shooting details of more than one person are to be supervised by a Range Officer of Full Member status present within the Firing Range. The Range Officer will not shoot on the detail for which he/she is responsible.
Any shooter who is not a Full Member must be supervised on the Firing Range in accordance with Bylaw 1.4.
4.5 On Completion of Shooting
On completion of their card or series, each shooter must:-
a) Check that their own gun’s are empty, removing any magazine;
b) Lay the guns down on the Firing Point or Bench with the muzzle pointing downrange, and with the action open and visibly clear; self-loading guns not equipped with a slide retaining catch must have a suitable object inserted between breach and slide;
c) Wait until all other shooters have finished before moving about or talking;
d) Stand well back from the Firing Point to allow the Range Officer to check that the guns are clear;
e) Remain well back until the Range Officer has checked every gun and declared “All guns clear - range clear to go forward”.
4.6 Carrying Guns off the Firing Range
Guns must be carried off the Range unloaded and cased or holstered; or with the action open and magazine removed, and with the muzzle facing the floor or ceiling.
THE RANGE OFFICER OR ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER
HAS AUTHORITY TO SUSPEND ANY SHOOTER WHO IS
CONSIDERED TO BE IN BREACH OF THESE BYLAWS.
THESE BYLAWS CANNOT BE ALTERED WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE COMMITTEE |
