Latest BASC Magazine

[Pinkfooty]

The latest edition of Shooting & Conservation, the BASC members' magazine, dropped through my letterbox this morning.

 

Pigeon Watch is often used as the knocking shop for those that want to knock BASC, so it is probably also the place to give praise where praise is due.

 

Reading this issue of the magazine will surely persuade any members who were beginning to have doubts as a result of the misleading claims and innuendo published in certain other magazines over the past six months, that there really is no doubt that BASC is the premier organisation for shooters of all kinds.

 

You really only have to read the many articles and reports in this magazine to see what a HUGE amount of work BASC's 100+ staff are doing, day in and day out, to safeguard our sport. Frankly, when you add it all up, it is such a colossal task that no other organisation could possibly even scratch the surface.

 

Very interesting that BASC has just been granted megabucks of government money to promote shooting and that a High Court judge has just ruled that BASC not only the organisation that protects and promotes shooting but that, without BASC, some forms of shooting would have disappeared completely.

 

So please, if you are not already a BASC member, ask a friend who is one to pass on their copy of this magazine once they have read it. As I say, after reading it you will have no more doubts about the great work they do and the totally professional way they do it.

 

Quite apart from that, it puts every other shooting magazine in the shade. This issue has 108 pages of great stuff about every form of shooting, stalking, gamekeeping, pest control, shotgun technique, etc., etc.. And I believe that I am correct in saying that it has a lower proportion of advertising than any other magazine. Best of all, it's free!

 

 

 

(End of commercial break!!)

Edited September 1, 2010 by Pinkfooty

[apache]

Best of all, it's free!

At best it is 'bought in advance' or subscribed to. Definitely not free.

[soreshoulder]

Already a member and have received outstanding service

[Redgum]

At best it is 'bought in advance' or subscribed to. Definitely not free.

 

Correct, it is not free and you have to be a member to recieve it but I can understand what the post meant. The BASC have given me valuable legal advice many times and have left me feeling comforted in the fact they will take up matters on my behalf against the police. The fireams dept respect their views most of the time and BASC are always improving relations between the two parties. Apart from the free legal help you get a basic shooting insurance so this alone makes it worth the membership. The magazine could be a much simpler affair but BASC go to great efforts to provide this regular informative and interesting ( some great articles) magazine.

And look at all the hard work BASC put in to defend shooting after the last shooting masacre.

[Pinkfooty]

At best it is 'bought in advance' or subscribed to. Definitely not free.

OK - I'll accept that my wording was not up to scratch! It is free in the sense that, once you are a member, it is one of the many free services that you can get from BASC.

 

It's a bit like the NHS - "free at the point of delivery".

 

But it is certainly "free-er" than Apache might think. Practically none of your subscription goes to pay for the magazine. The basic economics of its production are that advertising revenue pays for all the production costs. Subscription revenue may make some contribution towards postage. So it is a really good deal.

 

You may have noticed a "price" on the cover. This is merely an estimate of what its retail value would be if it was on sale in the bookshops. The reason this is necessary is so that a "zero-rated allowance" can be allocated against a portion of members' subscriptions (because books and magazines are zero rated for VAT). Having said that, the High Court judgement I referred to in the opening post could mean that BASC ends up in an even better financial position relative to VAT on subscriptions, now that the High Court has ruled that it is the principal organisation contributing to the sport of shooting.

 

It really is good news all round.

[artschool]

i liked the article that mentioned that 1/3 of mps support shooting.

 

thats going to help us more than anything.

[Billy.]

I'm abroad. Please can DaveBASC just allow a photo of the page in question to be posted on here? It can apparently only boost membership, so there's no loss!

 

Thanks

[discreet hunter]

, very informative

[pavman]

well put Eric............ BASC worth every penny of my subs

[al4x]

so we have another page of willy waving about how good we are can't wait to read it

[MC]

so we have another page of willy waving about how good we are can't wait to read it

 

It will fit in well on here then won't it?

 

Noone forces you to be a member, remember there are dozens of "other" organisations who apparently support shooting.

[al4x]

I actually like the magazine and I can see the need to tell everyone what they do but at times it does feel like how good they are is rammed down your throat more than a little.

If nothing else gives lots of good adverts to look at

[MC]

I don't get it,

 

what would you prefer? an organisation who claims to support shooting and doesn't tell anyone what they are doing or one that DOES support shooting and DOES tell everyone what they are doing?

 

If BASC kept quiet would you be on here banging on about how they spend "YOUR" money. (Tweed clad totty, Range Rover Sports and Pimms)

[steve_b_wales]

Already a member and have received outstanding service

 

 

As above. I've been a member for years. They have helped me overturn a ridiculous condition on my FAC regarding a .308 rifle.

Also given me loads of advice when I've phoned them with a question.

[al4x]

I don't get it,

 

what would you prefer? an organisation who claims to support shooting and doesn't tell anyone what they are doing or one that DOES support shooting and DOES tell everyone what they are doing?

 

If BASC kept quiet would you be on here banging on about how they spend "YOUR" money. (Tweed clad totty, Range Rover Sports and Pimms)

 

 

its not the thread for it but it seems like pretty much anything turns into a PR and marketing exercise, and yes its why we pay the subs but the different organisations trying to get one over on each other does get a tad tiresome.

[CharlieT]

I don't know about anyone else but I am sick to death of all this wretched organisation knocking and willy waving as Al4x quite succinctly put it. Not a week goes by without some BASC protagonist trying to sex up the BASC.

 

I belong to the CA, BASC and the NGO and have done for many years but you know what, I am so fed up with this silly nonsense that I am truly considering ditching BASC because if that is the mindset of the membership and council members I want nothing to do with it. I have to deal with enough twerps in life as it is as it without paying out good money to be associated with even more of them.

 

For Christ sake join the organisation that takes your fancy but please stop this mine is bigger than yours ********.

[MC]

Are you lot really that blind?

 

In this world we live in PR and willy waving (as you put it) is how thing get done. Just look at Simon Cowell and that garbage on prime time TV on a saturday night. It is all over the papers and magazines. Do you think that he would have made so much money if it was all kept quiet?

 

That is why BASC have this mindset, that is why they have a media centre, that is why they are the biggest and by far the best organisation for the shooting man.

 

How many of the others have such a professional or dedicated team as BASC?

 

Recently a piece of marsh came up for sale locally. I made ONE phone call to BASC and they got straight on the case. They sent someone down to run through it with us and He did loads of research into obtaining the money and also in how it would be paid back.

That to me was worth the membership fee. I have never had to use their firearms team but those who have, have nothing but praise for them.

 

The only organisation that ever seems to get knocked is BASC, and I will tell you why that is.

 

It is because they are the ONLY ones to puts their heads over the parapet.

 

Just remember one thing.

 

YOU CANNOT FAIL IF YOU DON'T TRY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

[decoying mad]

Are you lot really that blind?

 

In this world we live in PR and willy waving (as you put it) is how thing get done. Just look at Simon Cowell and that garbage on prime time TV on a saturday night. It is all over the papers and magazines. Do you think that he would have made so much money if it was all kept quiet?

 

That is why BASC have this mindset, that is why they have a media centre, that is why they are the biggest and by far the best organisation for the shooting man.

 

How many of the others have such a professional or dedicated team as BASC?

 

Recently a piece of marsh came up for sale locally. I made ONE phone call to BASC and they got straight on the case. They sent someone down to run through it with us and He did loads of research into obtaining the money and also in how it would be paid back.

That to me was worth the membership fee. I have never had to use their firearms team but those who have, have nothing but praise for them.

 

The only organisation that ever seems to get knocked is BASC, and I will tell you why that is.

 

It is because they are the ONLY ones to puts their heads over the parapet.

 

Just remember one thing.

 

YOU CANNOT FAIL IF YOU DON'T TRY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

wellsaid MC

[Mungler]

It's all be done and said before.

 

However, if BASC want to stick their heads above the trench and actually seek praise or credit for the work they do, than why not? I don't see how it can offend or upset.

 

Shooting needs positive publicity and to be seen to be "good news" generally.

 

In fairness to the BASC mag it is a quality read - it's the only shooting mag I get sent to my home for bog time reading. Leaving any shooting association prejudices aside I think everyone has to agree the BASC mag is a pretty good read - hey even Al4x has said he likes reading it, it must be good.

[tomhw100]

Are you lot really that blind?

 

In this world we live in PR and willy waving (as you put it) is how thing get done. Just look at Simon Cowell and that garbage on prime time TV on a saturday night. It is all over the papers and magazines. Do you think that he would have made so much money if it was all kept quiet?

 

That is why BASC have this mindset, that is why they have a media centre, that is why they are the biggest and by far the best organisation for the shooting man.

 

How many of the others have such a professional or dedicated team as BASC?

 

Recently a piece of marsh came up for sale locally. I made ONE phone call to BASC and they got straight on the case. They sent someone down to run through it with us and He did loads of research into obtaining the money and also in how it would be paid back.

That to me was worth the membership fee. I have never had to use their firearms team but those who have, have nothing but praise for them.

 

The only organisation that ever seems to get knocked is BASC, and I will tell you why that is.

 

It is because they are the ONLY ones to puts their heads over the parapet.

 

Just remember one thing.

 

YOU CANNOT FAIL IF YOU DON'T TRY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

 

Yes well said MC!

[blindeye]

As above. I've been a member for years. They have helped me overturn a ridiculous condition on my FAC regarding a .308 rifle.

Also given me loads of advice when I've phoned them with a question.

mr ( sir ) alan booth from basc helped me out no end. had also a ridiculous condition too regarding a .308 . too . with out the help from these top class people we would all be shooting with minders and baby sitters . come on give credit where credit is due . for 66 quid its money well spent .

[artschool]

we would all be shooting with baby sitters .

 

will they be 18 years of age with nice boobies and blond hair?

 

if so then what is the basc playing at

[Graham M]

At this moment in time we are hearing of plans to make ALL ammunition, including rifle ammo, lead free.

 

When wildfowling was forced to go non-toxic we were told that BASC would look at the evidence and fight our corner. Well after a couple of years or so BASC suddenly popped up and supported the lead ban on the grounds that they agreed with the damning evidence produced by the anti-lead brigade.

 

We are now facing the risk of losing lead bullets and BASC have once again come out as saying that they will “Look at the evidence”………..

 

And I fear greatly that in order to keep in with the powers-the-be, they will agree with THAT evidence as well and we will all be saying goodbye to lead cartridges and having to pay £25 per box for non-toxic as well as paying some ridiculous price for solid copper/brass bullets.

 

And please don’t tell me that the price will come down once we all start using them……..because as sure as God made little green apples the price will go through the roof once we are forced to use them. Last time I looked at Tungsten it was over £1 per cartridge, and Bismuth wasn’t far behind.

Tin is a waste of time but is still bloody expensive, so that leaves soft iron (steel) which can damage some older guns.

 

I wait to see how BASC will fight out corner on lead…………..AGAIN.

 

G.M.

[al4x]

I don't know about anyone else but I am sick to death of all this wretched organisation knocking and willy waving as Al4x quite succinctly put it. Not a week goes by without some BASC protagonist trying to sex up the BASC.

 

I belong to the CA, BASC and the NGO and have done for many years but you know what, I am so fed up with this silly nonsense that I am truly considering ditching BASC because if that is the mindset of the membership and council members I want nothing to do with it. I have to deal with enough twerps in life as it is as it without paying out good money to be associated with even more of them.

 

For Christ sake join the organisation that takes your fancy but please stop this mine is bigger than yours ********.

 

 

you said it far better than me Charlie, my point was purely that if you read a few shooting magazines and get the drift behind a lot of the "PR" a lot is sniping at each other rather than the common cause. The spat about the CA offering a half price introductory offer has to be countered and the party line is we are the shooting organisation, its a fight for members and their money for survival and sorry but gets tedious. As the CA said in the shooting times last week their offer of half price subscription may proove attractive to people who currently aren't a member of any organisation and not insured as much as people in other organisations. As for the lead issue I'm at a point where I simply don't know that I believe, the party line. They've had to come out and look like they are standing up for us due to the bad PR at the start but there is plenty of room left for a climbdown so only time will tell. But hey I'll look forward to reading this piece when I get home.

Edited September 2, 2010 by al4x

[David BASC]

Your post is somewhat off topic GM, but the nature of your post comes as no surprise.

 

The lead over wetlands debate went on for decades, not a couple of years as you suggest and guess what – only BASC were prepared to put out head above the parapet and fight!

 

The history of the international restrictions on lead have been well published, you may not agree with them, but we are were we are.

 

Other organisations may be strong on rhetoric, but we deliver the goods.

 

And that is true of lead. It is entirely due to BASC’s lobbying that waders were removed from the original species ban and that many SSSIs were removed from the schedule of sites where lead was prohibited. Once again, nobody else took these issues on board and fought for them.

 

Today our stance on lead is no different from every other shooting organisation and has been frequently stated: there should be no further restrictions on lead without irrefutable scientific evidence. If that evidence is produced the restrictions must be proportionate. I’m sure you do not find this ridiculous, though some of the mis-reporting in the shooting press might well deserve that epithet.

 

So much disinformation about lead shot that sooner or later some one is going to pickup on the rubbish that’s been printed and think its fact- just as you have done.

 

There is NO discussion about banning lead shot

 

David