NEW TARGET SHOOTER LICENSE PROCEDURE - OBJECTION REASONS BY MAAC

BELOW PLEASE FIND THE POSTS I HAVE POSTED IN THE MALTASHOOTINGSPORTS FORUM ON BEHALF OF MAAC.
HERE YOU CAN SEE WHY MAAC IS OBJECTING TO THIS PROCEDURE.
WE HAVE ASKED OUR AFFILIATED PARTNERS FOR SUPPORT IN THIS ISSUE AND WE HAVE ALREADY A POSITIVE RESPONSE.

POST 1

Although I agree with the procedure for issuing TS-A licenses, I do not agree with the contents and the structure of the sylllabus for the simple reason is that that the contents are oriented only to fire arm or better TS-A.

With this action, persons who are not interested in Target Shooter A license, but are interested only in getting a Target Shooter B (airgun) license for air gun sport disciplines and airsoft, will have to undertake one standard syllabus and exam that is orientated towards TS-A and fire arms without any reference what so ever to their intended target, that is totally unfair and unjust. The majority of airgun and airsoft enthusiasts agree that it is right that airguns and airsoft must be licensed to prevent abuse, but this is going too far in my opinion always in terms of TS-B (airgun), unless the courses and exams are orientated towards the license type.

If the WB approved the procedure then the WB must supply the complete full details of course & contents and not just line headings.
When do we expect to have these details ?

POST 2

Below are the contents of the draft syllabus that was sent to clubs on the 26/11/2008 for Target Shooter License A and B recommendation. The WB states that this must be the basis of any courses organised by NGOs.

FIRE ARM SAFETY COURSE SYLLABUS
Courses are of six hour duration and are based on the following syllabus:

1. Mechanical characteristics of the major firearm types:
. Pistol
. Revolver
. Rifle
. Shotgun

2. General Safety Rules.
. 10 fundamental rules of firearm safety.

3. Firearm Normal Safety Precautions (NSP's)
. Checking Firearms
. Loading
. Making ready
. Unloading

4. Ammunition
. Types
. Characteristics
. Precautions

5. Safe Storage of Weapons.
. Purposes
. Type of secure storage
. Against what risk ?

6. Firearms and children

7. Protective Equipment for the range.
. Eye protection
. Ear protection

8. Basic Range Procedures.

9. Relevant provisions of Arms Act 2005 & regulations.

As you all can see with your own eyes the course out line suggested by the WB is intended for TS-A and TS-B Shotgun but not for TS-B airgun or airsoft. The Malta Allied Airgunners Club which is a Target Shooter B (airgun) licensed club received the same syllabus outline.

In our Airgun Safety and Introduction Course (ASIC) we always covered items 1 to 9 but 1,3 and 4 are orientated towards air guns and airsoft guns and not fire arms. Our course document is also available on our website since we have nothing to hide.
Those who know me know that I wrote the course contents for TS-B(air gun and airsoft) and started the course in MASC/AMACS 2 1/2 years ago, and it was called BAIC (Basic Airgun Induction Course). After the formation of MAAC I re formated the document and renamed it but still has the same basics.

How can we agree with this decision when this is not reflecting the type of license we cater for ?

We cannot send our new members for an exam, when the exam will be orientated towards fire arms, since by logic it will be based on the syllabus outline suggested by the WB ?

Maybe the WB was not specifically talking about TS-B (airgun) ?

Maybe this exam is for fire arm license holders A and B only ?



In that case WB statements must be more specific to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding.
As said in my previous post I am not against this decision that one is tested but always according to the intended license and not something else.

I expect that members of the WB can clarify this here on the forum since the news came on the forum.

Thanks in advance.
Best regards

Stanley Shaw
MAAC Chairman