Shooters’ Rights Association

For shooters and re-enactors, living history demonstrators, air soft players etc. Membership benefits include the Shooters’ Journal, advice line and £10 million VCR-compliant PLI as standard for all activities.

SRA membership is a broad church. Back in 1984 we were all about live ammunition shooting: antiques and replica collectors didn’t need us for anything, but one member asked us to extend to battle re-enactment because that was his thing during the game close season.

So we did ‘Living history’ was added because a lot of re-enactment isn’t battles. It’s people demonstrating archery, blacksmithing, spinning wool, cookery, camping, jousting etc. In period costume and using tools and weapons contemporary to the costume. Our insurers extended our cover last year so that people who do living history demonstrations for a fee are included – and that is standard now for all members.

Airsoft was added in the 1990s because the 1997 legislation that banned handguns also took CO2 weapons out of the controls, so CO2 repeaters and airsoft were what bereft pistol shooters turned to. Skirmish gas its origins in battle re-enactment and by borrowing from paintball has become a recreational activity in its own right; a participant activity rather than a spectator one. So whatever you want to do that’s legal, the SRA can support you.