FAQ | sra-site

Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQs should help to guide you with a little more information regarding the sport, the club/association and membership. Please Contact Us if you have any queries not addressed here.

Membership questions

Do I need any prior shooting experience to become a member?

The answer is yes and no. You can apply for membership without any prior shooting knowledge or experience. However, we obviously have a duty to ensure that all our members are competent, safe and of sound character and we therefore have verification procedures in place.

Without prior shooting experience, you would be required to take the Probationary Member route to joining the SRA (which would provide you with the necessary training and experience you need)

How does Probationary membership work?

All applicants for membership who have no prior (or verifiable) experience with shooting are required to embark upon a probationary membership course. In summary this works as follows:

Your personal details are verified & checked by the Surrey Police against the Police National Computer system
You embark upon a training course (theory & practical) to provide you with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to safely and competently handle a firearm, and conduct yourself whilst attending a shooting range/facility
You carry out a written and practical assessment during this course
If you proceed beyond this stage you are then supervised at all times when shooting with the club for a certain period of time, during which you are provided guidance, as well as being assessed and trained further. This takes place over a period of months and will vary according to your ability
You will become more familiar with the club and its members, and them with you during this period
You will require sponsorship (similar to a mentor) by an existing SRA member during this time, and your application for full membership will then be considered by the committee

This may seem like a very rigourous process. It is, and it is designed to be to ensure the safety of all involved in the sport.

See our Documents & Forms page for details of the SRA probationary member course

Can I become a member if I do not wish to participate in shooting?

Yes, we have a social member category which allows non-shooting spouses, partners and friends to enjoy the annual social aspects to membership of the SRA. This enables social members to utilise the social clubhouse facilities during the year.

Do I have to live in Surrey to be a member of the SRA?

No.

Membership is not governed by your County.

If you wish to represent the County of Surrey in a shooting match however, you do need to be either (a) born in Surrey, (b) resident within Surrey and not be declared for another County, (c) be a Surrey voter and not declared for another County. This applies to the Inter-Counties championship for example.

What if I have further queries about membership or the application form?

If, having read the 'Benefits of Membership', 'Apply for membership' and 'FAQ' pages of the website, you still have questions in relation to membership or the application form, you can get in contact with the SRA using the details on the 'Contact Us' page and we'll endeavour to address your queries via phone, mail or email

Website questions

Do I need to be a member to view the SRA website?

The answer is yes and no. Most of the content on the SRA website is accessible to the public as this is the association's window to the world. However certain pages and content are restricted to members only, mainly due to the need to keep certain information private, and to comply with the Data Protection Act.

Access to these pages does require membership to the SRA and is granted upon registration on the website, once full membership has been obtained

How do I gain members' access to the SRA website?

There is a 'Login/Sign-up' link on each page of the website. This link launches a registration / login dialogue box which you can use to request access to the site from the webmaster

Granting of access is not automatic and is carried out manually periodically. Please be patient if you are not granted access in a timely manner, and avoid re-registering please

There are a few additional foibles with this system: (all of which have been raised with the website host / provider)

- Registration does not (currently) require you to submit your name, this makes it tricky to identify members if your email address is not obvious

- Members are not automatically informed when access is granted. An email needs to be sent to you separately

- Once registered, when you log in the default dialogue box is for registration. You need to click the 'I'm already a user, Login' link at the top right

What happens if I forget my website login email or password?

If you forget which email address you used to register - send a query to the SRA via the Contact Us page

If you forget your login password - use the 'forgot your password?' link on the login dialogue box. A password reset message will be sent to your email address. The SRA does not have access to your password and therefore cannot assist in this regard

Functions & facilities questions

What are the SRA clubhouse operating hours?

The hours of operation depend upon the events that are taking place on various dates. Details of the clubhouse opening times are located on the About Us page.

Are guests welcome at the SRA clubhouse?

Guests accompanied by members are all welcome during the year. Non-members may not access certain secure facilities, but are able to enjoy our hospitality within the dining and outdoor areas. Guests accompanied by a full member may use the bar.

Are non-members / guests able to try out at shooting to see if they like it?

This is only possible during our Guest Days which are organised specifically for this purpose. Such days are designed to introduce you to the sport, with rigorous safety, guidance and oversight procedures in place. See our Documents & Forms page for details of these days, and the Calendar page for scheduled events

Can I hire the SRA clubhouse for a private function?

Full members and Affiliated members of the SRA are able to hire the clubhouse for private functions. Non-members are not able to do so. See the Functions page for more details.

Can I store my firearm at the SRA?

You can store your firearm(s) in the SRA's secure facility only if you are a shooting category member, and if there is currently capacity within the facility. There is an annual locker rental associated with this service (prices available upon enquiry).

Can I use the SRA faclities to reload ammunition?

Shooting category members, including nominated members of affiliated clubs, are permitted to use the SRA reloading facilities once they have completed the SRA ammunition reloading course. Nominated members of affiliated clubs can do so on behalf of their club only, not for personal use. Junior-life members up to the age of 18 are not permitted to reload ammunition without supervision from a full member who has also completed the reloading course. Further details are located on our Documents & Forms page.

Events & Competition questions

Do I have to be a member of the SRA to shoot in events and competitions?

This depends upon the event or competition. Many of the events we host during the year are open to all-comers who hold valid NRA shooter identification cards. An example of this is the Surrey Open event. Some events are open only to members of the SRA or our affiliated clubs. Have a look at the SRA Event Descriptions page for more information.

SRA SCATT usage questions

Do I have to be a member of the SRA to use the SRA SCATT equipment?

Yes. The equipment is for the use of shooting category members to help them to analyse their technique and improve their performance. Members are not permitted sign equipment out for use by non members.

How do I book the SRA SCATT system for my use?

The SRA are introducing a booking system which will:

provide a schedule of availability for SCATT usage within the clubhouse
provide a means of booking the SCATT system in advance
aim to ensure fair & equitable usage for all members

We ask that you exercise patience & understanding whilst this booking system is set up and trialled, and that you appreciate that you might not be able to use the system when, or as frequently, as you might like.

Details about the SCATT usage policy and instructions are located on the Documents & Forms page

Can I take the SRA Scatt system home during the week to practice?

No. The equipment may be used only within the SRA premises. The equipment is for use by all shooting category members and the SRA requires it to be available to all members.

What happens if the SCATT system is damaged or stops working whilst I'm using it?

If you damage the equipment (either through negligence or not following the operating instructions) you will be liable for the replacement cost of the damaged component(s).

If the equipment stops working through no fault of your own, then the SRA will seek to have it replaced under warranty (where applicable) or through the SRA insurance policy.

Can I use the SRA Scatt system during the week?

Use of the SCATT equipment will be during normal SRA operating hours (see About Us page).

You may be able to arrange to use it during other hours by special arrangement with the committee (Contact Us)

This will depend entirely upon the availability and goodwill of committee members to arrange this with you.

Will someone at the SRA supervise my SCATT session and provide me with guidance?

The SRA will host supervised SCATT training sessions during the year, at which members who enroll will benefit from guidance and critical analysis of their technique. Keep an eye out for these in the SRA Calendar.

Most of the time the use of the SCATT system will be unsupervised, unless you arrange for other SRA members to join you and provide such guidance. The system does have set-up and operating instructions to get you started.

SRA Reloading course questions

Do I have to be a member of the SRA to attend the SRA re-loading course?

Usually yes. The SRA reloading course is designed to provide shooting category members interested in using the SRA reloading equipment & facilities with the requisite knowledge and guidance material to do so safely and competently. Details of this are located on our Documents & Forms page.

When is the SRA reloading course held?

The course is run when there is a critical mass of interested members who require training. The aim is to run at least one of these courses each year, so keep an eye on the Calendar to see when these are scheduled, or Contact Us to register your interest for a future course.

Is the reloading of ammunition safe?

By following the necessary guidance and instructions, and observing the relevant procedures the reloading of ammunition is safe.

The SRA reloading course is designed specifically to provide shooting category members with the necessary knowledge and skills to do so competently and safely.

Can I use the SRA faclities to reload ammunition?

When can I access the SRA faclities to reload ammunition?

Access to these facilities is granted & scheduled by the SRA Committee members, and is usually during normal clubhouse operating hours (see About Us page). Access during other times is by arrangement with the SRA Committee.

​The Surrey Rifle Association