Is BASC membership worth it?

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They do not take any notice of what shooters say on various shooting sights. All I want is insurance cover and to fight for our rights. Seem to be cowing away most of the time less cost.
Again very valid points, and what all field sports participants want I'd imagine, so who's carrying the mantle and doing that ? Maybe not basc some would argue, but who ?
Cheers Jimmy
 
Hi all, it's coming up to renewal time for my shooting insurance and I've previously used Gunplan at about £30 a year. I'm tempted to use BASC this year, primarily for the insurance that membership brings. At about £80, it's a bit more but I understand there are additional perks. What are people's opinions on membership, are the perks worth it?

Many thanks
Yes
 
Yes. BASC isn't perfect - and they sold us under the bus with the Lead shot fiasco - but for the sake of £7 a month its worth having their services to support you.

Anyone can fall foul of our overzealous FLD's so it's good to have their legal advice and support. I've had my full memberships worth twice this year when my BASC firearms rep has stepped in on my behalf and sorted things out for me.

Like a fire extinguisher, better to have it and never need it than need it and not have it!

Note: Other orgs may fit you better, ie: SACS if your north of the border or the NGO if you're a keeper. Point is, join atleast one.
 
Yes you can get a huge discount on a new car and four magazines . Yes you can get help on occasions some is good but some times given wrongly. I would have given up the mag and kept insurance protection cover.
 
Hi all, it's coming up to renewal time for my shooting insurance and I've previously used Gunplan at about £30 a year. I'm tempted to use BASC this year, primarily for the insurance that membership brings. At about £80, it's a bit more but I understand there are additional perks. What are people's opinions on membership, are the perks worth it?

Many thanks
Yes if you are buying a new vehicle, need a friend to intervene with your FLD, NE etc etc. No if you just want someone to blame for UK REACH, WJ/ Packham GCN /LACS etc.
 
It seems to me there are potentially two questions here, is BASC worthy of your money and is BASC worth joining.

The first is what most people are answering when giving their views on how effective (or not) they are at representing shooters.

The second is far more individual and can depend on what you want out of it.

I’m a member but wouldn’t be if I just wanted insurance and political representation.

However, I go on their stalking schemes and have once found the firearms line helpful (thankfully, I’ve only needed it once).

I understand the vehicle discount is also very generous.

You need to decide what you want from them to decide if it is worth you joining. I wouldn’t get too hung up on whether others think they are worthy of your money when deciding that.
 
Hi all, it's coming up to renewal time for my shooting insurance and I've previously used Gunplan at about £30 a year. I'm tempted to use BASC this year, primarily for the insurance that membership brings. At about £80, it's a bit more but I understand there are additional perks. What are people's opinions on membership, are the perks worth it?

Many thanks
NO the lead fiasco the medical fiasco in my opinion they are doing more harm to shooting than anyone else. And for the working people out there better organisations are available or just get insurance.
 
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I have been a BASC member for many years, the insurance is a primary reason but they also do some good work in the media and the legal world especially with the growing anti legal challenges. Are they perfect no but you could level that at most organisations, my frustration is there are 4-6 organisations all playing in the same sector, one consolidated one would give us more clout, I see they are starting a “joint” group but that’s still sub effective versus one central “shooting” focused lobby
 
I think that BASC do a grand job of fighting for large scale driven game shoots.
They do a lot for the shooter at the other end of the scale from driven shooting - wildfowlers - by helping to safeguard consents and secure land for wildfowl management and shooting.
Also organise useful training sessions and courses around the country. Well worth the membership fee.
 
My thanks for all the replies, a lot of information to take in and a lot of food for thought. My apologies for any ruffled feathers! I'm erring towards membership, and can always move to a different organisation next year if needs be.
 
I shall be careful what I say since most who have replied are lovees of BASC.
None of them are any good except at the small stuff, and its certainly not a case of you get what you pay for. Even the Police are unimpressed (mentioned by another member).
If, like most people you want value for money, given the political influence is derisory, then i would go with SACS or NGO. - both carry equivalent insurance but neither claim to be able to 'control' the Police or parliament.
I would, as would many, favour a single organisation and then a mandatory membership. We simply do not have one organisation which stands up for us effectively, so whilst wishing to support some group which could stand our corner on the environment and the many issues we face, I don't believe there is a single effective organisation. I wont pay for something because it calls itself, erroneously, the Voice of Shooting or because others regard it as the best of a bad bunch - wrongly.
Too many issues have tripped us over the last number of years, if you are honest you will know what they were and acknowledge they were gross failings. I wont pay for gross failings, even if I want a strong organisation to speak on shootings behalf. I therefore buy just insurance and will continue to until there are no major fails for a number of years . If there were any sugnificant successes I would probably rejoin the day after.
 
Also organise useful training sessions and courses around the country. Well worth the membership fee.
You make it sound like they're free !

BASC earn money from them , along with their nice magazine full of adverts.

Also the vehicle discount, they don't pay the difference ! They negotiate a discount with selected dealers, on full retail prices , no one pays full retail? You could easily do it yourself, for the 0.1 % of members who regularly buy a new truck.
 
Lets get them to negotiate on our behalf and tell them what we want to be put right. ALL forces to work to the same standards in FAC/ Shotgun applications. Ten year licence. As Triton as pointed out next year I will follow and only get insurance cover as got a new car and do not need a magazine every four months.
 
Hi @BenCo

For yourself or anyone else reading this thread thinking of joining/re-joining BASC some links below.

BASC membership info:

BASC updates:

BASC in the press:

BASC blogs on topical issues:
 
To Conor
Thank you as I have said before the work you do on behalf of your members is why I still have faith in BASC. Sorry but I feel not enough is done for working class shooters if we had a voice the same as Mr C P we would get more affect.
Let people know we are not all blood thirsty and want to kill every thing. Just talking to other shooters I know they all had a soft spot for wildlife one as to move snails and slugs when working.
 
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