SSAA - What benefits are you getting out of it?

[AbyssRider]

i understand that most if not all clubs require you to join SSAA when you join them so i signed up a week ago.

what benefits are you guys getting out of SSAA? i ordered their shooting basics booklet and hopefully it is useful.

[MontyShooter]

It's cheaper to use the range when a member.

[deanp100]

Cheaper range use, discounts in their shop, very good insurance cover for firearms and a really crap magazine every month.

[JohnV]

The benefits I get is being able to use the SSAA to keep a licence and their affiliation with ranges that allows me as a SSAA member to use them also the cheap gun insurance they offer is a good thing . That's about it . SSAA is not that interested in older shooters anymore they see new younger members now as their future income . The magazine is of no interest to me as it's all designed for beginners .

[bladeracer]

i understand that most if not all clubs require you to join SSAA when you join them so i signed up a week ago.

what benefits are you guys getting out of SSAA? i ordered their shooting basics booklet and hopefully it is useful.

Nothing tangible. I don't use their facilities, I don't read their magazines. I do have the insurance but hope never to use that either.

I'm in these groups because most shooters do need them. Most shooters do need clubs where they can go to shoot, and learn to shoot, and enjoy shooting, and meet other shooters. I personally don't, but as a society we do. Without these groups there would be a whole lot less shooters in the country, and that would suck. My Field & Game membership is due now. I did actually get out to my local for a look a year or two back, was thoroughly unimpressed and can't see myself ever going to shoot there. But we do still need these clubs, and we need them to have strength.

[geoff]

You can request that they stop sending you the terrible magazine. I highly recommend that

[womble]

I did request that. They still send it.

[JohnV]

I did request that. They still send it.

Because that's how they send out their renewal forms .

[Jackaroo]

Supporting the shooting fraternity so that the pollies can see the numbers that we are.

[womble]

I like the ssaa, always have. People are always friendly and helpful.
They get criticised for not taking a stronger stand sometimes, but see that doesn’t work. They just come down on us harder. Better to work with them.
I honestly think wapol are going hard in part because of a certain other unnamed group that claims to represent us keeps tormenting them. And they make it personal. Dose’nt work here. We be compliant and respectful or they take the lot.
And they can. Easily. Just how it is.
We still have what we have because of ssaa and the bond that they’ve built with government and police, plenty of whom are also active members.
That’s how it’s done. Just keep being nice and always welcoming to any critics to come and have a try.

[on_one_wheel]

The benefit of hope ... that one day the board will die of old age and a new generation of smart pro-firearm professionals sit on the board and do some actual lobbying.

[AbyssRider]

The benefit of hope ... that one day the board will die of old age and a new generation of smart pro-firearm professionals sit on the board and do some actual lobbying.

i dont like the chance of that happening. young pro-firearm professionals wont get the approval from the older generation who is anti-firearm in the first place and ultimately take their places.

my understanding is SSAA = our version of NRA, with much less power right?

that may be a reason to keep being a member to maintain our presence, political, social or otherwise.

[womble]

Ssaa and NRA were the same until the late nineties.
Then, faced with the same problems, they went in opposite directions.

[GQshayne]

I enjoy the magazine.
Insurance is good value.
Any group that represents us in a professional way can only be a good thing.

[Peter988]

Once I put an expensive thermal on the 223 I wanted insurance. Used SSAA’s.

[Gun-nut]

Access to their ranges is about it. Absolutely useless organisation for shooters. Swimming in cash and won't use any of it to better shooter's rights.

[AbyssRider]

I enjoy the magazine.
Insurance is good value.
Any group that represents us in a professional way can only be a good thing.

as a newbie i ordered their guidance magazine and hope it is educational enough.

[GQshayne]

I enjoy the magazine.
Insurance is good value.
Any group that represents us in a professional way can only be a good thing.

as a newbie i ordered their guidance magazine and hope it is educational enough.

It certainly cannot hurt. Lots of good articles in the regular magazine in my opinion. I read my first shooting mag (Sporting Shooter) in 1978, when I was a boy. I still read them both.

[Diamond Jim]

Unfortunately we can't use SSAA membership to assist with licensing in WA. I don't use their ranges (we can't just turn up at a SSAA range and shoot, you have to be a member of that club as well) and I hated the advertorial magazine. I couldn't see any positive outcome of SSAA input into WA's onerous regulation regime which is designed to make firearm ownership so difficult that many just give up, nor could I see any advocacy for WA firearm owners. After many years I finally chose to not renew my membership a couple of years ago but I'm open to renewing if I saw SSAA having a positive impact for the shooting sports in WA.

[Gamerancher]

AbyssRider,
They are primarily a Sporting organisation that provide facilities and opportunities for shooting sports not a political party.
If you want to get involved with competitive shooting, they are one of the mobs that give you that option.
Just like the ACTA or Pistol Australia, if you want to play the game, join the group that runs it.
Have a look at the Disciplines page on the SSAA website and see what is available in your area.

If you blokes in W.A don't like what your State Government is doing, vote differently!

[in2anity]

AbyssRider,
They are primarily a Sporting organisation that provide facilities and opportunities for shooting sports not a political party.

That's just a valid opinion. Yet another opinion is they are simply a for-profit model that is desgined to be appealing to someone wanting a cheap and convinient solution to get started when first obtaining a firearms license. Thus it attracts the inexperienced, and this is reflected by how restrictive their ranges are. The various SSAA competition disciplines are an added bonus, which is driven by loyal volunteers, not paid personel. The SSAA fights for the sport, because it's frankly protecting their business model. It's great optics for their business to show they are "fighting the evil polis".

[Mattraff]

I have been a member for 27 years and have not seen much change in that time. I'm in Victoria and it has only been in recent years they have started spending a little money on the facilities to Benefit their standing members. Both ranges at Springvale and Little River have suffered over time with little or no maintenance. The range at Springvale was in terrible disrepair and not safe to use but they were using it for the licence course. None of their ranges here are really suitable to those with mobility issues. At Little River they are close to completion of a nice new training centre so they will spend money on things that will help generate more members and turn a profit. It is run like a for profit business not the not for profit it is supposed to be.
The insurance is good and cheap.
I enjoy the magazine for the historical articles and some of their contributors are very knowledgeable and honest people. Lionel Swift has some great articles about the history of the gun trade and times past. John Hill is a fantastic contributor writing articles in a fashion all from a beginner to a veteran can understand and learn from. I have shot with both Lionel and John in the past and I would say John is the best firearms writer in the land, he has written articles since the 70's as a hobby and his knowledge in all things firearms is unbelievable.

[AbyssRider]

for those who want to get their handgun licence and keep using it, the pistol club requires membership at both the club and SSAA, and that's why i am joining.

and for people like me who dont have regular access to rural property for shooting purposes being able to use SSAA ranges is a pretty good option...

[safeshot]

I have asked the SSAA to align itself with the Shooters and Fishers and farmers party. I believe having favorable members in parliament is the only way to have eyes on the prize of a fair go and to stymie any ridiculous changes that might be proposed by Greens et al. or to challenge huge increases in licenses etc.

Dont mention the Nationals.In my experience they are the tail on the Liberal dog.

The ALP which was once run by men who had got their hand s dirty in one trade or another has become for years the province of the social engineers.
and dont say the FS&F is a one horse party either. All mp's take part in committees that work on water, schools, planning etc.
It urks me no end when the SSAA plead for us to write letters to our MP's when their backing via magazine and funds SF&F candidates would make a world of difference to the 'balance of power'.
Yes i have written many letters made personal representation s to local MP and this has achieved just nothing.

[safeshot]

Oops. My letters to ssaa have been ignored. No reply.

[mchughcb]

Today I put in several hours improving a SSAA range as unpaid volunteer like the other members of club. Other people, not SSAA also use our club.

There were plenty of people before me who I'd the hard yards and plenty afterwards. I get to enjoy their fruits of labour and someone will enjoy mine.

Like many volunteer organisations you can put in as much time and effort as you can afford. There will always be someone complaining that it's not enough without contributing or complaining the price is too high.

[Oldbloke]

It's a shame. SSAA died when Ted Drane died.
Yes, if you want to range shoot, hand gun, skeet, etc they fill a niche and do a good job.

After 25 years I give them away. I always hoped they would step forward and lead the political fight. Not to be. Weak as piss.

[geoff]

I enjoy the magazine.
Insurance is good value.
Any group that represents us in a professional way can only be a good thing.

as a newbie i ordered their guidance magazine and hope it is educational enough.

It certainly cannot hurt. Lots of good articles in the regular magazine in my opinion. I read my first shooting mag (Sporting Shooter) in 1978, when I was a boy. I still read them both.

Have they ever reviewed a bad gun or scope etc? They seem to always get shining examples to review. I guess that means there mustn't be any bad apples hey.

Everything is great according to their marketing department

[AbyssRider]

Today I put in several hours improving a SSAA range as unpaid volunteer like the other members of club. Other people, not SSAA also use our club.

There were plenty of people before me who I'd the hard yards and plenty afterwards. I get to enjoy their fruits of labour and someone will enjoy mine.

Like many volunteer organisations you can put in as much time and effort as you can afford. There will always be someone complaining that it's not enough without contributing or complaining the price is too high.

and thank you sir for putting the effort in.

[animalpest]

Given I am their competitor (their words) in business I wont touch them