Shooting FAQs

Yes. POR 9.11.5.4 states that written parental/guardian consent must be obtained for all shooting activities for under 18 year olds. Within the system you use, you must be able to guarantee the written consent has been given by the parent/guardian. An example form can be found here (shooting permission form template).

Anyone over 18 does not need written permission, but it is best practice to get a declaration that they are not subject to restrictions of Section 21 of the Firearms Act 1968.

If it is a series of connected sessions, such as undertaking the Master at Arms Activity Badge, then yes. If you wish to get blanket permission from the point where a young person joins your section, this is not acceptable.

It's not a requirement to have written consent, but it is best practice as you may need to prove it later. You are required by law to have consent, but this can be oral or written (written includes email or text message).

If you are unsure if consent is in place, you will need to communicate with the owner (or their designate) of the place where you intend to take the firearm(s), to get clarity. 

Most people choose to undertake the NSRA YPS Tutor course which is a 2-day course. Contact your Assistant County Commissioner - Activities (or equivalent) to see if there are any courses in your local area or email the NSRA and they will put you in touch with members local to you who can help.

Nerf Guns are classed as a toy. You do not need a qualification to run any activity with equipment classed as a toy by the manufacturer. Toy guns are not governed by shooting POR 9.11.5, but you must always refer to the manufacturer’s guidance when running activities using toy equipment.

We recommend that as part of your risk assessment, you consider the use of eye protection when running this activity.

Please also take into consideration local sensitivities about shooting activities. Whilst you don't need to get written permission from parents/guardians, some parents/guardians do not like their child taking part in any form of shooting activity, even if it is a toy.

Airsoft is allowed as a Scouting activity. Airsoft guns are outside the scope of the shooting activity rules. Airsoft should be arranged following POR 9.1.1.3 (for Scout-led) or POR 9.6 (for externally-led) and take into consideration local sensitivities as well as the age, maturity and abilities of your young people.

No. Crossbows, as defined in POR 9.11.5, are classed as a shooting activity. Unlike a bow and arrow used for archery activities, crossbows are handled more like a gun and also fire using a trigger.  The National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA) are the national governing body for Match and Sport Crossbow. Instructors running crossbow activities must have a relevant crossbow qualification, as listed on the Shooting – Qualifications page.

Crossbows with a draw weight of less than 1.4kg are outside the scope of the 1987 Crossbows Act. They are classed as toys, will be identified as such by their manufacturer, and no qualification is needed to run activities using this type of crossbow. Always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines when running this activity and carry out a risk assessment having regard to the age of the intended participants.

Any target that looks like a human or an animal, skeletal or otherwise, cannot be shot at as part of a Scout activity or on Scout owned property. You must be extremely sensitive when using targets with liquid inside; especially by taking into consideration the risk of a young person fainting or becoming distressed at the sight of ‘blood’ whilst still holding a firearm.

.22 air pellets are larger and heavier than the .177 equivalents. .22 air rifles and air pistols are also usually made as powerful as the law permits, whilst .177 equipment is designed for target shooting and is generally less powerful. Use of .22 equipment at short range is much more likely to cause pellets to rebound dangerously from inappropriate surfaces, especially wood, and may damage targets intended for use with .177 calibre.

Shooting regulations do not apply to these types of aiming and launching activities. They must still be properly risk assessed and the guidance for planning and range layout is useful to refer to for running them safely. 

Manual traps need constant manual intervention; which is time consuming, physically straining and significantly increases the risk of accidents. Automatic traps operate with precision and minimize human error. In addition to being safer to use, they deliver versatile yet consistent throwing angles and timing, providing better opportunities for effective sessions and skill improvement.