More than thirty MPs, peers and parliamentary members of staff were able to try their hand at shooting in the Houses of Parliament thanks to a state-of-the-art computerised shooting simulator set up by the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
The simulator mimics real shooting conditions for shotgun and rifle over a variety of conditions and for different targets including clays, game birds and large game. As a training aid it can help novices to experience realistic shooting conditions and can help more experienced shots to improve their skills. BASC staff and accredited shotgun coaches were on hand to help people trying the simulator.
BASC was invited to bring the simulator to Westminster by the All-Party Group for Shooting and Conservation, chaired by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (The Cotswolds) who said:
‘Ever since Peter Wilson won a gold medal for clay shooting in the Olympics, this has boosted numbers participating in shooting, whether it is for clays or game.
I am delighted to welcome BASC’s simulator gun to the House, and hopefully this will enable some Members of Parliament and their staff who have never handled a gun before to understand what the sport is all about and for more experienced shots to improve their standard.
Thousands of jobs depend on shooting in one form or another. Indeed I have a young man trying to create a new shooting school in my constituency that will employ 5 people.
The aim of the group is to enable as many people as possible to enjoy shooting as a sport but at all times safety must be paramount and that will be the fundamental message for all those handling and using the simulator.’
Bill Wiggin MP (North Herefordshire) said: “’The simulator is a great way to introduce new or experienced shots to the skills necessary to shoot safely and the excitement from shooting well’.
Christopher Graffius, BASC director of communications said: “This was a rare opportunity to allow politicians to see and experience a very realistic simulation of shooting sports for themselves. There is no substitute for experience and the shooting simulator gave us an unrivalled way of expanding peoples’ knowledge and understanding of shooting sports within the Houses of Parliament”.
The ST-2 shooting simulator was provided for the event by Cheryl Hutchinson-Gilbert. For more information and for details of hiring the simulator please visit: http://marksmanst2.com/