Airgunning is one of the broadest constituencies in the show community, running from back-garden plinkers and club shooters to hunters, pest controllers and Olympic hopefuls, and behind every one of those disciplines sits an organisation writing the rules, running the competitions, lobbying the politicians or issuing the licences. Airgun World has published a who’s who of the ten bodies that matter, and the sector map is worth five minutes of any show-goer’s time.
Who insures and represents the airgunner?
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the UK’s largest shooting organisation with more than 150,000 members, offers a dedicated airgun membership carrying first resort liability insurance when shooting airguns, FAC-rated guns included, plus free access to its advice teams on firearms law, licensing, ammunition and general licences. Above the individual associations sits the British Shooting Sports Council (BSSC), the umbrella body that brings BASC, the Countryside Alliance, the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, the Gun Trade Association, the National Rifle Association, the National Small-bore Rifle Association and others to one table. It grew out of the Long Room Committee of the late 1960s and was closely involved in the recent reform of the law on sound moderators.
Who runs the competitions?
The National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA), based at the Lord Roberts Centre at Bisley, governs 10m air rifle and air pistol target shooting, supports a nationwide network of affiliated clubs and runs the club finder most newcomers start with. British Shooting administers the Olympic and Paralympic pathway in the 10m disciplines, the British Field Target Association (BFTA) runs the national field target calendar with a grading system ranking every registered shooter from AA down to C, and the United Kingdom Association of Hunter Field Target (UKAHFT) sets the accepted national standard for hunter field target: sub-12 ft·lb rifles, chronograph checks and a minimum age of nine. Internationally, the International Shooting Sport Federation governs the Olympic events, and the World Field Target Federation, with more than 40 member federations across six continents, regulates the world championship of the sport Britain gave the world.
Who issues the licences?
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) sets the wildlife policy in England behind the general licences that permit control of species such as woodpigeon, feral pigeon and corvids. From 1 January 2026 those licences, GL40, GL41 and GL42, are issued by Natural England and run for 12 months at a time. Nobody applies for a general licence, but its conditions bind every time a shooter relies on one.
Why does it matter to the show community?
A multi-discipline show audience meets all of this in one place: the visitor weighing up spring power against pre-charged is also choosing which of these competition ladders to climb, whose insurance to carry into the field and whose rules govern the pigeons behind the farm buildings. Knowing who does what is part of being a responsible airgunner, and the full guide, with the detail on all ten bodies and a best-for verdict on each, is on Airgun World, linked first below.
Useful links
Airgun World – the original who’s who guide with the full detail on all ten organisations
BASC – the dedicated airgun membership and its insurance cover
National Small-bore Rifle Association – the club finder for anyone looking for somewhere to shoot
Frequently asked questions
Do you need insurance to shoot an air rifle?
There is no legal requirement, but liability cover is strongly advised for anyone shooting live quarry or controlling pests, particularly on someone else’s land. BASC’s airgun membership includes first resort liability insurance when shooting airguns.
What is the difference between field target and hunter field target?
Field target, governed by the BFTA in Britain, is shot at knock-down steel targets at ranges out to 50m with separate classes for pre-charged and spring-powered rifles. Hunter field target, run by UKAHFT, uses sub-12 ft·lb rifles, unaltered scope settings and shots taken from a peg with no rangefinding through the scope.
Who issues the general licences now?
Since 1 January 2026, general licences GL40, GL41 and GL42 in England are issued by Natural England, Defra’s arm’s-length body, and run for 12 months at a time.
Related articles
Airgun law in the UK – the legal framework the BSSC and BASC work to defend
What is Hunter Field Target (HFT) shooting? – a closer look at the discipline UKAHFT governs
Scotland’s general licence review is open – why the licences behind pest control are worth watching