Simon West led the Gun Trade Association for seven years before stepping down recently. The GTA is the representative body of the British Gun Trade and works tirelessly, often out of the public eye, to help our cause through its involvelent in advising the Government and other orgaisations on matters relating to legislation.
In short, the GTA (established as the Armourers Club in 1891) defends the interests of the gun trade, shooting sports and businesses connected to them. It offers considered advice, based on a deep knowledge of subject to the police, legislators and the media in the face of frequent challenges to the interests of gun makers and the trade at large.
Over half a million people in the UK hold a licence to own firearms or shotguns and shooting contributes 3.3 billion to the economy annually. While BASC represents its shooting members, the GTA reprsents the businesses: manufacturers, retailers and and distributors. There is, naturally, some over-lap of interests.
Simon has been replaced as director by Stephen Jolly, who has been shadowing him for a few weeks in anticipation of the hand-over. He faces several immediate challenges. There are moves to make shotgun certificates more akin to the restrictions in place on firearms certificates and that has the potential to disincentivise shooters from renewing their licences.
There is also the next stage of the lead ban discussions. The voluntary five-year phase out heralded by most of the UK shooting bodies expired this year and lead remains the most used projectile in both shotguns and rifles. We await Government reaction to the recent HSE reoprt and recommendations. Restrictions are sure to follow.
The prosepct of 20% tarriffs on British exports to the US will be an additional challenge. How are MAGA voters going to respond to the news that the Purdey they have on order is going to cost them another thirty thousand pounds to get home? The bespoke gun and rifle industry may be small but it is the beating heart of the British gun trade.
We wish Stephen well in his new role and would encourage all small gun trade businesses to join the GTA. We have been members for a decade.
The GTA can be contacted at: enquiries@gtaltd.co.uk
Published by Vintage Guns Ltd on
