The central government in Westminster is considering changing the law to allow the Scottish Parliament to have control over airguns in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament, and SNP in particular, will very likely use these powers to ban or severely restrict our sport. Every airgun shooter in Scotland needs to take action now. It's no use sitting and being helpless.

Here is some practical action you can take:

Write to your MP. Convincing Members of Parliament in Westminster to refuse to give the Scottish Government and SNP control over airguns is our first line of defence.  This site will allow you to find out who your MP is. A letter is more effective than an email or fax. Be polite and reasonable, emphasising the positive aspects, such as enjoyment you get from shooting, participating in competitions  and control damaging vermin. be clear that there are already sufficient laws against airgun misuse, and that the best solution is to properly enforce those laws. Also be clear about the value of clubs. Before posting your letter, take time to read it from the MP's point of view, and check that it comes across as being reasonable and sensible. If you write to more than one person, send an individual letter to each. This will go down far better than a standard letter.

Better still, go and see your MP at his/her surgery. A Google search for your MP's name will take you to their website, which will have details of the time and location of the surgery. Write beforehand, and be polite and reasonable. Remember, you're trying to persuade your MP.

Even better to invite your MP to visit your club. This is the perfect opportunity to show your MP, who may not know much about air rifle shooting, your club.

Write a letter to newspapers opposing the ban, using the same arguments as above. Local papers are often short of news, and more likely to print readers' letters.

If your club has a competition, or other noteworthy event, send a photo with a short article to your local paper's sports desk. The article should also include a contact phone number for those interested in joining.