FAQs
Please call us on 01974 831869 or email helena@wmsfirearmstraining.com in the first instance. As part of our due diligence and audit trail requirements we require full payment in advance of your day. Once your date is arranged we will email you an invoice which can be paid by bank transfer or card over the phone. Once payment is made we will send you a receipt and further information on the meeting point for the day and any final arrangements. For bookings made over four months in advance we are happy to take a deposit with the balance to be paid 8 weeks before your day. For anyone using WMS ammo on their day this will be billed after your day or can be paid in cash direct to your instructor.
Cancellation of booked days is subject to the following policy:
- Over 12 weeks in advance of date: full refund less 10% admin charge;
- 12 weeks to 8 weeks in advance of date 75% refund less 10% admin charge;
- 8 weeks to 4 weeks in advance of date 50% refund less 10% admin charge;
- Under 4 weeks before date: No refund.
If you need to postpone your day please contact us as soon as possible and we will do our best to rebook your date. Postponements required less than 4 weeks before the booked date will only be agreed in the event of illness, accident or serious unforeseen circumstances. Please call us to discuss and we will do all we can to accommodate you. In the event of a severe weather warning we will give you the option of postponing your day. If you accept this offer please note that we will offer alternative dates to suit but we are unable to give a refund.
The local area offers a wide variety of things to do and see: we highly recommend a tour with Richard Smith of Cambrian Safaris (www.cambriansafaris.co.uk), who has incredible knowledge of the local area and its history and can show you some stunning scenery. Local attractions include the seaside towns of Aberystwyth and New Quay, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, the National Library of Wales, RSPB Ynyshir Nature Reserve, Llanerchaeron House and Garden, Strata Florida Abbey, the Vale of Rheidol Steam Railway, Devil’s Bridge Waterfalls, the Hafod Estate with stunning walks (dogs allowed), the Dylan Thomas Trail in New Quay.
For more information see
www.visitwales.com/explore/mid-wales/ceredigion/must-do-list
www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/100-things-ceredigion-before-you-11113412
Please do ask us for other suggestions, or specific things to do with your children or dogs or both.
We are based in West Wales near the Elan Valley, a remote but accessible area that offer superb opportunities for safe rifle shooting in challenging topography and conditions. Our HQ is 12 miles from Aberystwyth and five miles from Tregaron and details of the meeting point for your day will be sent along with your booking confirmation.
We can facilitate shooting over vast areas of private land. If you make rifles, ammunition, scopes, night or thermal vision sights with sporting applications, or are a dealer, please contact us to discuss your needs. We can plan and host days for your to test or demonstrate your kit and have previously run many days of this nature. However we don’t currently work with material destructive calibres such as 50 cal and 20mm.
Yes, we offer the most renowned one-to-one (and two-to-one) training in the UK and will create a day to meet your specific requirements. Anyone enquiring about a one-to-one or two-to-one day will receive a call from Andrew or Helena to discuss your specific goals and aims before you book. For more information give us a call or have a look at our Bespoke Days web page.
Yes. Andrew Venables has 30 years’ of ethical hunting and wildlife management experience in a range of challenging conditions in many countries. This experience means he can relate to the challenges you will face in the field and train and prepare you to meet them humanely and safely. We advise anyone taking part in any animal management work to prioritise training and practice.
Yes, we run bespoke events for companies and can tailor the day to suit your requirements; for example you can also intersperse the shooting with your own agenda of meetings. We have put on extremely well received corporate shooting days for private companies and for those within the shooting industry wanting to launch products to dealers and the press. These companies include Blaser, Swarovski, Minox and Leica.
Yes. We have several good local accommodation options. Please see the Local Accommodation page.
Please call us on 01974 831869 and we can take your booking over the phone or email helena@wmsfirearmstraining.com in the first instance. As part of our due diligence we ask for full payment as confirmation of booking if you day is less than four months in advance. If it is over four months in advance you may pay a deposit to confirm the place at our discretion, with the balance due at least two months in advance.
No. We welcome many complete novices. Our training includes a full safety briefing and full professional instruction. We love teaching people who haven’t shot before as they don’t yet have any bad habits!
From 50m out to 1,800m+ or more depending on conditions, experience and equipment. We have a choice of different shooting areas and will take clients to the one that is best suited to their requirements. Training and practice can be worked on at any distance. Please call us if you would like more information.
Yes. We can provide advice and our Legal Consultant, Lachlan Nisbet, can help with all aspects of firearms law and licensing. If you need assistance in this area let us know and we can either find out the answer to your question or put you in touch with Lachlan himself. If you are a member of BASC you can also ask their extremely knowledgeable Firearms Department for advice.
For FAC holders Certificate Conditions will be checked and adhered to in all cases. To comply your condition should read something like this… “authorised to zero on suitable land over which the holder has permission to shoot”. Or… “firearms may be used on suitable ranges subject to appropriate insurance being in place…” If you have any queries please just give us a call and we can advise.
Provided you are not a “prohibited person” in UK law then yes. The 1968 Firearms Act states: “A person who has been sentenced to custody for life or to preventive detention, or to imprisonment or to corrective training, for a term of three years or more, or to youth custody or detention in a young offender institution for such a term, or who has been sentenced be detained for such a term in a young offenders institution in Scotland, shall not at any time have a firearm or ammunition in his possession.
A person who has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of three months or more but less than three years or to youth custody or detention in a young offender institution for such a term, or who has been sentenced to be detained for such a term in a detention centre or in a young offenders institution in Scotland, or who has been subject to a secure training order, or a detention and training order, shall not at any time before the expiration of the period of five years from the date of his release have a firearm or ammunition in his possession.”
We ask every client to sign a statement saying they are not a prohibited person. If you are prohibited, please do not ask us to accommodate you as the answer will be no. If you are unsure please discuss with this (in strict confidence) and we will advise.
Please note if you are aged 17 or over you can borrow our rifles to shoot with us under Section 11A of the 1968 Firearm Act, subject to being of sound mind. Under 18s can borrow our gallery .22rf, .22wm and .17hmr rifles which can be shot out to some 200m. Under 17s with their own firearms certificates can shoot their own rifles on our facilities but cannot borrow our rifles other than gallery small calibre rifles listed above. Please contact us for more information on younger people, other exemptions and relevant legislation.
If you have your own rifle and Firearm Certificate (FAC), then great. If not, you can shoot with us under Section 11A of the 1968 Firearms Act, subject to being of sound mind and over 17 years of age. Under 17s can shoot our gallery .22rf, .22wm and .17hmr rifles which can be shot out to some 200m. Please contact us for more information on younger people, other exemptions and relevant legislation.