If you're running-or trying to start-a shooting or archery program for juniors in your area, you should know about the opportunity to receive loaned equipment courtesy of the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance (YSSA) Shooting Sports Equipment Loan Program. This popular program makes firearms, archery equipment and BB guns available for use by youth shooting sports program leaders nationwide. This year alone, 65 youth programs were loaned a total of 179 rifles, 232 shotguns, 74 pistols, 69 precision match air rifles, 280 Daisy BB guns, 195 Genesis bows and over 2,300 Easton aluminum arrows.Carson Hecht Comer, Development Director for the Greater Alabama Council, BSA states, "The Greater Alabama Council cannot thank the YSSA enough for the loan of the firearms for our use at camp this summer. Every camp season we have thousands of youth and their adult volunteer leaders come through our shooting sports program area, and the wear and tear on our guns is very evident after every summer. Unfortunately we have not had the funds to buy new firearms, so the lines to shoot at this program area are often very long and intolerable in the summer heat. With the loan of the rifles, pistols and shotguns from YSSA we were able to have over 2,180 youth participate in the shooting sports program at both of our camps."
The distribution and storage of this equipment is administered under the policies established by the YSSA Board of Directors to ensure that all firearms are examined and test-fired by a competent gunsmith before they are released for use by a youth shooting sports program. The inventory of firearms available for loan currently includes over 600 rifles, shotguns and pistols. The majority of these firearms were either donated or offered for purchase to the YSSA with significant price concessions by some of the most trusted names in the industry: Savage Arms Inc.; Henry Repeating Arms; O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.; Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.; Taurus International Mfg., Inc. and Legacy Sports International. In addition, the inventory includes over 100 Hammerli AR20 precision match air rifles.
This program is a "loan" program and not a "rental" program. The cost of shipping loaned firearms to the user groups are paid by the YSSA. The user youth programs are responsible for the cost of returning the firearms at the conclusion of the loan term.
Youth programs wishing to take advantage of the YSSA Shooting Sports Equipment Loan Program are welcomed and encouraged to submit a grant application provided on the YSSA website: www.youthshootingsa.com. Applications for the 2015 grant cycle must be received by September 24, 2014 to be considered.
