Air Rifles Now Need Licenses In Scotland

[Sixshot6]

As for "losing" them, considering the authorities have zero idea who owns any air rifles up here in Scotland it is more a case of the "Law abiding" coming forward to say they own one. The vast majority of estate chavs will either not bother or dump them, the latter ironically increasing the risk of ne'er do wells or random children finding them and putting them to ill use. The law abiding will either give them up in an amnesty or register them. [Fedaykin]

After the Hungerford changes (1988 Act?) which moved most existing pump and semi-auto shotguns from S2 to S1, a large number simply dropped off the radar. Colin Greenwood did an exercise after the event which compared figures of imports into the UK over previous years against the total converted / reproofed to two-cartridge magazine capacity or moved onto S1 FAC ownership and there was a huge shortfall. Nobody knows where they are, who owns them or how many ended up neing sold cheap in pub car parks after dark and ending up in criminal hands.

I remember this, something tells me more than a few went missing rather than be converted or put on S1. I put that down to how badly communicated that part of the act was (I gather only the centre fire semi ban was well communicated? Someone tell me otherwise).

[Laurie]

No doubt some were knowingly consigned to the illegal pool as their owners didn't want to hand them in to the gun trade for what would have been derisory payments at that stage - a buyer's market par excellence, or go to the trouble / expense of conversion or applying for an FAC. In fact, I seem to remember conversion was a very late change to the Bill and that until the 11th hour they were destined to become S5 and have to be handed in to the police, exported, or destroyed by 1st April 1989 along with all centrefire pumps and semi-auto rifles and a few handguns that were also caught up in the amending legislation.

However, it's generally reckoned that more owners simply didn't know about the legal change until after its enactment and at some point discovered that they were committing a serious offence, an 'absolute offence' too, ie one with no excuse in law. I don't know how easy or otherwise it was subsequently to get conversion done without admitting to an offence and risking at the very least certificate revocation, but the other options left were to get rid in the canal / get rid 'officially' in the next firearms amnesty hand-in, or put it under the floorboards. It looks like a lot of people took the last option.

[Browning_grrl]

Speaking from ignorance of most of this over there, it still strikes me as fairly analogous to what happened here when a Long Gun Registry was introduced in (I think) 1995 - millions and millions of guns seemingly 'disappeared'........ .....and when the Registry was abolished a couple of years ago, the internet gun sites etc were filled with purchases-and-sales, Range memberships went through the roof, hunting licence sales went straight up, etc etc.......not that I think that anyone I know personally would have quietly put their guns under the bed or up in the attic, but I'm pretty sure such things happened........ . Just sayin'......

[DaveFirearmsUK]

As I've mentioned before, there is a strong rumor that all the Handguns stolen from us are still stored in a particular Police building in Glasgow in case they have to give them back.

Interesting where does this rumour come from?


This post by SACS is very informative about this horrible new law.

https://www.facebook.com/Scottish.Assoc ... 4466302199

[25Pdr]

As I've mentioned before, there is a strong rumor that all the Handguns stolen from us are still stored in a particular Police building in Glasgow in case they have to give them back.

Interesting where does this rumour come from?


This post by SACS is very informative about this horrible new law.

https://www.facebook.com/Scottish.Assoc ... 4466302199

Supposedly from a serving member.

I do know for certain, my mate was visited by the Police recently, they had a Photo of a S&W 1917 45acp Revolver with Brazilian Crest, they asked him if he recognized it, he said Yes! It very likely was the one he handed in,they asked how he knew, he said the Crest plus he noticed tool marks on the barrel where he had shortened it himself, they left without an explanation.???

[Sixshot6]

As I've mentioned before, there is a strong rumor that all the Handguns stolen from us are still stored in a particular Police building in Glasgow in case they have to give them back.

Interesting where does this rumour come from?


This post by SACS is very informative about this horrible new law.

https://www.facebook.com/Scottish.Assoc ... 4466302199

Supposedly from a serving member.

I do know for certain, my mate was visited by the Police recently, they had a Photo of a S&W 1917 45acp Revolver with Brazilian Crest, they asked him if he recognized it, he said Yes! It very likely was the one he handed in,they asked how he knew, he said the Crest plus he noticed tool marks on the barrel where he had shortened it himself, they left without an explanation.???

that sounds like it was held and then stolen from where they held them or the rumour they might have sold some abroad and this one came back being true....

[Sixshot6]

No doubt some were knowingly consigned to the illegal pool as their owners didn't want to hand them in to the gun trade for what would have been derisory payments at that stage - a buyer's market par excellence, or go to the trouble / expense of conversion or applying for an FAC. In fact, I seem to remember conversion was a very late change to the Bill and that until the 11th hour they were destined to become S5 and have to be handed in to the police, exported, or destroyed by 1st April 1989 along with all centrefire pumps and semi-auto rifles and a few handguns that were also caught up in the amending legislation.

However, it's generally reckoned that more owners simply didn't know about the legal change until after its enactment and at some point discovered that they were committing a serious offence, an 'absolute offence' too, ie one with no excuse in law. I don't know how easy or otherwise it was subsequently to get conversion done without admitting to an offence and risking at the very least certificate revocation, but the other options left were to get rid in the canal / get rid 'officially' in the next firearms amnesty hand-in, or put it under the floorboards. It looks like a lot of people took the last option.

That seems more likely, also what about deaths, people die of natural causes and stuff gets forgotten about.

[knewmans]

that sounds like it was held and then stolen from where they held them

Perhaps they're in Surrey

[Sixshot6]

that sounds like it was held and then stolen from where they held them

Perhaps they're in Surrey

Please elaborate?

[dromia]

NRA secure armoury procedure?