British gun laws - Make your comments people

[Quarters]

I think a line has to be drawn at some point with respect to what civilians are allowed to own/use the firearms for.

If you were shooting when the bans came in I understand you may feel the line is in the wrong place. I accept other counties have these and don't have any problems is there is a good case to allow us to have them here. So it's a judgement call as to which side of the line these guns fall.

[ordnance]

On the Jo Cox shooting I find it hard to believe anybody could just make a "gun" at home that could fire more than one shoot.

Could he not have loaded it three times.

[Quarters]

I find it hard to believe he had the time.

[poll007]

Here are my comments on British gun laws:

The laws are fair.
The laws are sensible.
I have access to a wide variety of firearms for recreational use.
I don't want US style laws here.
I don't want firearms to be allowed for self-defence in this country.
All of the authorities I've dealt with in the last 10 years have been friendly, helpful, professional and have in no way tried to stop me having access to firearms.

Others may disagree or have different experiences.

On the Jo Cox shooting I find it hard to believe anybody could just make a "gun" at home that could fire more than one shoot.

I don't think the laws are fair or sensible, yes we do have access to a variety of firearms for recreational use but why should we not be able to have semi-auto centrefire rifles and handguns as per other European countries?.

Semi-auto shotgun with slug?....Yes......semi-auto rifle (over .22)......No, how is that sensible or fair?.

I don't mind the basic way are laws have been formed, i.e. the Fac/SGC process, however i would like to see a return of semi-auto rifles and pistols.
I have no problems with the FAC system in that we have background checks and have to have appropriate storage, on that front i feel its more an issue of individual police forces for two main reasons;
1. the time being taken for forms to be processed( in kent even a 1 for 1 seems to take months at the moment)
2. the different opinions and interpretations of HO guidelines/ individual FAO's making their own rules and stipulations.

that being said i do still find issue with a lot of the new rulings that get put into effect each year, such as the newer "once a section 5 always section 5" rule which has made a lot of things more dificult

[snayperskaya]

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with the FAC/SGC process and the background checks etc etc but if we are deemed responsible and fit to own firearms then why not allow us to have handguns and semi-auto rifles?.
As someones signature says "you can own a .55" Boys anti-tank rifle but not a 9mm handgun!" or something to that effect.

Poll007.... there has been some relaxation on the "once sec5 always sec5" thing if certain criteria has been met......

[Quarters]

The sticking point seems to be hand guns and semi-auto full-bore rifles.

I don't see 9mm pistols and AR15s as being recreational firearms - I fully accept this might just me having a biased view. I used to own a Berretta 92 and would again if the law allowed so I can't be that biased.

If you list the types of firearms that are legal in the UK it's a long list with plenty of choice.

I don't go with the "if we are deemed responsible and fit to own firearms then why not allow us to have handguns and semi-auto rifles" as that can then be extended to fully auto, which can then be extended to grenades and so on.

As far as the "you can own a .55" Boys anti-tank rifle but not a 9mm handgun! " I think you'd be hard pushed to walk into a bank with a concealed an anti-tank rifle.

I'm not saying I'm right about where the line is drawn and maybe I'm only happy because my discipline (F class / FTR) is on the good side of the line. I respect the opinion of these who disagree. The thread asked for my comments so here they are.

[dromia]

If you are intending to do a firearms crime then all the legislation in the world is irrelevant to you.

[Sim G]

The sticking point seems to be hand guns and semi-auto full-bore rifles.

I don't see 9mm pistols and AR15s as being recreational firearms - I fully accept this might just me having a biased view. I used to own a Berretta 92 and would again if the law allowed so I can't be that biased.

If you list the types of firearms that are legal in the UK it's a long list with plenty of choice.

I don't go with the "if we are deemed responsible and fit to own firearms then why not allow us to have handguns and semi-auto rifles" as that can then be extended to fully auto, which can then be extended to grenades and so on.

As far as the "you can own a .55" Boys anti-tank rifle but not a 9mm handgun! " I think you'd be hard pushed to walk into a bank with a concealed an anti-tank rifle.

I'm not saying I'm right about where the line is drawn and maybe I'm only happy because my discipline (F class / FTR) is on the good side of the line. I respect the opinion of these who disagree. The thread asked for my comments so here they are.

Just about everything that is wrong with the attitude of a large part of British shooters is here in this post. As much as it appears "reasonable", it is discriminatory, selfish, sensationalising and appeasing and entrenched solidly with an "I'm alright, Jack" cornerstone...

[ordnance]

I don't see 9mm pistols and AR15s as being recreational firearms

I use a 9MM pistol for recreational target shooting and IPSC comp, i doint see any difference in recreational target shooting clays rifle etc.

[daman]

If you are intending to do a firearms crime then all the legislation in the world is irrelevant to you.

^^^ This is what it all boils down to.

Handguns are now used for criminal purposes only on the UK mainland.

There is no evidence that I have seen that prohibiting legal gun owners from access to handguns for target shooting would change the crime rate.

Criminals will always do whatever they want.

Those of us who are law abiding have to suffer the silly restrictions brought in by those who think that if you just make something illegal then people will stop doing it.

You can see how that really works out for tax evasion, drug dealing, assault, smuggling, counterfeiting etc, etc.

-daman