British gun laws - Make your comments people

[snayperskaya]

As someones signature says "you can own a .55" Boys anti-tank rifle but not a 9mm handgun!" or something to that effect.

Sounds familiar.

That's the fella!

[joe]

The "I don't want guns for self defence " is just as stupid as saying our laws are fair and sensable ! Are you really saying that you don't turst fac holders use a firearm in their home if they feel threatened by a burgler ?? Or you care more about the burglers rights ? ! Much of Europe you have the right to protect your self and your family at home from these animals! Weather or you think burglery is low is
not the point ! I'm fed up with the total reliance on the state for your safety mentality nonsense which doesn't work anyway

[froggy]

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

If that is truly your case, then it is very sad & brings the question as what you were doing/not doing with your Beretta 92 ?
One thing for sure, you sure must have done something seriously wrong there ... Cos all my four 9mm hand-guns are actually serious sporting but also massively recreational firearms. Actually, IMO , happiness is a 9mm pistol : they are versatile, cheap to buy & run, pluri-disciplines guns : I can do accuracy/target shooting but also dynamic/IDPA type shooting with them.
Quite frankly I can't shoot them enough

[tackb]

our firearm laws target one of the most law abiding sections of the community with onerous and frankly ridiculous laws that would not be tolerated in other sports , imagine if you needed to jump through the same hoops to play golf (I think more people are injured every year with golf clubs than firearms?) there would be outrage!

I used to shoot pistols and also caught the end of semi auto rifles legal ownership , I believe the laws were fine then ? I think we should go back to that system but enforce it properly ? I also believe that once your approved for firearms and your security is certified for a certain capacity then it's nothing to do with the authorities what type of firearms you have as long as you don't exceed your allowance furthermore there should be no requirement for all this one for one variation nonsense , sell/exchange your firearm for another then let the police know what you've sold and what you've bought , calibre and type is irrelevant to them (and they don't understand them anyway!)

and don't even get me started on the section five projectile nonsense , give me strength ! a more time wasting piece of nonsense you would be hard pressed to find!

basically I'm sick of living in the manner of a first class citizen but being treated as a second class/criminal !

[Dark Skies]

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...

+1 as they say.

[Les]

I find it hard to believe he had the time.

He had all the time in the world. Who was going to stop him? It would be an extremely brave - or foolhardy - passerby who would intervene in a shooting. Take into account the 'shock and awe' value as well, and you'll perhaps understand how it could have happened.

As to the fairness of the gun laws, what other sport has effectively been banned because of the actions of one person? I'm struggling very hard to think of one.

[legs748]

The most recreational fun I've ever had with a firearms was blasting away with an mp5 on full auto in Poland, as a matter of fact it was one of the most fun recreational things I've ever done. If we had the same laws here I'd have one in an instant, just because it's fun.

As is said time and time again the human is always the weak link. A gun in my hands will never hurt anyone or anything, neither will an axe, knife, brick or lawnmower. In the hands of a nutter all of which can be deadly.

I believe the law should be based around the individual, I.e. "You have been approved to possess x amount of firearms, you may use these anywhere you deem it safe to use them with the landowners permission and take personal responsibly for their safe use and storage. You must inform us of any change in ownership of said firearms."

Other than the above, fill your boots, have what you want, shoot them how you want safely and take responsibility. The criminals will still do what they like, because they choose to ignore the law.

[adiepie]

I own a GSG 1911 22lr

It's fun

I can shoot it, but no-one else at the club can touch it.

And this is sensible in what way?

Adrian

[froggy]

I'm sick of living in the manner of a first class citizen but being treated as a second class/criminal

Sooooooooo true .........

[poll007]

I also believe that once your approved for firearms and your security is certified for a certain capacity then it's nothing to do with the authorities what type of firearms you have as long as you don't exceed your allowance furthermore there should be no requirement for all this one for one variation nonsense , sell/exchange your firearm for another then let the police know what you've sold and what you've bought , calibre and type is irrelevant to them (and they don't understand them anyway!)

I only realised that once you sell a rifle, you have to get a variation to have that slot back on your licence( my licence has never been updated since i got it originally)
I never understood why i can have a certain rifle such as a .308, but cant just sell it and upgrade to a new better .308, first i have to sell mine, wait for a variation (which could take a while) before i can get the new rifle.
really i feel that if you can store it safely you should be allowed it, none of this specific slots for specific guns malarkey. just have each person given a amount of firearms they can fit in their safe and leave it at that.
(I had been told i could fit 5 guns in my safe originally, now there's 5 shotguns, 2 rifles and a revolver in it, all i had to do was email my F.A.O. and say they would fit and he said as long as they fit in the safe and are secure that's fine)