New offence keeps airguns under lock and key

[barney57]

None of the firearms laws since '68 prevents anything.

Gun crime has gone up since, hasn't it?

The sensible airgun owners lock them up already and the lunatics will carry on as before.

Defence rests m'lud.

But the defence contradicts itself M'Lud

QUOTE....If the new law doesn't prevent the offence...what's the point?

[Robin128]

Your technical if not semantic argument misses the point Barney. :)

It's a very good question actually Barney...we can fill the statute books as much as we like but if the risks are not mitigated and since there is no means of monitoring compliance there is no control value in this new law.

The law creation does not aid detection, nor will it deter scroats from non compliance...the main area of risk. It's just another burden on the compliant shooter.

Ipso facto a waste of time and money. There is enough law on firearms at the moment...in fact, more than enough.

I always refer to the definition of control...

The setting up of standards, the regular comparing of physical events with those standards and the taking of corrective action as and when necessary to ensure compliance with and/or forming the basis for the review of such standards.

Miss just one of those elements of control and it is no longer a control.

No monitoring...no control. The Police don't know who has airguns and if they were licenced scroats would not license theirs...EXACTLY how it is with other firearms.

The new law will not prevent people getting shot accidentally or wrecklessly or purposefully. It mearly gives the prosecution another/easier means of giving the scroat a slap...should he be caught and convicted. Out he goes and does it again. Other scroats are not detered, are they?

[Dangermouse]

I may be seeing this from a slightly different angle, but to say that firearms laws have not prevented crime is in my opinion not true but is of course not measurable, which is the problem.

If we did not have FAC's think about who could have bought firearms in the past, from the semi auto, pistol and now current permissible firearms?

If we did not lock up our firearms, how many legally held firearms would have fallen into the wrong hands?

Although to some extent we have had many (poorly thought out) firearms laws thrust upon us, we as a sport have benefited to a large degree by being able to separate ourselves from illegally bought and used firearms.

I wrote a letter to either Sporting Gun or Target Shooter a few years back stating that too many shops with no interest in shooting were selling cheap air rifles to the wrong people, and it was mainly those guns which were having a large impact on the firearms stats. I suggested that the wholesalers stop supplying these people and suggested a better code of conduct.
The reply was negative, but here we are now where by only RFD's are authorised to sell air rifles and no purchases through the post. I hope that RFD's will never sell to anyone they have any concerns about, and this has surely got to be a good thing for shooting as a whole. The industry could possibly have regulated itself better and avoided these regs, but then perhaps anybody at that time could import Cheap Chinese air guns.

To a large extent the law in this country does not stop anyone from doing anything, it is based around punishing people when they have committed a crime. It is down to the individual to form the decision (mens rea) to commit the crime first. Not knowing that you are committing a crime is usually not a defence - which is where I can see many a honest person falling fowl of this law when it comes in.
I have developed a nose for sheds, garages or attics where by you expect to find an old BSA Meteor or similar laying unused in the corner. I will be very disappointed if we hear of any prosecutions over these type of finds.
The real use should be against those muck wits who lead life on the edge / or have criminal lifestyles, who have ready access to air rifles for whatever reasons. Some examples that I have dealt with are:
Anti social types who fire out windows at cars and people,
People who have them on their living room tables or on walls - normally accompanied by a Samurai sword, who intend to use them to intimidate or for protection (?).
And not forgetting several pistols that have been used in robberies.

If we can stop these morons from acquiring them, then that will be great for all us law abiding types. It will be really nice to be able to go into these dives and be able to seize these airguns (if not secured) and have a reason to arrest, if discretion is not suitable.

As a final word of caution, you may remember my story of youth with air rifle causing mischief. When asked where he got it from he said dads shotgun cabinet. Son had access to the keys but was not on the SG Cert which caused all dads guns to be confiscated (he had unauthorised sec1 and doctored solid shot shells). Make sure your off spring know the rules about access, if you chose to keep them with your firearms.

DM

[Robin128]

I'm not sure we disagree about anything DM.

I agree we should have FACs...hence my earlier ref to FA '68.

Be honest though, when has locking up a gun kept it away from our 'kids'?

Do you honestly expect us to believe that your first and second keys could not be found by a concerted search of your house?

I do agree that s1 and s2 weapons should be locked in a BS cabinet, seperate from ammo.

However, there is no evidenace that banning SLRs and handguns from FAC holders has led to a reduction in gun crime.

:)