New Petition - Part 2 (Number of signatures: 13,188)

[mr smith]

Okay perhaps if you'd quoted Alpha 1's post that may have made things clearer.Anyway i don't think a single pipe range as good as facility it may be is gonna be a great addition for those who want to hold full bore shooting on non MOD ranges in what they call the north east.

[SevenSixTwo]

I'm beginning to suspect that this e-petition won't go past 25k (thanks, "brothers"...).

I'm also thinking that a campaign to get semi-auto rifles back first might have been a more 'sellable' option. After, all, the concealable nature of pistols is what seems to stick in people's craw - even most "shooters".

[HALODIN]

Where are these posters and leaflets? Where's the marketing campaign behind this..? I agree it seems to have reached terminal velocity.

[Gaz]

If it's going to get anywhere, I'm thinking it needs to broaden beyond just the shooting world and to seek support from other organisations.

[Sim G]

I'm also thinking that a campaign to get semi-auto rifles back first might have been a more 'sellable' option. After, all, the concealable nature of pistols is what seems to stick in people's craw - even most "shooters".

Ask a non shooter if "civilians owning an AK47 assault rifle just like the Hungerford massacre" is a good idea? That's what it would be painted as. The "best" option in regards to reclassification to s1 does lie with .22rf pistols, they are the bits of kit that still maintains an air of respectability because of the international sporting competitions such as Olympics and Commonwealth games.

It looks like this current campaign has lost the momentum.

[SevenSixTwo]

As discussed earlier, I don't think many other organisations/personalities will lend their support. The e-petition starter has spent a massive amount of time appealing to orgs and individuals to sign and share but they rarely ever do. It's bad PR.

I personally think the public sees it this way:

"We want handguns back" [public perception: rambos, thugs, loonatics].
"We want semi-auto back" [public perception: urr, want whut back?]

I'll continue to support the .22 repeal but I maintain; we should have gone for s/a first. It's a much more sellable proposition, IMO.

[HALODIN]

I think the original aim is achievable, however... what's happened to the campaign? I'd like to know what the plan is from here. I'd like to know which shooting organisations have been e-mailed, which have complied, which haven't, when are the reminders going out and when will that be repeated. I'd also like to know what percentage of the UK shooting community have been contacted, which gun shops are carrying these leaflets etc... Where's the detail?

A poster and a leaflet should have been available from day 1, it would taken all of 4-5 hours to produce and stick on a website available to download, so the message could go viral. I have campaigned before and it requires constant drive and a steady pace.

[Daniel11]

.22 Pistols are the best way for one simple reason: America.
There has been so much publicity over Obama's campaign to ban 'Assault Weapons' in the U.S, that people would be totally adverse to the idea of British civilians (after all, we're supposed to be more civilized than the Americans with their ridiculous 'Freedom'...), owning what is banned in much of America. At least with Handguns they are legal in pretty much every other western Country.
As much as the campaign has somewhat lost momentum, over 10k signatures is a major victory. When Farage proposed ending the handgun ban, a Tory MP claimed it isnt their party policy as there is no support for it, even amongst shooters. The more Signatures, the more that proves said view wrong when this is finally brought into debate by one thing or another.

[SevenSixTwo]

No one is asking for full auto...

Self loading, single shot so that the sight picture isn't disturbed when shooting. It's a fundamental principle of marksmanship.

[Daniel11]

No one is asking for full auto...

Self loading, single shot so that the sight picture isn't disturbed when shooting. It's a fundamental principle of marksmanship.

The public wont see it that way at all, they largely don't in America, they sadly wont here.