The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

When my sport was stopped by the perverts (self confessed toe suckers and adulterers) I waited until almost the last day before I went to the Police Staion.

I had my full allowance of ammo, which a young constable wanted me to count , to which the Sergeant said something like, "Sit down Son, and watch while this gentleman gives up a life's sport in the quiet dignity he appears to be showing on the surface, and shup up."

The Sergeant was the perfect gentleman and went through the procedure.

As I watched by beloved Browning (carried as my PW when Navy Duties allowed) my Smith and Wessons and my Colts were placed in a plastic box.

I had cleaned them thoroughly and their condition was remarked on.

The young bobby obviously felt he had to say something. You could always send them to Belgium and go shooting there he said.

The Sergeant must have seen the look on my face and the seething anger in my body language for he said, putting a restraining hand on my arm.

Constable, you play golf don't you?" on receiving an answer in the affirmative he said, " Then why don't You off to Belgium and play golf before we both do you some serious harm?"

To say that it made me feel better would be a lie, it still hurts because of the way I was treated after serving my country for twenty five years without a blemish on my character and without demurr; by a goverment without honour or moral character.

But I did thank the Sergeant for the way he conducted the sad affair.

What is your one memorable moment of that sad day?

Driving to our club (DSC) which was in an old Mill near Matlock. The four of us walked up the three flights of stairs and turned the corner to the club to find tumbleweed, everything gone bar a few Barclaycard slips on the floor. The place had been emptied in the space of the two weeks since we had last shot and to this day I have no idea what happened to the owner, the membership or the stock.

A sad day indeed

'Fortunately' i didn't have to go through the ordeal of having my own guns destroyed as at the time i was serving my probation and shooting a friend of the family's pistols. He died within a year of handing his guns in (he was in his 70's), and his wife continues to swear to this day that it was because of losing his only hobby/sport Just one of the reasons the pistol ban boils my urine

I was not in the country when it happened however to me it is one of those knee jerk reactions that should have been avoided had the politicians thought twice.

I shall never forget My Day. I was around Princess Di's funeral time.

We all found loopholes in the compensation scheme. My love was practical and I had a very nice Colt 1911 with extended barrel and rod guide, but to strip and clean it I needed a 'special disassembly tool' ie a bent wire. It was 2" long with a right angled bit, 1/4" long to engage in a hole in the rod guide.

In the compensation handbook I think we could claim £12 each for specialist disassembly tools. So, a delve into my wife's hair stuff drawer found several old hair pins that took little modifying to become the aforesaid tool.

At the station I was greeted politely by a constable who was a clay shooter who 'advised' me he did not approve of what he had to do. So we sat to check the stuff into boxes. When he got to the special tools he smiled and asked what they were. I told him 'specialist disaasembly tools and he replied they are f**king hair pins. I stood my ground re their description / use and after a moment he smiled and said 'Oh yes of course, specialist dissassembly tools. How many?' I answered 12 (all my wife had) and they were packed and sealed away!!

I did have regrets in claiming compensation from my fellow tax payers for hair pins but thought 'B***er it, they are probably shafting me too!'

Confession over and my apologies.

JohnG :cornwall:

Well I got in a little bit of trouble over the "hand in" - it just so happened that when the time expired I happened to be in the middle of the South Atlantic - and for some reason I had taken my cabinet keys and the spares with me :55:

Alas the RAF were not as forgiving as the local plod - who even though I am sure they knew/suspected I was simply taking the P, eventually after lots of stamping of feet and shouting let it slide - alas the RAF fined me 5 days pay - but it was worth it just to buck the system.

Rather than hand everything associated in - I kept the lot, still have all the magazines, cleaning kits the works - never know when they might have a use?! - like the fact that the CZ75 mags will fit the Armalon 9mm PR - If I do ever get a unicorn - I have Glock mags in 9, 10 and .40 cal.

Mike

At least they paid compensation in those days.

When they banned Self Contained Air Cartridge pistols - they were not cheap, there was absolutely no compensation offered.

I had to go in in the first days because my wife was going into hospital. Lancashire police had set up a few portacabins, with a little car park, some distance from the main HQ. Anyway I drove to the car park and no sooner had my wheels stopped turning and I stepped out wth my bags of stuff than two PCs from the firearms unit were standing next to me to 'help me' with my bags. They weren't armed but they were clearly intent on 'controlling me'. I realised that, from their perspective, they had a small bomb on their hands: angry shooter + guns + ammunition. As it was they were polite and professional and it all went smoothly. They even had copies of the Target Gun adverts to support my claim for speedloaders which weren't on the lists.

ovenpaa wrote:Driving to our club (DSC) which was in an old Mill near Matlock. The four of us walked up the three flights of stairs and turned the corner to the club to find tumbleweed, everything gone bar a few Barclaycard slips on the floor. The place had been emptied in the space of the two weeks since we had last shot and to this day I have no idea what happened to the owner, the membership or the stock.

Via Gellia Mills? I went there a few times.

...I wonder what the rest of the year will bring in terms of such tales from us shooters north of the border, in respect of the Scottish Air gun ban rumours