New U.K. Gun Law.

[Wadders]

First things first; please lets not turn this into a gun control argument. They tend to be rather pointless affairs and just end up going around in circles. I know that it's probably inevitable that it will happen, but I wana get this off my chest

Now, for the wall o' text.

I've just found out about something that should concern all UK gun owners (I know theres barely any of you here though ) but feel free to give your views if you're not from the UK.

The Home Office is intending to make Shotguns require a Level 1 Firearms Certificate. This means that instead of a current normal Shotgun Certificate, you would now need a FAC to purchase a shotgun. These are far harder to aquire, resulting in more expense for the holder as you must be a paid + registered member of a rifle club to hold a FAC. This is in light (I assume) of the 2 recent gunman incidents we have had in the UK, in which several people were killed and injured.

This knee-jerk reaction could be damaging to shooters, sportsman, collecter, and the shooting industry as a whole. In addition, I doubt this change will have any effect in reducing the already low gun crime figures and will only punish those who obey the law. Instead it will cost time and money to put these changes into place, that could better be spent looking into illegal firearms in the country, not legal ones.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation has asked shooters to email the Firearms Home Affairs Select Committee in protest of this, and as a keen shooter and firearms owner, I am doing so.

Just thought I'd see if you guys have any suggestions or ideas that I counld include in my email. I'm not asking you to write it for me, just for advice and suggestions if you want


The deadline is the 27th August 2010 (I know I've left it a bit last minute, i only found out about this crap yesterday evening!)

Here are some useful links.

http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/news/496860/Shooting_groups_call_to_action_as_deadline_looms.html

http://www.basc.org.uk/en/departments/firearms/the-home-affairs-committee-inquiry-into-firearms-control-2010--a-guide-for-submitting-evidence.cfm

If you want any more info, just ask

Also, I guess you could talk about wether or not you think this law will have any real effect if it comes to pass, and other such stuff

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I'm sure they've been trying to change shotgun laws for years...

You were able to hold a shotgun licence at 12. You had to be 18 to buy a shotgun but you were legally able to use one as young as 12.

 

[Kryzantine]

That's really all I have to say about that.

Although seriously, in some places, it's ridiculous how easy it is to get a gun in America. I mean, you go to a weekly gun show near Pheonix, you spend a couple hundred, you walk away with a good handgun...

Shotguns, on the other hand, we care a little more about, but the government still doesn't care that much. Our government only likes to crack down on illegal weaponry if they're automatics.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

But what are the prices? I mean if it has gone from £10 to £100 big whoomp. A shoddy gun costs much more than that, and not to talk about the price of the clays and ammo.

Well, despite owning a gun myself, I think that they should definitely re-evaluate the UK gun control situation after those atrocities. I'm not sure if this is the right way to go about it though. They should probably more look at early diagnosis's of mental issues, that's the cause, guns are just a symptom.

Here in Denmark you cannot get a lisence if you jave been convicted of illegal weapons possesion, and I am pretty sure you need a clean sheet on the psych evaluation aswell. In Japan you have to take a psych evaluation.

 

[WanderingFool]

And again I cant help but laugh at the morons who come up with this shit. Im not one of those NRA nuts, but its just ridiculous to think that making it harder to get guns legally will lower crime, if anything, it will make it easier for criminals to take advantage of lawbiding citizens.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Personally I thought the pre hungerford and dunblane laws were ok for the most part. Thorough background checks for mental health and criminal activity, belong to a shooters club or have the land to shoot on and have secure wall or floor mounted safe to carry the weapon and a seperate safe for ammo, to be checked every couple of years. All firearms & ammo purchases to be recorded. I think that is all that's necessary.

EDIT: On the home defence thing, it's never really been an issue, gun ownership is and always has been very low, even before the ban on handguns and semi auto rifles coming up against an armed householder has never been much of a worry. While you are allowed to use a firearm if you have one to hand it isn't like the US where you can blow away any intruder(as far as I can tell), shooting an unarmed burglar or one that is fleeing, or using excessive force (shooting several times) will probably get you in a lot of trouble.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

But what are the prices? I mean if it has gone from £10 to £100 big whoomp. A shoddy gun costs much more than that, and not to talk about the price of the clays and ammo.

The price for an FAC and a shotgun license is the same. £50, then £40 to renew. Its just incredibly hard to get an FAC.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

It's a general kneejerk nanny state law that will have next to no effect on anyone apart from those that give kids shotguns.

And only then if they get reported. It's the Con-Lib alliance being ineffectual idiots again.

 

[MagicMouse]

As long as this doesn't influence any more anti gun laws in America, I really don't care. The UK has already lost this battle IMO.

 

[Dexiro]

As an outsider, knowing bugger all about guns, any laws making guns harder to acquire seem reasonable.

It might be a pain in the ass to gun owners but it makes it more difficult for the wrong people to get hold of them.
You could argue that it doesn't make much of a difference since it makes it difficult for the right people to get hold of one, but i'm pretty sure not many people in the UK own guns. And anyone that wants one will probably go through what they need to get one.

Could be wrong but those are my initial thoughts.

 

[Rath709]

Laws that keep guns out of my hands are the only thing preventing me from patrolling the streets of Britain executing muggers, rapists and right wing politicians.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

In Canada you are allowed to have a gun for one reason only: Domestic self defense. You have to get lisence after lisence and test after test. It's basically like an entire "Adventure game" to put it into gaming terms. Once you have one permit and have taken test one, two, and three, you can get permit two and test test three and four, which lets you prove A, B, C, and D about yourself.... It goes on. For domestic self defense. Gun CANNOT leave the house... Not even in your car. Exceptions made for those who think someone might be after them and can prove it.

BEST PART: The moment you fire your gun at someone breaking into your home IN SELF DEFENSE, it's assault or attempted murder. if you kill them, it's muder.


Notice I didn't mention huting guns, because you can't fire those in your house at all, and can only use them in a hunting environment.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

But what are the prices? I mean if it has gone from £10 to £100 big whoomp. A shoddy gun costs much more than that, and not to talk about the price of the clays and ammo.

The price for an FAC and a shotgun license is the same. £50, then £40 to renew. Its just incredibly hard to get an FAC.

What is so incredible hard about getting it? You have to go to a test if you know the differenc species, their mating time and hunting seasons? You have to know how guns work, for simple maintanence. You have to know the laws regarding hunting, storage etc.? And have a clean record (with regards to weapons) to show you're not a menance to society.

 

[Woodsey]

And again I cant help but laugh at the morons who come up with this shit. Im not one of those NRA nuts, but its just ridiculous to think that making it harder to get guns legally will lower crime, if anything, it will make it easier for criminals to take advantage of lawbiding citizens.

Oh yeah, that's why America has such a great gun-crime rate.

OT: Good, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Valkyrie101]

AFAIK, one of the recent gunmen obtained his gun legally, and he was able to legally obtain a rifle so would have been able to do so even if this law had been in place. The other obtained his illegally, making it irrelevant.

Pretty much everyone who uses a gun with unlawful intent gets it illegally, so I don't see this having a huge impact.