Making the news today....

[Johnsond]

2 minutes ago, Stubby said:

I think a lot of things changed after Micheal Ryan went bonkers in Hungerford   in 1987 .  I could be wrong but this lead to the withdrawal of any hand guns  and auto rifles and I think the " crimping " of auto and pump shot guns so that you could only load with 3 shells instead of 5 .

Hungerford was semi not auto rifles 

Dunblane was pistols inc Olympic 22 target pistols courtesy of Blair. Shotgun capacity was restricted to 2+1 unless on an FAC at the same time as semi auto rifles went sect 5 

[Johnsond]

26 minutes ago, Khriss said:

No . I work in Rail with random drug and alcohol testing. As anyone would be well aware. K

Random D & A is everywhere nowadays. It was more a comment aimed at the at the scene you painted of cannabis farms and pistol toting drug dealers all over the Countryside ?

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, Johnsond said:

Hungerford was semi not auto rifles 

Dunblane was pistols inc Olympic 22 target pistols courtesy of Blair. Shotgun capacity was restricted to 2+1 unless on an FAC at the same time as semi auto rifles went sect 5 

Can you still have a 5 shot auto on an FAC ( wild fowl only ) ?

Edited November 29, 2020 by Stubby

[Johnsond]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

Can you still have a 5 shot auto on an FAC ( wild foul only ) ?

You probably would not get a sect 1 shotgun slot for wild fowling, but a lot depends on your liaison officer so never say never. Pest control ( pigeon/crow etc)  and Practical Shotgun are the two reasons most commonly used. 
Ref the Fowling im on the lookout for a 10 bore, always fancied one and love those old punt guns ??

Edited November 29, 2020 by Johnsond

[Jamespepperpot]

I think the problem with the UK and its relationship with hunting is that its always been associated with the upper classes and something thats not available to everyone. I don't think the general public are entirely against things like deer stalking which put food on the table and from most of the conversations I've had with people they are easily convinced that its a perfectly acceptable thing to do if you're planning to eat it.

The idea that the shooting community stick together and be wary of things like fox hunting getting banned is a little bizarre. It doesn't relate to real hunting in the slightest. If we want to carry on being able to own firearms and go hunting the community needs to realise that the general public need to see the positive side to these things. The problem with fox hunting and pheasant shooting is that it puts the whole of 'hunting' in a bad light so clinging on to these isn't doing us any favours.

[Youngstu]

8 hours ago, Johnsond said:

You are showing either your age or a total lack of base knowledge of the subject in hand. The info you require is easy to source online and many on here whom are or were  shooters will know full well the impact of a succession of firearms amendments starting with semi auto full bore then pistols and recently MARS type eqpt. My point is because it was and is a minority sport it’s easy to chip away at each discipline with relatively little opposition. Death by a thousand cuts and all that regardless of it being one of the safest and most stringently regulated activities an individual can partake in. 

Lack of base knowledge on the topic, that's me, hence the questions. Also not knowing what your preferred shooting disciplines are lead me to my post. I used to do full bore and small bore target shooting when I was a kid, fired off clays as a Sunday job a long time ago and have a cheap air rifle for keeping the rats in the chicken run under control. Other than the air rifle I probably haven't fired a gun for 25 years. I'm obviously aware that there were times when new legislation was imposed in response to serious incidents when at the time legal firearms were used. 

What kinds of firearms did you used to enjoy using, that you can no longer own or use?  and is there no legal alternative that still enables similar sporting enjoyment without the same real or perceived risks if they fell into the wrong hands? 

As I said I have no issue with the use of firearms for hunting or other sport, but my general level of ignorance on the subject, combined with an interest in hearing different points of view has lead me to these questions, as opposed to looking for a debate on it. 

[David Cropper]

1 minute ago, Youngstu said:

Lack of base knowledge on the topic, that's me, hence the questions. Also not knowing what your preferred shooting disciplines are lead me to my post. I used to do full bore and small bore target shooting when I was a kid, fired off clays as a Sunday job a long time ago and have a cheap air rifle for keeping the rats in the chicken run under control. Other than the air rifle I probably haven't fired a gun for 25 years. I'm obviously aware that there were times when new legislation was imposed in response to serious incidents when at the time legal firearms were used. 

What kinds of firearms did you used to enjoy using, that you can no longer own or use?  and is there no legal alternative that still enables similar sporting enjoyment without the same real or perceived risks if they fell into the wrong hands? 

As I said I have no issue with the use of firearms for hunting or other sport, but my general level of ignorance on the subject, combined with an interest in hearing different points of view has lead me to these questions, as opposed to looking for a debate on it. 

At least you're honest about your lack of knowledge and want to know more about it. Don't expect to just have your questions answered with a "debate", not on here! You seem to be able to hold your own. Good for you. 

[Johnsond]

2 hours ago, David Cropper said:

At least you're honest about your lack of knowledge and want to know more about it. Don't expect to just have your questions answered with a "debate", not on here! You seem to be able to hold your own. Good for you. 

?‍♂️?‍♂️All the information he apparently requires is easily available in great detail online. To have shot full and small bore and other disciplines inc air rifles yet to have no knowledge of any of the number of tragic events leading to changes in the firearms legislation is unusual to say the least. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by Johnsond

[Johnsond]

3 hours ago, Youngstu said:

Lack of base knowledge on the topic, that's me, hence the questions. Also not knowing what your preferred shooting disciplines are lead me to my post. I used to do full bore and small bore target shooting when I was a kid, fired off clays as a Sunday job a long time ago and have a cheap air rifle for keeping the rats in the chicken run under control. Other than the air rifle I probably haven't fired a gun for 25 years. I'm obviously aware that there were times when new legislation was imposed in response to serious incidents when at the time legal firearms were used. 

What kinds of firearms did you used to enjoy using, that you can no longer own or use?  and is there no legal alternative that still enables similar sporting enjoyment without the same real or perceived risks if they fell into the wrong hands? 

As I said I have no issue with the use of firearms for hunting or other sport, but my general level of ignorance on the subject, combined with an interest in hearing different points of view has lead me to these questions, as opposed to looking for a debate on it. 

??? All very very  PC actually way too much for me. Perceived  risks !! Legal alternatives !! Enjoyment  !! Wrong hands !!, serious incidents with legally held firearms!!. All well used lines. 
What I shot or shoot is irrelevant and most sensible responsible shooters will not broadcast online their activities. You can if you need to and actually I do not believe in reality you are as naive to UK firearms laws as you say, find out all about UK firearms legislation online in no time at all. What you won’t find so easily is the facts behind each case and the failings of existing legislation at the time. Water under the bridge now unfortunately. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by Johnsond

[Youngstu]

1 hour ago, Johnsond said:

??? All very very  PC actually way too much for me. Perceived  risks !! Legal alternatives !! Enjoyment  !! Wrong hands !!, serious incidents with legally held firearms!!. All well used lines. 
What I shot or shoot is irrelevant and most sensible responsible shooters will not broadcast online their activities. You can if you need to and actually I do not believe in reality you are as naive to UK firearms laws as you say, find out all about UK firearms legislation online in no time at all. What you won’t find so easily is the facts behind each case and the failings of existing legislation at the time. Water under the bridge now unfortunately. 

I don't think I said at any point that I had no knowledge of the tragic events leading to tighter restrictions on firearms but my knowledge of those restrictions beyond not being allowed to have automatic weapons, having to have firearm licences and having to keep firearms in appropriate cabinets was pretty limited. All of my previous shooting was done through cadets a long time ago so my involvement with anything involving paperwork was very limited, and I didn't have to produce my birth certificate when I bought the second cheapest air rifle in the local agricultural store!! 

I had no idea that pretty much all handguns were illegal, I had just assumed that specialist target weapons were still permitted. 

As opposed to being excessively PC I was just trying to gain a bit more understanding of the issues that you and others have with the restrictions and what could be to come without appearing to have preconceived judgements on the issues. Like I said I have no issues with their use for sport, hunting or pest control, but it's not something that I do or have ever bothered looking into.