From: Marty Galyean (marty@heavyreckoning.com)
Date: Wed Feb 22 2006 - 04:37:30 PST
Michael Gillman wrote:
> It's very kind of you to pity us "Brits" but it's really not necessary.
>
> In the recent spirit of de-bunking people's myths on this list I offer
> you the following:
>
> We do not have to "register" anything apart from live weapons.
> De-activations have to be accompanied by a proof house certificate at
> all times but this belongs with the de-act, and has nothing to do with
> the owner or holder. Replicas do not require anything at all. I don't
> know what 'NON guns' means but presume it is covered here?
>
> See below from the Home Office website:
>
> http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/police/powers/firearms/
>
> "Prohibited firearms
> Some firearms are completely prohibited including machine guns,
> sub-machine guns, most self-loading rifles, short-barrelled “assault
> shot guns” and stun guns.
>
> No member of the public is allowed to own a prohibited firearm under
> any circumstances. If the police find you with a prohibited firearm,
> you’ll be arrested and will go to jail for at least five years.
>
> Licensable firearms and shotguns
> Some firearms and shotguns may be legitimately owned with an
> appropriate licence issued by the police. These include most hunting
> and target-shooting high-powered air rifles and muzzle loading
> pistols, and most long-barrelled shot guns used by farmers and others
> for vermin control and recreational shooting.
>
> Carrying an unlicensed firearm or shotgun warrants a maximum
> seven-year jail sentence and/or an unlimited fine.
>
> Replica firearms
> Replica firearms are not prohibited and you don’t need a licence to
> own one. However, if the police find you with an imitation firearm in
> a building or a public place, and you don’t have a reasonable excuse,
> you will be arrested and could go to jail for seven years and/or
> receive an unlimited fine.
>
> The complete laws surrounding firearms are listed in the Anti-Social
> Behaviour Act 2003 and the Firearms Act 1968."
>
> Scottish law on knives can be found here:
> http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/06/27110255/02566
>
Forgive me if I still pity the Brits. Nothing personal. But the UK laws
concerning guns *completely* suck. If you want to correct the fact that
fake guns don't have to be registered, well ok. I personally don't own
any fake funs. All mine fire and none are registered. And none of them
have hurt anyone ever, nor did they brainwash me in my sleep into
becoming a criminal or even a little bit "anti-social".
I will follow Scotland's vigilant pogram against 'pointy objects' with
interest to see if it has any more success than gun control laws (aka
'victim disarmament - criminal empowerment' laws).
Also, will someone please let me know when the UK is going to send back
the thousands of rifles US NRA members sent over to that fair island
during WWII. Oops! Those were destroyed by the recipient at a later date.
Marty
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