5 replies to this topic

[thisdudeisgood]

Hi

Im new to the forum & thought I would get some clarification on a few points regarding the potential airgun ban.

Ive been away from airgunning for the last 15 years or so but am interestied in taking up the sport again after a few years shooting shotguns at clays.

Before I invest in expensive gear I would like to know if I would be making an error? When this ban arrives will I suddenly find myself with an illegal weapon & end up on the wrong side of the law overnight?

Does this potential ban mean that owning airweapons will be banned outright and that my gun will become illegal overnight? Will all airgun clubs be closed down and the sport outlawed? Clearly the tone of the politicians is such that they view air weapons as a scourge and they seem hell bent on removing them from society all together.

Should I invest megabucks on a steyr lg110 hunting only to find I need to hand it in after a few months? Or would I be better advised to buy a more modest setup so that if the ban comes in I wont loose out that much?

Can anyone say or guess what the situation will be after the ban? What would you do if you were taking up the sport from scratch again given the current situation?

Thanks:unsure:

[Andy H]

Welcome to the forum Mate , Dont think a total ban would/could be implemented. Most of us are in the same boat, No-one knows what the end result will be, Everybodys just enjoyin the sport as it is now. What your thinking seems a bit extreme, Why dont you visit your nearest club, Talk to the members for a clearer picture, then make any decisions.

[Strike Team]

As far as I understand the Scottish Government are considering licencing NEW gun purchases, so anyone purchasing a gun before the law came into place would be unaffected. I think they've realised a total ban would be unenforceable, and would cost an absolute fortune in mandatory compensation under the European Human rights Act.

[thisdudeisgood]

Strike Team, on 26 August 2010 - 03:46 PM, said:

As far as I understandhat the Scottish Government are considering licencing NEW gun purchases, so anyone purchasing a gun before the law came into place would be unaffected. I think they've realised a total ban would be unenforceable, and would cost an absolute fortune in mandatory compensation under the European Human rights Act.

Thanks for your responses.

I am reassured by your viewpoint and common sense tends to make me agree with what your saying.

So it seems what we are really looking at is some sort of licensing scheme as per shotguns etc...yes that sounds far more plausible than an outright ban. Although my view is that probably all airguns will have to be licensed in some way new or old and will probably have to be kept in a steel cabinet as per shotguns etc.

Having said that, who knows what politicians are capable of? They do do absurd things at times and although an outright ban seems improbable its not altogether impossible, and in news snippets I've heard talk of hand in amnesties etc and that doesn't bode well.

On balance I think I would be reasonably comfortable investing in a new high end setup as I am prepared to follow common sense in this matter & think that an outright ban goes against rational thinking.

I hope I'm correct because if they do legislate for an outright ban I would not hand over thousands of pounds worth of gear without some kind of compensation!
Thanks;)

[Kenny]

They have to compensate mate, when they banned the 168,000 handguns it cost the taxpayer over 94 million pounds!

Kenny

[kPATm]

They could possibly insist on sub 12ft lb rifles to require a FAC aswell can they not. Seems thats whats happening in New Zeland right now:o