Looks like 50 cal and some .22 could be going

[Newbie to this]

I had a reply from my MP today it said

"Thanks for your email

I have noted your views

Yours sincerely" 

 

I think my MP may be against gun ownership.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Newbie to this

[arm3000gt]

I just received this today, apologies if it has been posted already.

Dear Member,

 

Update - Home Office Consultation – “Offensive Weapons”

 

We have recently received further clarification on the Home Office proposals to prohibit two types of firearms (.50 calibre and VZ58 MARS) which included the following details:-

 

(1)     The .50 calibre proposals have been extended to include “other similar high power, long range rifles”; furthermore in an attempt to differentiate between ‘anti-materiel’ type firearms and those used for sporting purposes the Home Office are contemplating imposing a 10,000ft lbs muzzle energy limit.

 

(2)    The VZ58 MARS proposals have been extended to include any “rapid firing rifles” that “employs a Manually Actuated Release System capable of achieving a similar rate of fire”; they have confirmed that their proposals do not extend to self-loading rifles chambered for .22 rimfire cartridges. The Home Office has not provided a definitive description of Manually Actuated Release System so we do not understand precisely which rifles are at risk of prohibition.

 

These clarifications fundamentally change the terms of the Public Consultation which clearly stated the Government proposals were to solely prohibit the ownership of:-

 

(1)     “.50 calibre ‘materiel destruction’ rifles of a type developed for use by the military to allow for shooting over long distances for example, to enable sniping at long ranges and in a manner capable of damaging vehicles and other equipment (referred to in military terms as 'materiel') “ and

 

(2)    “ rapid firing rifles, such as the VZ 58 Manually Actuated Release System (MARS) rifle…because a second pull of the trigger is required to discharge a round”.

 

The current wording of the Consultation and Impact Assessment could be seen as an attempt to mislead the public; furthermore they have been presented without any credible supporting evidence of threat to public safety. This is a direct consequence of launching such proposals without prior engagement with shooting organisations;

 

We believe these changes to the scope of firearms proposals means that Consultation is fundamentally flawed and should be abandoned or re-issued as a separate document, with full details of what is proposed and an accurate re-working of the Impact Assessment.

 

Once again I urge all NRA members and friends in the shooting community to register your concerns with the Home Office by 9th December 2017 directly by email toOffensive.Weapons.Consultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk; you may wish to copy your local MP. These proposals may appear to present distant threats to your own type of shooting; however they have been poorly presented, are not evidence based and, if left unchallenged, will leave a dangerous legacy for the shooting community.  When drafting any firearms legislation a primary consideration must be to ensure that the scope of its application is clear and the rules are consistent, so that the honest citizen is not left at the mercy of inconsistent application of the law

 

It is worth remembering that this is not a dry and impersonal matter; please read the message I recently received below from a concerned NRA member.

 

“This disability has had a profound effect on my life. It has cut me off and isolated me from my old life. So four years ago I joined my local shooting club, partly to give me a reason to get out of the house and mix with others, but also to reconnect with a sport I had competed in at school. I was blessed in that my local club is a very encouraging and enthusiastic place, covering many shooting disciplines.

 

Once I'd gained my firearms certificate, a year after joining the club; I decided to look for my first fullbore rifle.  It became clear through discussion with senior club members that the MARS action rifle would be ideal for me given my disability.  

 

My parents, realising the positive effect target shooting was having on me, purchased a .223 calibre rifle for me. That was over two years ago and to this day, it remains my only fullbore rifle, which I shoot as often as my disability allows me. It’s a pleasure to use and allows me to shoot without breaking my grip, something that would be impossible for me to do with off hand shooting, even seated off hand shooting and very difficult for me when bench rest shooting.

 

The MARS action is a mechanism I use to allow me to accurately shoot a rifle at target.  Like the walking stick I use in busy places or the stool I sit on in my shower, it plays an all important part in allowing me to carry on doing things I need and/or want to do.

 

I would really like to be able to carry on using my MARS action rifle.  I would not stop shooting, I would just stop fullbore shooting and going to Bisley. I think that would not only be a great shame, but also unfair.  

 

I am practical and pragmatic in my response to my disability.  The MARS action rifle is my response to that approach and works very well for me.”

 

 

Andrew Mercer

Group Chief Executive & Secretary General

[Remimax]

can't trust any of em,those that got caught up in the semi auto rifle re- cat to section 5 will prob remember the £50 per firearm compensation offered.

we told em to stick it were the sun don't shine and exported the lot to Belgium were they could be used legally.

if all shooters stuck together we would have a sporting chance ,no one has to shoot little clay discs ,pheasants or paper targets.

,we do it cos we enjoy it & should protect that right no matter what bit of pipe you use.

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by Remimax

[The Mighty Prawn]

This is the email I sent and copied to my MP

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

 I am writing to express my feelings on the offensive weapons consultation and in particular the section on the proposed moving of certain firearms from section 1 to section 5. The proposals are based on no evidence whatsoever and it seems once again law abiding shooters are being targeted by a government more interested in media friendly headlines than actually addressing the problem.

 

I don't own a firearm that would be affected by these proposals but am a licensed firearm owner who has seen time and time again our lawful activity attacked as a soft target.

 

There are less than 100 lawfully held .50 calibre rifles in the country, one has NEVER been used to commit a criminal act and yet there is a move to effectively ban them by moving to section 5. Similarly the MARS type action has NEVER been implicated in any crime and again facing a back door ban by moving to section 5.

 

There is a problem with firearm crime in this country, these firearms are almost entirely illegally held, reactivated show pieces or smuggled in from abroad. These are the firearms that should be targeted. Nobody is carrying out street crime with a .50 calibre or MARS action so what does the government aim to achieve from this avenue? Handguns were restricted to section 5 after Dunblane and yet gun crime continues on a daily basis so what did the restriction achieve other than denying lawful owners their chosen sport? The failings of the authorities have been the real reason behind the majority of gun atrocities in this country as the majority of perpetrators had already demonstrated behaviour that should have seen their certificates revoked.

 

Targeting lawful gun owners achieves precious little but robs many of a sport they enjoy and that raises a considerable income to the country each year. Please do not allow this consultation to bring further restrictions, they will achieve nothing but animosity from those affected and people will continue to die at the hand of illegal guns.

 

Yours faithfully

 

[Scully]

Good letter. ?

[400_racer]

Just to bump this thread and remind people that this concultation closes tonight at 11.45 and to get your responses in to Offensive.Weapons.Consultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Details here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/offensive-and-dangerous-weapons-new-legislation

You may not own one of the affected rifles but if allowed to pass, it could be one of your firearms they come for next, not forgetting the knife proposals too

[Lord v]

Done. 

[Mutiny]

Also done

[Lord O War]

done, for what it's worth.

[nic]

 -  

Edited December 10, 2017 by nic

[Breastman]

On ‎09‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 23:39, Me matt said:

Semi auto shotguns are on the proposed list ? that makes Matt sad ? 

Matt will cry a heck of a lot if his semis have to go... Matt doesn't like over & under or side by side... be like Matt- love your semi ?

 

Shotguns of any type haven't been mentioned in any of the documentation I've seen

[HW95J]

Does anyone know when the results are going to be published? 

I think if we've achieved anything through contacting MPs, it's illustrating that they have entirely their own agenda (no surprises there!). Responses don't engage with the issue in any respect or outline the thinking behind opposing views. While I'm not convinced that you can follow a logical pattern of thought and still conclude that these firearms should be further restricted- I would have some level of respect for individuals who at least try to debate. Especially when it's their well-paid job to do so. The MP I contacted clearly didn't share that opinion though, no response. 

For the Airgun Licensing we got the cracking line that whilst a vast majority of responses to the consultation were against; they had a vested interest as shooters and could therefore be disregarded. Whatever the phrasing is this time, it'll be something to the effect of: 'in spite of informed evidence and opinion, we know better than you'.... 

 

 

[Dougy]

Lord knows what these people have between their ears, nothing but self righteous, perfect world, plastic dream world thoughts. Let's ban this and ban that because someone says there bad. 

 

Let's bann all motor vehicle transport,  more deaths are caused by motor transport every year than anything else.  Same kind of thought path as the single cell amoeba that chuck in the "lets bann this gun and that gun" and it will save the planet. 

[old man]

On 11/12/2017 at 14:40, Dougy said:

Lord knows what these people have between their ears, nothing but self righteous, perfect world, plastic dream world thoughts. Let's ban this and ban that because someone says there bad. 

 

Let's bann all motor vehicle transport,  more deaths are caused by motor transport every year than anything else.  Same kind of thought path as the single cell amoeba that chuck in the "lets bann this gun and that gun" and it will save the planet. 

Very little Dougy.

This further move against legal gun ownership just shows the incessant behind the scenes lobbying that goes on. Just Google "gun control network"

The average old bean in the street doesn't really give a fig except to suck up all of the misinformation spouted by the press and police forces about " us being kept safe"

The eventual reality will be that the only guns around belong to the state and the criminals, giving of course the ultimate control of the population that the politicians are so intent on?

And sporting shooters just sit around in the main, sucking their thumbs?