smsguitarist Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Im after your opinions. Do you think there should be further checks into airgun owners to check the home situations (any problems within family or history that kind of thing) and the people who own them. All the problems that we hear about in the news are usually stupid accidents or caused by people who shouldn't be allowed airguns in the first place. I dont want more rules but maybe routine checks might be worthwhile. Even if i hate it ... if it cuts down stupid peoples accidents and helps redeem respect for airgunners then im all up for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col s10 Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 nice one mate .why dont you put this post on off topic,maybe you will get a better responce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 if they checked my family history, they wouldnt let me wield a pencil, never mind a rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Most of these accidents happen because people are not educated in airguns. The biggest problem with airguns is that people see them as toys rather than the effective weapons that they are. Emphasis should be placed on educating people rather than banning things that people do not understand. Its easier to take it away than it is to educate the masses, which is why the knee jerk reaction is always to ban something you don't understand and that doesn't just go for airguns either. As far as the Law, well, we have an effective Law in place, it's just not used efficiently or effectively. To impose the uniform checking of people prior to ownership would mean putting the airgun on FAC (the easiest option). It would then be governed by the existing Laws. However, that would also make it extremely hard for legitimate owners to own and use airguns, what with all the land and referee checks having to be made. Alternatively, they could introduce an Air Arms Certificate with its own set of rules but this would mean a huge expenditure creating a new Law and implementing it. Either way, this still doesn't resolve the main problem which is the millions of airguns in circulation already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smsguitarist Posted September 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Good responses guys. I was very lucky in that my school had its own shooting range using .22 rimfires and anyone who wanted to shoot was tought gun safety from the age of 11. This has proven its use in that not one single pupil in the whole history of having rifles has ever been in trouble or had anything negative happen regarding air or firearms weapons. It's a shame not everyone is given access to these facilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airssassin Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 How about including a free tuition voucher with every air rifle bought? People like free things and don't like to waste a voucher. The training could be carried out free of charge by volunteers at local ranges ... this would give the ranges a chance to sell a membership to the newby, thereby making it worth their while as they would boost their subscriptions and in turn be able to improve their facilities. Just a thought for a self financing volunary scheme The government would have to gain permission / agreement from the ranges and pay whatever it costs to print a load of leaflets with all the range details on it. One person's time for 1 year (max.) and about £5k would do it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smsguitarist Posted September 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 I like your thinking AirAssasin! I don't think it'll happen for years if ever but it's one of those ideas that should happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Brining airguns back into scouting, more into cadets and more small taget clubs would be good but aswell as gun safty the potentiel damage should be shown to themand not on a DVD but safely on a range . or clay ground s to have air rifle days on a saturday or on a sunday clays till 12 and air guns 1pm onwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Unfortunately, an opt in scheme would never work it would have to be compulsory which brings us back to licensing and legislation. It is also likely that the sort of people that would attend an opt in course would be the ones to seek out a similar thing regardless of a voucher, though you could expect a small success from those that may not have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smsguitarist Posted September 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Well they should blend the ideas mentioned. Upon purchasing an air gun you should have to take a compulsary briefing/training. So basically a day at a local range with someone to show you all the neccesaries such as penetration, velocity, handling (safety and precautions) and also have made aware the consiquences of missuse. Could be effective? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Perhaps the easiest way to educate people (taking into account the recent changes in law via the VCR Bill) would be to enforce a basic training/instruction course at the point of sale. Introduce a scheme whereby the RFD has to provide a short instructional and hands on basic training for the purchaser and at the purchasers expense, a sort of Compulsory Basic Training. This way the RFD is paid for his services and the purchaser is educated in the safe handling of a gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smsguitarist Posted September 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Axe basically stole my idea. Cheeky begger! :-p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbithunter2008 Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 if they checked my family history, they wouldnt let me wield a pencil, never mind a rifle. I would only get the rubber off a pencil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNIPER22121976 Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 here in greece u can bay any airgun u want in any power fac or not if u are over 18 but u can not use it to hunt or anywere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.stuart Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Im after your opinions. Do you think there should be further checks into airgun owners to check the home situations (any problems within family or history that kind of thing) and the people who own them. All the problems that we hear about in the news are usually stupid accidents or caused by people who shouldn't be allowed airguns in the first place. I dont want more rules but maybe routine checks might be worthwhile. Even if i hate it ... if it cuts down stupid peoples accidents and helps redeem respect for airgunners then im all up for it! yea and may be we should do it to people who buy kitchen knives which kill the most every day on our streets?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POW! Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Excelent post , Good level headed debate too , even the funnies ! , is todats society , training is the Buzz word , So yes we should do more , Gone are the days when I started shooting , then it was " Buy hin an Airgun mother itll shut him up , "" some turned out to be the best folk I have shot with , Now 50 years on , a whole new aproach , Legislation will soon dictate acsess to the country side , lets take this post and see if the allready good work for youngsters , cant be improved , to provide education and enjoyment for the future shooters , I have a Grandson now 4 yrs old , at that age I had a BSA cadet !! , I dearly want him to explore the joy of shooting , his Mum n Dad dont mind but, legislation dictates " NOT SO" , This hobby has SO much to offer to youngsters , The Hunter /Gatherer , is still in our Genes , often " Boiling over in Teenagers!! , once that is lost , it rarely returns , and the real lessons of life ,[ Death can be Fatal!!] are lost , POW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southernlad Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Is the problem of improper use of air rifles not more of an issue? Safety is one thing, but if you buy an air rifle for a legitimate purpose it's far more likely that you will have friends who shoot or a wish to improve your skills and safety is obviously a big part of that. However a simple course or even leaflet with each gun purchased would do no harm. From my point of view it's the fact that these guns get into the hands of irresponsible kids and outright hooligans who have no legitimate reason to own them and nowhere safe to shoot them. Aa far as I'm concerned the sooner they bring in some sort of licensing for air weapons the better. Noone on this site has any reason to fear that, as by our presence on here we are expressing our serious interest in shooting, and should therefore be backing any move that improves our image in the eyes of the general public and increases shooting safety. And keeping any sort of gun out of the hands of irresponsible people is surely a good thing for all of us. Rather that than the eventual blanket banning of air weapons, which could so easily happen. SL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuftySnuffer Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Well if they are going to licence Airguns, then they should also licence Archery equipment as well, and whilst your at it, diving knives, cricket bats, Frozen rainbow trout over 5 lbs in weight (Due to if hit round the head with one, could cause lethal injury) and housebricks/paving slabs. At the minute the law is an A$$. Because Jo Gunshop owner cannot sell Jo Public anything more powerful than a 12ft lbs airrifle, yet that same gunshop owner can legally sell Jo Public a 300 ft Lbs Crossbow which is just as lethal as a 12 gauge shottie at most distances and is quicker to load than some airguns. I am all for NOT government licencing airguns because it is the last bastion of marksmanship practice, and ability to put food on the table for those of us who cannot be bothered to go through the hassle (yet) of getting a cabinet and all the paperwork. Better Self regulation is the way forward, but admittedly there will always be a few oiks, scumbags and chavs with nothing better to do than go out shooting, cats, dogs, people with them, giving the rest of the general shooting community a bad name. Naturally those who are full firearms owners have the right to look down their noses at us, because we don't have government laid out practices to comply with, but at the end of the day shooting is still shooting. If you had to go on a basic training course before being allowed to buy then this would remove some of the issues, as you would have had to pay to go on the course and then buy the rifle. But this will not stop those who already have them in their possession. Okay then thats my 6pen'th ATVB Tufty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershooter Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 I am licenced to Drive I am licenced to have Explosives I am licenced to Fish I am licenced to own TV sets I am Licenced To oun Firearms I am licenced to own Shot guns I am licenced to shoot Game north of the border I am licenced to drive rally cars I am licenced to drive Fork lift trucks I am licenced to use Chain saws for work I am licenced to transfer rubbish for work i am licenced to fly model areoplanes I have a vehicle Excise Licence I have an Export Licence In fact come to think about it the only licence I dont have is a Marrage LIcence thank god!!!! No we need no more ristrictions at all Deershooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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