should this be banned

[Craig.]

well after my weekly visit to chepstow market, this got me thinking. going round a few of the stalls each week i have noticed a slow increase in the number of air pistols and rifles being sold, and these things dont seem to have an age limit either, the guns are actually kept on a table uncovered and are easy to get hold of as the price is usually

[ozzy72]

Hi Criag, I've voted yes on this even though I myself own a couple of guns, and regularly go shooting with my father-in-law, and old forces friends and relatives.
I believe in the UK that they are introducing laws to restrict the sale of airguns, but not BBs, as a number of people have been shot by armed police officers whilst using these in heists and then threatening members of the public and pretending it was a real gun! Dumb. And then they or their relatives make out its the police's fault! Right proper wallies!
There should be some sort of control, and it might be worth trying your local CAB and seeing what they say on the legal side of things. If they say its illegal, then contact your local Trading Standards, and they will be able to take action against these people.
However I feel that shops should still be allowed to sell them, as they are legally liable for their actions, but there should be some sort of licencing system as per shotguns.

Ozzy

[Craig.]

i couldnt agree more with you on that.
i have no problem with people owning guns as long as A: they know how to use them
and B:as long as it is legal from them to do so.
i've always enjoyed getting my hands on a pistol or rifle and taking shots out in the open fields with someone who owns it legally and is fully aware of its uses.
but i will have to look into those things as it does worry me a little kid could pick one up load it up and fire into a large group of people in the space of a few seconds

[Oso]

Absolutely not. I have the

[Oso]

BTW - some airguns have a have a higher muzzle velocity than a .22 and can kill - so I classify them as guns.

[Craig.]

hey OSO i understand that point and its perfectly valid. but firstly this is the UK where the law is a little differant. and secondly i am on about selling them on open air markets, these arnt licensed gun shops and sell everything from shoe polish to hand cream. in true british tradition half the stuff on our markets is off the back of a truck, so i couldnt gaurentee their safety. I am actually glad we are allowed to own these weapons but i dont think some guy selling them off a wooden table to a 13 year old should be allowed, and like you said some of these guns have a higher velocity than the real deal.

[Oso]

Please, Please do not think I was knocking your system or point of view in any way.

I was just stating mine, as you did. I respect y'alls way of doing things.

Our two countries have common roots, but have diverged on some issues.

Tell you the truth - if I moved to England - I would gladly give up my guns. It is the Law and I would respect that.

It is just that here, it is against the Law to make guns against the Law. Yet some try. See my point?

[Craig.]

dont get me wrong i wasnt having a go at you at all(difficult to project speach in text) and here you can own guns legally if you get all the checks done(which i believe is the same for the US. in some ways i like the US's way of doing things its alot more relaxed but also thorough in its workings.

[Oso]

On second thought maybe my response was inappropriate. I apologise.

What I was really trying to do was let others know that we are not all cowboys over here shooting everything up. I know a lot of people in other countries think us that way.

It is not bloodlust, it is a point of Law that we argue about.

Maybe I screwed it up.

Sorry.

[Craig.]

hey personally i think if its allowed why not make use of it? i think your posts were all valid and your right, many men and women have fought and died for those rights and why should they not be made good use of.
hell if my mum wasnt against me owning one, i would have one myself.
its just these people who go out and make them avaliable to little kids without a second thought thats where we have problems.

[Oso]

I agree - that falls under my comment about responsibility. ALL should be resposible - sellers and owners alike.

When I got my first BB gun and when I got my first real gun, my parents bought them. They made the decision of whether I was mature and wise enought to handle it. They knew they would be responsible for any mischief I might get into.

No! It was not me!

Even though all of the Christmas lights got shot out of the neighbors hedge. And I was the only kid in the neighborhood that got a BB gun for Christmas.

Purely circumstantial evidence. That heavy duty spanking should have been administered to some other kid! My BB gun should not have been taken away! I swear! I was framed! My Sister did it!  ;)

[Craig.]

ahahaha
so many a time have i wanted to take out a particulary bright rudolf or noisey santa:)

[Crumbso]

hmm tricky.

Well I do clay pigeon shooting with a 12 bore shotgun and I would like to be able to keep it that way but I can see where people come from when they don't like guns. It doesn't matter if the people who don't use them responsibly are stupid the fact is they still exist. As long as stupid people exist the problem will be there. I wouldn't go on about rights if I were you they can be taken for granted. I enjoy bb skirmishing its lots of fun and I have an sa80 bb gun myself.

I won't decide its got a good argument from both sides.

[ozzy72]

Well I've just got this answer from my friend who works for Trading Standards, and was also a firearms instructor for the ATC for a number of years.

Air guns - It is an offence for a person under the age of 17 to purchase an air weapon or ammo or for anyone to sell an air weapon or ammo to such a young person, however, they can be owned by someone over 14, they cannot be used unsupervised by anyone under 14. This is specified in the Firearms Act 1968 - Air weapons are classed as firearms, however if they are between 3/4 of a foot pound and 12 foot pounds they do not need a firearms certificate.

Any offence under the Firearms Act 1968 is a police matter.

BB's - These generally fall outside of the firearms act 1968 due to low muzzle energy, which defines a firearm as a 'lethal barrelled weapon capable of discharging of any shot, bullet or other missile'.....'Lethality is defined as 'capable of inflicting a more than trivial injury'. Expert advice from the Forensic Science Service is that the lowest power level at which a penetrating injury can occur is at a muzzle energy of about 1 foot pound (1.35 joules). Most retailers do not sell to under 14

[Oso]

Mind you that didn't save the neighbours cat when it scratched the bonnet (hood) of my BMW318i!

Ozzy

Glad you qualified the "bonnet" as the hood of your car. Us Mericans think a bonnet is a woman's hat.

Still didn't stop me from contriving some hilarious visuals of you flying your Spit in Cardinal's robes and a purty lil' bonnet of sunflower print.

Howdy Ma'am .....  (Oso says as he tips his wings)