Pistol shooting - political

[Ovenpaa]

I am always surprised at the number of people who think semi-auto firearms are no longer allowed in the UK, well apart from the .22Rimfire and S1 or S2 shotguns, try explain how you can legally own a 20 shot box fed semi-automatic shotgun... Also pistols, "Ah yes, they are illegal now aren't they?" Yes they are, well apart from, Section 5, Heritage, long barrel, muzzle loading etc. etc. etc...

[JD4570]

Quite right, David. We're just a few short steps from restoring common sense and having some of it back to normal. I don't make light of the situation because in the UK we don't have the same libertarian outlook on guns as in the US but I do believe we can get somewhere, if we just tackle it sensibly and together.

[ordnance]

Isle of Man is the only viable UK zone at present as I'd not want to move to Ulster, with the present Brexit/EU issue & calls for "One Eire" being voiced...

I can understand that but, as far as security and crime is involved Ulster is the safest regain in the UK. There are also lots of clubs to choose from with good facilities for pistol shooting. I agree with another post there should be no difference regards pistols and other firearms should be stored at home.

Northern Ireland Target Sports Association: NITSA

www.nitsa.org.uk/

[GeeRam]

It seems strange to me why someone high up within BASC doesn't champion this himself with BASC's support. We're back to the age old problem of having no single national voice.

Indeed.

[1066]

if we just tackle it sensibly and together.

And there's the rub. Over the last 50 years or so I've seen the attitude to shooting change beyond belief. From the days when it was quite usual for the local gamekeeper to prop his shotgun against the bar while he had a swift half, to today, where if a kid with an airgun is seen in a field stalking rabbits, he's a potential swat team target.

Shooting and guns have been so demonised by the media over the last 20-30 years I really don't think there is any way back. The average person now does not have a clue about guns, only the distorted tripe that's reported in the press where a .22 rifle with a scope, shooting sub-sonic HP's, easily becomes a sniper rifle shooting special Dum-Dum bullets that can kill at a mile.

A few old .22 rounds found in a pond somewhere results in a police cordon and a visit from the bomb squad. Just look at the all the airguns that get wheeled out when there's some sort of "hand in" is being publicised and told how much safer we are with all those nasty "firearms" off the street.

Every time there has been any new legislation the shooting community has never stuck together. When semi-auto rifles went there was very little support from any other shooters. The Bisley shooters couldn't care less and the shotgun shooters just couldn't understand why anyone would want to own one.

Exactly the same with the pistols - I'm alright jack, it wont effect me.

Fairly recently there was a petition to reinstate .22 pistol shooting - It petered out at 13,000 signatures.
https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/360

With over half a million shotgun certificates holders in just England and Wales where was the support?

I really would love pistol shooting to come back - I just don't see we have a chance.

I would like to see every scout troop and school have a shooting club with interschool 10 meter airpistol competitions shooting regularly and reported in the local paper.

Steve Scott won a shooting Bronze medal at the Rio Olympics and barely got a mention in the local paper, certainly not as much as the local bowls match.

[HALODIN]

If no single UK shooting organisation will stand up to champion British shooting, then ALL the British shooting organisations must form a coalition to further and protect shooting in this country. If all the following organisations pooled their resources we'd be on to a winner - BASC, NRA, UKPSA, NSRA, BSSC, SACS, CPSA. Exclude no one, however small and let them know we'll stand up for them if any aspect of their sport is ever threatened.

Someone, somewhere has to suggest this as a way forward.

[Christel]

Well said 1066.

Labour has a lot to answer for, a lot of things changed during Labour's time in Government. The public's approach to firearms, snowflakes emerged, wars, borrowing, whole areas where the majority was not born here, I am not sure I can find anything good to say about Labour tbh.

Pistols will never ever come back no matter how much we fight for it, it is not that I am not willing to try however I see the inter fighting in the shooting community all the time. As if all the different groups would ever stand united, no chance.

Somebody on this forum once said..."if you do not compete you should not be allowed an FAC"

[HALODIN]

We can either be victims or activists... your choice.

[GeeRam]

If no single UK shooting organisation will stand up to champion British shooting, then ALL the British shooting organisations must form a coalition to further and protect shooting in this country. If all the following organisations pooled their resources we'd be on to a winner - BASC, NRA, UKPSA, NSRA, BSSC, SACS, CPSA. Exclude no one, however small and let them know we'll stand up for them if any aspect of their sport is ever threatened.

Exactly.

What we need is a federation to represent all shooting. Each of those organisation could appoint a representive from their organisation to the federation, plus I'd say you'd want one from GTA as well.

As someone that dabbles in the vintage/classic car hobby, what shooting needs is an equivilant of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs.
One voice representing all to co-ordinate, publicize and lobby.

[pbrazendale]

As someone who is relatively new to the shooting world, I also would love pistol shooting back in the UK, the thing is in my experience whoever you speak to nowadays thinks your a loon if you enjoy shooting and guns, I literally have to educate people when I speak to them, we would need to do this to an entire population and vote someone like UKIP in to have any chance. The media has created this 'anti gun' attitude in the U.K. And it was born from the Blair years, I'd love to see it back and I'm prepared to fight and do whatever I can but I don't hold much hope.


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