Simplify calibers
The association officers have been very busy attending meeting s to promote a better relationship with the police and shooting. We have put forward proposals to simplify calibers, by putting them into bands. Rimfire and centre fire. At the moment if you have a slot on your firearms certificate for a .308 rifle. Take this common scenario. You are viewing at auction looking for a .308 for Deer and Wild Boar, because you have authority to purchase. You stumble across a beautiful 30-06 Tikka with a reserve of £200. It is well worth bidding for, but you cannot bid for something that you do not have authority to acquire. If you really have the hots for it, you must seek out a friendly Registered firearms dealer who will bid for you, then you need to send your ticket in for variation, which could take months in the present climate.
I have a .243 slot on my certificate, I would like to change it to a 6.5 x 55, currently I have to complete a form 101 to get a one for one change of caliber.
Our suggestion, if put into practice will save the police loads of time.
This caliber banding was proposed by Sportsman’s Association Council member Joe Beatham, proprietor of Gunshop Barnet at a meeting with the Metropolitan police at New Scotland yard in 2007. Former Director of the Association Richard Malbon made the same proposal to ACPO in 2000.Thanks to the British Shooting Sports Council and the Gun Trade Association our recommendation looks like becoming a reality.
The suggested bands are:
Band A – airguns: .177, .20, .22, .25, 9mm.
Band B – rim-fire rifles: .17HMR, .22LR, .22 WMR.
Band C – small calibre centre fire rifles: 17 Remington, .204, .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, .222 Remington, 5.56mm/223, .22.250, .22 Swift.
Band D – medium calibre centre fire rifles: .243, 6mm PPC, 6mm/244, .25-06, 6.5x55mm/256, .257 Weatherby, .260, .270, 7mm/.275, 8x57mm JRS, .284, 30-06, .303, 7.62mm x 51/.308, .444Marlin, .45-70.
Band E – large calibre centre fire rifles: ,338, .375, 9.3mm Mauser, 416, .458 Win Mag.
Expanding Calibers
Two months ago we had a scare from the police, they suggested that Hornaday
A Max and Berger polymer tipped match bullets were expanding bullets and that they were section 5. This meant that all those target rifle shooters would be prosecuted and their Firearms certificates revoked.
Thankfully common sense prevailed and the following letter was circulated from Hornaday. As ever we are vigilant as the police are always looking for something to prosecute legitimate rifle sportsmen and women for!
Scottish Airgun threat
Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, who made it clear that the Scottish Government was committed to some form of licensing, for which it had a mandate.
Mr. MacAskill wants an amnesty, he would like the conservative estimate of 500,000 airguns handed in to make the world a safer place.
Mr. MacAskill is calling for good reason or need to be demonstrated by anyone wanting these deadly weapons North of the Border.
The Sportsman’s Association is supporting our Scottish members by challenging this Draconian view by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
It is interesting to note that during the August riots in England not one air rifle or pistol was used.
Reinstate .22 target pistols
Sportsman’s Association Stalwart Dave Derrick has created a worthy e Petition
Please sign this, as we need 100.000 signatures. Do it now and pass it on. If you don’t have email ask someone who has and get him or her to sign it too.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/360
e-petition
Reclassify .22 pistols as Section 1
Responsible department: Home Office
The Home Office should reclassify .22 caliber pistols as Section 1 firearms. This would permit legitimate sportsmen & sportswomen to practice competitive target shooting sports as require by many disciplines, including Olympic qualification, in this country. There would be no risk to the public; sporting firearms are not linked to criminal activity.
Sign this petition
Number of signatures:
6,689
Created by:
David Charles Derrick
Closing: 08/08/2012
Grandfather rights
Devon and Cornwall have the largest number of firearm and Shotgun certificate holders in the UK. You would think their enquiry officers understood variations.
Well here is the latest problem that a member from the West Country has to tell me and seek our advice.
Our member is 67 years of age and has held a FAC & SGC for 45 years; during that time he has stalked deer, shot vermin and wild fowl. He has stalked with a 6.5 and a 7mm rifle and to his credit published a book “Choosing a Stalking rifle”
He recently submitted a form 101 variation to the Devon & Cornwall Firearms licensing Office in Exeter. He has land and authorization to shoot deer, he has decided that he would use a .308 bolt action rifle and part exchange his existing rifles. He received a phone call from Firearms enquiry officer who stated that he could not purchase a .308 for deer stalking unless he had a mentor to accompany him and took a Deer management course, both of which are unnecessary.
Our member has been stalking since the mid sixties having shot hundreds of deer, introducing other people to the sport. I advised our member to telephone Exeter FEO and insist that their request be put in writing; anyone who has similar difficulties, always insist that this is in writing. Once committed to paper or email, you have an indisputable paper trail, something that proved very valuable to me in my recent court case.
.22 Pistols on the Horizon
As a pistol coach and firearms instructor; I am passionate along with my colleagues at the SA to repeal the 2nd amendment when Tony Blair banned .22 pistols after John Major left us with .22 pistols and muzzle loaders.
We have important meetings in December, with the Home Office and ACPO.
To get our pistols back support this Association, the others are not interested,
Remember the whole reason we were formed in 1997 was to stop the pistol ban, we marched four times, we lobbied, and we picketed the Commonwealth games at Bisley and Manchester.
If you are not a member Join, if you have lapsed re-join, if you are a member recruit a new member. We need donations to fight for your rights and the fact the 57,000 men and women had their sport stolen by the last two Governments.
This current Government is prepared to listen; the 2012 Olympics are six months away.
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