Are we ready for more liberal gun laws

[Big Al]

In very common indeed in the world of Airgunning.

 

Exactly why they should be licensed.

 

Back in the early 80's an airgun was all I could easily get as a teenager as I never had any permissions etc and I was glad they were unlicenced. I used to roam the local fields (illegally but innocently) and try and bag a rabbit, pigeon or crow, I would never dream of shooting at people, pets or livestock, that was how it was back then and the one time a farmer challenged me he actually gave me some permission because I was polite to him when challenged.

 

Society is different today, too many teenagers are out of control and there are too many long term unemployed with nothing better to do, as a result the general level of self control/discipline in my opinion is without doubt much lower than it was 30yrs ago.

 

Back then I was glad there was no airgun licensing but now I would vote for it. There will always be the odd incident with FAC and shotguns but by and large becuase we are licensed and often traceable things seem to stay relatively sensible. Any delinquent can get himself an air rifle and cause havoc these days and when the muck hits the fan the media just picks up on another gun incident which does our sport overall no good in the eyes of the wider general public.

 

I was in my local gun shop last week watching a NED buying himself a crossbow, I really did have to wonder what exactly he wanted it for and which one of his mates or worse still an innocent member of the public or loved pet would end up needing medical care?

 

We should control ourtselves before someone decides to control us (as a result of a ploker with a crossbox or airgun) more than we need.

[Finman]

Probably a large majority of us has started our involvement with hunting and guns through an air rifle in circumstances not unlike the ones big Al details in his message. However, there was some accountability for our actions, society was watching us, perhaps communities were more closely knit than today, and that s why we never shot a dog, a glass window or anything else we shouldn't have...perhaps that's why we were tolerated.

Well, if I find that scrote, I will make sure that he is prosecuted and will make a case for his guardians too, who bought him the weapon. No excuses, no apologies no compensation, and, trust me, I'll find him. The x-box mentality them idiots are being brought up with is also probably to blame along with their (and their parents) indifference to the rest of society, allowing them to run feral.

As far as I'm concerned, these people shame us as riflemen and countrysports enthusiasts and ensuring they are never given the opportunity to own a weapon ever again (legally) is duty and obligation.

It's been 10days since my pup was shot, I'm 7000miles from home, but I'm still seething from what happened to him and will not wait to see if it'll happen again. What this time was a shot in the back of the thigh could equally had been a shot in the lungs...

 

Best wishes

 

Finman