European Commission bans: AR15/AK47 rifles and magazines

[A.J.P.]

The European Commission's back at it again with a typically egregious diktat relating to the ownership of semi-automatic firearms and their ancillaries. They've just released this statement (available here in full https://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/EU/XXV/EU/12/28/EU_122858/imfname_10671764.pdf):

 

 

"Following two trilogue meetings, the co-legislators were still unable to agree on the revision of the Firearms Directive. These negotiations must be unblocked to take military grade assault weapons off the streets including those converted to semi-automatic use. The Commission’s position is clear that semi-automatic assault weapons derived from the “AK 47 Kalashnikov family” and the “AR 15 family” should be banned for civilian use given that they were designed for military use. Magazine sizes for short and long firearms should be limited to 10 rounds and should be subject to authorization and stringent checks and any derogation should be strictly limited and tightly controlled. EU citizens expect swift progress in this area to ensure their protection, so we must reach agreement before the end of 2016 on this key piece of legislation."

 

 

To summarise, the EC want to ban specifically:

Civilian firearms of “AR 15 family”, and derivatives

Civilian firearms of “AK47 family”, and derivatives

ALL detachable magazines above 10 rounds (also for handguns, repeating-firearms, rimfires etc.)

Introduce strong regulation of magazines and semi-automatic firearms

 

Here's a link to an article on this latest development:

http://firearms-united.com/2016/11/19/ar15-ak47-ban/

 

The EC's trying to get this all rubber stamped before year's end, so now's the time to make some noise. I'd recommend everyone (even those without an immediate vested interest!) write to your MEPs on the issue.

 

The easiest way to do this is via the WriteToThem webpage:

https://www.writetothem.com/?gclid=CJKZn-OXt9ACFYcp0wodK-UKNw

 

​It would also be advisable to write to both:

​Vicky Ford - Conservative MEP and IMCO Chair & Rapporteur (vicky.ford@europarl.europa.eu)

Anna Maria Corazza Bildt​ - IMCO Shadow Rapporteur (annamaria.corazzabildt@europarl.europa.eu)

 

They are both in a position to pose some very awkward questions to the European Commission on our behalves.

 

I know that the UK has voted to leave the EU, this however is no guarantee that these "proposals" won't affect us, or that we'll have even left before they're introduced. And of course, the UK government always has the option of adopting EU legislation regardless of whether we're beholden to the EC or not. The European shooting community has voiced a strong and united opposition to the EC's attacks in the recent past. We need to continue this effort to help ensure the best possible outcome for shooting sports in the future.

[ds1]

I would say please write (nicely) to Vicky Ford MEP who is IMCO chair - committee dealing with the proposal and is supportive of shooters.

 

Currently IMCO, Council and Commission have reached no agreement.

 

The next trilogy is 4/5 December.

 

Firearms United is the place for information on this subject

[A.J.P.]

I would say please write (nicely) to Vicky Ford MEP who is IMCO chair - committee dealing with the proposal and is supportive of shooters.

 

Currently IMCO, Council and Commission have reached no agreement.

 

The next trilogy is 4/5 December.

 

Firearms United is the place for information on this subject

 

Well, said - I've amended my post to include both Vicky Ford and the shadow rapporteur Anna Maria Corazza Bildt.

[Montey]

Thanks for posting I will write even though this on the face of it would not efect me but that dosent matter its more rubbish out of the EU stopping or effecting others on this foram having fun.

None of this will take illagle guns off the streets.

[Chanonry]

Well. Thanks and no thanks.

 

I read the page that you linked into and produced verbatim. I could not follow your conclusions (well, they aren't yours are they, you just lifted them from the other website) and could not reconcile your summary with the quote you provided. So I went and read the document here. It's not very long, there are not too many long words, so I am sure you could have managed it.

 

Your summary, if I can put it like this, is deliberately misleading. Or put another way, it's sh-it.

 

The document (and the paragraph you quote) actually says:

 

"semi-automatic assault weapons derived from the “AK 47 Kalashnikov family” and the “AR 15 family” should be banned for civilian use" (read your own post)

 

It does not state, nor imply (unlike you) that any and all firearms derived from AR15 or AK47 will be banned. So is not actually a threat to current use in the UK. On the magazine point - they use the word derogated. Look it up, its important. Could be a bit of a change for some of us.

 

So to summarise, just in case you need me to - don't come on here with 11 posts trying to blow smoke up my ass. People like you get the rest of us a bad name.

[A.J.P.]

So to summarise, just in case you need me to - don't come on here with 11 posts trying to blow smoke up my ass. People like you get the rest of us a bad name.

 

I'm not blowing smoke - just trying to raise awareness of a very real potential threat to certain disciplines here in the UK. I'm sorry to put your back up - that wasn't the intention. To address a couple of your points:

 

• The EC has repeatedly attempted to ban semi-automatic firearms since the November 2015 terrorist attacks in France. Only in their most recent proposal do they specifically mention AR15 and AK47 types. The Commission argues that: "semi-automatic assault weapons derived from the “AK 47 Kalashnikov family” and the “AR 15 family” should be banned for civilian use given that they were designed for military use". Although they do specify "semi-automatic" it's possible that this could have an effect here in the UK. If not for straight-pull rifles, certainly for a large number chambered in .22LR. Whether there could be any unforeseen consequences regarding straight-pulls is unknown at this stage.
• I understand the concept of potential exemptions from magazine restrictions (in reference to derogation). Can you honestly say that you're not concerned about having to jump through yet more hoops? The issue of magazine restrictions, perhaps more so than those proposed on firearms themselves, could have a significant implications for shooters in the UK.

 

If you choose not to do anything in regard to the recent EC statement that's clearly your prerogative. The reason I started this thread was simply to let everyone know what's happening. The only thing I'm interested in is protecting what rights we have left in the UK when it comes to our sport.

 

The Commission's behaviour is cynical and will certainly not achieve their stated aim of protecting Europe's citizenry. It could however diminish our ability to enjoy our shooting here in the UK.

[Viajero]

It would be nice if article 50 was activated and we cracked on and paid no notice to what controlling laws were being imposed on law biding citizens by Brussels .