Shooting in a school in Scotland

[Dangermouse]

I know you need permission to have an air gun in N Ireland, I wonder what their crime figures are like.
Pretty much a non starter I know with all the other problems they are having, but would still be interested to see,

DM

[Robin128]

BINGO! These two cretins, and those that supplied them with the air rifle, need to be made an example of under the new airgun laws that were brought in last year. 5 years a piece MINIMUM :evil:

Agreed, send out a signal to these and any other wannabe air gun assassins.

Ban air guns in Scotland = all legal, law abiding and safe shooters loose their sport, scum continue as normal using airguns for crime...nobody knows who has them.

Is any of this making sense?

Actually, no it makes no sense to me what so ever, who mentioned banning them? :Licence new and used commercial sales to start with, nothing sinister, just make a start. This is probably how Fireams licensing in the UK started.

Two things:

One, I feel very strongly about air weapons as they can and do kill innocent people either by error or malice. Two, I am an FAC holder as you are and the majority of the F-B(UK) members and I sure as hell do not want my FAC jeopardised by a feral minority because the press is incapable of differentiating between an air gun and a full-bore rifle.

You can bang on as much as you want about how unjust licensing air guns is, but wait until you son or daughter or grand child or close relative or pet or your CLOSEST FRIEND is killed or blinded or left in permemantly disabled state with brain damage because some scrote shot him in the head with an air gun.

Then you can tell me how YOU feel.....

So don't ban them...license them.

And that will stop the scum from shooting my grand daughter in the eye?...No it will not! (Knives have been banned...one step further than licensing them, but that hasn't stopped knife crime.)

Enforcing the current law might reduce airgun crime.

As explained several times...there are 500,000 airguns in Scotland...I don't know how many are illegal. The chances of someone shooting an innocent person with an airgun I would suggest is higher if a scumbag is behind the trigger rather than a licensed individual...much higher.

Licensing would not take the airgun off of the scumbag.

I will support anything that will really work...licensing alone will not.

Sorry to disagree David.

[Sim G]

I know you need permission to have an air gun in N Ireland, I wonder what their crime figures are like.
Pretty much a non starter I know with all the other problems they are having, but would still be interested to see,

DM

The Province has the lowest crime rate of the home nations by far, once "paramilitary activity" is factored out. But, the paramilitaries account for an awful lot!

It's also worth remembering that even though airguns have been on FAC for decades, pistols for target shooting still are and there are thousands of FAC's issued purely for PPWs. I believe there is no S2 either, all S1. There are a lot of people who carry 24/7, but there's also a hellof a lot of military hardware around the place.

Ulster is unique within the UK. Politicians know that and whenever it's quoted in support of firearms ownership, it's discounted.

But, perhaps Northern Ireland have it right........ anything, with reason, if you show good cause. (no pun intended)

[Robin128]

Do you think licensing airguns would reduce airgun crime more so than the Police applying our current law relating to airguns, Sim G...if so, how?

:)

[Sim G]

Firstly, a law is pointless unless it is enforceable and is enforced. You know my stance has always been that it should be the person who is licenced and not the object. As far as I'm concerned, if you are fit to hold an airgun, then you are fit for a shotgun, even a machine gun if that takes your fancy and for as many as you can afford and provide adequate security for.....

But that's the problem with airguns. Any Jonny Scroate can pick up a second hand Chinese springer from a boot fair for the cost of half his giro. And in all reality, the police have to catch Jonny Scroat behaving illegally to enforce whatever.

When I policed a semi rural area we were always called to someone shooting, somewhere. On the whole, always legit. However, now and again you would come across Jonny Scroat with a sleaved airgun. You'd know he was up to no good, but knowing and proving are two different things. Would Jonny Scroat qualify for a licence? Possibly. Would Jonny Scroat actually apply for a licence? Well, if he's not going to insure his car, deal a little weed and not even pay his rent, then unlikely. However, no "licence" old JS can be dealt with regardless.

It's not the airguns that are the problem, but some of the people that have access to them. Cut them out of the equation there will be a dramatic fall in "firearms" crime. Those that use airguns responsibly will continue to do so whether licensed or not.

[Sandgroper]

Firstly, a law is pointless unless it is enforceable and is enforced. You know my stance has always been that it should be the person who is licenced and not the object. As far as I'm concerned, if you are fit to hold an airgun, then you are fit for a shotgun, even a machine gun if that takes your fancy and for as many as you can afford and provide adequate security for.....

But that's the problem with airguns. Any Jonny Scroate can pick up a second hand Chinese springer from a boot fair for the cost of half his giro. And in all reality, the police have to catch Jonny Scroat behaving illegally to enforce whatever.

When I policed a semi rural area we were always called to someone shooting, somewhere. On the whole, always legit. However, now and again you would come across Jonny Scroat with a sleaved airgun. You'd know he was up to no good, but knowing and proving are two different things. Would Jonny Scroat qualify for a licence? Possibly. Would Jonny Scroat actually apply for a licence? Well, if he's not going to insure his car, deal a little weed and not even pay his rent, then unlikely. However, no "licence" old JS can be dealt with regardless.

It's not the airguns that are the problem, but some of the people that have access to them. Cut them out of the equation there will be a dramatic fall in "firearms" crime. Those that use airguns responsibly will continue to do so whether licensed or not.

Nicely put. :)

[Mike357]

The news article in todays paper covering the story was buried away at Page 6 or 7. I'm very surprised how little coverage this story has received in the press!!

[Robin128]

Thanks for that Sim G...lot of common sense there.

:)

[Chuck]

You can bang on as much as you want about how unjust licensing air guns is, but wait until you son or daughter or grand child or close relative or pet or your CLOSEST FRIEND is killed or blinded or left in permemantly disabled state with brain damage because some scrote shot him in the head with an air gun.

Of course a LICENCE would prevent that :lol: :lol: :lol: Whoever pulls THAT in the above example trigger will probably have NO licence.


Just think on it, every time you spout on about more licence , more control you screw your own chances of holding onto your firearms! If you ASK for more control you will get it, not just on airgins b=uit on YOUR FIREARMS.. Now 5 years CONSECUTIVE for that Ayrshire job, or any other such nonsense, now THAT would be more like it, trouble is Judges either haven't the balls or the power.

when we stop hiding away from shooting, start oromoting it and the education and responsibility that goes with it we will get somewhere. As it is we are still wetting our pants over Dunblane, time to move on, get guns out in the open and TEACH people about them.

Sim: good post.