Moving to Scotland ... What to do about airguns

[DEAN C.]

I've just recently started in the hobby and this is news to me. Another liberty taken. You can't do anything with an airgun as it is without this nonesense. This will really stop the crazies right enuf.
This so needs to be stopped. Try looking for an airgun club in Edinburgh that is taking new members. Funny how my or my peers opinion has never been sought when these new laws and legislations are created.
Where do i sign...

There were petitions and BASC involved in stopping this for the last few years to try and stop this in Scotland, throughout the UK. Blame the SNP it was them that wanted it. I have usually taken my air rifles as well as a shotgun when going up to Scotland rough shooting but this will put me off bothering so it will affect the income in rural areas.

I find it difficult to believe everyone in Scotland didn't know about it, when we all knew it was coming for years. I thought that it was a vote winner like the Labour party used the anti hunting bill down here. I suppose if you didnt read the shooting news and come on places like this it might not have been high profile.

It will be a farce as the Police will not be able to cope and I can see it falling apart or a knee jerk reaction to cope might be just to interpret the law vaguely and say you dont have a good enough reason.

I though it was going to be equivalent to a SGC not FAC though but haven't read up lately since it all sensible objections were over ruled and it was decided to implement it.

I have kept my SGC partly hoping it might have some sway just in case it comes down here although I do use a shotgun for vermin when I can't use an air rifle, but I can see the rest of the UK holding back when they see the problems the Scottish Police have. If I lived in Scotland I would be going full FAC route....... its going to be chaos!

Good luck to anyone north of the border, but I wouldn't panic and sell up.Just put your application in and see what happens, also if possible try and join a club (an indoor or outdoor or target club) if you have one reasonably near.Any club will give you good advice and help and give you an added dimension and skills.
I have also found that the FAO are usually very sensible, and helpful, especially when I have had any dealings and renewals in England.

[lensman57]

Well, as a law abiding citizen not being able to own an airgun "without their good reason" for a start, for use in my garden or even my own house while the bams will all be keeping theirs.

I really don't want to go through all the hassle of asking permission and explaining myself to the Chief Constable every five years for owning simple airguns under 6/12 ft/lbs. You will also be required to allow the Police access to your GP. Life changes - what if you don't meet their requirements for a period? Get rid of all your hard earned gear?

There are thousands who will not be able to give a good enough reason for owning them. Fair enough I can see a point about use in some gardens where the gentle types cower in fear until you go back inside but jeez! Beam me up now please!

What are they going to do, go around everyone on the registers and search their premesis if they haven't applied for the new license?
There are many who simply can not get permissions or even be able to get into the new "approved clubs" - currently, of which there are "no approved air weapon clubs in Scotland" apparently.

Another money making squeeze on decent people who try to keep within the law again, some of which will be criminalised and "face imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine, or both". "If an air weapon licence application is refused the applicant would not be returned the fee paid". Nice one.

I honestly cannot see the point of this just being rolled out in Scotland, is the rest of the UK to become the same eventually?

Good forum by the way, thanks.

Your last paragraph is the key one. I have already posted a link to the published consultation paper on fire arms and in there are references made to the way that the law is set up in Australia, Northern Ireland and a reference to Scotland as well. It is inevitable that Westminster will follow suit otherwise question and situations like the one that OP has brought up will have to be dealt with on daily basis. I wonder how much notice these organisation take of sensible objection put forward by relevant associations put forward on behalf of " affected " parties. The evidence so far points to nil.

A.G

[humperdingle]

Where abouts in Scotland are you moving to?

[Grahamcs]

The Tories won't bring in licensing.

Trust me.

[GoodWILLHunting]

The Tories won't bring in licensing.

Trust me.

No, they'll just ban them.

[hebhaggis]

See here and add a Club/ your Club / new proposed Club :

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....s-start-a-LIST

[short-carabine]

The Tories won't bring in licensing.

Trust me.

What the same lot who banned handguns and S/A rifles and shotguns? They will do whatever pleases the DM etc. Get real chap

[pavling]

Where abouts in Scotland are you moving to?

Somewhere commutable to Edinburgh. Looking down the Linlithgow/Falkirk way, and also over East Lothian as far as Dunbar.

[Big Seth]

Somewhere commutable to Edinburgh. Looking down the Linlithgow/Falkirk way, and also over East Lothian as far as Dunbar.

Funny sort over that side- but drier weather than the west coast-- best of luck

[Hurricane]

Funny how my or my peers opinion has never been sought when these new laws and legislations are created.
Where do i sign...

AFAIK your fellow countrymen voted in their droves for the SNP, and it's one of their policies.
I spent 6 months working in Kirkcaldy about 30 years ago, and of all the places I've worked away in this was my favorite, welcoming people and a couple of good snooker halls and Jackie O's to spend the night in.

[Grahamcs]

We don't need slr's or glocks to control squirrels and rabbits though unless the rabbit has a bigger cock or Rambo head scarf than you do.

[DesG]

We don't need slr's or glocks to control squirrels and rabbits though unless the rabbit has a bigger cock or Rambo head scarf than you do.

Exactly what the shotgun fraternity said in the eighties when this first kicked off. The reason the yanks haven't had their guns taken off them dispite any number of atrocities is that allfactions of shooting stick together and support each other.

[Grahamcs]

I don't see your point sorry.

We need bolt action centre fire rifles for humane deer and fox control.

Shotguns are shotguns and are needed too.

Semi auto centre fire battle and assault rifles are not needed.

That's my opinion.

[CRX_]

Hey, no disrespect but if we only had what we "needed" then life would be very bland indeed.

[Bjacobs571]

I don't see your point sorry.

We need bolt action centre fire rifles for humane deer and fox control.

Shotguns are shotguns and are needed too.

Semi auto centre fire battle and assault rifles are not needed.

That's my opinion.

You don't need firearms to control deer or foxes either, its just a convenient way of doing it, so as a person who used to enjoy shooting pistols and SLR's I would be more than happy to see you have your firearms taken from you as you don't seem to think I should have been allowed to keep my guns and are therefore partly responsible for them being taken away. No one actually needs firearms at all people got by without them for thousands of years before they were introduced.