From: pdg@crosfield.co.uk (paul goffin)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
Subject: Re: Gun Control (in Britain) (104 lines)
Date: 8 Oct 92 12:35:08 GMT
Organization: Crosfield Electronics, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom.

In article <1992Oct7.194701.21152@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> pettengi@ial3.jsc.nasa.gov (James B. Pettengill) writes:
>I was watching Phil Donahue the other day, 

>There was a gentleman from some gun-grabbing
>group who kept saying, "We need to get rid
>of the guns!"
>
>He wants to implement gun control like
>Britain has.  What's the problem with this?
>What kind of gun control does Britian have?
>I'm confused, someone enlighten me, please.

OK, here goes.  (BTW This stuff refers to England,
Scotland and Wales, not Northern Ireland where
control is much tougher - and less effective!)

Private posession of guns in Britain is regulated by
the 1988 Firearms Act, this supersedes the 1968 Firearms Act.

Basically, you cannot own a machine gun, semi-auotmatic rifle,
or gas discharge weapon (like MACE sprays) _at_ _all_.  (These
are "Section 5", or "prohibited weapons".)

Pistols, rifles (single shot or bolt action) and amunition for
them (specific numbers of rounds can be held) can be owned, provided:-

1) You are a "fit person" to poesess.  (ie not insane or have a
   criminal record.)

2) Have a "good reason" to poesess.  (Target shooting, ie membership
   of an approved club, and vermin control are good reasons.  Self
   Defence is NOT a good reason.)

3) Have a "secure place" to store the firearms while not in use.
   In practice this means a good, locked, steel cabinet.  (There
   is a "British Standard" for gun cabinets.)  It is normal to
   bolt this cabinet to a wall in some hidden part of the house.

4) Have a place to use the firearms, associated with the "good reason".
   ie your club has a range.

(These are refered to as "Section 1" firearms.)

The restrictions on shotguns ("Section 2") are similar, but in
general, the police have to be a bit easier on shotgun applicants.

(I think semi-auto shotguns with a magazine capacity of more
than 3 rounds are banned.  Either that or they are in the
"Section 1" class and subject to "Section 1" controls.)

A shotgun must have a barrel length of at least 24".

If you sell a Section 1 firearm to anyone, you must inform
the police.  You must also record the sale on their "Firearm
Certificate".  The Certificate now carries a photo (it didn't
before 1988).

You must also record the sale of ammunition on the same certificate.

(As an indication, until recently I had permission to posess
1 H&K P7 M13 9mm pistol,
1 Star 28DA 9mm pistol,
1 Walther PPK 0.32 pistol,
1 0.357 pistol,
1 0.22 rifle,
1 0.22 rifle

and 2500 rounds 9mm, 1500 rounds 0.357, 1000 rounds 0.38
600 rounds 0.32 1500 rounds 0.22.

(I used to do _a lot_ of target shooting, but I had to
give it up when we moved house, so I've sold all that
stuff now and the certificate had to go back...)

Oh, and it is an offence to have a firearm in a public place
"without good cause or excuse"  (ie, going from the house
to the car on the way to the range is OK.  Walking down the
high street is not.)  It is also an offence to have a loaded
firearm in a public place ("loaded" includes having a loaded
magazine in a semi-auto, even if the chamber is not loaded.)

Trespass with a firearm is also an offence (That's an old law
to stop poaching!)

Paul

PS If you were to shoot someone (say an intruder) in your own
   house, you would not only have to justify the use of
   deadly force (just like in the US), but also why you
   went and got the gun from the secure store, loaded and
   used it, instead of:-
   a)  Calling the Police.
   b)  Letting the Intruder Get Away.
-- 
+-------------+-------------------------------------------------------+
+ Paul Goffin +  Crosfield Electronics Ltd. U.K.  +44 442 230000x3357 +
+             +  Opinions expressed are mine! (Yours for a small fee) +
+-------------+-------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns