[wengo1776]

Why did you let the goverment take away you guns. And why ar'nt there huge angery mobs trying to get your guns back?

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

Why did you let the goverment take away you guns. And why ar'nt there huge angery mobs trying to get your guns back?

It's a fair point wengo and I don't begrudge you for it, I'm off on one, so I hope you don't mind if I attempt to speak my mind (I hope it comes out right).

Quite a few of the Americans here hold a misconception that the ownership of firearms and indeed knives, is banned in the UK.

With your permission I'll try to clarify the point again.

It's not.

Certain styles of knives and guns are banned.

To buy a knife in the UK you have to be 18. There is no law regarding the age of ownership of a knife, neither is there a law for the minimum age of carry.

Banned knives are flick, gravity, butterfly...

Legal EDC knives have to be 3 inches or shorter and non locking.

To carry anything else requires reasonable justification i.e. as part of a sport or pastime like fishing/hunting/practicing bushcraft/camping/hiking/; or that you are on your way to martial arts training and that would explain the huge bag of swords, knives.....I can imagine one member of these boards (who also happens to be a fine knife maker) who would go to training with a small arsenal of edged weapons; or finally, that the needs of your job requires you to carry such articles.

The laws regarding knives are fairly simple but there is a lot of misunderstanding of them in the UK, which is unfortunately reinforced by the media and the spate of teenage boys being stabbed to death.

Phew.... Now that that's covered.:xeye:

To your original question.
I don't own a gun so anything I say about them and the ownership of them won't be exact but it'll be roughly right.:upsidedown:

Basically, we can't own pistols(if I'm right the British Olympic pistol team has fallen foul of this law for many years, but after huge outcry they have recently been given exemption).

I think the age to own a firearm is 18, the same age to buy a knife, buy an airgun, buy alcohol, have homosexual sex and vote.

I think the age of carrying and using an air rifle or firearm independently is 14. As far as I know there is no minimum age for the use of these things.

Any air rifle (can't remember how to write this over 12lbft (did I write that right?) needs to have a FAC license.

Semi automatic firearms are probably banned.

Maybe there's a restriction on rifle caliber size?

Sound suppressors are completely legal, in fact it's considered polite to use one so you don't disturb other people.

I've used a shotgun, I know that nearly all of the UK guys, even if they don't own one, will have used a firearm at some point in their lives. Most of us will know people who do own a FAC (Fire Arms Certificate).

To obtain a FAC? Perhaps one of the Brits should comment on this...:xeye:
Basically, you would need to be a member of a gun club, have shooting rights to a piece of land, or perhaps have permission to just shoot there?

As to why there aren't angry mobs of people fighting to get their collective laws back?

Put simply, the angry violent people who use guns and knives are the ones who've got us here in the first place. That been said, the UK has a fairly low murder death rate. The use of firearms in murders is particularly low.

Now, the vast majority of gun users are just law abiding citizens trying to get on with their lives.

Sorry for the big reply.....:

 

[wengo1776]

It's a fair point wengo and I don't begrudge you for it, I'm off on one, so I hope you don't mind if I attempt to speak my mind (I hope it comes out right).

Quite a few of the Americans here hold a misconception that the ownership of firearms and indeed knives, is banned in the UK.

With your permission I'll try to clarify the point again.

It's not.

Certain styles of knives and guns are banned.

To buy a knife in the UK you have to be 18. There is no law regarding the age of ownership of a knife, neither is there a law for the minimum age of carry.

Banned knives are flick, gravity, butterfly...

Legal EDC knives have to be 3 inches or shorter and non locking.

To carry anything else requires reasonable justification i.e. as part of a sport or pastime like fishing/hunting/practicing bushcraft/camping/hiking/; or that you are on your way to martial arts training and that would explain the huge bag of swords, knives.....I can imagine one member of these boards (who also happens to be a fine knife maker) who would go to training with a small arsenal of edged weapons; or that your job required you to carry such articles.

The laws regarding knives are fairly simple but there is a lot of misunderstanding of them in the UK, which is unfortunately reinforced by the media and the spate of teenage boys being stabbed to death.

Phew.... Now that that's covered.:xeye:

To your original question.
I don't own a gun so anything I say about them and the ownership of them won't be exact but it'll be roughly right.:upsidedown:

Basically, we can't own pistols(if I'm right the British Olympic pistol team has fallen foul of this law for many years, but after huge outcry they have recently been given exemption).

I think the age to own a firearm is 18, the same age to buy a knife, buy an airgun, buy alcohol, have homosexual sex and vote.

I think the age of carrying and using an air rifle or firearm independently is 14. As far as I know there is no minimum age for the use of these things.

Any air rifle (can't remember how to write this over 12lbft (did I write that right?) needs to have a FAC license.

Semi automatic firearms are probably banned.

Maybe there's a restriction on rifle caliber size?

Sound suppressors are completely legal, in fact it's considered polite to use one so you don't disturb other people.

I've used a shotgun, I know that nearly all of the UK guys, even if they don't own one, will have used a firearm at some point in their lives. Most of us will know people who do own a FAC (Fire Arms Certificate).

To obtain a FAC? Perhaps one of the Brits should comment on this...:xeye:
Basically, you would need to be a member of a gun club, have shooting rights to a piece of land, or perhaps have permission to just shoot there?

As to why there aren't angry mobs of people fighting to get their collective laws back?

Put simply, the angry violent people who use guns and knives are the ones who've got us here in the first place. That been said, the UK has a fairly low murder death rate. The use of firearms in murders is particularly low.

Now, the vast majority of gun users are just law abiding citizens trying to get on with their lives.

Sorry for the big reply.....:

I heard after the pistal ban in the U.K. crime went up 40%. And on a side note you have to 18 to have homosexual sex and I thought the U.S. had alot of dum laws.

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

True.

But the age to leave school in Britain is 16 (actually less than that depending when your birthday is).
Although I believe there is talk of taking the school leaving age up to 17 or 18.

I'm sure a 16yr old can legally be served alcohol in a public establishment when ordering it with a meal.... (maybe someone can clarify that point?)

You have to be 16 to marry, which is also the age of consensual heterosexual sex in the UK.

At 17 you can take your driving test.

Unless they've changed the laws. which they might well have done recentlyconfused, but certainly for recent years, the British army has (depending when their birthday falls) sent 17yr olds into battle.

Sorry for prattling on again.
YB.

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

I heard after the pistal ban in the U.K. crime went up 40%. And on a side note you have to 18 to have homosexual sex and I thought the U.S. had alot of dum laws.

Crime went up= there were convictions= some angry, violent people went to jail.

So wengo, what are the knife and gun laws in your State?

 

[Brother Bear]

im in the same state.... there pretty good except for the no 30 rd mag rule and no swich blades

 

[wengo1776]

Crime went up= there were convictions= some angry, violent people went to jail.

So wengo, what are the knife and gun laws in your State?

I think you can carry a knife with a 16in. blade or shorter, and no full auto, and no hunting with a rifle (other states are different).

 

[wengo1776]

im in the same state.... there pretty good except for the no 30 rd mag rule and no swich blades

I never heard about the 30 rd mag law. Because I'v seen a few guns with 30 rd mags.

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

So what age do you have to be to buy a firearm?

Can you legally EDC any knife but a flick (balisong, gravity etc), regardless of size or basic function?

thanks pugs
YB

 

[Brother Bear]

18.... tis a new law 2 months or so

 

[wengo1776]

So what age do you have to be to buy a firearm?

Can you legally EDC any knife but a flick (balisong, gravity etc), regardless of size or basic function?

thanks pugs
YB

You have to be 18 to buy a gun but in some states you can buy a gun and give it to a minor. And whats up with not being allowed to hunt.

 

[dayliterun]

So what age do you have to be to buy a firearm?

Can you legally EDC any knife but a flick (balisong, gravity etc), regardless of size or basic function?

thanks pugs
YB

YB-Here in Ga. it's 18 to buy a rifle/shotgun, 21 to buy a handgun.
Here the 4-H club my nephews & neice were members of, they were in shotgun competitions at age 16. 30/50/100 mags all OK

Most guys and gals carry knives on their sides here. Just part of the culture. I've seen 12 year olds sporting knives in cases on their sides.
:thumb:

 

[Rshooter]

Legal EDC knives have to be 3 inches or shorter and non locking.

To carry anything else requires reasonable justification i.e. as part of a sport or pastime like fishing/hunting/practicing bushcraft......

Respectfully sir this gives me quite a chuckle. Is one of the reasonable justifications "hoodlum"? I know there are quite a few running around Britain without adhering to that law.

 

[short99]

Why did you let the goverment take away you guns. And why ar'nt there huge angery mobs trying to get your guns back?

The majority probably don't give a shi*. I can't understand why half of voting Americans, well I don't consider them Americans, are about to vote for a guy who doesn't believe in the 2nd amendment, one of the most important parts of our constitution.

 

[CitizenKane]

The majority probably don't give a shi*. I can't understand why half of voting Americans, well I don't consider them Americans, are about to vote for a guy who doesn't believe in the 2nd amendment, one of the most important parts of our constitution.

BAH! We dont need guns and the second amendment, thats why we have telephones, police and security systems for protection (Sarcasm)

 

[short99]

Most people are happy about the recent Supreme Court decision on the 2nd amendment. I think it's sad. A 5-4 decision. The 4 should be shot as traitors.

 

[Dwind]

 

[GMDSS]

Why did you let the goverment take away you guns. And why ar'nt there huge angery mobs trying to get your guns back?

The angry mobs have already rebelled against firearm confiscation. I am pleased to report that they were successful in their attempt to prevent the British government from taking away the means to secure their safety and liberty. I know the Battle of Concord is old news in a sense, but still... Some things haven't changed. When rights are percieved to have been granted or created by government, then they will also be percieved as something that can be taken away by the same.

 

[Rshooter]

"Turn in your knife before someone turns it on you"

Please tell me you're kidding and that this was not a real police poster in Britain.

 

[wengo1776]

"Turn in your knife before someone turns it on you"

Please tell me you're kidding and that this was not a real police poster in Britain.

I wouldn't be suprised. They make Obama look like a Neo Con.