My new toy

[Thorin]

Sometimes, Ian scares me.

[Ian C]

Pah I'm a pussy cat

 

OK, to answer all the questions... To own firearms you need a firearms licence (FAC). To get one, you need to be a member for a gun club, and that involves 6 months probationary period before acceptance. You need a clean bill of mental health and no dodgy criminal history, and there is a raft of shite you have to go through to apply and renew your FAC involving photos, security checks, countersignatories of high public standing etc etc.. To store firearms you'll need a Home Office Approved gun cabinet that has to have a certain level of construction and has to be located in your home a certain way. There are also some serious laws about transporting firearms about as well.

 

Trev - costs. OK, my gun club subs are £50 a year, an FAC application is about £56, the cabinet will set you back over £100, and the guns aren't too much at all This is why I have a real problem with silly BB guns or paintball guns that cost a grand or more - that there revolver, brand new, £595. I part ex'd a generation 1 version of the same gun for £300 so it only cost me £295! I got a Walther G22 for £290 and a Marlin lever action carbine in .357mag for £495... .357mag ammo costs about 18p a shot. .22lr is cheap as chips, something like £4 for 50 shots, pfft. 15p a target as well

 

TerribleTurner - I fired seven shots it's a Taurus model 66 7-shot Long Barreled Revolver. Important designation that, because as you know handguns are banned in this fine country of ours. A LBR has to have a barrel of 12" or more, and an overall length of 24" or more. So I'm not compensating for a lack anywhere else in life thanks and that also explains the coathanger, sorry, wrist brace, welded on the butt of the gun.

 

As Alex says, shooting, for me anyway, is all about the discipline and control, and knowing myself. One of the pictures shows how far away the target is, and you aim at the centre of the black bit in the middle, that's the 10-spot. It's about 3cm in diameter, and you are trying to get all 10 shots in a row in it from 25 metres away, freestanding with no scope If I get less than 95/100 with the carbine I consider it junk, and with the revolver I consider dropping them out of the black as a disaster, but I've been shooting for 15 years now It's great fun, and nothing beats the feeling of getting a 100/100, which I've managed 3 times ever (my first is framed ).

 

-Ian

[Gaz Walker]

Nice info there Ian. I've shot when I went to the US. Great experience. I wanted to do it in the UK but thought it was nigh on impossible for new users after the recent laws were introduced.

 

I guess I should have asked!

 

 

Gaz.

[tbourner]

Thanks Ian, that could very well be an alternative to getting a bike then!!! I might have to look into it, see if there's a club round here anywhere, do some gun research and stuff. My mate's a reasonably long serving copper so I can get references and my history is clean. Never fired a gun - I have a blank firer but never even fired that!! Sounds like fun anyway!

[Ark]

Thanks Ian, that could very well be an alternative to getting a bike then!!! I might have to look into it, see if there's a club round here anywhere, do some gun research and stuff. My mate's a reasonably long serving copper so I can get references and my history is clean. Never fired a gun - I have a blank firer but never even fired that!! Sounds like fun anyway!

 

Sorry to sound like a wet blanket, but guns are not fun. They are a very serious business, and must be highly respected. Because of the discipline required to do it well, you have to approach the sport with a very determined attitude - it's highly rewarding whe you get it right, as Ian says.

[tbourner]

Why do it if it's not fun? What do you get out of it if you don't enjoy it? Sorry but that's a stupid statement, you don't need to hate doing something just because you respect it!!