Are Englands gun laws changing?

[battleship]

Good buddies gun photos, what are you saying, there just photos, come on guys i would not waste my time if thats all they were just pics and a pipe dream. Perhaps the lock ness monster can shed better light on it than us.

[wilit]

My guess is he's pulling your leg and they're really deactivated guns (perfectly legal in the UK pending current legislation to ban them because bad guys have figured out how to repair them into working order).

http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/deactivatedguns.htm#post

[battleship]

You could be right in your thinking Wilit, but it does not seem to me that he would bother with such bookends, i shall attempt to get him to join calguns or email me letting me know just what is going on here.

[bigthaiboy]

I am from the UK, and can assure you that that there is no way he can own a handgun. The handgun ban was introduced in 1997 following the Dunblane Massacre, and all legally owned handguns had to be surrendered (the handguns and long guns that you owned are logged onto your Firearms Certificate - FAC)) in return for a fair market value compensation (although many, many people have still to receive any money 11 years later because the Home Office exceeded their budget).

Also in 1997, The Firearms Amendment (No.2) Act, banned the ownership of all handgun calibers above a .22.

The only handguns to escape the ban were:

Antique and Muzzle-loading black powder guns
Guns of historic interest whose ammunition is no longer available ('Section 7.1' weapons)
Guns of historic interest with current calibres ('Section 7.3' weapons)
Air pistols
Guns which fall outside the Home Office definition of "Handguns" (e.g. NSRA "Long Arms", and Long-Barreled Handguns both Small- and Full-bore), where their dimensions - usually barrel length, but also overall firearm length, rules them out of the Home Office definitions, so for legal purposes, they are treated as rifles.
Guns of historic interest are ones typically manufactured before 1919. Since Section 7.3 historic weapons use currently available ammunition, they must be kept at a secure designated site such as the Bisley camp.

So the long barrelled revolver with the stock could possibly be classified as a rifle, but I cannot see how he could legally own the semi-autos, unless he has sent them off to be permanently deactivated prior to the 1997 ban or purchased them deactivated after the ban.

Semi Auto and pump-action centerfire rifles were banned in 1988 following the Hungerford Massacre under the Firearms Amendment Act.

I cannot see how a steel worker family man (presumable in the North of England) could legally own semi auto handguns or rifles (unless he moonlighted for the SAS or MI-5 in his spare time. )

[Sal]

i know for sure the 1911 in the pic is airsoft, notice the ASGK marking on the side of the frame, along with the WA that stands for western arms. Also, notice the extra mag in the holster, notice the spring is very thin and wraps side to side in the mag, definately airsoft.

that SV looks just like the airsoft models too including the gold colored barrel, along with the sig looking rather plasticy.

[cseabass]

i know for sure the 1911 in the pic is airsoft, notice the ASGK marking on the side of the frame, along with the WA that stands for western arms. Also, notice the extra mag in the holster, notice the spring is very thin and wraps side to side in the mag, definately airsoft.

that SV looks just like the airsoft models too including the gold colored barrel, along with the sig looking rather plasticy.

beat me to it... those are WA guns airsoft. lease the 1911s.

[battleship]

Im not disagreeing with anyone of your assumptions and your knowledge, infact im starting to think you could be correct with the airsoft statment, i know hes a gun fanatic and he owns many shot guns and rifles, he sent thse pictures to me after i sent some of mine. im awaiting his email that will hopefully put this to rest and confirm the gun laws in England as some of you have done here.