gjduk posted on June 20, 2009 03:26
How ever much it might pain me, I actually sat and read most of the Gun Control Networks website today. This was to find out who they are and what they want. One of the biggest things I found was the objectives page on the site found here http://www.gun-control-network.org/GCN10.htm, now although most of their objectives you could say are already met by existing legislation eg
1) The minimum age for buying an air rifle is already 18 due to the VCR Act, and under 18 or 16 I can not remember which, you need to be supervised to use one.
2) One certification system for all firearms, well this is already the case to some degree, if it is not sub 12ft/lbs or 6 ft/lbs for pistols, it already has a central system, which is common for shotgun and other firearms. It is just the judgement criteria is slightly different for shotguns as these are more widely used for farming etc.
3) Certification for deactivated guns, if the gun is to be used again it would need to be put on a certificate, and most of these you can not buy ammunition for anyway, and if you wanted to use powder to make your own, guess what you need a licence.
4) Ban Practical or combat shooting or any shooting practice which involves the simulation of real life situations and / or the use of human shaped targets. Most of this is already covered, human shaped targets have already been banned except on MOD ranges, and most practical and combat style shooting it not that close to real life, as it is just a course of targets layed out with things to get in your way. Even normal target shooting would still prepare you for real world situations, you still have distance, and weather conditions to deal with to hit what you are aiming at, what do they think snipers do, shoot real people all day while they practice.
At the bottom of this page, they mention we are a small minority sport. Although compared to say Sunday league football, yes we might be seen as smaller, but if any one has ever been to Bisley on an open day, or visited a game fair, they will know that this is not a small minority sport. As far as I am aware we are still one of the top commonwealth shooting teams, and in the past we won more medals for shooting disciplines than the other sports altogether at the olympics. It is just the media do not report on our sport, and as such, the general public do not realise the wealth of shooting skill in the UK, and the number of top shots we have. Maybe, just maybe the 2012 Olympics will bring our sport in to the light a bit more as it has already got alot of press due to the shooting venue, and I suspect people will be curious. This has already been seen as club level, as the club I am a member of has grown significantly in recent times.
So what does this all say to me, overall I think the Gun Control Network is a place for people who have no interest in firearms other than to remove them as they see them as a problem, even though if they probably meet all their objectives and more it would not reduce crimes committed with firearms, as you can not control people who do not follow the rules. This has already been proven with the small arms ban (known as the pistol ban) as crimes committed with pistols have shot through the roof since it's introduction.
So to answer the question I started this post with, No! we are not a small minority sport, we are just a unreported sport.