Weapons and Cruising

[anjou]

Shotgun and rifle ownership is permitted in the uk to persons who are psychologically vetted and vouched for by a legally binding signatory of enhanced standing in the community who can prove your aquaintance with them for several years. (doctor, lawyer, judge, MP, minister etc) Doctors permission is also needed before you are interviewed and the place where the guns are kept is visited and you must keep them in a police approved storage cabinet with ammo and firing bolt locked separately. The cabinet must be bolted to a masonary wall within your home out of view. Guns cannot be modified or have barrels shorter than 24'' and not hold more than 3 shells or have auto reloading actions. ie, pump, bolt action or break open only

In the case of rifles further more stringent checks are done, more restrictions such as you have to show good reason for needing to own the weapon, provide proof of where it will be used, ie, a land owners permission to shoot on that land and the amount of ammunition you wish to buy and use and hold in a year must be stipulated. A weapon type and cal must also be stipulated on the license application and thats the only type/s your alowed. You cannot lend, sell, rent out to anyone else without filling paperwork and notifying the officer who licensed you.

No hand guns are permitted at all, not even to olympic sports people. Our Olympic handgun shooting team have to train in France.

The criminals on the other hand, .............well thats a different story.

[Fishman_Tx]

Ah! Thanks for the update! Well, all is not lost. At least some are able to retain their firearms. Read about the Olympic shooting team, that sucks.

[drifting]

A Devon yachtsman who kept a sawn-off shotgun for protection against piracy has been jailed for a year.

Nicholas Tomory, 56, of Exminister, admitted having the pump-action Beretta on board his yacht in Brixham harbour.
His defence lawyer said Tomory intended to sail to the South Pacific and may need the weapon if he "encountered some problems in international waters".
Exeter Crown Court was told "piracy is not a myth", but this was rejected by the judge who said: "Not in Brixham."

'Weapons carried'

The prohibited gun was found on board Tomory's boat, VX Acora, when it was raided by UK Border Agency officers last October.
Defence lawyer Mary McCarthy told the court it was "well known in the yachting community that weapons of this type are carried".
But Judge Graham Cottle said the boat builder father, who had no previous convictions, had possessed the gun for 20 years after disarming a man at a party in Bristol.

Tomory faced a mandatory five year jail sentence, but this was reduced to 12 months by Judge Graham Cottle.
"I accept you had no criminal intent in relation to that weapon." the judge told Tomory.

Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC News - Devon yachtsman jailed for 'piracy protection' shotgun

Published: 2010/03/01 14:21:27 GMT

[David_Old_Jersey]

Different gun ownership rules in this little corner of the UK - from handguns to heavy calibre weaponary (albeit my feeling is that if you need a tripod, or a truck , to mount the weapon you probably also need a shrink ).

Anyone know what the procedure is for visiting mainland UK whilst carrying weaponary? Report on arrival? / notify in advance? and do they remove from the vessel or seal onboard when in port?

[anjou]

David, my advice is, check it out BEFORE you set sail, not when you arrive.
There are procedures for exporting and transporting guns abroad. Shooters who like to take their Purdeys or Holland and Hollands over seas for sport shooting can do so legitimately but I dont know the form.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by anjou

David, my advice is, check it out BEFORE you set sail, not when you arrive.

Yeah, I was planning on doing that Just wondering aloud if any folks from other countries (no names ) had experiances in the UK.

Of course if a visit did require notification in advance, could have a bit of fun with that

[FrankZ]

David,

You just want to call the PM's office and say "I am on my way and I am bringing my guns!"

That should get you the right people involved.

[Fishman_Tx]

Like the UK version of Special Forces or the ATF. Or the navy! LOL!

[anjou]

MI5 and MI6

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by anjou

MI5 and MI6

Shhhh

Will try and compose an appropriate e-mail over the next few months..........will let folks know the response

[goboatingnow]

You know, so much has been said, But I think the following apply

(a) This topic is generally only seen on US forums
(b) The concensus is that the hassle of complying with local laws makes it a pain to carry a firearm on board
(c) In general its not much use anyway, if thoese attacking you have them your already dead
(d) The world and its people are generally OK.

Next!

[s/v Jedi]

The gun laws in Holland are much the same as in the UK except we can still have hand guns. When attending a competition in the UK, all that's needed is the paper showing you entered that competition and you declare the gun(s) & ammo on the airport while checking it, showing your license etc. They react like if it's a suitcase with T-shirts and underwear so I guess it's done often.

But entering the UK by private yacht is very different of course. Normally, when you declare it upon entering in any country, they will return it when you leave but what happens in between is different everywhere, even among ports of the same country or the officer involved. Flare guns same thing, not allowed.

I know the USA requires paperwork done in advance but that is the only exception that I am aware of. If you don't prepare it all correctly, they will confiscate the gun permanently, even if it's a shotgun.

cheers,
Nick.

[goboatingnow]

Of all the nations I visted by Boat , The US is the most bureaucratic and has some of the harshest penalties, funny isnt it.

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You know, so much has been said, But I think the following apply

(a) This topic is generally only seen on US forums
(b) The concensus is that the hassle of complying with local laws makes it a pain to carry a firearm on board
(c) In general its not much use anyway, if thoese attacking you have them your already dead
(d) The world and its people are generally OK.

Next!

Shhh. Your logic is taking away all their fun!