Air Arms Owners Club

Looks like air weapon licencing has gone through over the border...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-35668626

It mentions that a prospective owner will need to justify why they require an air weapon (similar to when you apply for your FAC). I wonder whether back garden plinking will be accepted? Will you have to have land to shoot on or be a member of a club to meet the criteria?

James

I read the entire statute document yesterday and funnily enough, it details that there are some exemptions with regard to having to apply for an airgun licence. I've copied the relevant section from the new legal statute below:

SCHEDULE 1EXEMPTIONS

(introduced by section 2(3))
Approved air weapon clubs

1It is not an offence under section 2(1) for an individual (“A”) to use or possess an air weapon without holding an air weapon certificate if—

(a)A is a member of an approved air weapon club,

(b)the use or possession occurs while A is engaged as such a member—

(i)in target shooting at the club, another approved air weapon club, an event or competition, or

(ii)in connection with such target shooting, and

(c)where A is under the age of 14, A’s use and possession of an air weapon is supervised by another club member aged 21 years or more.


So it looks as if in Scotland, you will not have to apply for a license if you are a member of an approved air rifle target shooting club. Interesting!

And what about using it on private land with the owner's permission for pest control?

Raj wrote:And what about using it on private land with the owner's permission for pest control?

That Raj is basically who/what they intend to restrict the ownership to, we've known for years these aint toys, problem was, wee jimmy's mum thinks without a licence needed they are, not anymore, in scotland anyway!
I don't have a problem with licencing them for that reason, it isn't a toy, if you can't justify owning one, sorry sunshine,
buy a skateboard.

Hmm... I wonder what is classed as "land". What about the guys who have a fair sized garden and just like to plink there without doing any pest control? Are they no longer deemed suitable to own an air weapon? I, myself, got into this sport by back garden plinking and only got my permissions off the back of this.

You have to be 18 to buy an air weapon and if you decide to lend yours to someone aged between 14/17 imo the onus is on you to ensure that they are using it for a suitable purpose.

The following is BASC's take on it:

“Law-abiding shooters will now have to face the bureaucratic administrative nightmare that will be airgun licensing for no public benefit whatsoever.”

wastrel wrote:

Raj wrote:And what about using it on private land with the owner's permission for pest control?

That Raj is basically who/what they intend to restrict the ownership to, we've known for years these aint toys, problem was, wee jimmy's mum thinks without a licence needed they are, not anymore, in scotland anyway!
I don't have a problem with licencing them for that reason, it isn't a toy, if you can't justify owning one, sorry sunshine,
buy a skateboard.

My sentiments entirely Wastrel, very well put sir.