idle curiosity

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[align=left][/align]Given that a handful of Britons are allowed to possess firearms, I'm curious about the problems they face procuring ammunition -- availability, prices, etc. I presume the police cause the maximum inconvenience.

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Your question intrigued me. So I searched. I found a couple of places that seem to sell real guns / ammo (most places I found sold CO2 items).

These guys are in East Sussex - and they deliver.
http://www.championammunition.co.uk/

These guys are located in Leicestershire
http://www.snipersystems.co.uk/

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Im not sure, but I think to purchase ammo, they have to show the "permit" they have to own firearms. And they can only buy ammunition for the firearms they own.

I knew one man in England that legally reloaded his own rifle ammo too.



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I cant say about the U.K, but I was back in Ireland in January to collect my sidearm and bring it home with me, I went to the range one day and bought 50 rounds of Wolf 9mm. That cost EURO 14.50

Thats about $20.00 for 50 rounds.........

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irish_ironsight wrote:

I cant say about the U.K, but I was back in Ireland in January to collect my sidearm and bring it home with me, I went to the range one day and bought 50 rounds of Wolf 9mm. That cost EURO 14.50

Thats about $20.00 for 50 rounds.........

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What kind of sidearm did you have there?

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I had a rarity by Irish Standards in that I had a license for a Glock 19c.

Only one 1200 handguns licensed in the country last year, under the newly enacted licensing system there are now less that 300 handguns licensed.

Crazy Laws.... glad I dont live there any longer !

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Wow, that is strange!

Did they allow you to bring it back to the USA?

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Yes, I had asked the TF almost a year ago about getting an import perrmit, that took about 6 weeks to get.

I asked for export papers in Ireland and that took almost a year !

Got the authority from the Police
" " " " " Dept of Justice
" " " " " Dept of Trade,, complicated, dont ask
" " " " " Irish Customs

And then I went over just to collect the pistol.

I refused to allow the Police to take it into their growing collection, it cost a lot of money to buy and license so I refused to give it up on principal.

My humble 19c cost me EURO 750 to buy ....$ 1000.00
Plus gun safe, plus monitored alarm, plus insurance, plus range membership, plus upgraded security to the house and the list goes on, all in all it cost in the region of $4000.00 to actually get the gun....

Can you see why they are a valued prize...

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irish_ironsight wrote:

Yes, I had asked the TF almost a year ago about getting an import perrmit, that took about 6 weeks to get.

I asked for export papers in Ireland and that took almost a year !

Got the authority from the Police
" " " " " Dept of Justice
" " " " " Dept of Trade,, complicated, dont ask
" " " " " Irish Customs

And then I went over just to collect the pistol.

I refused to allow the Police to take it into their growing collection, it cost a lot of money to buy and license so I refused to give it up on principal.

My humble 19c cost me EURO 750 to buy ....$ 1000.00
Plus gun safe, plus monitored alarm, plus insurance, plus range membership, plus upgraded security to the house and the list goes on, all in all it cost in the region of $4000.00 to actually get the gun....

Can you see why they are a valued prize...

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Yes, what you did was 100% spot on!

Even if you got the gun for a few dollars, not giving it up to them is the most important thing IMHO.

What kind of Semi-Auto rifles were you allowed to own there?

I noticed you live very close to where my mother lives.
Perhaps you would want to meet up and shoot sometime.

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Semi Auto Rifles........ please, let me stop laughing first

NO......NO.....No..........that would be the official response to that idea, Ireland has some very interesting laws on firearms.

basically if it looks like a military style weapon... it's banned....

if it's semi auto it's banned..

more than 3 rounds in a semi auto rifle magazine.... its banned

The license application form is 9 pages long, you need references, you need to release all your medical information, you have to agree to psychological testing at any given time..

Sheer madness......... and unless people here in the USA get out and campaign actively for their rights, this level of madness will be here next ..

Support any gun right organization...... just pick one and go with it you will be saving your own future !

Love to shoot with you sometime, Im still looking for a range locally where I am welcome !


THE EDITED BIT:

Oh I forgot that ammunition also regulated, you can only buy ammunition for the firearm licensed to you, the number of rounds is also regulated, in my case I was allowed to have a maximum of 150 rounds in my possession.

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Yes I agree, America is heading that way real soon if we gun owners dont get our act together!

I dont think Morgantown, WV is that far from you driving in I-68

There is an indoor pistol range that only charges $7 and you can shoot as long as you want.
He also gives you free targets too.

Really good guy who owns/runs the place.

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Thanks to all for the anecdotes and keep them coming. They remind me of how blessed we are to live in America.

Now for the irony: The Ireland we know today would not exist were it not for men with guns and the guts to use them. Now these same people are treated like dirt by the nation they created. There's a dire warning here to America: Trust these flannel-mouth politicians at your peril. Nothing is more important to them than power and 99.9 percent of them will sacrifice whomever it takes to hold on to that power. To them, the people are just a resource to be used.

The tragedy of history is that only America is making it work. Russia, China, Vietnam all won their systems through arms and then proceeded to disarm the people after they served the elite's purpose.

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You are truely blessed to live in America (BTW many of "The founding fathers" where sensible Welsh men). When I had a Firearms certificate, the only "cheap " way to shoot non-military calibre weapons was to home load. 50 rounds of Winchester 357magnum cartridges cost abot £15 ($25). I could make 50 good quality linotype rounds for £5($8-9) aprox. One good thing about our amateur firearms laws is they do not worry about military calibres or magazine capacities. I had two 50 round bannana magazines that clipped together!!! They weren't even licenced. Didn't need to be.

Please US citizens, hold onto your guns, use them positively, and help us in less free countries get our rights back.

Thanks Marcus

and, dare I say it "God bless America"

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saveyourself wrote:

You are truely blessed to live in America (BTW many of "The founding fathers" where sensible Welsh men). When I had a Firearms certificate, the only "cheap " way to shoot non-military calibre weapons was to home load. 50 rounds of Winchester 357magnum cartridges cost abot £15 ($25). I could make 50 good quality linotype rounds for £5($8-9) aprox. One good thing about our amateur firearms laws is they do not worry about military calibres or magazine capacities. I had two 50 round bannana magazines that clipped together!!! They weren't even licenced. Didn't need to be.

Please US citizens, hold onto your guns, use them positively, and help us in less free countries get our rights back.

Thanks Marcus

and, dare I say it "God bless America"

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Thank you for the kind words.
My family is from the West Marches of the Scottish borders and I would like to have a summer home there in a few years.

But I often say to myself "never mind" because I dont want to reside, even temporarily in a country that wouldn't allow me to defend myself if the need presented itself.

As far as you living in Swansea, Wales. I watch the UK TV show called "Cops with Camera's" and they often film in your town.

I hope one day soon Wales and Scotland declare independence from England and allow its citizens the right to own ALL types of firearms.

The biggest hurdle for you folks though is properly educating the citizens.

So many UK residents that I speak with are extremely fearful of citizens owning guns.

Due to the last 30-40 years of anti gun propaganda by the BBC and other British press, most of the UK citizens are completely brain washed.

I get sick and tired of British telling me "You yanks have guns and there are shooting everywhere!" which is NOT true at all. Most shootings that happen here are usually in teh crime ridden ghettos.
Most of the shooting here in America are drug war related.
But because of the brainwashing, the Brits think the USA is still like the wild west. Which ofcourse makes them not want the right to own firearms.

Like I told one other Brit here on the forum. You are more than welcome to immigrate to the USA and enjoy a life of freedom, gun rights and a much more affordable cost of living.
Plus, we have more "fit birds" over here in America that Im sure you would like to get to know...... hehehe
Most American girls think a British accent is extremely attractive.

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Ha ha. Yep, those shows have often been filmed in Swansea. Many parts of the city are a bit dodgey, I'm very lucky to live in the good side - Mumbles(google it-apart from the ropey gun laws it's a nice part of town).

You wouldn't believe the Neg attitude to good people having a little pistol for home defence, even from seamingly bright people.

I know that the big gun crime problems of America are purely a problem in the worst parts of town amongst areas that are wrecked. Ive heard that the "normal" areas are safer than many UK cities.

No one has to fear me wearing a nice Glock on my hip, ok some thug may, but certainly not of my countrymen.

My wife would not be happy with fit-birds fancying my accent - I might be a bit flatered though!:celebrate

Thanks for your support. yours Marcus

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saveyourself wrote:

Ha ha. Yep, those shows have often been filmed in Swansea. Many parts of the city are a bit dodgey, I'm very lucky to live in the good side - Mumbles(google it-apart from the ropey gun laws it's a nice part of town).

You wouldn't believe the Neg attitude to good people having a little pistol for home defence, even from seamingly bright people.

I know that the big gun crime problems of America are purely a problem in the worst parts of town amongst areas that are wrecked. Ive heard that the "normal" areas are safer than many UK cities.

No one has to fear me wearing a nice Glock on my hip, ok some thug may, but certainly not of my countrymen.

My wife would not be happy with fit-birds fancying my accent - I might be a bit flatered though!:celebrate

Thanks for your support. yours Marcus

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I apologize, I shouldn't have assumed you were single.

Have you and your wife ever visited America? If so, what parts?

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Oh don't worry, I'm only alowed to look. Sunglasses are a great invention

I intend to visit the US one day. I may have to do the Disney thing to keep the children happy. With the high prices in France it may actually be cheaper to fly all the way over to the States, and I could find a local range for a bit of much needed practice.

I would LOVE to visit a proper US town. I have ancestors who moved to Indiana in the 1820-1830's. They had/have a farm in the Franklin area.

I hear Indiana has some good gun law?

I hope I haven't highjacket a thread here:uhoh:

M

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Indiana is ok I guess. to OC you need a license, and I think they allow full auto firearms too.

There are states that are better and some are worse than Indiana. Ohio which isnt very far away is pretty good. So is Kentucky and Pennsylvania. States that are very close to Indiana.


If you come to the USA let me know. If you are in my area Id be more than happy to take you shooting.

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Midway actually has a UK webstore.

http://www.midwayuk.com/

I'm not sure how much you can actually get there, it looks like powder, primers and ammunition are all heavily regulated and it looks like midway is doing most of its business with local county dealers rather than direct-buy online.

I look at what happened in the UK (as well as Canada and Australia) and cringe, hoping it never gets that bad here in the USA but fearing that it will.

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Which states? Well, we Tennesseans have it pretty good as does most of the Old South. Most of the states between the Mississippi and the Left Coast are good.

Lots of places don't have formal public ranges because they aren't needed. Shooting can be done in just about any unpopulated area. I shoot in my yard.

BTW, my ancestor (bless his memory) left the Loch Tay region in the 1720s.