Interesting open letter concerning the lead shot/ammunition ban

I think in all honesty muzzle loaders and historical firearms should really be exempt from laws regulating lead. I mean not may are used and the have a cultural value in my view which outweighs the minimal damage to the environment.
In the same way that classic / vintage cars are granted exemptions to certain rules that apply to more modern vehicles 👍
 
I think in all honesty muzzle loaders and historical firearms should really be exempt from laws regulating lead. I mean not may are used and the have a cultural value in my view which outweighs the minimal damage to the environment.
I think the fear is if that approach is taken then it would mean opening the gate to actually evaluating the harm done by lead dispersal from various shooting practices. When the mantra at the minute is no level of lead dispersal or presence is safe that is very unlikely to happen no matter how logical that approach would be.
The political agenda at play evidenced by the 180 turn around in statements issued by the various representative bodies over the years leaves little room for supporting minimal impact lead ammunition use. The support for banning the use of lead shot on clay shooting grounds is a great example of the determination to follow that political agenda contrary to common sense.
 
In the same way that classic / vintage cars are granted exemptions to certain rules that apply to more modern vehicles 👍
If possession of lead shot itself is prohibited wouldn't exemptions lead to burden of proof issues with the onus on proving innocence rather than guilt, and is there not a risk that we find ourselves in a similar position to the now defunct expandible projectiles restrictions? This would of course require shotguns to be moved to S1 so that the certificate could be conditioned to permit purchases, possession and use of lead shot?
 
If possession of lead shot itself is prohibited wouldn't exemptions lead to burden of proof issues with the onus on proving innocence rather than guilt, and is there not a risk that we find ourselves in a similar position to the now defunct expandible projectiles restrictions? This would of course require shotguns to be moved to S1 so that the certificate could be conditioned to permit purchases, possession and use of lead shot?
I think you worry too much.
 
If possession of lead shot itself is prohibited wouldn't exemptions lead to burden of proof issues with the onus on proving innocence rather than guilt, and is there not a risk that we find ourselves in a similar position to the now defunct expandible projectiles restrictions? This would of course require shotguns to be moved to S1 so that the certificate could be conditioned to permit purchases, possession and use of lead shot?
Judging from the remarks around tfe Policing Minister's ideas, that may well be the plan!
 
Actually I think that there's a wider issue here:-
The police want good reason to apply to shotguns
The government wants to further restrict what ammunition we can use
The shooting community wants sound moderators to no longer be treated as firearms - the government has agreed to this, but instead of dealing with it by statutory instrument have said that they want to move primary legislation.

Doesn't it rather look like an amended, more restrictive Firearms Act is on the government's agenda?
 
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Actually I think that there's a wider issue here:-
The police want good reason to apply to shotguns
The government wants to further restrict what ammunition we can use
The shooting community wants sound moderators to no longer be treated as firearms - the government has agreed to this, but instead of dealing with it by statutory instrument have said that they want to move primary legislation.

Doesn't it rather look like an ammended, more restrictive Firearms Act is on the government's agenda?
basc welcomes ? .......
 
I'm not convinced that the bigger picture is quite as big as you think it is.

Shall we agree to differ? 😂
Absolutely, but I would point out that for the government to achieve its goals amending the Firearms Act would save themselves an awful lot of effort and parliamentary time.
Within the context of parliamentary draughtman's time:-
Moving shotguns to s1 -simple cut & paste
Prohibited ammunition- simple edit of existing sections to add the new prohibitions
Sound moderators- simple deletion of relevant section.
 
Absolutely, but I would point out that for the government to achieve its goals amending the Firearms Act would save themselves an awful lot of effort and parliamentary time.
Within the context of parliamentary draughtman's time:-
Moving shotguns to s1 -simple cut & paste
Prohibited ammunition- simple edit of existing sections to add the new prohibitions
Sound moderators- simple deletion of relevant section.
I'm with you Tim, but love the idea of the fuzz trying to process it all. They can barely cope with firearms alone.
 
I'm with you Tim, but love the idea of the fuzz trying to process it all. They can barely cope with firearms alone.
You rather hope that at some point the government takes on board the modernisation of secure financial transactions over the past 40 or 50 years to see if lessons can be learnt to bring firearms administration out of the 1920s and into the modern era .
 
You rather hope that at some point the government takes on board the modernisation of secure financial transactions over the past 40 or 50 years to see if lessons can be learnt to bring firearms administration out of the 1920s and into the modern era .
They're having enough of a job trying to bring ammunition into the modern era, let alone the associated admin! Just think of the resistance there would be from all those nostalgic shooters!
 
What utter tosh from the so called voice of shooting.
Can you name a muzzleloader with a barrel less than 6.17mm?
Let me answer for you, no, you bloody can't.

Yet again from the voice of no experience with muzzleloading shotguns he or they believe an alternative will work.
It doesn't.
For a start off most muzzleloader shotguns only generate around a 1000fps. Most have no choke. They are short range guns using shot and depends vastly on the weight of the shot per pellet.
You CAN NOT push shot from a muzzleloader quicker without ruining patterns due to the nature of the gasses produced.
Yet again a " I wash my hands in the matter approach".

I hope you have many a good day with your posh chums talking utter tosh amongst yourselves.
It's true what my old gamekeeper said about septic tanks....
Thanks, I will pass your feedback onto colleagues.
 
They're having enough of a job trying to bring ammunition into the modern era, let alone the associated admin! Just think of the resistance there would be from all those nostalgic shooters!
not really Tim ...... for a start its not bringing ammunition into the modern era its an unecesarry restriction introducing an inferior material , and secondly anything that makes firearms licencing simpler while not causing extra restrictions on fac holders can only be a good thing , the caveat being no extra restricitions
 
not really Tim ...... for a start its not bringing ammunition into the modern era its an unecesarry restriction introducing an inferior material , and secondly anything that makes firearms licencing simpler while not causing extra restrictions on fac holders can only be a good thing , the caveat being no extra restricitions
My tongue was firmly in my cheek, as I'm sure you're well aware.
 
They're having enough of a job trying to bring ammunition into the modern era, let alone the associated admin! Just think of the resistance there would be from all those nostalgic shooters!
I'm afraid that the supply chain has pretty much let us down on that one, perhaps the government needs to kick start things by providing cartridge manufacturers with grants to come up with and distribute viable alternatives?out of stock.webp
 
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