Vocal Voices

I don't know if the judge's actual name was Burke, but never mind.

There has been a case in the news recently about a registered firearms dealer called Paul Edmunds, who was supplying guns to criminals.

Specifically Edmunds was exploiting a loophole in UK gun laws, part of which state that if a pistol is classified as an "obsolete calibre" (ie, no manufacturer makes ammunition for that particular gun any more) then you can buy one. Anyone can buy one of these pistols - for the moment. Most are still n perfect working order.

What Edmunds and others know is that making ammunition can be achieved by people with engineering skills and access to a few components. He was making bullets to fit obsolete calibre guns and supplying both to criminals. He is now serving a long sentence as a guest of her Majesty.

So what is the Judge in his trial recommending? To ban "sniper rifles which can kill people a mile away". We'll pass up on how difficult it is to actually hit anything a mile away with a rifle and just ask - how many times has a .50 calibre rifle been used in a crime in the UK? Answer - never. But let's just ban them anyway, eh?

The UK's gun laws are a mess and they need tidying up, true. But if they are going to be, can we please have someone in charge who actually knows what they are talking about, instead of just another "ban everything" merchant?

The problem with judges, lawyers and law makers is that they know the law but have all the practical skills of a new born baby.

I am glad you mentioned making ammunition. Donkey's years ago we were making darts for .22 break-back air rifles on dad's workbench lathe in the shed. Jimmy and I were not even teenagers.

When it comes to long range rifles I have experience of 1000 yd ranges with an SLR. With a strong tail wind and a few nights off the booze you would be lucky to hit the revetments never mind the target. On the long walk to check your progress you would tramp over thousands of rounds that had dropped short because the shooter did not take gravity into account. When faced with a long range weapon in the hands of someone who is not an 'expert' expert the safest place to be is what he thinks he is aiming at.

If gun laws were handed over to a group of old school RSMs things would be a lot different.

I think Burke is too kind a word for him.

Never mind the fact that after the pistol ban, the criminal gangs were flooded with pistols. Or that you are more likely to be murdered with a knife than a weapon, or that the crack down on knives has driven Criminals to acid??

As for long range weapons?? I can hit 300m targets with an SLR with no issue. 600m targets with an SA80, no issue, but to hit a target at over a mile takes maths which is, generally beyond my fast computational ability.

Judge D1ck is about it..