Guns are heavily restricted in the U.K. but contrary to what many people believe including many brits - owning a firearm is not illegal.
On average, Britain has 6.5 guns per 100 people, compared to the USA, which has 101 guns per 100 people, according to the Small Arms Survey. Unlike the Americans with the 2nd amendment Gun ownership in the U.K. is a privilege, not a right. Whether or not this is the right approach is not up for debate in this video but feel free to discuss it at length in the comments section.
Firearms control in the U.K. is among the toughest in the world, and firearms offenses continue to make up less than 0.2 percent of recorded crime.
As you would expect with such low gun ownership, gun related death are incredibly rare. According to the Geneva declaration of Armed violence and development, it stands at 1 death per million people per year. The UK population is around 56 million people and only adds up to about 50-60 gun homicides annually.
The rules around gun ownership can vary depending on where you are in the UK particularly in Northern Ireland where due to the Good Friday agreement the laws are much less restrictive and over 5% of the population own a firearm though these gun owners are not permitted to transport their weapons to mainland Britain.
So who in general can obtain a firearm?
To possess or purchase a firearm an individual must be assessed as not posing a threat to public safety by the police, who act as the licensing authority. In addition, the individual must have good reason to own a firearm and be able to demonstrate to the licensing authority that they require their firearm for work, sport or leisure on a regular, legitimate basis such as being a member of a target-shooting club. The reason the police are the licensing authority is that they possess local information that helps inform their judgment and discretion over what constitutes a good reason is often left up to chief officers.
To obtain a firearm in the UK a person must undergo a strict vetting procedure which includes interviews, visits to the person’s property, criminal records checks and references from friends. In addition, the applicant’s GP may be contacted.
Once a firearm license is issued and paid for the licensed individual must store their guns securely to avoid access by any unlicensed person.
What firearms are licensed?
Unless declared 'specially dangerous by the firearms (dangerous air weapons rules) 1969 Low powered air weapons are generally not licensed In England and Wales.
It is often said that Handguns are outright banned which is not strictly true. An individual may own long-barrelled revolvers and long-barrelled pistols which are defined with a barrel at least 30cm in length and the firearm is at least 60cm long Long-barrelled single-shot firearms of any caliber, and semi-automatic pistols of .22 rimfire calibers, are permitted with Firearms certificate. Those that fall below measurements and do not meet these criteria would be considered a “pistol” in UK law and are effectively banned with the exception of muzzle-loading pistols-including muzzle-loading revolvers which are permitted as long as they meet the criteria set forth in the regulations. All other pistols are prohibited in Great Britain.
Shotguns are legal as long as they can't hold more than three shotgun shells - including the one in the chamber if it's a pump-action or semiautomatic shotgun are allowed on a shotgun certificate, however, Shotguns with a detachable magazine or larger fixed magazine are permitted on a Section 1 Firearm Certificate.
Rifles are also permitted - these are defined by UK law as a rifled firearm with a barrel longer than 30 cm (12 in), and a total length of the rifles as longer than 60 cm (24 in) and that does not fall under the classification of long-barrelled revolver or pistol. These are permitted in any caliber size as long as it doesn’t meet the definition of self-loading (semi-automatic) or pump action which are only permitted at a .22 rimfire caliber
What might surprise you is that under UK law is that you can own the following weaponry - with the correct licensing of course
- the M & P 15-22 which is based on the AR15,
- Heckler & Koch HK416
- Semi-automatic .22 Heckler & Koch MP5
- Ruger 10/22
- Beretta ARX 160
- as long as the Calibre is under .22 rimfire you can own a UZI.
So next time someone says the UK banned guns - we didn’t but we do strongly restrict and control who can own firearms and what firearms can be owned - and generally speaking culturally we don’t have the same affinity or interest in firearms as our American cousins
Whether that’s a good or bad thing I will leave up to you?
So let me know in the comments your thoughts on the UK's approach to gun laws I would love to hear it? Does it shock you? Concern you?
7 июл 2024
