Are guns 100% illegal in the UK?

[Jh1479]

What about tasers or other anti-rape devices?

Nope, they dont believe anyone should have what they need to be able to defend themselves here.

[samsbolton]

You can have a shotgun license, or an FAC (firearms cert) if you want a firearm that fires cartridge ammo.

The stipulations are strict.

If you have land to shoot on or are a farmer, game keeper, or ghillie etc it’s easy to obtain a license.

Pistols and target rifles are available to own, if you’re a member of a club with a range.

If you don’t, it’s very very difficult.

All firearms must be kept in a locker, that is bolted to two surfaces, ie the floor and a wall.

The keys must never be kept nearby. Ammo can be kept anywhere. Police often carry out spot checks.

A criminal record, or history of mental illness, bars you from owning any firearm for life.

Hope this helps

I don’t think you can even keep a target pistol at home

It’s famously made it almost impossible for the British Olympic shooters to practise

Btw I’ve tried clay pigeon, I concluded it was the sort of sport for people who were literally useless at everything else. Although part of me wants to retire to a grouse estate and shout at the servants

[samsbolton]

Damn that sucks. My female friends in Brasil, Poland... they bring Pepperspray. In Philippines, one can buy it at the mall.

What do women carry for protection?

Have you seen our women?

[Jh1479]

What do women carry for protection?

Its totally abnormal to carry ANY type of weapon or self defence item in the UK even for women, only people who do are gangsters.

[samsbolton]

If someone breaks in to your home there, are you allowed to stab them if they don't have a weapon?

‘Reasonable force’

In theory, no you can’t, in practise you can go full law abiding citizen and you’ll be fine

[Jh1479]

This was the reason for the banning of weapons in the UK


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungerford_massacre

[Dan101]

If someone breaks in to your home there, are you allowed to stab them if they don't have a weapon?

It's illegal for you to do that BUT you have a high chance of getting away with it if your defence could prove you feared for your personal safety, reached out in desperation, you could not flee the situation instead of physical confrontation. Lot's would be factored in including your age, sex, size, physical ability etc. Strong chance you would go to court and also you would be open to civil suits from the person you stabbed.

Bare in mind though incidents of violent crime in the UK are a fraction of what they are in the US.

[samsbolton]

This was the reason for the banning of weapons in the UK


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungerford_massacre

Rubbish, that was one case that tightened the laws, as did Dunblane. They weren’t ‘legal’ before then, firearms have always been heavily restricted

[isingmodel]

You have to be a member of a gun club, have an inspection of your storage for the firearm from the police, plus some other conditions, and then you can own certain firearms.

You can buy straight-pull .223 variants of AR15s. Not that anyone here gives a fuk, but if you really wanted.

[Muzzlrpress]

‘Reasonable force’

In theory, no you can’t, in practise you can go full law abiding citizen and you’ll be fine

It's illegal for you to do that BUT you have a high chance of getting away with it if your defence could prove you feared for your personal safety, reached out in desperation, you could not flee the situation instead of physical confrontation. Lot's would be factored in including your age, sex, size, physical ability etc. Strong chance you would go to court and also you would be open to civil suits from the person you stabbed.

Bare in mind though incidents of violent crime in the UK are a fraction of what they are in the US.

So basically you have to kinda prove they were enough of a threat to stab. No chasing them down with a knife to stab in the back if they're trying to escape with a laptop basically right?

[jimbob007]

You can have guns, but only under strict conditions. If you are a farmer & of reasonably sound mind then you can own them for your job-shooting lame livestock & shooting dogs or other predators that are attacking them. But no, the chances of you getting a gun because you want to shoot animals randomly are zero-hunting is not remotely popular over here like it is in the US, people don't go out shooting animals unless they are very rich & live out in the country.

The only hunting is done by posh idiots, blowing bugles on horseback, with dogs going after foxes & hares/rabbits, although they have to use an artificial scent now. Coyotes/Wolves were hunted & deforested to extinction here a long time ago, we also exterminated Beavers in the 16th century, but are now gradually reintroducing them due to regular torrential flooding-especially up north.

[azumi121]

Wow...I never knew the UK was THIS cucked.

No wonder Mohammed’s are going in dry with screwdriver and acid attacks

[jimbob007]

Wow...I never knew the UK was THIS cucked.

No wonder Mohammed’s are going in dry with screwdriver and acid attacks

The laws were pretty relaxed until 1987 when Michael Ryan went crazy in Hungerford which led to new laws, then in 1996 the Dunblane school massacre which led to even stricter rules. You still get the occasional idiot like Derrick Bird or Raoul Moat going nuts, but generally it has solved the problem of random massacres. Also there is no gun culture here for the general public, we don't grow up being taught to shoot so it isn't embedded in our culture whatsoever. I never encountered a gun until I was 11 or 12 & was helping my father clear out one of his mothers friends house after she kept getting burgled & decided to move & there was an old rifle down in a basement. My mother went ape when he bought it home & told him he had to sell it as quickly as possible as she didn't want it in the house.

[NoFeels]

My dad has around 10-15 rifles/shotguns at home, it’s ridiculously difficult to keep them;

- the police visit your home frequently to inspect, they question your spouse and if they know where the keys to the safe are, they take your guns. You need 2 secure safes, one for guns, 1 for ammo, keys kept in different locations.

- police need to see evidence you are attending a shooting range frequently, if you don’t go often enough, they take your guns

- they write to your doctor regularly. One of his friends was diagnosed with cancer, they took his guns due to concerns over mental health following the diagnosis

- if you wish to purchase a firearm you need to apply to the government/police for that specific gun, and wait for the purchase to be approved before you can buy it

- pistols were legal when I was a kid, then some dude shot up a school in Scotland, and they banned them. The law actually states that guns under a certain length are banned, so he has a couple of pistols with a metal bar welded to the back of the handle to increase the length, supposed to be a stock of some kind

- if you commit even the most minor legal offence they take them all

Most weapons are illegal to own in UK though. If I had a hunting knife next to my bed and someone broke into my house and I stabbed them, I would be in a sticky situation. You’re better off having something to hand that’s not technically a weapon, like a bat etc

Can Americans really buy guns at a supermarket like in movies?

[EoR]

Have you seen our women?

Over there they call that a keeper.

[Rad203]

My dad has around 10-15 rifles/shotguns at home, it’s ridiculously difficult to keep them;

- the police visit your home frequently to inspect, they question your spouse and if they know where the keys to the safe are, they take your guns. You need 2 secure safes, one for guns, 1 for ammo, keys kept in different locations.

- police need to see evidence you are attending a shooting range frequently, if you don’t go often enough, they take your guns

- they write to your doctor regularly. One of his friends was diagnosed with cancer, they took his guns due to concerns over mental health following the diagnosis

- if you wish to purchase a firearm you need to apply to the government/police for that specific gun, and wait for the purchase to be approved before you can buy it

- pistols were legal when I was a kid, then some dude shot up a school in Scotland, and they banned them. The law actually states that guns under a certain length are banned, so he has a couple of pistols with a metal bar welded to the back of the handle to increase the length, supposed to be a stock of some kind

- if you commit even the most minor legal offence they take them all

Most weapons are illegal to own in UK though. If I had a hunting knife next to my bed and someone broke into my house and I stabbed them, I would be in a sticky situation. You’re better off having something to hand that’s not technically a weapon, like a bat etc

Can Americans really buy guns at a supermarket like in movies?

how the hell do you have 15 guns? I dont think i even know someone with one.

[soaponarope1]

There's a simple method to figure out if something is illegal in the UK, or much of Europe.

Could it reasonably be used to defend yourself from anything? If yes, then it is illegal as these people traded these types of rights to the state long ago.

[NoFeels]

how the hell do you have 15 guns? I dont think i even know someone with one.

I don’t live there but he definitely has at least 10. He applied for each one individually and has been collecting them for decades. It’s a bizarre hobby over here though, not something people talk about openly.

[Dan101]

So basically you have to kinda prove they were enough of a threat to stab. No chasing them down with a knife to stab in the back if they're trying to escape with a laptop basically right?

Haha you got it. You would likely be charged with murder/attempted murder if you actively pursued someone with a deadly weapon and used it on them, no matter what they had done prior. Reasonable Force laws state you are to do just enough, but no more, to stop the immediate threat towards your safety. If a man breaks into your home and attacks you the law would like you to push him away shouting orders for him to leave. If the attacks continues the law would like you to say punch the person once and back away to end the threat. Of course in real life it rarely goes down like this and everything happens in a blur so if you did reach for a weapon providing your defence could prove it was your only option to defend yourself you would likely get away with it, but it wouldn't be a nice few months ahead for you. Again various factors on the reality of the threat would be taken into account i.e. if you are a 25 year old 6ft 2 gymcell chad with a grade in BJJ and your attacker was an unarmed skinny 15 year old manlet and you decided to stab him you likely wouldn't get away with it.

[GreatOldOne]

You should watch Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...good movie.

[CrookedDink]

Can Americans really buy guns at a supermarket like in movies?

Yes you can buy a gun, ammo, pepper spray, a machete and your groceries at the same time at Walmart.

[Muzzlrpress]

My dad has around 10-15 rifles/shotguns at home, it’s ridiculously difficult to keep them;

- the police visit your home frequently to inspect, they question your spouse and if they know where the keys to the safe are, they take your guns. You need 2 secure safes, one for guns, 1 for ammo, keys kept in different locations.

- police need to see evidence you are attending a shooting range frequently, if you don’t go often enough, they take your guns

- they write to your doctor regularly. One of his friends was diagnosed with cancer, they took his guns due to concerns over mental health following the diagnosis

- if you wish to purchase a firearm you need to apply to the government/police for that specific gun, and wait for the purchase to be approved before you can buy it

- pistols were legal when I was a kid, then some dude shot up a school in Scotland, and they banned them. The law actually states that guns under a certain length are banned, so he has a couple of pistols with a metal bar welded to the back of the handle to increase the length, supposed to be a stock of some kind

- if you commit even the most minor legal offence they take them all

Most weapons are illegal to own in UK though. If I had a hunting knife next to my bed and someone broke into my house and I stabbed them, I would be in a sticky situation. You’re better off having something to hand that’s not technically a weapon, like a bat etc

Can Americans really buy guns at a supermarket like in movies?

Holy chit, y'all weren't kidding about restrictions.

You have to be 18 for a shotgun or rifle, and 21+ for handgun. Permit needed if you plan to conceal carry a weapon, and certain states don't allow concealed carry.

Most supermarkets don't sell them, but some Walmarts and certain sporting goods stores sell rifles and shotguns. There are dedicated gun stores you can shop at also. All you need is a government ID, clear a quick background check, and that's it. Private selling is as you'd expect, no background checks, just buying a gun off some guy. It's not illegal to have an unregistered firearm.

[andy0w]

Let's say you live out in the sticks and want to kill a deer or wild coyotes or something. Is there absolutely no way for you to get a rifle or shotgun legally?

There are no coyotes. And you can't just kill wild animals, gun or no gun.

There are people who have a gun legally. But it's like having a p e n i s - you shan't flash it around. And usage is restricted.

[jimbob007]

Damn that sucks. My female friends in Brasil, Poland... they bring Pepperspray. In Philippines, one can buy it at the mall.

What do women carry for protection?

Usually a rape alarm-any weapon is prohibited over here. Unless you have a very good reason for having a knife on you in public-like a tool of your trade if you are a carpet fitter etc then you could go to jail for something like five years if the old bill stop you & find it. A lot of women here do wear high heels-so that would be one weapon that wouldn't be illegal.

[Vexidi]

Sounds like it's better to just get them illegally in the UK. I'm sure there are plenty of slavs around who sell them. Especially if the fukin cops come sniffing around checking your chit when they know you're a gun owner.

[AWillis]

If someone breaks in to your home there, are you allowed to stab them if they don't have a weapon?

only if you want to go to prison. and the intruder will probably sue you

[samsbolton]

There's a simple method to figure out if something is illegal in the UK, or much of Europe.

Could it reasonably be used to defend yourself from anything? If yes, then it is illegal as these people traded these types of rights to the state long ago.

On the other hand we can have sex at 16, drink at 18 and place a bet on anything we feel like whenever we like

[jimbob007]

So basically you have to kinda prove they were enough of a threat to stab. No chasing them down with a knife to stab in the back if they're trying to escape with a laptop basically right?

There have been some big cases here the last 20 odd years-Michael Martin was a farmer who shot a burglar who along with his pal were fleeing his farm, however he went to jail because he shot him in the back & had prior to the incident been making a nuisance of himself in public to where the police had to intervene-the trash media turned him into a hero, when in reality he was an unstable eccentric. The UK law is quite clear-you cannot shoot somebody in the back & claim self defence.

Many years later a gang broke into an Asian families house & made threats to harm/kill them if they did not hand over valuables etc, one of the people there escaped & went to nearby relatives for help, these relatives turned up & along with the man of the house hunted down one of the guys & laid a ferocious beating on him with a Cricket bat to where they inflicted serious damage. Again, there was no more threat to the family-the robbers had already fled the scene & it was purely revenge & two of the family members were jailed.

More recently there were a couple of armed travelers who entered a property & made threats to the elderly couple who lived there, a struggle ensued & the man of the house ended up stabbing one of them to death, he was arrested but not charged with anything as it was clearly a householder defending his property-a man's home is his castle & he may defend it has been enshrined in UK law for centuries.

[jimbob007]

Sounds like it's better to just get them illegally in the UK. I'm sure there are plenty of slavs around who sell them. Especially if the fukin cops come sniffing around checking your chit when they know you're a gun owner.

Not a good idea, aside from them being illegal & you could go to prison for a long time just for having one, these guns get sold on after they have been used in crimes-so you could find yourself being tied into armed robberies, murders etc when forensics tie that gun to those crimes-there is a massive database wher all that info is stored.

[soaponarope1]

On the other hand we can have sex at 16, drink at 18 and place a bet on anything we feel like whenever we like

Cool man, I did the same stuff. In fact, I could do either at whatever age I wanted. I believe betting is handled on a state/municipality basis, so the people in the area can decide what they want.

I've never had a hard time getting liquor after the age of about 15, and it would be nice if I could have just bought it from a liquor store at 18 (actually I could, tax free even, as I was in the army stationed at Ft Bliss which had a drinking age of 18 until May 30th, 2008). I can't imagine wanting to bang a 16 year old after age 24 (which is legal here as well), but if you do, more power to you I guess.

Either way I don't rank those nearly as important as having a government that can't restrict my right to defend myself against any threat I feel I need to protect against.