From: "Alex Hamilton", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Actually, Tom, I have never seen a 50 cal rifle and certainly never
heard or seen one being shot. I shoot regularly at Bisley and other MoD
ranges and although I shoot Target Rifle up to 1000 yds. Match Rifle is
shot up to 1200 and they do not use 50 calibre. To claim that
something is a sport implies that a large number of people are
participating. The fact that something is shot in Switzerland or USA
does not constitute a sport here - I wish it did, but we have to be
realistic.
I was actually a well known pistol shooter before the ban and I lost 6
pistols as a result of it. Then, shooting rifle was of secondary
interest to me, but I took up gallery rifle, small bore rifle and
classic rifle disciplines after the ban. I never did own a self-loading
fullbore rifle, but was going to buy an AK-47 if it had not been baned.
I spend much of my time on political lobbying, writing and similar
activities in an attempt to resist future oppressive legislation of any
kind and especially the gradual tightening of gun control legislation.
I am fortunate in that I was able to retire at 51, so I have time to
spend up to 3 full working days each week trying to save what is left of
shooting sport, but that does not mean that my efforts have been or will
result in anything worthwhile - I just do it because I feel that that is
the right thing to do.
Therefore, your comments (or may I call them the outburst) are not just
totally misplaced, but you will not endear yourself to anyone outside
the sport with that attitude. In fact, you are probably undoing what
little people like me have been able to achive and I emphasise the
"little" although it was not for want of trying.
I don't want any type of shooting banned, but as I have not seen 50 cal
being used anywhere, I was asking what it was used for here - never mind
Switzerland and USA! There was also an implied question as to whether
it is better to introduce fringe shooting activities that could lead to
a wider ban, or to stick with the well established disciplines and not
test the patience of the legislators.
Well, I am still not sure of the answer to that and your reply has not
added anything to the argument.
Alex
--
.50 BMG can't be used at Bisley, it's used at Ash ranges though.
The primary arguments against banning it are (a) it's daft; standard
lead core or mild steel core .50 BMG is nothing special in terms
of lethality compared to say a .338 Lapua Magnum etc.; (b) if handguns
are too small and .50s are too big, then they can get away with
banning anything based on spurious arguments about size.
Goldilocks gun laws.
BTW to say something is a sport does not imply there are large numbers
of people participating. How many people race balloons around the world?
Is that a sport?
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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