CS: Field-Bird shooting in EU - info wanted
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The EU Birds Directive applies to all member states, but individual countries can opt to derogate from some conditions - e.g. the UK has a general licence to shoot corvids and woodpigeons all year round. Can anyone tell me - with chapter and verse, if possible, please - what the situation is as regards other member countries. I gather France has ignored much of the Directive, and operates on some voluntary agreement. Do some Scandinavian countries still cull goshawks? Are any other EU states allowing shooting or live/dead trapping or translocation of any raptor species? All concrete info will be very much appreciated, as also will suggestions for up to date printed/internet sources of data. Thanks in anticipation: Colin Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Target-Sportsmens Battalion - info wanted
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] << I think they were a sniper school set up by some landed gent who was fed up of the Germans sniping his men. it consisted of gamekeepers ghillies and landed gents who enjoyed game hunting etc. They were disbanded but the army took the hint and set up a specialist section to train sniping and the use of optically sighted rifles >> I think there is a bit of confusion here. Lord Lovat of Invernesshire had raised the Lovat Scouts from among professional highland stalkers, gamekeepers, poachers and others who knew how to shoot, from his own extensive estates and also those of his highland neighbours; and they were originally deployed during the Boer War, where Britain was badly outclassed by the skill of the Boer snipers. The first serious British sniping school of WW1 was run by H. Hesketh-Pritchard (author of "Sniping in France"), who had extensive experience of stalking big game in Canada etc., and various other sporting officers, who had sent back to the UK for their sporting rifles, many of which were scoped. I have been unable to find any links between the WW1 sniping units and this mysterious "Sportsman's Batallion", and a search for info on the web has only thrown up two photos, of the unit leaving Hornchurch for France. I wonder if they were "sportsmen" as in fieldsports, or just sportsmen as in "games". (That useful distinction has gradually been lost over the years, alas.) Colin Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Field-Calibres for Fallow
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For what they're worth, here are my thoughts . . . If you have been shooting big fallow bucks in the rut, you have probably been encountering animals that are, for hormonal reasons, tougher to kill than at other times of the year. But the .270 Win with the classic 130gr bullet really ought to be amply powerful. (Personally, I find it an unduly noisy and harsh cartridge for any UK stalking situation - one of my least favourite calibres!! ;-) .) I have shot a lot of fallow with the .243Win with Norma 100gr bullets, and been very happy with its results; and a professional stalker friend uses the same round to cull upwards of 100 fallow annually. When the Rep. of Ireland laws limited us to nothing bigger than centrefire .22s, I found the 5.6x57mm RWS with the 74gr Conepoint bullet very satisfactory. A last-gasp 30-yard dash after a heart/lung shot is not excessive for any UK deer, and a rutting sika might well have gone 200 yards! The only way to be absolutely sure of dropping them on the spot is by an anchoring shot - i.e. into the neck vertebrae, or elsewhere on the spinal column so that the spinal cord is severed, causing paralysis. But this requires very precise bullet placement, and fallow bucks' necks are swollen and enlarged in the rut, as are those of red and sika, and can offer an awkwardly large target. The only .30 calibres that really make sense in the UK are the .308 Win and the 30-'06 Springfield, but the latter is too much gun for most deer and also for many shooters. The 6.5x55 Swedish, the 7x57 Mauser, the .260 Rem and the 7mm-08 Rem all have good claims to be ideal all-round UK deer calibres. Colin Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Target-Sportsmens Battalion - info wanted
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Can anyone point me in the direction of any sources of information (websites, books, periodical articles etc) about a British army unit of the First World War, named the 1st Sportsmens Battalion? All help gratefully received. Colin -- Actually I've always thought a definitive history of the Artist's Rifles would be quite interesting, I hear often that they formed a regiment that became 21 SAS but little more than that. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Legal-RFDs and gun "testing"
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] << the Home Office have promised a crackdown on RFDs shortly (in fact they have already required inspections in the local force area of everyone) so what you can and cannot do will be clarified soon, I expect! >> Interesting. In what respectes do they propose to tighten things up? Was this part of the HAC recommendations, or something the Home Office has thought up itself? Is it aimed primarily at Sect. 5 dealers, or dealers in general? What justification do they give for any perceived need to tighten up? Colin -- This was part of the HO evidence to the HAC. Apparently they are convinced most of the guns criminals use come from bent dealers, which is a laugh a minute as handguns are banned and most criminals use handguns! I think the law regarding dealers could be modernised, as it hasn't changed much since 1937 but "modernised" and "crackdown" are two different things. The biggest laugh for me is that the Government feel that the best way to stop people from making bogus RFDs is to not publish the form of the certificate (have a look in the Firearms Rules), and to tell dealers not to let anyone have a copy of their RFD except the police and other RFDs. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Legal-RFDs and gun "testing"
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Can anyone explain the legal position about RFDs and the extent to which they can fire the guns on their registers? Presumably, for example, an RFD cert. holder who makes guns or rifles is entitled to test-fire them to satisfy himself that they are of good and safe marketable quality. Likewise anyone who repairs, adjusts or customises guns. But are there restrictions as to where he can do his test-firing?Is it permissible in law for a RFD to take out a .22 sporting rifle that's on his register and shoot a rabbit with it, or a stalking rifle and shoot a deer? Or is he restricted to targets only, and if so, only on approved ranges? Are there any statutory provisions or case law precedents that govern what a dealer may and may not do with a gun held by him in his capacity as a dealer, and not on his personal FAC or Shotgun Cert? Colin -- There are statutory provisions and case law but it's still a bit of a grey area. RFDs are allowed to "test" firearms and ammunition in connection with their sale, repair, etc. Presumably if an RFD has made a custom rifle for shooting rabbits it would be perfectly okay for the RFD to test it by shooting a rabbit. Most of the case law that I'm aware of revolves around Section 5 firearms, i.e. RFD gets Section 5 firearms and stockpiles his own collection for his own use which is stretching it. One thing I've quizzed the HO on and gotten no real response is whether an RFD can test ammunition intended for use in a machinegun through a machinegun in his stock, or whether he needs to have that machinegun on an FAC for the express purpose of testing ammunition. This one came up because a standard RFD can sell 9mm ammo for example, but has no way of testing it in police or military issue guns without Section 5 authority. But does the RFD need Section 5 authority on his RFD, or on his FAC? Dunno. Certainly there are no FACs on issue for this purpose, and Section 5 RFDs do test ammo. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Legal-Cert. renewals - an update
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Having started this ball rolling last week, here is an update. On 3 Oct. I lodged all my licensable items with a sympathetic RFD before the expiry of my Certs on 4 Oct., just to be quite safe and sure. I nevertheless wrote to the Chief Constable by first class recorded delivery service, also on 3 Oct., requesting his written confirmation of the civilian official's verbal assurance that I would be "kept covered".I explained that I wanted this confirmation not only to protect my position vis-a-vis the firearms laws, but also to ensure that my personal insurance cover for liability while I am shooting is not made void by my non-possession of the Certs. So far (six days later) I have had no reply to or acknowledgement of that letter. However, my Shotgun Cert countersignatory and one of my two FAC referees have since been contacted by the police, and interviewed by telephone (apparently with the police making rather positive noises, which sounds promising), even though the police had told me that all 3 persons would be visited and interviewed _in person _. If and when my Certs are renewed, which I was told to expect any day now, I shall be interested to see if they are back-dated or if there is any discontinuity and an unlicensed hiatus/es (hiati?). Colin -- Lots of police forces do backdate them, I had Staffs. police do it once with me ages ago. It's technically not legal but I don't see the police rushing to arrest themselves for it. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
CS: Legal-Certificate renewals
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] My co-terminous certificates expire in 48 hours time. I made due application for renewal in mid August. I have today been visited by a civilian firearms officer, who says that all seems in order and that the renewals will be expedited, although I know that none of my referees or co-signatories have yet been visited, which the CFO confirmed is something my local force insists upon. When I requested temporary certificates, as an alternative to lodging my guns with an RFD before my certs' expiry, I was told that neither alternative was necessary for me, as the police would "keep me covered" in the interim, while my applications are being dealt with. Can any expert confirm if this is indeed the case? My reading of the law is that chief officers of police do not have the discretion to make informal declarations that one will be "kept covered" in this way. Advice and opinions will be very welcome. Colin (Scotland) -- If you do not have the appropriate piece of paper, you are not covered, end of story. I'm surprised they want to _visit_ your referees and your countersignatory, they have no express legal power to do this and it will rack up their costs considerably. I've never heard of the police ever doing this before. I would phone them and demand a Section 7 permit. It only takes them about five minutes to type one up. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
