bradaz11 wrote:artiglio wrote:
If there is a problem of shotgun cartridges being brocken down and components used to create ammunition for illegal purposes, then the current legislation around possession of shotgun cartridges does seem lacking, not that it will make a huge difference instead just making things a little more difficult for the criminally minded.
breaking up shotgun cartridges isn't going to help you a whole lot.
1 - aready an offense to manufacture and possess ammo without ticket.
2 - can't buy pistol/rifle primers without FAC
3 - think you have to have a SGC to buy cartridges, but not to posses.
so if you do break up cartridges, what do you get? fast powder, lead, a hull and a primer that doesn't fit anything else apart from muzzleloader conversions. you can buy powder anyway, same as lead and shotgun primers. so what do you get? If anything, its just ammo for illegally held shotgun that is being used illegally to do illegal things. therefore making another bit illegal won't really bother them much, but something like 75 yrs in prison for possession of a firearm might make some think twice.
A shotgun primer is 1 thou smaller than a large rifle/pistol primer, ( so google tells me) so a dab of super glue solves one problem. Shooters wish to produce the most accurate / cost effective / safe and efficient rounds they can, your average thug just wants something that goes bang and sends a projectile in general direction intended. So the powder will as far as they are concerned be fine ( wether it causes the firearm user any harm is likely not high on list of questions when ammunition is aquired). Then all that is required is a mould , melting pot and a bit of lead flashing along with some brass bought on line and a set of dies and you’re set to produce illegal ammunition and until you’ve done so unless you have all the components in one place it’d be difficult (to my understanding) to press charges.
So in all likelihood shotgun cartridges have value to some of the criminally minded, that no offence has occured if a sgc holder buys a slab and then gives it someone on the pretence of them being for legitimate use , is an oddity in terms of legislation and allows powder and primers to be held by anyone with no offence being committed (at least thats my understanding)
So it appears there is a relatively simple way of obtaining articles with which to break the law, and as i said above, society is choosing to apply greater restrictions to the law abiding rather than make the punishment for breaking the law a real deterrent. Until that mind set changes , IF as i said before there is misuse of shotgun cartridges in production of illegal ammunition (to any significant degree, though it will always be argued that one event is one too many)then making its purchase ,possession and storage subject to having an sgc and on similar terms to centre fire ammunition is an easy piece of legislation to propose , argue in favour of and get through. That it will make no difference on the street as a result of the criminals finding other sources of ammunition or components is of no interest as statistics will “prove” otherwise.
With an electorate largely ignorant of firearm use other than that presented in the media related to crime or terrorism, the legal firearm community has little choice but to fight its corner and accept that there will be changes, keeping these proportionate and reasonable is the challenge not stopping them.
But given the partisan nature of shooting interests / disciplines a united front is never forthcoming and will only arise when legislation covering a huge range of areas is proposed at one time, if the government chooses to legislate on a divide and conquer basis, they’ll get a much easier passage to the statute books.
At least thats my view. I’m happy to have any factually incorrect statements corrected.
) I wonder if the tweed and blued barrels brigade will finally wake up?