The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Surely this is something our "National" bodies should be taking up with Police Scotland on our behalf.

Question - Did you acquire your MN before or after the 19th April 2007? The reason I ask is that's when the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 received Royal Assent, which is root of this situation - SNP notwithstanding.

I'm not sure the date of purchase could be used in your favour, but it might serve as a basis of an argument by suitable Solicitor. Just a thought.[/quote]


I have only had my Nagant for about a year.....

I only purchased my m44 a couple of months ago and to my mind it was subject to confiscation for several weeks on the orders of police Scotland, I believe the reason I was allowed to pick it up from the RFD was that I have broken no laws and even the police cannot confiscate property without a good legal reason to do so.

I actually have some experience in dealing with persons carrying blades in public and it is up to the carrier of said sharp, pointy implement to convince the Constable their "good reason" for carrying it in public.
Many examples can be given, such as axe in your car boot whilst chopping wood, carpet filters, anglers with fishing knives.

It hinges on the time and place you are carrying it, ten o'clock at night at a night club then your not out fishing! Your knicked.

I am more than comfortable in my abilities to convince a Constable of my "good reason" for carrying the attached bayonet, as I'm travelling to and from an authorised rifle range with the Firearms I am licensed to hold.

The only way I could see a Constable not seeing the common sense in this explanation is if there was pressure from higher ranks to actively pursue firearm holders for their own political ends.

I send the inspector involved correspondence stating my dealings through the courts and my interpretation of the law, within a week I received permission to collect my rifle, the accompanying letter simply pointed out that if I were to take my rifle out of my home I may come across the situation above where I would have to justify my reason for having said bayonet.

I am an honest law abiding man who has activity served my country in military and police service and I am quite prepared to defend the liberties men fought for through the courts if I must, I can only hope that someone with more clowt than those who instigated this nonsense will put an end to this before it grows out of all proportion.

If they are saying the bayonets illegal how do reenactors get round it?.

Perhaps enactment is a good reason...

Re-enactment is a good reason to have rifles and fixed bayonets at arranged events in a public place, i have lost count on how many parks,town centres, museums, and castles i have marched through with 2 foot of sharp steel attached to the end of my rifle. The vast majority of these places are fine with us bringing a wide variety of period firearms with us and explaining the history behind them. If they are not then we politely decline the event.
I have heard of a few politically correct clients such as as a council in the north west who wanted to put on a first world war event a few years ago where the participants would be banned from bringing (under threat of confiscation) live or deactivated rifles, swords, bayonets, inert or blank ammunition. They didn't get much interest from groups to attend.

Not that I don't like dressing up... LOL, but I'd have more outfits than Mr Ben if I had to be in correct period dress every time I went to the range. Now what will I be today... Hmmm, Soviet Sniper, Nazi stormtrooper or GI Joe.

sconie wrote:Not that I don't like dressing up... LOL, but I'd have more outfits than Mr Ben if I had to be in correct period dress every time I went to the range. Now what will I be today... Hmmm, Soviet Sniper, Nazi stormtrooper or GI Joe.

Imperial Stormtrooper brandishing a tarted up MG42 would raise a few eyebrows!

snayperskaya wrote:
Imperial Stormtrooper brandishing a tarted up MG42 would raise a few eyebrows!

IIRC the Imperial Stormtroopers carried Sterling Mk7s with the stocks folded and a couple of odd bits added on the front. No match for a well-wielded Lightsaber.

May the Force be with you.

Iain
Jedi, according to the last Census

Returning to the serious

In England & Wales this is a non-issue, because the relevant law about offensive weapons contains a specific exclusion that anything that falls under the remit of the Firearms Acts must be dealt with there and not under offensive weapons legislation. In Scotland the various laws about bladed instruments do not include that exemption, thus a licensed firearm may conceptually be illegal because of a fitted blade.

This kind of crap is why the SNP should be kicked firmly into touch at the next Calcutta Cup, and everywhere else the opportunity arises. I'm as committed a Scottish patriot as anyone born and bred north of the Tweed, but the quasi-police state being created by Salmond and cronies really does need dealing with.

Iain
Me, not NRA