Herts & Essex Shooting Association are inviting entries to take part in their eleventh “Mini-Methuen” competition on Saturday 3rd November 2018

We have two practice shoots this month. This Sunday 7th October. Morning only, this will be on century at 600 yards. I will be RO The Wednesday shoot this month is on the 17th at 300 yards, again morning only. Terry Hoskins as RO. Kind regards David Carroll

David Penn’s update is attached.

Members should note the following communication from the Home Office.

Re: Amendment to the Firearms Rules 1998

This is to inform you about the following amendment to the Firearms Rules 1998 in relation to lost and stolen firearms.

From the 16 October 2018, the firearm and shotgun certificate conditions will change. The current wording of the firearm condition is as follows:

The holder of this certificate must inform the Chief Officer of Police by whom the certificate was granted within 7 days of the theft, loss or destruction in Great Britain of the certificate and/or the theft, loss, deactivation or destruction of any firearms and/or the theft or loss of ammunition to which this certificate relates.

The new wording will be:

The holder of this certificate must inform the Chief Officer of Police by whom the certificate was granted as soon as reasonably practicable, but within 7 days of the theft, loss or destruction in Great Britain of the certificate and/or the theft, loss, deactivation or destruction of any firearms and/or the theft or loss of ammunition to which this certificate relates.

The same addition of the words ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’ will apply to the shotgun certificate from 16 October.

This new wording is being introduced to ensure that lost or stolen firearms or ammunition are reported as swiftly as possible to the police. The amendment is being brought into effect through a change to the statutory conditions contained in every firearm or shotgun certificate, and will apply in England, Wales and Scotland.

Shot On Stickledown Bisley, Saturday 15th September 2018 Dear Competitors Thank you for competing in this year’s Mid Range Championship Meeting for Vintage, Classic, Veteran and First Generation Rifles. As I have said in previous years without your support these events would not take place. The weather turned into one of those glorious autumn days warm and sunny, the wind was a little on the strong side during the afternoon but did not create and big problems. Unfortunately due to range space we had to shoot at 500 in the morning and 300 during the afternoon, not what we would have liked but it did not appear to cause anyone any real problem. Entries this year were an improvement over previous years with 22 individual entrants, competing in 36 match entries. Unfortunately 4 people had to drop out at the last minute due to health and personal issues. The recently introduced NRA/HBSA Historic targets are now being used. This appears to have reduced the overall scores. However they are the same for all who compete and are used at all the major historic events. These targets provide a common platform for all and although being more of a challenge seem to have been widely accepted by all the competitors. Once more we had our usual band of travelling Riflemen from far flung parts of the world, Isle Of Wight, Belgium, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Wiltshire and even Surrey. HBSA prize certificates will be prepared and sent out ASAP. I would very much like to thank all those who attended for their support and in particular Steve Isherwood acting Range Conducting Officer with the assistance of myself and David Carroll who booked the targets and markers. I hope everyone had a good day and that we see you all next year.

Members may have seen certain proposed amendments to this Bill, some of which would have caused considerable problems for the shooting and collecting community. Attached is BASC’s briefing note communicated to members of BSSC. We believe that it will help allay concerns regarding the proposed amendments. Meanwhile we continue lobbying on the main issues raised in the bill :- .50 cal, Rapid firing rifles , knives and corrosive liquids, having already advised our views to government. We understand that there is no planned date for the Bill to go to report stage – it is still in committee. BSSC expects to table amendments when the Bill comes back to the House at report stage. We will keep members informed as far as possible allowing for the circumstances.

Saturday 10th November 2018 Members may wish to enter this match and if so we suggest that you do so urgently as entries are filling up rapidly. Full details can be found at the following link https://nra.org.uk/armistice-centenary-match-entries-now-open/

Will members please note that due to a large event at the Museum of London our next meeting will take place on Monday the 24th September at the usual time and not the 17th September. Please tell everyone you are in touch with about the change. The lecture will be Mark Khan talking about Battlefield Archaeology Derek Stimpson

Members may wish to sign this petition started by a BADA member on behalf of collectors of all items which include ivory. If you wish to sign a petition to widen the exemptions of the Ivory Bill, the link is https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/223254 Please also pass it on to your friends Many thanks Derek Stimpson

For members information. Those who saw the Daily Telegraph article of 20th August related to the Panorama program that day, and posted on this website on the same day, can see my response attached. There was some editing but the main thrust of my letter remains clear. Derek Stimpson

Dear Sir 

 

I am responding to Daniel Foggo’s article in the Telegraph today regarding antique firearms.

 

Mr. Foggo quotes, out of context, part of my statement in tonight’s Panorama programme.

I pointed out that if antique firearms were required to be registered then the law abiding collectors would comply but the criminals clearly would not – and they have the ammunition – made illegally.

 

The ammunition for these firearms is not readily available in the UK and has to be made by an expert. Law abiding collectors who work in co-operation with museums to preserve, research and study our heritage do not have ammunition. If they need ammunition for research they license both the firearm and the ammunition. Criminals do not.

 

The amount of crime committed with antique firearms is in fact a small proportion of overall firearms crime. We understand from NABIS’ statistics that the vast majority of firearms crime is committed with modern firearms and ammunition acquired illegally.

 

Modern handguns are not in the public domain since the Dunblane tragedy. That ban did not work since crime with handguns continued and indeed rose after the ban. There are many sources of illegal firearms for criminals, not just these relatively few antiques. Illegal firearms come into the UK in trucks, the mail, vessels and other routes and we understand are easily acquired on the Dark Web.

 

This is all about criminality. You can import an antique legally with the appropriate paperwork to prove what it is, and equally you can buy one here. The point is that it is a criminal act to have ammunition unless it is licensed with the firearm.

 

NABIS has done a good job discovering Paul Edmunds and other criminals who are now serving long sentences. We suggest that they, police and border forces place additional focus on the issue of modern weapons used in crime.

 

We would like to see proportionality applied.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Derek Stimpson