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Olympic pistol shooters to be exempt from handgun ban

Currently, Olympic shooters wishing to practice their sport can only do so abroad.

By Selena Masson, Shooting Times

Friday, 07 March 2008

Only a small number of elite pistol shooters will be exempt from the handgun ban to allow them to train in the run-up to the Olympics.

Currently, Olympic shooters wishing to practice their sport can only do so abroad.

A Department for Culture , Media and Sport (DCMS) spokesman told Shooting Times: "UK Sport and DCMS are committed to doing all we can to maximise our chances of success in 2012 in all Olympic sports."

"There is agreement in principle across government departments to allow all our athletes to train in the run-up to 2012. Proposed changes are within the existing legislative framework and would only relate to a small squad of elite pistol shooters."

Following the shootings at Dunblane, more than a decade ago, the 1997 Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, was passed.

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Comments

Respectable shooter

Wed, 2nd Feb 2011 19:19:50

The handgun ban was and still is a massive joke It has done nothing, An illegal handgun is still VERY much available to anyone and everyone-at least with the licensed pistol the police knew who had them illegal one they don't have a clue. Gun bans and gun control have not worked since 1935 when the fully auto was banned for civilians an example a fully auto AK47 7.62MM can be brought on the underground with 2 loaded mags for around Â£900. Time for our government to wake up and notice the days before the 1988 and 1997 firearms act had little armed crime today young kids can and have got 9mm handguns (Liverpool a gang was interviewed all had a 92F handgun EACH!) And no they are not Legal! Get a Grip and get the ban over turned BEFORE it causes more trouble which helps no one.

George

Sun, 30th May 2010 22:59:12

When are people in the shooting community going to get serious about coming up against the draconian gun laws? Shooting publications and a websites should be utilizing their medium to organize active campaigns and meetings with politicians. To a passer by, it seems shooters here are against any sort of reform. It just feeds the nanny state pushers.

Alex Capps

Thu, 29th Oct 2009 04:00:23

Its good to see at least some progress as far as deregulation goes. It's a shame that the good people of the United Kingdom are not allowed to enjoy domestic pistol competitions. Prior to the ban, some of the world's most renowned hand gunners came from the British Isles.

Matthew Seiber

Sun, 21st Jun 2009 09:14:48

Further to the sensible comments already made about lifting the ban to legal pistol shooters, illegal pistol shooting is widespread throughout the UK and it remains unseen and unreported. The perpetrators have the freedom to roam and shoot at will; our gun laws are a complete joke. Over the past year I have been engaged in a self funded project investigating roadside gun crime. I have a portfolio of photographic evidence of bullet and shotgun pattern strikes on road signage. Most shoots are drive-bys. I have found 9mm, .38, .32, .45ACP, 7.62/.308, 12/20 bore, .410 and slid shot from 12 bores - 18mm. I have written a book called Gunfire Graffiti - UK, the unseen view of Britains gun crime.Only some local papers have reported it and usually not very well. The national press won't touch it. Police comment is, no big deal... and Highways Authorities haven't got a clue what's going on.A Police Officer and a media official admitted that it was so unbelievable they had thought that I was making it up or had gone out and done it myself.The Sun newspaper looked at the material I sent them and came back with, "Sadly it's not a story for us"

Leonard Gant

Fri, 30th May 2008 13:19:26

With a change of government looming and with Blair gone and Brown on the way out, its high time our shooting organisations began putting pressure on the next administration to repeal the 1997 act and before the next Olympics or how silly will we look in the eyes of the world. Yes, the Dunblane murders were a terrible event, but its ten years on now and time for a review. If Hamilton had not shot himself, he would just about be due for release having served his ten years in a mental hospital, under New Labour's soft on real crime approach and no doubt be offered a slot on some trendy liberal channel four social documentary show. We hear much these days about Scottish independance, well, if the Scots want to retain a pistol ban,thats OK with me but why must the English continue to be punished for a crime committed in Scotland under Scottish law? Pistol shooting is allowed throughout the EU the only place where our government allows this practice is the Broad Water Farm estate and several similar venues throughout the UK.

Joe Cummins

Wed, 12th Mar 2008 18:36:40

Another attempt by the Home Office to give Joe Public the impression that the English, Welsh, and Scottish "top guns" are now back on equal terms with the rest of the world! The truth is just the opposite and plays right into the trap they have set for sports funding (only for sports that achieve in the future). Ban the Olympics (from the UK) or get FAIR with training facilities! ALL the qualifie pistol ranges in my part of the world have been CLOSED DOWN. Thank you. Joe Cummins, Plymouth Devon.

Ben-Ami

Tue, 11th Mar 2008 12:44:17

How does one expect to qualify to the team if you are not alloewd to shoot pistols BA

Stuart Andrews

Mon, 10th Mar 2008 20:05:04

...so another minority of shooters has been bought off..excuse me if I am under-whelmed.. Yet another piece of spin from a discredited policy left over from an even more discredited government. What the Olympic comittee should be doing is to press for the full repeal of the 1997 Firearms Acts. In that way, the future of target sports pistol shooting could be assured. When will the UK`s many shooting organisations realise that you don`t get anywhere by being subservient and "reasonable" ? Overseas, our gun sports are protected by constant agressive campeigning. It`s time the UK grew up.