7,000 No8's to be melted down unless .......................

[Stanforth]

On the basis of obsolete military arms being destroyed, maybe owners of Brown Bess muskets, Baker rifles and Martini Henry rifles should be aware.

[GeeRam]

While I can accept the wisdom of an international accord to try to control the flow of small arms heading into conflict zones, there has to be 'some' common sense applied!

Common sense and politics are polar opposites.

[bigduke6]

I think that's it's worth noting that representations have already been made to the UK government about the No.8's; in fact over a year ago by both LERA and the HBSA.
I'm not sure what response they received if any at all, I will ask those in the know.

Be interesting what you find out Mick, looking on Rifleman.org, approx 2000 have already gone to meet there maker......... I guess it revolves around the meaning of "Military Rifle" was it produced as such, or was just a Military contract ? commercial ones were made and also the sales direct from BSA to NZ there is a small snippet in the link below regarding that.

My own is a NZ serial numbered one, shoots like a dream, I won the 50 yd indoor Benched comp with this, not bad considering most of the opposition sported Anschutz (expensive ones)
just checked on the trophy for the date,thought it was a couple of years ago it was 2015.........

For those not in the know, a link below regarding the No8

https://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_Rifle_No.8.html

[pocketshaver]

the fact that England has apparently banned DEMILITERIZED firearms as MACHINE GUNS...... makes the hope of saving priceless rifles like these No. 8's.. To be well like, trying to make male unicorns have children with each other

[Strangely Brown]

the fact that England has apparently banned DEMILITERIZED firearms as MACHINE GUNS......

That's a rather ambiguous statement, would you care to enlarge on it please?

[Alan de Enfield]

That's a rather ambiguous statement, would you care to enlarge on it please?

It is amazing how many 'non-Brits' seem to KNOW that the potential sale is controlled by the UK Government, and some even state that it is EU law.

Non seem to realise that it is the UN (to which we have all signed up to - including Clinton & Obama)

[pocketshaver]

last year I was doing some online hunting for Enfield Rifles. It turned out that a DEMILITERIZED enfield, one that was typically given the UK demil process of

1. weld firing pin hole with firing pin in fired spot and snipping protruding part of firing pin off
2. lodge and weld a piece of rod inside the chamber

were still safe to be turned into a safe to use 22 hornet through the use of a barrel liner, and the bolt body could be repaired and converted for the hornet.

I ran across a little information page from the UK where an anti government/common sense law activist was discussing a new anti crime policy the british government wanted to pass in order to stop illegal guns from getting into the hands of what the UK government calls out as "racist white people". The law was supposed to be passed sometime last year, and would have made it illegal to purchase and own DEMILITERIZED guns, because the UK government thought that a criminal in the UK would spend 5-800 euros on one of these non firing guns, and someone be able to make it into a fully firing machinegun. When they could simply drive the chunnel, buy an illegal weapon for LESS in france or Germany, and drive back home with it.

[Alan de Enfield]

I ran across a little information page from the UK where an anti government/common sense law activist was discussing a new anti crime policy the british government wanted to pass in order to stop illegal guns from getting into the hands of what the UK government calls out as "racist white people". The law was supposed to be passed sometime last year, and would have made it illegal to purchase and own DEMILITERIZED guns, because the UK government thought that a criminal in the UK would spend 5-800 euros on one of these non firing guns, and someone be able to make it into a fully firing machinegun. When they could simply drive the chunnel, buy an illegal weapon for LESS in france or Germany, and drive back home with it.

Absolute rubbish - do you have a link to that document that you found ?

I very much doubt the Government would remain the Government for very long if the started using terms like "racist white people".
We do not use the term 'demiliterized' we use 'deactivated' and a deactivated weapon CANNOT be un-deactivated.
The law that came into effect in December 2019 was to actually formalise the purchase / sale / registration of Deactivated firearms - NOT to make ownership illegal.

It sounds as if you have been reading some weird underground tabloid news-sheet.

You may find the attached of interest showing part of what needs to be done to de-activate a firearm.

[Roy W]

Absolute rubbish - do you have a link to that document that you found ?

I very much doubt the Government would remain the Government for very long if the started using terms like "racist white people".
We do not use the term 'demiliterized' we use 'deactivated' and a deactivated weapon CANNOT be un-deactivated.
The law that came into effect in December 2019 was to actually formalise the purchase / sale / registration of Deactivated firearms - NOT to make ownership illegal.

It sounds as if you have been reading some weird underground tabloid news-sheet.

You may find the attached of interest showing part of what needs to be done to de-activate a firearm.

The Law was brought in as an EU Directive which sought to increase the standard to which many firearms were deactivated in EU Countries , many of which were far less deactivated than UK Standards.

This came about following the Charlie Hebdo attack in France when 'Deactivated' VZ58's were reactivated and used in the attack. At that time, French standards allowed deactivation by simply drilling the front of the chamber and welding in a rod, which then allowed the firing of blanks in the firearm. This was simply removed and the holes welded up in the Charlie Hebdo guns.

So the UK inherited the EU's knee jerk reaction and much more destructive Deact standards as a result, along with the registration and restriction on selling unless they were upgraded to the newer EU Deact standards.

[30Three]

I think one of the major problems is that target and sport shooting get's absolutely no media attention; so exists under the radar of the general public. But any crime involving an illegally owned firearm gets a lot of media attention.
So the general public are fed anti gun sentiment by the press; which result's in the "gun owners equals criminals" equation.
Target and sport shooting needs to up it's profile; get more people taking up the sport. More TV coverage of sporting events; instead of just the Olympics every 4 years.

How many sports can you compete with equal opportunity with regard to age or gender? both my wife and my 9 year old daughter enjoy target shooting with our No8 rifles. It is a great sport for youngster's; they learn self control, firearm safety, following rules, respect and concentration. All things that will serve them well.

Instead scrapping these rifles; they would be better served educating a new generation of firearms enthusiasts. It's got to be better than an X-Box!