[Derek Roxborough]

 this has been given some cover on the News, I have been an Airweapon owner for a lot of years I just like to shoot targets, and no way would I hand in £300 of air weapon in any Amnesty, so it will be interesting to see what happens when I register this, Another nonsense dreamed up by the Scottish Government, 
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[Rob Brownfield]

This has been of major concern to those of us that use air rifles in a professional context.

• So far, we know that individuals must apply for a licence from the 1st of July.
  The "amnesty" ends the 1st of July, but an amnesty is for "the grant of an official pardon", in other words, if you hold something "illegally". I don't, I am perfectly legal under current legislation, up until the 1st of Jan, and therefore I wont be handing any air rifles to anyone!
  The "new" law will run from January the 1st.
  So far we do not know how much this will be, although a figure of between £77 and £85 has been mentioned in several publications.
  The Licence will run for 5 years.
  If you already have a FAC, it will cost you an extra £5 and run concurrently.
  If you are between 14 and 18 you will be cheaper for your licence (work that one out).

On speaking to the Police, in fact, one of the coppers who will be dealing with applications and who is advising the cadet forces and local businesses, he has said that if you have applied for the licence but have not heard in the lead up to the 1st of Jan, you are "exempt". However, after the 1st, he does not know how it will be handled as that has not been released yet.
The current waiting time for a FAC in Grampian/Moray is 11 weeks. With the drafted in folk for the air rifle licence, he believed they will not get all applications processed in time.
The application has a section that asks what security measures you have applied to the rifle. It does not, however tell you what is required by law, because that is yet to be defined! Options are Gun cabinet, cable and lock, trigger lock, none and other. I have been told by the police officer that if you put "other", your licence will automatically be declined and you will need to re-apply. (another fee). naturally, none will receive the same treatment, despite the law not telling you what you have to have, if anything.

His recommendation was to get the application in early, make sure every box is filled in and that you have some form of security for the rifle, even if it is just a trigger lock.

If you go to the government website and fill in the "let me know when I can apply" box, you are automatically on the system. However, as you are on the system, if you then decide to not apply and sell your air rifle, expect a knock at the door if you do not tell them before the 1st of January.

Is a Licence going to be effective, definitely not. As with most things, those who work with, enjoy shooting or have a legitimate use for a rifle will comply, those who have none of the aforementioned will not. The Police have already admitted that many air rifles are being handed to people with no questions asked or even dumped in ditches or bins for anyone to pick up.

[Derek Roxborough]

I remember a fire arms amnesty in the 60's and weapons suddenly appeared on the open market around the NE of England , I ended up with a 11mm Montegran revolver for £20, I know there were collectors on the police force who had enviable collections, but then I am a cynic, easgach 1

[Mike Thornton]

There was also an amnesty for knives in the sixties, when a bounty was paid to youngsters for handing in their weapons.  Their mother's kitchen drawers were emptied.

[Gordon Dempsey]

Best thing to do would seem to be just keep it in the garage and play dumb, just make sure you already have a lifetime supply of pellets stocked up.

[Derek Roxborough]

That ain't going to work Gordon,you leave your self open to a prison sentence for illegal possession of fire arms, because that is now the description given to Air weapons they now come under the Fire arms and explosives act, a mate got done for Keeping an Air cartridge weapon, he lost his legal deer rifle because of it,
with the nutters running the Asylum it's not worth it, the cost of a cert will be £72 I hear,
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[Gordon Dempsey]

I was being a little facetious there Easgach 1, I am aware of the risks. Anyway I'm certain when I bought the thing the shop took my name and details for a register which I'm sure the authorities will be able to demand access to.  Something to remember for anybody who bought their gun from a shop and is considering burying their heads in the sand.

[Rob Brownfield]

Pellets....and this is the most utterly stupid part of the legislation/licence system....you will not be required to produce your licence to buy pellets!

This means it is entirely possible for wee Johnny Ned to still have an air rifle tucked away under his bed and still have a supply of pellets!

If there was one thing that should have been done, that is the insistence that you show your licence before buying pellets.

On top of that, I can jump into my car, drive to Englandshire, buy a rifle, drive back to Scotland, buy my pellets, and there will be absolutely no record that I have a rifle. At least if I had to show my licence they would know that I had a rifle that had not been registered or, if I could not buy my pellets, then it would be a hassle to drive to England every time I wanted more and therefore I would probably not bother.

Poorly thought out, poorly implemented, poorly administered and according to the copper I know, poorly policed because as soon as the licences have been issued, it will be back to one fire arms officer in Grampian/Moray to deal with home visits, complaints and so on.

[Derek Roxborough]

I bought my Rifle at a local gunsmith and he took no details of me or the BSA rifle, for £72 my rifle will be down in England before I register it, a total nonsense, another one along side the wild fish reform bill,
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