Following the EU’s decision to reverse its proposed ban on semi-automatic rifles, the Association of Chief Police Officers has revealed it will not oppose moves to repeal the UK’s existing ban.
“The police must be seen to reflect the needs and wishes of the public they serve,” an ACPO press officer told UK Shooting News. “We do not take a public position on political matters but it would be very inappropriate for us to contradict the European Union government.”
The move comes after UK MEP Vicky Ford deleted the EU Commisson’s proposed amendments to its firearms diktat, which would have banned self-loading rifles across the continent. Free countries within the EU vehemently oppose the ban.
“The ban was brought in so we could be seen to appease an angry minority of obsessives who wouldn’t leave us alone,” a government source told UKSN. “Really, it wasn’t at all necessary but at the time ACPO told us we had to disarm civilians so they wouldn’t get confused between good shooters and bad shooters.”
The source added: “After Britain votes to leave the EU on 23rd June we will be harmonising British laws with the EU anyway, and there’s no point in gold-plating their directives if we’re not officially part of it any more. We can just follow what’s written instead.”
Self-unloading rifles are growing in popularity in the UK and police sources tell UKSN that as there is no real difference between those and true self-loading rifles, they may as well concentrate on licensing individuals rather than tightly controlling inanimate objects.
Colin Greenwood is 94.
UK Shooting News 
Does this mean that there’s some common sense being applied “……they may as well concentrate on licensing individuals rather than tightly controlling inanimate objects.” – one can only hope, but you’d have to say based on this “Really, it wasn’t at all necessary but at the time ACPO told us we had to disarm civilians so they wouldn’t get confused between good shooters and bad shooters.” ….then there’s still personal agenda’s being pursued.
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They’ve also proposed repealing the air-gun licencing act in Scotland – ’tis a great day for gu owners throughout the UK
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I know this is April 1st but is this real or fake?
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It’s April 1st. Nuff said.
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For those of you who were to young to to know, and those of us who had our lawfully held property seized, in 1987 and the small pittance given in compensation for our semi autos and the loss of our sport Rifle this is a reminder of the knee jerk reaction at that time….
Full bore shooters who used semi auto rifles for Service Rifle and Practical rifle shooting before the tragedy of Hungerford in 1987, for many years and who had never caused a problem,were treated very badly post Hungerford by the then Government,who bowed to pressure of a very small minority, and had to be seen to do something.
Michael RYAN should never have been allowed an AK47, as he was only a member of a small-bore club, and did not have the necessary Full bore club membership to approve him owning a full bore rifle,this was a police Licensing error, also there was plenty of information passed to the Police to give rise to serious concerns about his suitability to have a F.A.C. at all, before this tragedy happened but this was missed.
Unfortunately Law abiding Shooters as usual suffered for this mans crimes, and the semi autos were banned,
If this statement is true, from the A.C.P.O and it successor,??
After nearly 30 years has common sense finally come about,and we can again at some point in the future once more have the pleasure of engageing Fig 11s with an L1A1 S.L.R. or an AR15 in semi auto in service style shooting, it would be a nice thing,
But would the N.R.A. support it, ? as they could see no reason for S.L.R. ownership in 1987, and failed to support shooters who owned them,partly sealing there fate.
let us hope that this is the start of a new era in U.K. Firearms legislation,rather than the draconian past 30 years, and common sense Firearms policy and legislation will prevail.
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Don’t forget that us full bore pistol shooters were sacrificed on the alter of the “something must be done” brigade following Dunblane.
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Fully appreciate your comment about the Pistol ban after Dunblane, and fully agree,I also lost 6 pistols myself to the “Something must be done network” having already lost 2 S.L.R. Rifles 10 years earlier,to the same bunch of gutless M.Ps,
Are things going to change ??, I very much doubt it, it makes no matter if we are IN or OUT of Europe,
Our self serving politicians are unlikely to ever allow S.L.R Full-bore rifles or Full bore pistols back into lawful law abiding citizens hands, i regret to say that it will be only criminals and terrorists who will have firearms in the future.
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“Self-unloading”… Love it! 🙂 Also nice to see the outcome of the upcoming referendum already declared… LOL!
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Truth being stranger than fiction…………………………………..
Verney-Carron Speedline anyone?
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