Originally posted by wulff
The Sun seems to be UK's equivalent to our National Enquirer they will make up anything to sell their magazines!
A lot of people don't realize here in the US you can legally own and use a fully-automatic machine gun. All you have to do is pay the $200 'tax' fee and a background check and if you can afford the ammo you can 'go at it'!
The proof that law-abiding citizens are not the issue, owning a MG has always been legal and there has NEVER been a crime committed in the United States with a MG that has been bought legally!
Keep aware, I see a time where something like Sandy Hook happens in the UK so your government can do the same, mainly disarm the public!
Good Luck and good shooting!

Isn't it just the pre-1986 MGs that are legally transferable, and due to the declining supply over time (no new legal guns, and those who own them rarely willing to part with them, plus those which are damaged, or have ended up with criminal enterprises, etc.) - from what I understood, it typically costs over $30,000 to purchase a legal and functioning full-auto machine gun in the US. I might be wrong - stopped looking into it as soon as I saw the cost.

There's a lot of BS about UK gun laws and I keep trying to expose it. As I understand it:-

SHOTGUN LICENSE: Everyone of age has a RIGHT to own a shotgun, UNLESS the police can demonstrate a valid reason for you to not be allowed one. Medical records and criminal records are usually where the police look. Having taken anti-depressants in the past can be all that's required to refuse a Shotgun Licence.

FIREARMS LICENSE: Everyone has to demonstrate a NEED for the particular firearm (excluding shotguns & airguns) they wish to acquire as well as passing the medical and criminal checks. One such common need for a firearm is for sporting reasons. The average Joe has a good chance of obtaining a license if they are and have been members in goodstanding of a gun/shooting club. But gainng membership may not be so easy. In some parts of the country there is ZERO chance of you gaining a gun club membership due to them all being fully subscribed already. Unfortunately I have been in this position for over 6yrs, waiting for someone to die, be kicked out, or rescind their membership of the clubs near me.

So to recap:

We have a RIGHT to own a shotgun. The burden of proof is with the POLICE to find a valid reason to refuse you a license.

We DO NOT (legally speaking) have a right to a Firearms License. The burden of proof is with YOU to prove a need for the said license/firearm.

It would seem that gaining a shotgun license first would make good sense if you want a firearms license. However, several firearms license holdrs I have spoken to have advised me against this and stated I should join a club and go for the firearms license. I never could understand their reasoning but they all had the same opinion.

Originally posted by Wide-Eyes
Ok, I live in the UK and have been well aware of the fact that assault rifles are perfectly legal here. I hoped to one day own one... I have had my wide-eyes on a Steyr AUG for a while. I just need a valid reason to own one.

Unfortunately 'TheSun' have picked up on this and are demonising them. I have been tempted to mention this on ATS but didn't really want to draw attention to the fact that we can own them with a valid license.

The story I read in The Sun is not available online but it seems that they have picked up the scent and are on a witch hunt. I fear that by the time I can actually acquire a class one license, these guns will be illegal.

I only want it to shoot bottles, honest!

You will never get a licence if "you only want to shoot bottles, honest".

I'm glad you wont be able to.

They'll let you have an aug because our 22 caliber pistols will still lord over you. There is a reason you don't turn on the TV and see people fighting with them...

Of course you will now go out of your way to prove me wrong, totally missing the irony of having to go out of your way to prove what I just said as wrong...

Automatic and semi automatic rifles are banned in the UK.

You can buy an AR-57 (for example) legally here, as long as you have a valid license, AND it has been converted to a single shot cock (bolt) weapon.