BASC publishes detailed response to Home Office firearms proposals

BASC has submitted its response to the Government’s firearms safety consultation. 

The Home Office consultation, launched in November last year, deals with several areas of interest including miniature rifle ranges, large calibre rifles, airguns and ammunition.

The consultation asks for responses on:

• What level of enhanced security would sufficiently reduce the risk of high muzzle energy rifles (.50 calibre rifles) being stolen and misused.
• The possession of airguns by under-18s, secure storage and safe-keeping.
• Proposals that miniature rifle range operators apply for a firearm certificate and undergo necessary police checks.
• The controls required for the possession of ammunition propellants and primers.

BASC’s director of firearms, Bill Harriman, said that the association’s “detailed and practical” response showed that BASC would support the government’s actions to improve firearms safety where there was direct evidence that this was necessary and that where there was no evidence, BASC would fight against proposed restrictions.

He said: “BASC is very pleased that the government’s Firearms Safety Consultation unequivocally confirms that airguns in England and Wales will not be subject to any licensing regime. That is an evidence-led and proportionate response.

“What is neither evidence-led nor proportionate is the proposal that young people aged between 14 – 17 should no longer be allowed to use airguns on private premises without supervision.

“BASC asserts that this proposal will disadvantage many young people without any commensurate increase in public safety and will use all its lobbying powers to oppose it.”

Mr Harriman said BASC would launch a campaign soon focusing on the use of airguns by under-18s to raise awareness of the issue and to show the government the importance of the issue.

BASC’s consultation response can be found here.

The consultation ends on 16 February 2021 and BASC is urging its members to spare five minutes completing an online survey form as their response. For more information and BASC’s recommended answers to the survey, click here.