our spineless politicians directed by the slimy EU parliament will soon introduce a new law that will limit airguns stronger than 20J or 200m/s at muzzle. to get one you'll need to do a weapons handling safety program that will cost as much as an normal airgun (200$). thing is that you'll need to give a good reason why do you want to own an airgun (the most common legitimate reasons are sports, hunting, self defense).
basically we're adopting something like germany, england, italy,... already have. you'll also have to register your airgun and pay the required fees of course.
this law will be enacted to prevent accidents and unstable persons to get their hands on "guns" or something like that. the irony is we didn't have any accidents with an airgun as long as i can remember and unstable people will get their hands on such guns despite the law.
failing to register airguns bought prior to the law will cost you from 4000$ to 20000$.
the current law allowed every person above 18 years to own an unrestricted airgun.
personally i am for the law if it wouldn't be so expensive and downright stupid. because airgunners will attend the same seminars regular firearms shooters do. to get a real gun you need to make some additional courses...so airgunners wont get instant access to real weapons just yet.
obviously the law is more than anything a scam to get money from taxpayers with probably no real results in the end.
this thread is more than anything a rant at how outrageously stupid politicians can be, but there's probably nothing we back here can do because the law as i understood will be ratified soon and gathering enough votes to veto it would take too long. and what's even worse is that it's a EU directive which means it is almost 100% sure it will get voted in despite what we do...except maybe if we'd complain to the EU court, but you know how futile that would be. so basically all we can do is lube our bums and bite our teeth.
on a side note...i never signed up to be treated this way by the EU. before anyone goes..."look at the poor socialists back there in Europe...", let me tell you that socialism/communism is not the same as a nanny state. i happen to agree with some social principles but what we're facing is not socialism, it's corrupt idiocy. i want the EU to be a trade union not a goddamn tyranny.
i'm ranting because i'm a student and could barely afford my RWS 34, whic ironically is way more expensive here than in the US (i paid for mine something around 370 dollars without scope...the cheap gamo scope cost an additional 100 dollars).
so until i get a proper job, adult airguns will be tough to get.
and besides...i'm also afraid airgun types at gun stores will decline due to the limit.
now...i'm thinking, pay the 200$ i don't have (there are more pressing needs right now..such as paying the rent), go illegal or stop shooting for a while till i get a proper job.
in the case that i will have to pay additional fees for any new gun i'll buy, things will really suck
meh...i'll figure out something. if only the box wouldn't say it has 300m/s i could play dumb, not knowing what i've bought.
