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Original poster

560,000 people own a gun in the UK - do you have a gun in your family?

139 replies

cakeorwine · 25/05/2022 18:24

Quite surprised to hear this statistic today - but it's true

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-firearm-and-shotgun-certificates-england-and-wales-april-2020-to-march-2021/statistics-on-firearm-and-shotgun-certificates-england-and-wales-april-2020-to-march-2021

That seemed a lot. I know some large landowners and farmers probably own one - but 560,000? That seems a lot.

Just curious if you have one in your family and what it's used for?

OP posts:

Magicfeet11 · 25/05/2022 19:34

My dad used to do clay shooting so had one which he stored in a safe in his office. He and the storage had to be licensed by the police

PleaseStopExplaining · 25/05/2022 19:35

I think my uncle does. My Grandad was a farmer so had them and I’m 100% sure but think my uncle inherited them.

PleaseStopExplaining · 25/05/2022 19:35

Oops that should have been I’m NOT 100% sure…

tenbob · 25/05/2022 19:36

Maireas · 25/05/2022 19:30

Why would someone have a gun in a library?

Show quote history

Because it’s safer to have it with you (almost certainly broken down into bits and stored in a case that looks a bit like a guitar case) than left in the back of your car or wherever
it won’t be loaded and resting on a desk..!

it’s a condition of your licence to not leave it in a car or unsupervised

pubs and hotels in rural areas which host shooting groups will often have safes for everyone to put guns in while they eat

if not, people will probably break the gun down into parts, take the majority of the gun inside with them and leave the firing mechanism locked in the glove box or similar

museumum · 25/05/2022 19:40

I don’t but I know a few people have licenses for history/heritage/antique reasons.

Philandbill · 25/05/2022 19:40

My brother farms and has a shotgun. It's reasonably strictly controlled as other posters have said, home visit by the police to check it was kept in a locked metal cabinet bolted to a wall etc. I lived on an army camp in Germany many years ago and got used to seeing armed soldiers on the gate etc. every time I returned home from work and that the local German police had handguns strapped to their belts. It really shocked a friend who visited me -"they've got guns!" - and it made me realise how quickly you become used to seeing guns every day. I think that the gum culture in America is awful and I'm really glad that the UK has such strict laws but I can see how Americans have normalised gun carrying.

GingerGill · 25/05/2022 19:45

My father has a shotgun….. he’s 80 and has been a member of a shorting syndicate in Scotland most of his adult life. Tiny percentage of UK citizens have a gun (about 0.8%) compared to over 40% of American households. Knowing the process and hoops my dad has to jump through to own (and store) a gun I don’t think we have a problem.

fyn · 25/05/2022 19:45

@Maireas they’d be doing some work in the library before going to the uni’s shooting ground. The uni had its own secure gun locker for students to keep their guns in but it was only open at certain times and it is safer to keep the gun with you than leave it in a car.

TheWayoftheLeaf · 25/05/2022 19:46

Not really. My dad has air rifles and a clay pudge on rifle though.

Maireas · 25/05/2022 19:47

fyn · 25/05/2022 19:45

Oh right.

Fluffycloudland77 · 25/05/2022 19:54

We had 3 at one point when dh shot. Our cat used to love watching him clean the barrels out with the pokey-stick thing. Some guns had little scratch marks where he’d tried to catch the pokey-stick thing.

muddyford · 25/05/2022 19:55

Not now, but loads of pheasant shooting friends do. This is a rural area so not uncommon.

PortalooSunset · 25/05/2022 19:57

Only Nerfs and water pistols!

Onwards22 · 25/05/2022 19:59

I live in Cornwall so many people have guns for hunting.

I would like one for clay pigeon shooting (I detest hunting real animals apart from for food) but the stats from America and how you’re more likely to accidentally shoot a family member or how they’re used in DV relationships really worry me.

Afolnerd · 25/05/2022 20:00

My father works on a large country estate and has lots of shotguns and rifles which he uses as part of his job.
Like other people have stated it’s strictly controlled and licensed and the police have been out to check they are kept securely.

Stroopwaffels · 25/05/2022 20:01

No, but we have a local shooting club.

110APiccadilly · 25/05/2022 20:05

No, but I live rurally. I could name you at least five houses within a mile where I know they'll have a gun, and there's probably more. It's not unusual round here, it's normal for vermin control. Doesn't bother me in the slightest, any more than the knowledge that pretty much every house in the village will have a bread knife in it.

Muststopeating · 25/05/2022 20:14

DH has several. As does DFIL. I suspect at least one of my DC will when they grow up. I could name at least half a dozen other people who do. As per PP we live very rurally and regularly hear shots (likely organised shoots, occasionally farmers). Where we are, a high percentage of our neighbours would own guns.

Personally I've never even touched one and have no idea where the keys to any of the cabinets are kept.

I am an absolute advocate of extremely strict gun laws and there are a lot of hoops to jump through to own them (including proving why they are required). Your license goes as far as to stipulate the number of bullets you can own at one time. They are also immediately confiscated if you are ever in any trouble with the police (at the point of accusation).

The events in the US are beyond horrific. I wish they'd wake up and get over their bloody 'rights'. What about the rights of those poor babies?

The laws in the UK were changed massively after our single (at least in my lifetime) school shooting. And it worked.

Peoniesandpeaches · 25/05/2022 20:16

I grew up rurally and my family (dad and uncles) all had them when I was growing up from farming in their younger years. In the weeks after Dunblane every one of them surrendered them and my uncle who has a hobby farm/small holding has an agreement with a neighbor that is still licensed for him to take care of any jobs that need one.

YessicaHaircut · 25/05/2022 20:16

Yes, my grandfather had several, for pheasant and deer shoots. When he passed away I think they were left to my uncle (his son in law) who also shoots. It’s pretty normal in our family, they live rurally and going shooting is a very common social activity where they are.

User48751490 · 25/05/2022 20:21

Only own a light saber sorry!

Alexandra2001 · 25/05/2022 20:23

Five people were shot dead down here recently, far too easy to get a gun, personally know of two people with declared MH issues inc severe depression who have just had their licences renewed.

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 25/05/2022 20:25

My dh currently has four different shotguns, over & unders, side by sides and a waterfowl gun. We live rurally and lots of people shoot. DFil was a gamekeeper and dh grew up in a shooting family. Since DFil died dh hasn’t actually been shooting but he’s still got his guns. They’re locked away in the gun cabinet which is routinely checked when his license is renewed.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 25/05/2022 20:27

We have none, and we wouldn't know how to shoot them if you gave us one.

Anonnnnnnm · 25/05/2022 20:28

Yep, shotgun under the bed for intruders. It's an old people thing I think.

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