Hi guys,
I will be offline for a while due to the MOD Police having my computer away with them.
To tell the story:-
Me and a mate had been to a crash site and hadnt found it so took 3 guys with us the next time. We found the site the next time and had found a couple of small items on the surface and took them with us to clean it up as two items had numbers and writing on them. In hindsite this was rather silly as we did not have a licence to dig. But as we were going to get a licence for a proper dig this year we did not see it as a problem.
So the house was searched and all my research and computer and all the aircraft pieces I had collected on licenced digs.I was then taken to the local police station where I was interviewed and then released. I got taken home and here I am.
What I didnt know was that although the ammo I had was spent (2 x 35mm shell heads and 2 x 303 shell head) I was told I still need a firearms licence to hold then even though the MOD had signed them over to our possesion.
DONT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU.
I am now a lot wiser in these proceedings and will let you know what happens to us but as I said above take advice from the local police if you think you may have something that requires a firearms licence. This includes exploded or used ammo.
I will also let you all know when I am online again.
For those of you who know me please use my hotmail account.
the address is [email]esar3945@hotmail.com[/email]
I can check this from any computer.
Regards Scott aka Merlin
By: ageorge - 20th March 2003 at 18:55
Good to hear from you Merlin !! , I had just Emailed Keith to ask if he had heard from you , the Police are correct , spent rounds are just lumps of metal , rounds with primers can still make a fair pop and should be left alone , did you get your PC back ok ?? , good to see you back on-line .
By: Merlin3945 - 20th March 2003 at 18:42
Thanks for the words guys.
I was told by the MOD that I needed a firearms certificate for the ammo I had which was 2 x 35mm shell heads and a 303.
All of which are spent. I checked with the civil police at Fettes. Lothian and Borders HQ and they said they knew of no such thing and that I should get in contact with the MOD involved and ask why I needed a licence as as far as the Police were concerned after a round is spent its is just a chunk of metal.
I still need to contact the MOD.
I think they were trying the frigteners on me but I dont know.
I know the 35 mm shells were capped but these were training round but they could have been High explosive and this would have been illegal. I dont mind them taking the casing away as it could have had a detonator on it.
Regards Merlin
By: ageorge - 14th March 2003 at 22:01
Scott , as Snapper says the possession of expended ordnance is not illegal and you do not have to hold an FAC to collect such items . However rounds which have been deemed safe by twisting the heads off and removing the charge can still be classed as illegal as the primer is still often in the base of the casing . Casings from used rounds or from rounds which may have been “cooked off” in post crash fires will have no explosive content and therefore possession of such items is not illegal.
I know you do everything by the book mate and I’m sure it’ll all turn out ok .
By: Snapper - 14th March 2003 at 20:07
Scott, from my conversations with you, I know that you try to do stuff by the book. It sounds to me that they have brought out a new edition though. Best of luck, be thinking of ya.
Now, correct me if i’m wrong, but expended ammo is NOT a firearm, and a firearms licence is NOT required to possess any. Hence the traders at Duxford can sell gallons of ex-ammo to kids on airshow days. Hence the MOD sell it to them to do so. Live, complete ammo is a different story, but in your circumstances they are probably looking at anything – and there is a difference between military and civil law.
Best wishes mate. Besides, what can they do? Shave your head and send you to Iraq?
By: geedee - 14th March 2003 at 19:50
Sorry to hear that mate. we’ll be here when you get back
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March 14, 2003 at 7:21 pm