Interesting response on a non-gun related forum

[RVTECH]

Earlier today I was on another forum I frequent due to the nature of the hobby (metal detecting/relic hunting) and a thread was started with the poster asking opinions about metal detecting in a high crime area. Immediately several people responded, and some with good advice on situational awareness and several referenced carrying a gun, but many were not particularly knowledgeable about guns, CC etc, given the nature of the responses. To which I posted:

Lots of good advice here but I would like to chime in on the concealed carry issue. Unless you are already familiar with firearms, carry on a regular basis, shoot regularly and are aware of the laws in your state and local area I can not support the idea of you 'carrying'. Carrying a firearm is a huge responsibility and is not to be taken lightly. Strapping a gun on (like it is just another piece of equipment) without the proper training and experience will likely get you into more trouble than out of.

Then came the following post from someone in England:

This thread makes disturbing and incredible reading for an English detectorist.

To which I responded:

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe you are completely unable to carry (or own) a firearm in England correct? Restrictions on knives too I believe. This effectively makes one a 'sitting duck' for any criminal who may have a weapon. What is the crime situation like in your area?

To which he responded:

I've never had any fears about my own safety when detecting in the UK. Mind you, if there is an unfriendly looking bull in a field, I might just give it a miss.

You are right; we don't have any need to carry firearms or other weapons. It's against the law anyway.

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[james83]

Actually you can own a shotgun or bolt action rifle in the UK, semi-auto rifles larger than .22 are illegal. To own a shotgun you must have a shotgun certificate which is issued by the police, you present a valid reason for needing the shotgun, usually claytarget shooting is a good enough reason, the gun must be locked away in a gunsafe bolted down at all times except when in use, Home defence is not a valid reason to aquire in the shotgun it is also illegal, to own a hunting bolt action rifle you must have a valid reason such as deer hunting, there is no public hunting land in the UK so most people have no way of owning a rifle so gaining a Firearm certificate is almost impossible unless you are wealthy.

The background checks to be granted either of these certificates are very strict and you must prove you are not mentally defective, if you have ever been perscribed anti-depressants you will not be granted a certificate, The certificates can be revoked by the police for very minor reasons.

Semi-auto rifles larger than .22have been banned since 1988

Handguns have been banned since 1997

Pocession of an illegal firearm in the UK is a mandatory 5 year jail sentence.

However Criminals and gang members are armed and handguns can be purchased on the street, If you follow the law your chance of owning a gun is almost zero, If your a criminal just keep on shooting your ww2 era sten submachine gun at your rival gang members.

The UK sucks The firearm laws suck, I know i lived there! I had a shotgun certificate for duck hunting,

Oh and on the smaller islands jersey, guernsey the isle of white ect you CAN still own a handgun for target shooting, I have no idea why.

My father owned handguns up until the ban in 1997, he lost alot of money when he turned those guns over to the police, The british public did nothing to fight the ban

The whole of the UK can sink to the bottom of the ocean as far as im concerned, I will never set foot on that rotten island ever again

 

[Blitzkrieg]

The brits have long ago been neutered. Crime in their cities and now even in shires is skyrocketing due to an influx of wild eyed 3rd worlders who form large gangs, and yes they carry guns and knives and baseball bats.. a young man was killed recently while sitting innocently in an English pub by a mob armed with bats and knives, his father is in critical condition after trying to shield his son from the stabs

As to owning a shotgun there, yes after you jump thru all the hoops and then it cannot have more than a 2 shot tube, and it is absolutely verboten to actually use it for self defense

 

[keystir]

He didn't get into any more detail about what was so "disturbing and incredible" about the thread? Was he referring to concealed carry, using a metal detector in high crime areas, or just silly Americans and their crazy ideas?

By the way, do you ever actually find anything cool or valuable with a metal detector?

 

[RVTECH]

He didn't get into any more detail about what was so "disturbing and incredible" about the thread? Was he referring to concealed carry, using a metal detector in high crime areas, or just silly Americans and their crazy ideas?

I was going to ask about this but I would have been going off topic or hijacking the thread but I think all the responses to even considering carrying was what caused his 'disturbance'

By the way, do you ever actually find anything cool or valuable with a metal detector?

With any luck you have not watched the 'American Diggers' show. If you have please understand this show is faked and completely not representative of the average metal detector enthusiast. Now to answer you question, yes. Have I ever found anything particularly valuable? Sort of - I found a WW1 religious medal from Germany I sold. Cool finds - yes. A few years ago at a Homestead site I used to hunt often I found many day - to - day items most would never think about but someone use to use on a daily basis. I found a hand forged plate handle to a kitchen wood cook stove at one site. This was handled by the wife most likely daily. I also found a forged lemon press - rusted and it will not close but many who have seen this admitted they have never seen a lemon press this old. I don't even count the coins and other things I find anymore.

 

[Abiqua]

 

[Sun195]

View attachment 40587

Death by butter knife?

 

[Abiqua]

Death by butter knife?

That's how far they've fallen. Their citizens cannot be trusted with cutlery.

 

[Jamie6.5]

At 30 seconds:

Swords not necessary, and Parliament apparently believes it!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

That's how far they've fallen. Their citizens cannot be trusted with cutlery.

It's nothing new.. King James banned my clan (MacGregor) and we were forbidden to have anything bladed but a tiny knife to cut our meat. We promptly disbeyed

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Here's the case I mentioned in Britian. Somalian or other African gang, called a "hoodie" gang so as not to offend any minorities, which is a crime in Britian (not joking)

Father, 56, in critical condition after being stabbed trying to shield dying son from frenzied attack by hoodie gang outside pub | Mail Online

 

[Mookie]

Swords not necessary, and Parliament apparently believes it!

Why a spoon, cousin? Why not an axe?
Because it's DULL, you twit. It'll hurt more.