Welcome to the BDGCA's website
Jan 12, 10:46
In the light of recent announcements in the press, by the home Secretary concerning possible alterations to legislation covering deactivated guns, we at Arundel Militaria will be launching the British Deactivated Gun Collectors Association.
It’s aim is to ensure that our customers will have a collective voice in the coming debate, which will better enable their interests and concerns to be raised. The government and the the public need to clearly understand that collectors and owners of deactivated guns are serious about their collecting, often have a deep knowledge of their subject and are not common criminals who require to be legislated for.
This site is currently under construction but will be operable soon.
Comment
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well done arundel militaria for getting the ball rolling..i for one wont sit still on this announcement by the home secretary.as collectors we must have a collective voice in the coming debate..
— R PILBEAM · Jan 13, 22:11 · #
I have for a number of years taken part in Living history, and military vehicles. I have participated at many national and international events at the invitation of official bodies at mostly my own expense. I have always lived a law abiding life. Which makes me an easy target. 2 sets of people laugh at the law, those who make it those who breack it. If the law does not serve the people it is a tool of oppresion.
— Tony B · Jan 14, 12:00 · #
Arundel Rules! Great products and Prices and then this website. Well done. But will it be enough? They do what they want these criminals in london! What next the bann of toy guns to improve the statistics. Clean up all the other mess in the country, before trying to take away the little freedom left for us collectors.
— D. Hartl · Jan 14, 15:13 · #
Great idea! maybe its about time dealers collectors and re-enactors formed a group to protect its interests !I don,t think this government will be happy untill carving knifes are banned!How do i sign up for membership?
— john s green · Jan 14, 19:36 · #
The raising of a collectors Association can only be a good thing. As a group co ordinator of both an independant Living History Group and a larger Association that has over 10 groups within its membership I know just how damaging to the hobby the banning of these pieces of history will be. I have no doubt that without the ability to display to the public the main tool of the Soldier in the 20th centry the hobby will be die and its unlikly to ever be again part of the living history scene in the United Kingdom.
While we must fight this ban we must also think of ways of making what we do more responsible and I would support a licencing of such equipment as deactivated weapons for the genuine collector and Living Historian.
Regards
L BOWDEN
Groups Co-ordinator
— L BOWDEN · Jan 14, 20:39 · #
This is great news, we have collected these weapons for many years, our deep knowledge of guns ect have helped to preserve their history and help police in the apprehension of criminals.We must all stick together and let our voices be herd.
— Robert Young · Jan 14, 23:15 · #
Well done, we need a collective voice to respond to the myths being put out by this Government.
— R Davis · Jan 15, 16:52 · #
they will be taking dummies off kids next,keep up the good work boys
— Donal Doherty · Jan 15, 17:04 · #
Well done for starting this off. The sooner we begin, the more chance of getting concessions before they steamroll this law through parliament.
— A Taylor · Jan 16, 15:36 · #
I think a ‘military weapons collectors licence’ ( free of charge and for the lifetime of the collector )should be made available to all collectors of deacts, this also should allow the purchase of replicas as well as airsoft type guns the VCR bill is a waste of space and will do nothing to stop the crims carrying on as usual. A root and branch approach to the firearms legislation in this country is long over due.
— m · Jan 16, 20:55 · #
I have a De-Ac .30 mounted on my Ferret AFV, I have removed all the working parts and even the barrel,This is now a piece of steel tube machined to fit in place of the original enabling the gas pipe to be inserted through it< it is now a simulator powered by propane and O2, this of course puts me in yet another bracket!! But it is still visibly a .30!
I am not a villain! It’s always the same old story, target those who own things ligit, you never hear of someone holding up a bank with a sawn off Gympy, yet anyone can own a Real Shotgun!( And How many of those are stolen each year!!) And how about curbing the sale of viscious Knives to people with no reason to own one?
Hope things can move toward some common sence through your efforts, Thankyou
Fred
— Fred Hughes · Jan 17, 03:04 · #
An excellent idea, getting people together to give voice against yet another hare brained idea from our Government. The vast majority of crimes involving guns committed in the UK are carried out using pistols and revolvers smuggled in from Europe – not de-acs nor shotguns !!
Fred, not anyone can own a shotgun, and very, very few are stolen each year due to the way that they have to stored and carried. Also, you are doing a disservice to both de-ac collectors and those of us who enjoy sports such as clay pigeon shooting with the comments that you make. We need to stick together, not snipe at those who also have a shotgun or firearms certificate. Oh, when was the last time you heard of a bank being held up by someone using a shotgun? It’s mainly handguns that are used these days, those things that are already completely banned !!
Banning all handguns solved nothing – gun crime is on the increase, but not from those who enjoy de-acs or who are legitimate holders of licenced guns.
David
— David M · Jan 17, 13:30 · #
there is a very pertinet saying for this situation ‘For evil to flourish all that is required is for good men to do nothing’. After reading the Goverment reports on ‘Gun Crime’ I’d be tempted to buy one as defence, they make it sound as if it unsafe to walk the streets. So whos to blame for that?
— Tony B · Jan 18, 15:36 · #
I have a DSHK 44 on its mount how is this a danger to the public short of falling on some one (it weighs 75kg with its mount) I cant see how it could be used for any sort of gun crime its not exactly an easily concealable weapon. I think this propossed ban on deacts is a government overreaction to a problem they themselves have created. They have no control of criminals or methods of importation so a thinktank at whitehall got together and said what else can we ban? what else is there left that can make it look like we are doing something and not getting paid for doing nothing! we’ll be eating with plastic forks soon cutlery is sure to be banned with this “epedemic’ of knife crime
— jip mctavish · Jan 20, 13:48 · #
i have just started collecting deact guns last year and i think joining this assocation is an exellent idea Rob
— Rob Hodgson · Jan 20, 15:28 · #
Brilliant idea, Ive got several weapons ranging fro .50 cal down to sten, all used in living history events.Hundreds of people enjoy seeing these weapons on vehicles and it would appear yet that again it is a knee-jerk reaction by the goverment. good luck with it
— Dave Edwards · Jan 21, 12:42 · #
Well done for taking the initiative. Unfortunately, I remember all too vividly the struggle that ensued when the government announced it’s intention to ban legally owned (real) handguns in the backlash of the Michael Ryan / Thomas Hamiliton (may they both rot in hell) incidents. All of the handgun associations lobbied hard, and at great expense to try and bring some common sense to the debate, but the government had, in effect, made up it’s mind already that it was going to ban all handguns (with the active support of the police, who made no secret of their desire for this legislation, and through their own incompetence in properly properly enforcing the existing laws and background checks actually brought it about). Sadly, the general public has great difficulty in seeing the appeal of collecting weapons – still more so when those weapons are incapable of carrying out the function they were designed for (this unfortunately is a case of you can’t win whatever you do). The only answers are to get in there first, educate the public and get them on our side, and try to prevent the “knee-jerk” reactions which cost so many of us the loss of our hobby, into which we had invested much time and effort, not to mention money, the last time around.
— Chris Lipscombe-Smith · Jan 21, 12:49 · #
well done arundel, you have my full support. I have a collection of WW2 deacts and I wish to continue in my chose hobby.
— derek young · Jan 21, 17:12 · #
Well done for getting the ball running. A key part of portraying soldiers of the past is being able to equip yourself to look as original as possible.We are all responsible for our own equipment so why should we be penalised because some idiot wants to rob some body of their lively hood and for that matter our hobby and enjoyment of portraying possibly their grandparents/parents past and our countries history
— Bruce Steggles · Jan 22, 21:41 · #
No more Bond movies, military dramas, or anything else that requires deacts. as a military /police background actor I now have to learn how to use a deac banana or pointy stick (and shout bang)a bit monty python, mabee the goverment hasnt realised how much tax will be lost,unemployed armourers /special effects and actors will be out of work if weapon use movies cant be made, but thats typical of a blinkered goverment..
KEEP UP THE PROTESTS
— Bill Tinsley · Jan 25, 23:34 · #
great idea hopefuly other traders will also support you as we all suffer if welose de- acts. its my belief the government intend to put de-acts under the VCR ACT which has severely affected the replica gun market. lets do all we can to stop this happening again.
— graham barton battle orders · Jan 30, 14:15 · #
Hello all, I have set up a petition on Downing Street’s website opposing the ban. You can find it (and my reasons for opposing the ban) here:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Deactivated/
If you agree, please sign up.
Thanks
— Simon Buckley · Feb 1, 13:55 · #
Whilst I applaud the sentiments of Simon, ( Entry No 22 ), I would perhaps suggest the possibility of an own goal.
Firstly there is already an earlier petition on the No 10 site relating to de activated guns / re enactors, therefore potential support may be diluted
Secondly, and more damagingly, by raising the petition, it does rather encourage a vigourously opposing petition, calling for the complete ban on de activated weapons to be implemented.
Given that that Fleet Street and associated media yearn for the chance to boost circulation…how long before “ The Sun Says”.. “take guns away from the nutters, protect our children, and sign a de ac ban” petition, ( complete with web link ), comes to the fore ?
If such a “Support the Ban” campaign was mounted, with the public suspicion, and mis informnation currently being bandied about…then I would wager the diametrically opposite support would outnumber ours by 100x… 200x…500x ?
Such tangible statistical evidence of public approval might give any Government the encouragement to implement potentially draconian measures in short order, hoping that they were enacting the public will.
This is not a time for confrontation, but skilled and sensitive
negotiation to achieve an outcome where all parties win, and the public is re assured that genuine collectors are as concerned as they are about illegal firearms.
— Patrick C · Feb 1, 23:27 · #
Well things seem to have gone quiet just now but if Government do decide to implement their proposal and make the owning of deacts illegal we may as well go the whole hog and collect live ones from the “Underworld”,whats the difference if their both illegal.
As long as weapons of any descript are manufactured Man will strive to collect them it’s in our nature to do so and has been for hundreds of years. How many of you have seen the walls of Castles, Mansiona and Baronic Halls strewn with any manor of weapons displayed in symetrical patterns for the owner or privileged visitors to admire.
True collectors are not interested in shooting or any form of criminal activities but rather the historical and aesthetic value of the particular piece in question.
In fact we’d be doing society and the law a big favour by taking these live guns off the streets and I suspect they would be a lot cheaper than the deacts.
— Bob · Feb 5, 09:19 · #
“ we may as well go the whole hog and collect live ones from the “Underworld”,whats the difference if their both illegal.”…Blog entry #24.
Thats a really profoundly great idea Bob !!!…especially to have the very suggestion of possibly intended illegality published on a worldwide blog.
I can just see that particular text, admittedly taken out of context, reproduced in a Parliamentary Select Committee Report as justification for punitive legislative action.
I do not mean to personally criticise you, Bob, so forgive me, but providing free ammunition, ( no pun intended), for our detractors weakens our case
Get real ! , people….this is going to happen…the Home Secretary has spoken…. this is now about politics…and showing that the vast majority of historic collectors value ‘The Law’ AND the rights, ( and protection ), of the individual as much as the rest of Society.
— Patrick C · Feb 5, 20:25 · #
Bob please remember I/we do not need to collect live weapons, and that’s because I-we have deac’s I’m quite content with my deac’s gracing my walls I don’t need to lock them away, and I certainly don’t need to show them off, I have a good alarm system and they are in a secure place I once held an FAC and owned a modern SLP and decided after the hand gun ban, that I had had enough. I decided not to renew my FAC, in fear of future legislation against rifle shooting, however unfounded my feelings may be. I can appreciate and understand your frustration with a government that can only be described as out of touch, We must all refrain from letting are selves down by saying what we could do, or what we might as well do, or what they should do. Stick to the issues and rally friend and family for support. Push the issues and the practicalities of proposed legislation, and show the none gun collecting community we are not the issue. folly and
— David Main · Feb 10, 18:36 · #