Due to the limitations imposed upon us by the official e-petition website, our original petition text had to be shortened. For completeness, the full version is shown bellow.
Allow the ownership and use of .22 calibre rimfire pistols for sporting purposes in England, Wales and Scotland.
Responsible department: Home Office
We the undersigned respectfully petition the Government to amend the Firearms Acts to allow the ownership and use of .22 calibre rimfire pistols for competitive sporting purposes in England, Wales and Scotland.
We therefore request that the Government:
1. Repeal the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997
2. Amend the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 such that the following sections remain repealed:
- Section 12, 1(c)
- Section 13
Prior to the 1997 Firearms(Amendment) (No 2) Act (which prohibited .22 calibre pistols), under the constraints of the Section 1 of the 1968 Firearms Act, competitors could legally purchase, own and use .22 calibre pistols for target shooting competition up to and including Olympic level at approved clubs.
We ask that the sport of target pistol shooting be once more permitted under the existing Section 1 Licencing scheme, allowing a much loved sporting discipline to flourish once more.
Although special dispensations have been arranged for the members of our Commonwealth and Olympic pistol shooting teams, which allow a selected few to train within the UK and participate in the 2014 Commonwealth games in Glasgow; this offers no avenue for new people coming into the sport. This also places serious limitations on our ability to compete at a high level in the future.
Target shooting is an all inclusive sport, with less-able bodied, hearing and visually impaired people able to compete at all levels within the various disciplines to include competing with able bodied people on an equal basis.
Shooting is a major international competitive sport in which the UK has a long history of success. It is time that legislation encouraged British athletes to participate on a level field with other international teams.
Firearms UK
https://firearmsuk.org
