Is This Really The Kind Of Representation American Airgunners Need?

[DevilsLuck]

https://hardairmagazine.com/news/sig-sauer-leads-effort-to-legalize-airgun-hunting-in-new-hampshire/

We in America have virtually unrestricted freedom when it comes to our airguns, and the choices available to us. For the most part airguns fly under the radar when it comes to legal, or political scrutiny. With bigger pushes being made every year to broaden their acceptability for hunting (an idea I’m in favor of) more attention is being paid to our hobby, and sport.
While fellow airgunners have made great strides in gaining the okay from their local governments in regard to hunting; I fear what increased scrutiny might mean for airgunners as a whole. So far everything seems cool calm and collected. But when a well known firearms manufacturer decides to take the soapbox, and start stumping for acceptable legislating for airguns hunting... A lot of people are more likely to listen. And not all of them will be hunters, or airguns afficionados. Is Sig Sauers vocal outspoken stance a liability for the status quo of air gun laws in the US? I’m not sure. But if there is one law we can always count on; it’s the law of unintended consequences. And with a name like Sig Sauer, even the uninitiated can easily draw a straight line between firearms, and air guns.

[Gipper]

Personally I think the larger and larger calibers we are seeing are what is going to be what ends up with this sport under the microscope in the future.  A .50 cal air rifle can certainly put a .50 cal hole in a human and it is just a matter of time before it happens and makes main stream news. As far as I know most places (if any) do not require a Federal background check to purchase an air rifle which means convicted felons can legally purchase them, please correct me if I am wrong on this account. Long gone are the days when this sport was all about .177, .20 and .22 calibers. Now people are casting "bullets" for their air rifles and the quest for more power continues. I think it will eventually bite us in the rear end. JMHO.

Brian

[Matchstickshooter]

I read this as some well paid bureaucrat has decided FOR you what caliber you can use to put a squirrel or bunny in the stew pot.
Never mind how many have been taken all these years with a well placed .177. jmho
 

[DevilsLuck]

Personally I think the larger and larger calibers we are seeing are what is going to be what ends up with this sport under the microscope in the future.  A .50 cal air rifle can certainly put a .50 cal hole in a human and it is just a matter of time before it happens and makes main stream news. As far as I know most places (if any) do not require a Federal background check to purchase an air rifle which means convicted felons can legally purchase them, please correct me if I am wrong on this account. Long gone are the days when this sport was all about .177, .20 and .22 calibers. Now people are casting "bullets" for their air rifles and the quest for more power continues. I think it will eventually bite us in the rear end. JMHO.

Brian

I think you are correct as far as it just being “a matter of time”. I just don’t think a name like Sig will help keep the wolves at bay.

[TF89]

I have two thoughts about this. 

There have been a lot of contributing factors that have led to the increase of air powered guns being used.  People that only used powder burners became attracted to the air gun arena and once the PCP became a common it was only a matter of time before bigger, faster, better has taken such a hold. 

Speed has always been a marketing strategy because people want it.  With PCP it is now practical to expand into the black powder power realm.

Still, look at Britain, they have been regulated for decades to under 12 fpe.

The culture at large would have noticed eventually anyway.  Have fun while the fun is there to get I quess.

[Doug Wall]

"While fellow airgunners have made great strides in gaining the okay from their local governments in regard to hunting"

Hate to tell you this, but virtually all hunting is regulated by State, if not Federal (migratory birds) laws. And if you think that State game laws don't apply to you as "only an airgunner", you're sadly mistaken. Local airgunners can only really get some laws adjusted as to where they can shoot. Crosman has put really big efforts into getting hunting legalized, so why not Sig Sauer?

[DevilsLuck]

"While fellow airgunners have made great strides in gaining the okay from their local governments in regard to hunting"

Hate to tell you this, but virtually all hunting is regulated by State, if not Federal (migratory birds) laws. And if you think that State game laws don't apply to you as "only an airgunner", you're sadly mistaken.

While I don’t claim to know how you might have arrived at this conclusion; rest assured that I am aware.

[DevilsLuck]

.

The culture at large would have noticed eventually anyway.  Have fun while the fun is there to get I quess.

+1 to that. But I wonder how hard hit the manufacturers, and distributors would be were things to change drastically.

[selittle]

I'm one of the few, I'm sure, that see no issue with regulatory oversight of guns (yes, that dirty phrase: gun control) I don't think its a bad thing for manufacturers to lobby states for the inclusion of air guns into the mainstream hunting scene, and I don't think its a bad thing for states to have oversight. Fact is, a higher power pcp is very dangerous and should be considered so. If that's what it takes to be able to use a .50 cal Seneca to take a deer then so be it.

[Buldawg76]

Well call me paranoid or whatever you like, but my stance on any infringements on my right to own and legally use airguns or guns is totally unacceptable or needed by any govt official be it state or federal. Its the old saying "give them an inch and they will take a mile".  If we allow for any form of gun control other than the background check now in place to gain ground it will only serve to open that door wider for more and more control till we are no different than the rest of the world in terms of preserving and continuing the freedom to live as we chose. The second amendment must not be infringed on for it is the bases for all our other amendments to exist and not be infringed.

If the true criminals were actually sentenced according to their crimes and then the sentences carried out in timely fashion there would be much more incentive to not commit violent crimes. The number of dangerous criminals on death row is ridiculous and serves as no deterrent to others to not take another's life with the full understanding that if convicted you will not be on death row very long before sentence is completed. I guess I am in the wrong century since I truly believe if capital punishment in the form of "Public" hangings or firing squad still took place the crime rate would be greatly reduced. If you cant do the time, don't do the crime.

I for one will never conform to any infringement of the second amendment in any way shape or form. Its is a "GOD" given right to protect your family and property by any means necessary to survive. No man has the right to say other wise.

Hopefully the airgun manufactures are as unwavering as all of the red blooded Americans that love our country as much as I do and will die trying to preserve it for our generations to come.

Mike     

[Frank in Fairfield]

Tell them Mike!

[Buldawg76]

Tell them Mike!

Frank
I have never been known to not speak my mind when it is about our country and the constitution that our founding fathers set forth as our rules of the land. I just saw on the news last night that there is a movement to do away with the pledge of allegiance in our schools. It is a sad day for us if it actually happens. Definitely not the country I grew up in and love so dearly.

Mike 

[Whirligig]

1. The threat of imprisonment, and even the death penalty, has never been effective as a deterrence to people commiting violent crimes.

2. I, like the OP, am concerned about the attention extremely high power (meaning 100+ FPE) airguns may draw to our sport/hobby/whatever.

3. I too support some "controls" on gun purchases, but not so with airguns, mainly because (with a few exceptions) airguns are not effective people-killers. If that changes, we should have been able to foresee the attempts at government regulation we encounter with powder-burners.

-Whirly

[Whirligig]

Tell them Mike!

Frank
I have never been known to not speak my mind when it is about our country and the constitution that our founding fathers set forth as our rules of the land. I just saw on the news last night that there is a movement to do away with the pledge of allegiance in our schools. It is a sad day for us if it actually happens. Definitely not the country I grew up in and love so dearly.

Mike

Didn't one of the freedoms our soldiers fought so valiantly for in WWII was the freedom of speech, including not to be forced to say something, which indicates that the government is totalitarian and does not value freedom?

-Whirly

[Buldawg76]

Tell them Mike!

Frank
I have never been known to not speak my mind when it is about our country and the constitution that our founding fathers set forth as our rules of the land. I just saw on the news last night that there is a movement to do away with the pledge of allegiance in our schools. It is a sad day for us if it actually happens. Definitely not the country I grew up in and love so dearly.

Mike

Didn't one of the freedoms our soldiers fought so valiantly for in WWII was the freedom of speech, including not to be forced to say something, which indicates that the government is totalitarian and does not value freedom?

-Whirly

Exactly, so why is the commies demos doing everything in their power to turn this country into a socialist republic like the rest of the world. IMO No guns is just the precursor to allow the govt to herds us up like cattle to the elimination. I will give up all my guns when they pry my cold dead hands from around them, use caution barrels will be HOT.

Mike

[Whirligig]

Tell them Mike!

Frank
I have never been known to not speak my mind when it is about our country and the constitution that our founding fathers set forth as our rules of the land. I just saw on the news last night that there is a movement to do away with the pledge of allegiance in our schools. It is a sad day for us if it actually happens. Definitely not the country I grew up in and love so dearly.

Mike

Didn't one of the freedoms our soldiers fought so valiantly for in WWII was the freedom of speech, including not to be forced to say something, which indicates that the government is totalitarian and does not value freedom?

-Whirly

Exactly, so why is the commies demos doing everything in their power to turn this country into a socialist republic like the rest of the world. IMO No guns is just the precursor to allow the govt to herds us up like cattle to the elimination. I will give up all my guns when they pry my cold dead hands from around them, use caution barrels will be HOT.

Mike

While I'd love to have a debate about Communism and Capitalism, and how each may help or hinder a society, I fear this conversation may fall outside the conventions and policies of this forum, which is dedicated to airguns and not politics, and should end here.

However, I do invite you to read up on the notion of Democratic Socialism, which I think would have assertions that would be agreeable to us both.

-Whirly

[Buldawg76]

Tell them Mike!

Frank
I have never been known to not speak my mind when it is about our country and the constitution that our founding fathers set forth as our rules of the land. I just saw on the news last night that there is a movement to do away with the pledge of allegiance in our schools. It is a sad day for us if it actually happens. Definitely not the country I grew up in and love so dearly.

Mike

Didn't one of the freedoms our soldiers fought so valiantly for in WWII was the freedom of speech, including not to be forced to say something, which indicates that the government is totalitarian and does not value freedom?

-Whirly

Exactly, so why is the commies demos doing everything in their power to turn this country into a socialist republic like the rest of the world. IMO No guns is just the precursor to allow the govt to herds us up like cattle to the elimination. I will give up all my guns when they pry my cold dead hands from around them, use caution barrels will be HOT.

Mike

While I'd love to have a debate about Communism and Capitalism, and how each may help or hinder a society, I fear this conversation may fall outside the conventions and policies of this forum, which is dedicated to airguns and not politics, and should end here.

However, I do invite you to read up on the notion of Democratic Socialism, which I think would have assertions that would be agreeable to us both.

-Whirly

Agreed this is not  the place to have any type of political debate as well.

While I do see pluses in the democratic socialism movement as well as minuses, sadly to me its all just pipe dreams since the elite in this country and the world for that matter will never allow it to happen. If it did gain favor by the time it was all said and done it will still lean more toward capitalism than socialism IMO. At least it my lifetime I will never see it take place. Our govt is so lost in its way that its become a entitled group of people that truly only care about their destiny in life. Time to clean house if you ask me.

Mike 

[Steelontarget]

Personally I think the larger and larger calibers we are seeing are what is going to be what ends up with this sport under the microscope in the future.  A .50 cal air rifle can certainly put a .50 cal hole in a human and it is just a matter of time before it happens and makes main stream news. As far as I know most places (if any) do not require a Federal background check to purchase an air rifle which means convicted felons can legally purchase them, please correct me if I am wrong on this account. Long gone are the days when this sport was all about .177, .20 and .22 calibers. Now people are casting "bullets" for their air rifles and the quest for more power continues. I think it will eventually bite us in the rear end. JMHO.

Brian

I think you are correct as far as it just being “a matter of time”. I just don’t think a name like Sig will help keep the wolves at bay.

First they came for the machine guns, and I did not speak out—because I did not own a machine gun.

Then they came for the high capacity magazines, and I did not speak out— because I did not own a high capacity magazine.

Then they came for the bump stocks, and I did not speak out—because I did not own a bump stock.

Then they came for my air rifle — and there was no one left to speak for me.

[cobalt327]

The price of admission into high power big bore PCP airguns is one thing that keeps them largely in the hands of responsible owners but it's only a matter of time until such an airgun is used in the commission of a felony and God forbid if it's a homicide and doubly so if it's committed by someone banned from owning a firearm. Then the biased media will make the most of the situation to put these airguns in a bad light, and by association ALL airguns will then come under scrutiny. What may follow is anyone's guess but it's bound to be detrimental to the hobby/sport.

[Buldawg76]

United we stand , Divided we fall has never been more important than the world we live in today.

Mike