Ryton Arms looks a good web site. I will let you know if I pick anything up,thanks again for all the replys.
There's a militaria fair in Manchester on 2nd October, you can pick some up from there. To the person who said they should be taken out of circulation, please keep that view entirely to yourself. Ta.
My father and I have been collecting deacts since 2007. We currently have 26 or 27, I forget. But here is a list of websites that we check daily for new weapons. Deactivated guns - Arundel Militaria Ryton Arms Worldwide Arms - We specialise in supplying all types of Collector's Weapons UKM Sales Home - DWSUK Online Store MDW Supplies UK Dealers of World War 1, World War 2, Post War, Deactivated guns, Militaria. www.chelmsfordmilitaria.com JC Militaria | Military Collectables All UK based, sales to UK only. All have various weapons and prices. Also you could check: Guns for sale. Shotguns for sale, Rifles for sale, air rifles for sale | GunStar and Deactivated Weapons - MILWEB Classifieds. Private classified adds, with some very reasonable prices. I have bought from most of these sites including gunstar and milweb without any issues. I appreciate some of these sites have already been shared, I just thought it would be more convenient to have them all in one place. Hope this helps.
Just a personal opinion, I cannot see the fascination, often by people who have never had the responsibility of carrying one. No offence intended, but it remains my view. That is almost always the case. Myself included and I hope I am never required to carry one. As many collectors will agree, I can't say I'm 'fascinated' by them. They are however, a tangible insight into the world of the Serviceman. The servicemen who died to give me the freedom to own one, not the draconian measures of control you suggest. Perhaps you should target the illegal live firing gun owners, of which there are a huge amount. Another word for them is Criminals, we are not criminals. A deactivated weapon owner is not a 'Hungerford waiting to happen all over again'.
Unionjack. I will take no lectures about weapons illegal or other, I spent many years on the wrong end of them. On at least two occasions closer than others- almost being promoted to glory - William St Londonerry 1975 tracer exploded at my right foot! I do not wish to offend, my views are my own but equally as valid, yes people with a fascination do worry me and yes I would remove them from general circulation. Your view is different I respect that. A deactivated weapon owner is not a 'Hungerford waiting to happen all over again' - what an odd thing to say! Not something that was in my thought process.
Unionjack. I will take no lectures about weapons I'm sorry you think my view a lecture, it certainly wasn't intended as such. Of course you were not shot in the foot by a legally & responsibly owned deactivated weapon. It was an illegally owned live firer.
Personally, I just wanted to own a Bren Gun (or at least an ex-Bren Gun). I got that, fulfilling a childhood fascination with the thing, and never felt much further urge to get any more really. Though a Lanchester still sort of appeals, and it causes me physical pain that I never bought a Vickers for £200 in Oxford many years ago. For a dedicated Civvy with a military history fascination I find something to be said for handling these machines, even in the castrated state we're allowed to get our hands on 'em. Every time I pick up Brenda I think 'strewth, and some poor bastards carried that across Europe & Africa.' - It's maybe a tenuous link with the past, but it is a link of sorts. I do quite like the way a few deacs can form a compact and complete collection. One mate has 'British infantry of WW2' - Bren, Sten, Enfield. Another; 'Infantry Rifles of WW2' - K98, Moisin Nagant, Garrand, M1, Enfield. And yet another; 'LMGs of WW2' - Bren, MG34, Degtyaryov. Each stopped there, and in a few purchases had a little mound of stuff that makes one go 'hmmmm' about WW2 in particular, & warfare in general.
Unionjack please read before reacting. I am not making distinctions you are. You are not addressing my views but going off at a tangent. I will try one more time, it is my view notwithstanding legality or responsibility. I accept that if you are not seeing the point then the fault is mine for not explaining it -I have tried!
Given the varied backgrounds of the people who post on this site I guess it should be no surprise that there is a diverse range of opinions on this subject. The question of firearms ownership and usage always seems to generate a passionate debate. Even within Canada, it is a lively topic with strongly held views on either side and it generally breaks down on urban and rural lines. As a firearms owner since I was a boy, I am genuinely intrigued by the degree of "evil" associated with guns. I own a deactivated Sten, a functional but 'sporterized' Lee-Enfield as well as several hunting rifles and shotguns. Guns, for me, are part of many fond memories and positive experiences. Hunting and target shooting with my father, uncles and friends during my youth are among my most treasured experiences. All this done in safety and by people who have and never will be a threat to society. I know it is not shared and my view that a gun is simply an implement with no inherent evil seems to be the minority view, especially in cities. We have approx. 1,000 annual deaths in Canada attributed to firearms. 80% of those are suicides. 173,000 Canucks are killed or injured in auto accidents each year. Which device should we fear more?
I hope he has all his deactivation paperwork in order. Revolver believed to have been used by Vincent van Gogh sells for $182,000 at auction