Obvious Omission?

I was in an outdoor pursuits shop yesterday buying some air rifle pellets. The shop sells bows, crossbows, non-FAC air rifles and pistols. A sign states they may require evidence of ID from anyone buying weapons and gives a list of examples of acceptable evidence - e.g. Passport, Driving Licence, etc. A notable omission from the list is Firearms Licence. :)

Edited because it seem a lot of poeople (probably in the US) totally missed my point.

I'm in the UK. No firearms licence is needed for air rifles with a muzzle energy less than12 ft lbf and air pistols with a muzzle energy less than 6 ft lbf. The requirement for ID is the shop's policy, it's not really a legal requirement, although anyone purchasing an air weapon must be 18 or over. I just found it amusing that they didn't think of a firearms' licence as an example of acceptable ID. They did confirm that they would accept it as proof of ID when I asked.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

Is the clue in the name, Firearms?

Probably, the Licence was made when controls were needed only of those weapons which are fire-arms, i.e. whose propellants are the combustion gases of fast-burning fuels. So would not have covered compressed-air guns (despite the physics similarity), let alone mechanical propellants (elastic, springs, gravity).

That these other weapons need be similarly tightly controlled is another matter. I think they should be. For they are non-military weapons, not even otherwise-innocent items that might be mis-used as weapons; so have no conceivable lawful purpose outside of genuine sports-shooting on a private or club's properly-controlled range using artificial targets, as in archery.

+++

A fellow-British friend recounted to me an odd experience when visiting America with a friend some years ago, for a cavers' convention; nothing war-like at all. One of the locals invited the two men to his parents' farm, where they were shown a private arsenal of some twenty guns ("Some have lots more!", they were assured), and given a session on the farm range.

Next day my friend went to buy replacement ammunition, and some beer, in a local supermarket.

The beer? No. He could not prove his age. he'd left his passport at his hosts' home, and the sales-assistant would not accept his UK driving-licence with which he'd hired a car, because she could not understand how it shows the holder's slightly-disguised date-of-birth.

The ammunition? No problem - no ID or proof of age needed. Yet he was a foreigner, not even an American from another State!

redredred · M

You know what’s also not a firearm under federal law in the US? A percussion cap revolver. It is a six shot revolver usually in either .38 or .44 caliber that is loaded with black powder and a lead ball with a percussion cap instead of metal cartridges.

It is a lethal weapon, similar to what Wild Bill Hickok carried that takes about five minutes to reload but the first six rounds can be fired pretty quickly.

We sold them like BB guns at the store I worked for.

Freeranger · M

Socialism at it's finest. Camera on every corner and you've surrendered personal freedom to British Big Brother telling you, and mandating what's best for you. As much as I love the UK and it's fellow man, I would never surrender my personal freedoms to that kind of overwatch.
Not trying to be antagonistic, I just don't think given the years of gradual socialistic encroachment on the British citizen, you've become conditioned to losing a rights of man.

Either way, I get roasted....I apologize but.....I hate people being conditioned.