APPENDIX 41
Memorandum by The Sealed Knot
INQUIRY INTO CONTROLS OVER FIREARMS AND HISTORICAL
RE-ENACTMENT SOCIETIES
The current inquiry of the Home Affairs Committee
into Controls over Firearms is particularly relevant to Historical
Re-enactment Societies in regard to the intention to look at:
— the extent of the problems caused,
in both urban and rural areas, by misuse of shotguns;
— any inadequacies in the existing
controls designed to prevent their misuse;
— what improvements to the present
licensing system or to existing controls on their use might usefully
be introduced;
— in respect of other firearms requiring
a firearms certificate, whether any further changes are needed
to the licensing system or to the existing controls on such weapons.
Re-enactment is a well established hobby with
a membership of about 20,000, many of whom use reproduction weapons,
including muskets, pistols and cannons. Whilst these are single
shot, muzzle loading, black powder weapons of antique design,
such as in the case of the Sealed Knot Society, 17th century matchlocks
and flintlocks, all are classified as firearms, being held on
either shotgun or Part 1 firearms certificates.
In regard to the Sealed Knot Society, which
is the largest re-enactment society in Great Britain, whilst many
of its activities take place in rural areas, the vast majority
of members live in large towns and cities all over the country.
There is therefore a concern that an even approach in regard to
legislation covering the legal use, storage, licensing of weapons
classified as shotguns or firearms and its implementation should
be ensured across the United Kingdom.
In its deliberations we would ask the Home Affairs
Committee to consider the following:
(a) historical re-enactors do not fire live
ammunition. The very nature of the hobby dictates that all firing
is of blank charges only;
(b) in the majority of cases, but not all,
black powder, which is used in these weapons to produce the blank
charge, is not stored in the same location as the individuals
shotgun or firearm, it being collected under licence and supervision
only at events. Therefore should these weapons be stolen it would
not be possible to fire them;
(c) that these weapons do not lend themselves
to being used for criminal purposes or in any situation in which
time is of the essence, given the time consuming and intricate
loading and ignition procedures involved, to say nothing of the
size and weight of most of these weapons which certainly could
not be easily concealed or used by anyone who had not been trained;
(d) we are not aware of any incidents of
a criminal nature having involved muzzle loading weapons in modern
times;
(e) matchlock and flintlock muskets are currently
classified as shotguns because they are smooth bored and have
a barrel length of 24 inches or more. We are deeply concerned
about certain proposals being promulgated by some people who are
suggesting that shotguns should be banned in urban areas. If this
were to become law it would effectively destroy our historical
re-enactments unless there was some form of exemption for our
period weapons;
(f) when the last review took place in regard
to the Firearms Bill it was very sensibly agreed to treat muzzle
loading pistols differently to modern semi-automatic handguns
and we would hope that the provisions for licensing, storing and
using these guns will remain as currently laid out under that
Bill;
(g) cannons of 17th century design with a
bore over 2 inches currently have to be held on a Part 1 firearms
certificate. However it is impossible to use or store them in
the same way as a modern hand held firearm and we ask that they
be treated separately;
(h) historical re-enactment societies are
not shooting or rifle clubs. Re-enactment displays take place
all over the country, on sites specifically licensed for the purpose
and, as previously stated, membership is nationwide. We would
not wish to be considered or treated in the same way as gun clubs
as our aims and structure are very different.
Finally, we would urge the House of Commons
Home Affairs Committee when considering controls over firearms,
specifically in regard to the purchase, use, storage and licensing
of shotguns and firearms to give special consideration for the
type of weapons being used by historical re-enactment societies.
If this is not done it is possible that our
whole hobby, which brings much pleasure to tens of thousands of
people in the UK every year and contributes significantly to educating
and bringing history alive for ordinary people, may well be jeopardised.
If the Home Affairs Committee requires further
or more detailed information on any point please do not hesitate
to contact me. The Sealed Knot would be pleased to make an oral
statement to the Committee or help in any other way that might
be of use.
Christina Brewer
Chairman—Sealed Knot Society
12 October 1999
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