pentameter

You can still legally acquire arms. You can't hold pistols, but people I knew with pistols handed them in and bought carbines. You can hold rifles and shotguns with good purpose (which has never been home or personal protection AFIK).

There are exceptions, with the express permission of the Home Secretary.

Semi-automatic rifles, I think have been banned since the Hungerford massacre.

Fully automatic - continuous fire - weapons have been banned since the late 30s, '37 I think.

Without looking into it very closely, I'd say that the rise in gun crime since the late 90s oddly coincides with the hand gun ban, but is in fact to do with relaxed border controls and the illegal drug trade.

SilverFalcon

Yes, it's even worse now. The place is awash with weapons and the AK47 is now becoming the preferred weapon for house burglaries. A woman has just been raped and killed near where I live by four men brandishing AK47s. A gang of twelve held up a shopping mall a week or so ago. It's like multiple Bonnie and Clyde on steroids.

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rjt

IC Publications

report on Zimababwes opposition leders visit to the slums

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Aardvark

pentameter, you are of course correct, I did mean (honest) legal acquisition of hand guns.

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SuperiorSteve

How much are they now? Just wondering

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SilverFalcon

I'm not sure as there are so many guns available from house theft (this fuels most of the "ordinary" 9mm shootings). I did hear a few years ago that AKs were being bought for ten bucks in Mozambique. But times have moved on and the gangstah is now quite a king and there are many chop shops and dealer sharp men, replete in many layered gold chains and zoot suits, trading hell for leather in the erstwhile townships so it's anyone's guess what they cost at the moment. Their price has no doubt gone up as the busy modern felon has more spending power these days and needs to keep up with the pace of high flying action.

Talk to a cop occasionally and see the underworld open up like a nasty evil lily under a dark sun. We hear stories from some of them that will traumatise Dracula. We are all walking around glassy eyed.

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She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running
Like a watercolour in the rain.
Don't bother asking for explanations,
She'll just tell you that she came
In the year of the cat.