What is the best manually-operated assault rifles and carbines in the UK-today?

[sterling180]

James: In the UK semi-auto centrefire rifles were scrapped,because they were considered to be more dangerous than a bolt-action model-even though,they were useful for hunting.I used the term "assault weapon",to describe the military style rifle models,rto THR posters-not that it makes any difference over here in the UK.

Over here,anything "semi-auto centrefire",is a no-no and it includes all types of those rifles,not the actual description of it.If we had an assault weapon ban,then the straight-pulls,would be caught out,in terms of the description of the weapon-but fortunately for the last 17 years,we have still maintained to keep them-unnnoticed.

Australia,has an assault weapon ban,with a complete list of features that describe an assault weapon-fortunately we don't,but they have pistols though.

The attitude towards them is:"Sorry,no more killings by whacked-out individuals,who might slip the net and would go crazy and kill with them".

A bolt-action,a shooter has to reload manually-making it harder to shoot at cops,with semi-automatic weapons.A shooter with an SLR,can almost match their firepower-and can be a match for the cops.

 

[.45Guy]

steven04 that rifle has my curiosity piqued. You wouldn't happen to know if they're sold in the U.S. would you?

 

[Fosbery]

Southern Gun Company only sell in the UK as far as I am aware, but I'm sure you could import one.

 

[Bluey]

I can confirm that in Australia anything that looks millitary is a no no. There's a complete list of features that are banned, including stuff like pistol grips.

 

[Husker1911]

Seems obvious to a middle aged person, but do you have a problem with the SMLE? Seemed to work for the Brits for two (read 'em, two!) World Wars.................

 

[steven04]

.45 Guy

I've uploaded a scanned UK magazine review and history of the UK SGC leveractions.

They can be downloaded from here:

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=22B8E207791948DF

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=14EBAECA173BB681

Can you guys import firearms into the US ?

Cheers
Steven

 

[Boom-stick]

SORRY,

I forgot to mention the straight pull MP5's from Cotswold Arms, My bad.

I spoke to Gareth there resently, the MP5's are about £1000

 

[steven04]

Hi Boom

I thought that there was only one straightpull MP5 due to a legal wrangle....

My RFD mate now owns it. Its still a shooter, and gets used occasionally.
I've handled it a couple of times, its a nice conversation piece.

Are there some still for sale then ? ? ? ?

 

[Boom-stick]

Well Gareth at Cotswolds says he's selling them and can still get them, (they are Enfield Manufactured) but I've not tested him on this, I've got his current stock list and there are few other fancy toys on there,

x2 .454 casull mateba pistol/carbines
.45/70 BFR long barrelled revolver
.44 mag rugerRH with carbon wrapped barrel
.357 maximum Dan Wesson bench rest revolver
long barrel taurus revolver carbines.

 

[steven04]

Hi Boom

Wow, thats an impressive list of toys that you don't see advertised anywhere else !

 

[Boom-stick]

He's also got a shed load of interesting rifles, a 454 Freedom arms revolver and don't forget he's the sole importer for the taurus LBR's

 

[Fosbery]

Didn't Gareth get taken to court over the Taurus LBRs? Aquitted of course, they are perfectly legal, they just don't look it. That's what I heard anyway.

Who was it who was making a UK legal MP5? Not the traight pull ones, this one had the bolt lock in the rearward position after each shot. You then had to release the lock with your thumb (or somesuch) for the bolt to move forward, loading the next round. This meant it wasn't 'self loading' but barely lost any rate of fire.

 

[Boom-stick]

Who was it who was making a UK legal MP5? Not the traight pull ones, this one had the bolt lock in the rearward position after each shot. You then had to release the lock with your thumb (or somesuch) for the bolt to move forward, loading the next round. This meant it wasn't 'self loading' but barely lost any rate of fire.

IIRC Someone tried it as prototype but I think there's legal issue with the HK roller locking bolt mech??

 

[James T Thomas]

right!

Sterling180:

I empathise with the opressive restrictions under which the law abiding citizens of the UK and Australia must live.

As you may know much of the US government, state, and local too; are always attempting to usurp more power unto themselves, as all government does over time.

Off the subject of course, but your SMLE rifles and the jungle carbine versions are excellent firearms, and in experienced hands could be fired rapidly enough to hold off police, the enemy, or anyone else.

I had first hand experience in the jungles of S.Vietnam with automatic fire weapons, and though few will find it credible, I think automatic; cyclic fire is for the most part ineffective. I truly believe it is a psychological deception on the part of militaries to give confidence to young soldiers to cross fields of fire and "assault" the enemy in his lines.

If I were king of the USA, I would go back to at least the semi auto M1 or M14 weaponry, and emphasize marksmanship again. There is no alternative to well aimed single shot fire in warfare, or for the matter of self defense either.

Sorry, I didn't intend to interject and disrupt your discussion.
My interest was to avoid confusion as to what an actual assault weapon is.

 

[steven04]

Bob Clarke At Southern Gun was supposed to be the man behind the new Mp5 blowback/button bolt release rifle.....but he's been talking about it for a few years now. I doubt we'll ever see it on the market...

 

[Boom-stick]

If it was 'Jabba' at SGC that made the the prototype, then the reason we probably haven't seen it, is that it got eaten by accident

 

[Boom-stick]

My interest was to avoid confusion as to what an actual assault weapon is

An assault weapon is what ever the Media wish it to be.

It could be an assault 'spoon' for all they care

My air rifle could be an assault weapon....... if I smacked you in the grape with it, I'm sure you'd find it pretty 'assaulting'.

 

[Fosbery]

Just so. If I hit an old lady with my porno collection, that's an 'offensive weapon' I'd say

 

[Boom-stick]

If I hit an old lady with MY porn collection it would probably kill em!!

 

[dfaugh]

There were, at one time (during the U.S. AWB, and to get around various states restrictions) some "pump action" AK-47 clones out there. They took regular AK mags, but had no gas system for semi-auto fire. I saw one in a gunshop a while back...kinda wish I'd bought it (they only wanted like $170 for it)...Just as a curiosity, as I've never seen another, and suspect they were pretty limited production.

 

[Boom-stick]

The trouble is un-less a pump action is .22rf or a smooth bore we still can't have it

 

[RooK]

dfaugh, those pump action AKs and also AR15s are still available. Mainly due to California and their residents. I don't know who makes them, but I'm almost positive they're still being produced.

I just happened upon this thread and found the lever action AR15 interesting. Never seen anything like that, it would most certainly make a nice conversation piece of here. Just show the ingenuity of people forced to comply with oppressive laws.

 

[Odd Job]

@ steven04

Thanks for the info...any chance of seeing more pics of legal straight pull rifles for us poor UK beggars?

 

[Boom-stick]

Oddjob,

Just pop down to WHSmith and pick up the latest Gunmart

 

[Fosbery]

Do you think if I paid double, Gunmart would cut out all the airgun ads/articles for me?