No it is not against any laws and re people asking why you clean the out doors... why not ... I clean my gun out doors in the sun... sometimes while sipping a cold beer! As to your angst re those three pints. Unless it was a really strong brew I would honestly be surprised if you were much over the limit to drive, if indeed you were over it. My mate used to do alcohol /drug testing for a private company who monitored those who worked in positions which required sobriety. I was amazed to find out after a BBQ at his gaff that had I chosen to drive would have been within the law... I had consumed quite a few more than three over about a four/five hour period however everybody has a different ability to metabolise the demon drink. Before anybody starts a pitchfork campaign I am in no way condoning or advocating mixing shooting and alcohol... even here in France where the consumption of a half bottle of wine and an Armagnac at lunchtime during a competition is common place!
Guns/alcohol
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schmokinn
Well-known member
Your assessment of what is safe to drive is just Bull sh*t and figures differ massively from person to person and when and if you have eaten!
CharlesP
Well-known member
The legal limit for driving isn't what is under discussion here.
It's the mixture of guns and alcohol, which I still reckon is a mistake. To risk being seen in public with a firearm after drinking is a whole extra dimension.
It's the mixture of guns and alcohol, which I still reckon is a mistake. To risk being seen in public with a firearm after drinking is a whole extra dimension.
The trouble is not necessarily the strictly legal aspect i.e. going to court and getting prosecuted where they would have to prove guilt against a specific law. It is licence revocation where they can revoke based on simple opinions and assumptions of a fire arms officer and no court case.
Getting your licence back would involve a court case, solicitors and barrister fees which even if you win you wouldn’t get costs awarded unless the judge feels the police acted unreasonably. So a costly exercise at best as they very rarely, if ever, think it’s unreasonable to question gun ownership on safety grounds.
I have read plenty of cases where people have had guns removed where they feel the certificate holder is deemed to drink too much and they didn’t have their gun in hand at the time. Considering 5 pints a week is the recommended allowance it’s easy for fire arms officer to make a mountain out of a mole hill and case for revoking the certificate on 4 in one day with gun in hand.
Just my opinion on it.
Getting your licence back would involve a court case, solicitors and barrister fees which even if you win you wouldn’t get costs awarded unless the judge feels the police acted unreasonably. So a costly exercise at best as they very rarely, if ever, think it’s unreasonable to question gun ownership on safety grounds.
I have read plenty of cases where people have had guns removed where they feel the certificate holder is deemed to drink too much and they didn’t have their gun in hand at the time. Considering 5 pints a week is the recommended allowance it’s easy for fire arms officer to make a mountain out of a mole hill and case for revoking the certificate on 4 in one day with gun in hand.
Just my opinion on it.
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Wow out comes one the pitchforks! Where have I in my post said there is any alcohol level that is safe to drive? Secondly I mentioned the very great difference of alcohol metabolism from person to person... and this person had just eaten an English Sunday dinner. I further added a caveat re guns and alcohol... are you a genuine arse or do you just not read well?
I only mentioned the drink drive aspect because of
"Section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872 provides offence for being drunk with a loaded firearm; “Every person who is drunk while in charge on any highway or other public place of any carriage, horse, cattle, or steam engine, or who is drunk when in possession of any loaded firearms, may be apprehended, and shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings, or in the discretion of the court to imprisonment for any term not exceeding one month”. "
Which I assume must be some historical anecdote put in for a bit of fun?
Back to guns and alcohol re read my post I would never drink and use a firearm but go to nearly any organised shooting event here in France and you will find it is very, very common... in fact normal... not that this should be used as the measure.
Back to drinking and driving I would say that in the absence of an actual figure or definitive on whether cleaning a firearm either inside or out of the house the blood alcohol level for what constitutes the law for driving would, I think give a good idea of what may be deemed acceptable in the eyes of the law given the gun would I assume be empty and broken at the point of beginning the cleaning process? I say this because a gun would never leave a shooting ground assembled down here in France they are always broken and placed in their carrying case.
timps
I like your opinion... sadly from my experience of shooting in the UK, talking clay and game shooting, five pints or twenty units of alcohol per week is a laughable rate of consumption for most active shooters.
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schmokinn
Well-known member
. "and this person had just eaten an English Sunday dinner. "
Contrary to popular belief eating a meal first is the worst thing you can do for the processing of alcohol through the body,if you want to process fast you should eat something like a mars bar 30 minutes before you start to get your body metabolising sugar.This advice given on a drink drive sentence reduction course.
" I was amazed to find out after a BBQ at his gaff that had I chosen to drive would have been within the law... I had consumed quite a few more than three over about a four/five hour period."..Based on no testing,supposition and hearsay,the food would have kept your alcohol level higher.
So your statement was effectively saying its ok to drink and drive
As for being an arse you have the market all sown up there.
Contrary to popular belief eating a meal first is the worst thing you can do for the processing of alcohol through the body,if you want to process fast you should eat something like a mars bar 30 minutes before you start to get your body metabolising sugar.This advice given on a drink drive sentence reduction course.
" I was amazed to find out after a BBQ at his gaff that had I chosen to drive would have been within the law... I had consumed quite a few more than three over about a four/five hour period."..Based on no testing,supposition and hearsay,the food would have kept your alcohol level higher.
So your statement was effectively saying its ok to drink and drive
As for being an arse you have the market all sown up there.
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ChrisPackham
Well-known member
A couple of friends drove back to London after a game shoot and were stopped randomly as it was close to Xmas, the driver was clean as he was designated driver but upon learning that there were guns in the car they were advised that if the driver hadn't held a sgc they would have all been breathalysed as would be deemed in charge of a firearm. They hadn't drunk on the shoot but had a few beers apiece afterwards and would have been over a driving limit.
jonz
Well-known member
So going back to the guns and alcohol topic, I'm told there was a bar at the Gamebore White Gold shoot this weekend. Is this a good step or not? Let's hear your views
There are a few grounds that have a bar on site. I don't drink alcohol so it makes no odds to me but as long as drinking is after you've shot, I suppose it could be a bit of a social occasion as well. I suppose you could start thinking of all sorts of scenarios to not have a bar but that can just get silly.
ips
Well-known member
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I do drink alcohol but two things in life I never do is drink if I am driving or drink if I am handling a gun. After the event when car is locked up and or gun is cleaned and put away is my criteria. I see no reasoning whatsoever to have a bar at any ground or shooting event it does not Imo "fit" the scene. I was offered a port at Xmas at a game shoot but politely declined as I was driving and shooting that day.
Just to clarify,as my original post didn't.
The guns were all in slips (as that's how they went back into the cabinet) I carried them from the back door across my courtyard (11 paces wide)then into my garden.Garage, out buildings and Kennels along with tress and bushes make my garden 100% private.no one can see in.The only place my neighbour can see the guns is in the courtyard,now as One of us is out with a gun 4-5 times a week this a common sight,we get on fine it's just he doesn't like guns and we do.
At no point am I advocating gun/alcohol I was just stating what I did and asking if it was legal,which after info from here and some googling it is.
I appreciate people's time and effort in their replies,even though some have me as an alcoholic gun waver.
Atb
PMG
Ian I like yourself never touch drink when driving or when at the shooting ground, it makes no sense whatsoever but when I used to game shoot at home alcohol was consumed by many of the syndicate before and at half time. Down here in France the attitude is much different for a country that has lower drink drive levels than the UK... consumption of alcohol at lunch during a shooting competition from my experience is quite normal. No one would get drunk... it is subjective... but I think some would struggle at a breath test after lunch... half a bottle of wine and a wee Armagnac is not regarded as excessive! Lunch normally lasts two hours and I think most shooters are happy to shoot after that.
Again let me stress I am not condoning, nor have I, the consumption of alcohol when handling or using a shotgun or a car.
Simple answer is :- it depends how p***ed we are when we get back???,but in reality
we do.
The point was that we were late back and in a rush,so the guns went straight into the cabinet in their sleeves.Best add that they were left out to cool after shooting while we tidied up.
"I appreciate people's time and effort in their replies,even though some have me as an alcoholic gun waver. "
Don't worry about that chum any sane person reading your post would understand what you are asking and what state you were in when you cleaned your gun!
Don't worry about that chum any sane person reading your post would understand what you are asking and what state you were in when you cleaned your gun!
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