06 November, 2009

Two pressing issues for Trini airgunners




The 10-shot Marauder. Not for local airgunners.


We have countless airgunners In Trinidad and Tobago. Countless, because those charged with the duty of compiling relevant data do not release those figures. It’s a big national security secret.

Airgunners (and firearms owners) tend to be secretive, regarding their airgunning activities. Except with other airgunners. And for good reason. The average bandit doesn’t know much about rifles. So when he sees a long gun, more than likely he’ll start planning how to get it from the owner.

Most airgunners would not admit it, but they also want to own firearms. The TT Police Service operates as though their mandate is to remove legal guns from homes. Some individual members go further and rent their service-issued firearms, or illegal guns to violent criminals. Since the average non-shooting civilian tends to associate guns with violence, when they see a gun in another civilian’s hands, the immediately get nervous. Ask any shooter. That’s one reason why we usually keep our guns a secret. Never mind the fact that those same air rifles may have to protect the community, in an emergency.

So a neighbour sees your air rifle and calls 555 or 999 or the local police station. Despite knowing the airgunner  and her/his family for years as upstanding, law-abiding citizens. The police hear “man with a gun” and spring into action. When they arrive at your home, they’re sure you’re guilty of something. Maybe they can clear some of the backlog of unsolved robberies, rapes and murders with this one arrest (multiple arrests should your family be home, and friends visiting).

After the jack-booted ninjas (IATF) shoot your dogs, kick down your door, and terrorise, traumatize and threaten your wife and children, you are then allowed to produce your single shot, breakbarrel, .177, smoothbore air rifle. By this time, everyone at home is in handcuffs, with neighbours muttering, “they probably dealing drugs all these years and we didn’t know”. After all, if the ninjas kick down your door, then you MUST be guilty of something.

Depending on the mood of the on-scene corporal or serjeant, you may be allowed the privilege of producing your paperwork for the air rifle. Not satisfied, the police continue to search your entire home, including rifling through your wife’s underwear (a thing even you wouldn’t do), your children’s rooms and prized science project.

After turning your home upside down, and finding no evidence of criminal activity, they depart with a warning, and no apology. A version of the event is then documented in the station diary and other places.

A few months or years later, you apply for a FUL, and denied without explanation. You seek legal advice, and told to take your complaint to the Firearms Appeal Board. But wait, even though there is provision in law for this board, non has ever been constituted since Russell Huggins was Minister of National Security!

One citizen has taken the government to court of this matter.


CALIBRE AND RIFLED BARRELS

Our laws permit citizens only .177 caliber airguns, with smoothbore barrels. Almost no manufacturer produces smoothbore barreled air rifles anymore. Some are produced on special order of 100 rifles or more. So only dealers are allowed. A few dealers make enormous profits because of these old irrelevant laws.

There are a number of really good multi-shot air rifles on the international market today. The latest being the 10-shot Benjamin Marauder. It’s a duel-fuel (pump or CO2) beauty that retails in the US for US$500. Of course it doesn’t come in smoothbore. If a local dealer gets a special order through, then it will most likely retail here for four times the price, or more. The six-shot Evanix retails here for US$3,000, and sold in the US for US$600. The 12-shot FX Revolution is sold here for US$4,200. Both PCP, smoothbore, .177 calibre.

Only the rich can afford these prices.

In contrast, a .22 firearm (rifle) can be picked up off the shelf at Walmart for US$200-300.

The time has come for Trinidad & Tobago airgunners to be able to buy rifled bore airguns. We should also have the choice of .177, .20, .22, .25 or larger if we so desire. The present .177 severely restricts us as to what game we can take down. This also leaves us at a disadvantage to the hunters who use shotguns. An unintended consequence is, we have been forced to hone our shooting skills to near-sniper levels: one shot, one kill. This is no solace though, as one shot would almost never take down a deer. It would just wound the poor animal. We have been reduced to mere vermin shooters.

35 comments:

  1. I agree with 90% of what you are saying. The other 10 % I have to disagree, Hilti (Agostini Fastening Systems, 623 9004 ext 309) have Eight (8) different models of HATSAN air rifles at very competitive prices. They even have two (2) PCP rifles one of them is single and the other ten shots. The ten shot is the most expensive of all eight at $6400.00 plus vat so not all dealers are killers in prices like others in south (ent calling no names)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i agree, air gun prices are ridiculous but honestly something should be done and if
      we just sit and do nothing nothing will be done, i am a hunter and i done want a shot gun because i love my guana and mat i dont want to hunt deer or them kinda big game but pellet gun prices are like car prices and that not fair considering the prices we see on the net. i say we come out on the start of the huntin season and protest we want spiral bores legal to me the 0.177 could sty as it is but but we should come out and protest like the psa and every body else who want thing done, in we country that is the only way we does get the people on top to listen to we on the bottom

      Delete
  2. Thanks Elite Protection, for your comment. Even though it reads like an ad, I still published, as it is timely, relevant, useful information for local airgunners. I'll be visiting the company very soon.

    Keep the comments coming. We all learn from each other.

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    Replies
    1. The only question I have is how do we go about amending these archaic laws???? I've been asking but no one seems to be able to tell me. As citizens we do have a voice in these matters this being a democratic country

      Delete
  3. The relatively reasonable prices of the air rifles sold by HILTI cannot be fairly compared to the prices of the other airgun dealers. The Hatsan brand is known to be of inferior quality, while brands like Diana and Evanix are known to be of a high quality and would therefore be priced higher than the Hatsan. Comparing the prices offered by Hilti to the dealers in south, etc can only be done fairly if the dealers were all selling airguns of the same brand and model.

    Think of the car market- you can't compare a Nissan to Mercedes Benz- they're in two totally different classes.

    However, as Trini Airguns pointed out, we can compare the prices of the FX Revolution and Evanix to the prices of those airgun dealers in the US. This price comparison clearly reveals that local airgunners are being taken advantage of because of the antiquated airgun laws in T&T.

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  4. hey im a fairly good airgunner jus recently strtd shooting got the hang of the 1 shot=kill pretty quick,i'd like to purchase my own rifle and would like to get my moneys worth nothin inferior an not the best cause i wouldnt b able to afford it anyways any reccomendations?

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  5. are there any pellet guns in trinidad that could kill a deer???
    i love hunting but it doesnt seem as though we can hunt big game with the pellet guns in trinidad.

    i also agree with your article fully.
    i hope some day we would be able to purchase big bore airguns.

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  6. Good night air gunners,I must coment on your site its very informative,I enjoy reading the information by you all,however there are very high prices for air rifles like Abas Ali,Hollow Point,FTI,Moonan's Rio Claro, and other the prices are really high and beyond our pockets.

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  7. i agree its time to revisit the law.would the rifled barrel be less lakely to engender accidents if it is more accurate? is it? which are used at the olympics?

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  8. i agree the law in trinidad needs to be revised ASAP.

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  9. i recently bought a Gamo Socom 1250 from S&G (with a scope) and the final price was'nt even close to the price that the "dealer in south " quoted. We really need to get out of the stoneage.

    ReplyDelete
  10. i bought a air force condor, it was ship to trinidad since 18th 01 2010, it was sized by costoms, because the bore was rifled, i was told by the company in the sates that the bore was smooth, but no luck in sending it back, ITS time we get to purchase rifled bored air guns in trinidad.. i loose 15000tt$ donny

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you can take it back personally

      Delete
  11. What's the criteria and process to bring one of these airguns into Trinidad and Tobago?
    My Stepfather would like to travel from New York to Trinidad with one of these rifles and since it's not considered a firearm, could he just check the gun into cargo, and declare it's contents or is there special arrangement and documents needed.
    He normally travel with Caribbean Airlines.
    Is there any notification the airline must receive?
    He has from Trinidad a permit that reads permission is granted for you to purchase and keep one(1)only .177 smooth Bore Air Rifle.
    Could someone who is familiar with this situation shed some light as to exactly what is needed. Don't want any problems with those Ninjas and their shit!
    Thanks Peps...and hold the Fort down!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. he must be sure it is a smooth bore, declare it to the airline and the customs in Trini will take it to the police who will confirm it is a smooth bore and then he can get it if he has a trinidad air rifle permit.

      Delete
  12. WE NEED TO PURCHASE RIFLED BORE AIR GUNS IN TRINIDAD NW, THERE IS NO COMPANY IN THE WORLD THAT MAKES SMOOTHE BORE AIR RIFLE ANY MORE, our local dealers order a 100 plus barrels for there air rifles that we cannot purchase locally due to prices, rifflings in an air rifle makes it more accurate, it muzzles down the pellet by 25percents, ITS TIME

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  13. What are the laws governing the importation of air rifle scopes? Like everything else related to air rifles it too is over priced.
    I am looking at a BSA 4x32 Varmint Hunter on Amazon that is going for US$150. This same scope is going for almost TT$4000. WHY?
    So can I bring down my own scope with laser and flashlight?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Benjamin Marauder is Here
    Contact:CENTREFIRE 672 8677/340 2754
    Dealers/Distributors Crosman Corp.

    10 Round MULTISHOT

    $9700.00 Includes Dusk/Dawn/Night Vision Scope

    ReplyDelete
  15. I TOTALLY AGREE THE PRICES IN TRINIDAD IS REALLY RIDICULOUS........AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER THEY'RE PHASING OUT THE SMOOTH BORE AIR RIFLES SO I'M FORCED TO PURCHASE FROM A LOCAL DEALER AT A HIGH PRICE IF THERE IS ANYWAY WE CAN START SOMTIN AN ATLEAST GET THEM TO START LOOKIN INTO LEGALIZING SPIRAL BORE I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT

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  16. can you still apply for a licence even though the state of emergency just ended

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  17. Can anyone say as to why a permission slip (I don't see it as a permit) is needed for an air rifle? The firearms act states clearly that .177 or lower caliber smooth bore is not a firearm and has no mention of needing permission. All the applications for FUL FUEC etc are outlined but nothing for air rifles. I spoke to a lawyer about and he said something is wrong with that and he'd have to look into it. Any info here?

    ReplyDelete
  18. got 1 for sale
    Air Rifle

    Mechanism - Bolt Action
    Capacity - BP2263 10 Shot Clip
    Power source - Compressed Air
    Caliber/Ammunition - Model BP1763 .177 Caliber Pellet
    Weight - 7.12 lbs
    Length - 42.5 inches
    Barrel - Rifled Steel, Choked
    Safety - Ambidextrous Lever
    Velocity - Model BP1763 Adjustable Up to 1100 Fps

    Contact Name:Peter
    Contact Phone #'s:359-9540
    Asking Price: $14,000negotiable

    http://www.trinicarsforsale.com/

    16460

    ReplyDelete
  19. Can someone own more than one rifle?

    ReplyDelete
  20. a air riffle is not a firearm it do not have a firing pin therefore it is not considered a firearm .i own 40 acres of coco estate applied for a ful years now an neva even got a reply. i have no way to control pests on my property i dont know why this commisioner dont do his work or put someone in place to handle the firearms granting

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. well email me to get rid of some of those pest dlawrence03@gmail.com

      Delete
  21. I want to be sure that when I bring my air rifle purchased from Amazon via my sky box the police will not take it. I have a permit to purchase and keep one .177 smooth bore rifle.
    Can anyone shed some light.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You need a permit that states " Permission is granted for you to IMPORT and keep the undermentioned item:-
      One(1) Only .177 Smooth Bore Air Rifle"

      Delete
  22. All of them is a 4king rip off.Those customs bandits taking it for themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  23. it may not be a firearm,but it is still a prohibited weapon,hence the reason the permit is needed,but the prices here in tnt is redeculious

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  24. what can we do to get the government to change these outdated laws

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  25. Does anyone know if permits are required to Import things like Scopes, Cases and Bipods?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Well finally got my permit after waiting 5 months even though when i applied they told me 6 weeks, so i am in the market to buy a rifle can anyone recommend a good dealer in south other and S&G

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  27. air rifles rules....bt we shud deff be able to buy rifled barrels...

    ReplyDelete
  28. Bought a ruger air rifle earlier this month. It spent a week at service air bond. Now they tell me it at preventive customs port of spain awaiting police armourer. No qualified custom person there to verify bore. They say call back in two weeks. I hope rats don't eat it by then. How long does it take to verify. Just plain ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete
  29. In the last south hunter's association meeting the president said that with the amount of people owning Air Rifles, Manicou would soon become extinct so he proposed a ban on air rifles. What do you think? Isn't that very selfish and downright greedy?

    ReplyDelete

 
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