Message-ID: 
Newsgroups: AIRGUN.LIST
I have to agree with ld. 
Geographically we Brits are European but the similarity ends there. We
Brits comprise four nationalities who each have their own language and
culture. The Scots even have their own laws and legal system that in some
ways is superior to the English law. One particular part of this law
concerns the defence of your home. In English law any force that you use
against an intruder such as a burglar must be only the minimum and must be
justified as self defence. In Scotland you may defend your home in any way
you wish.
As regards the remainder of Europe there is no common language or law
(apart from that passed by the European Union which most countries in the
EU only apply when it suits them). Each country has a different racial make
up, with the UK having  Asian and Afro Carribean minorities, France with
Algerian and Germany with a quite large Turkish and Italian group from the
days of guest workers.
The democratic systems in each are different with individual methods of
determining the way their governments are work and how they are elected.
Some have a reputation for official corruption and some do not (the UK is
fortunate in this apart from the odd individual)
To keep this on topic each also has its own air gun laws. In UK you may
hunt without a licence of any sort provided that you have the land owners
permission to shoot on the land. Provided that the rifle is below 12 ftlb
muzzle energy no permit or licence is required for the rifle. I have been
told that in France no hunting with an air weapon is allowed. I believe
that in Germany an exam must be passed before you may hunt(Ulrich may
correct me on this) and as he has mentioned before there is a lower power
limit than UK. In Sweden there is limit on the muzzle velocity - any
calibre at any power is allowed as long as the legal velocity is not
exceeded. I have a customer in Denmark who tells me that he has a permit
for his firearms that will cover his air rifles. All these laws reflect the
attitude of the nation to shooting and guns.
The main thing that all the Europeans have in common is that over the last
few centuries we have all tried to slaughter each other in various wars!
Keith Mepham
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