Thread: A random question

As we all know, in Britain we are not allowed to privately own handguns ( apart from black powder ones). And any private firearm ownership is made as complicated and difficult as possible.

My query; American bases - and here I picture places like Lakenheat and Mildenhall - are on British soil, but are regarded by Yanks, and others, to be American reservations, with their own currency, language and customs. They can even bypass civilian procedures in criminal law by virtue of The Visiting Forces Act. So, does the firearms act apply on these bases? Or can they own and use privately owned handguns? And other weapons.

No real reason for the query, apart from an idle thought as I drove past Lakenheath last night.

Yes, they do apply (as they equally do on British Army bases), the issue arms being under essentially the same exemption as applies for British serving personnel.

I have also met at least 2 Americans who served in the UK who (as part of their duty) carried 1911s off base who were issued what appear (from conversation) to be civilian carry permits by the Home Office. Their pistols were subject to a forensic test-firing by the Home Office.

Thanks for that.

I too have come across American 'service pers' who had a carry permit.

As I said, it was just idle curiousity, but pretty much what I thought. I know that the bases are designated 'R.A.F' camps, and there is a senior crab officer nominally as base commander, but there is also the anomaly of U.S. Currency being used, the whole driving on wrong side of road etc. I had wondered, since Brit cops have no authority on the bases, whether our laws applied.

Originally Posted by old_fat_and_hairy

but there is also the anomaly of U.S. Currency being used, the whole driving on wrong side of road etc. I had wondered, since Brit cops have no authority on the bases, whether our laws applied.

Apart from: Either currency is accepted in most places. The correct (left) side of the road is used. The bases are a jointly policed by the Modplods and finally, US service personnel carry arms on UK soil under the Visiting Forces Act.

Originally Posted by stoatman

Yes, they do apply (as they equally do on British Army bases), the issue arms being under essentially the same exemption as applies for British serving personnel.

I have also met at least 2 Americans who served in the UK who (as part of their duty) carried 1911s off base who were issued what appear (from conversation) to be civilian carry permits by the Home Office. Their pistols were subject to a forensic test-firing by the Home Office.

Not aware of permits as such just job role.
The blokes I "worked" with in the early 80s were OSI