Brits move to France to carry on shooting

Nick Doherty and his wife Laura Saunsbury live in France so they can carry on shooting. Nick shows Charlie around his local range and the guns he shoots. Nick and Laura welcome shooters to their gite near the city of Albi in south-west France who want to shoot guns that are restricted in the UK.
For more about accommodation at the gite, go to / lametairie.neuve and for enquiries about shooting email Nick at [e-mail]
▶ For the kit showcased in this film, visit kitfinder.co.uk
▶ Sign up for our weekly email newsletter FieldsportsChannel.tv/register
▶ To watch all of #FieldsportsBritain, episode 706, visit FieldsportsChannel.tv/fieldsp...
▶ Fieldsports Shop fieldsports.shop
▶ Take part in nature. Join the Fieldsports Nation FieldsportsChannel.tv/membership
Why go target shooting?
The British are great shots. GB's medals records at the Olympics and other international events show how important target-shooting is as a participation sport.
Target shooting involves the use of air rifles, pistols, muzzle-loading rifles and pistols, and cartridge rifles (both rimfire and centrefire). Clay shooting, practical shotgun and practical rifle are also important branches of the target shooting disciplines. All require concentration, self-discipline and great self-control. Being relaxed and focused is key for hitting the bullseye.
Its heritage goes back centuries. Founded in 1859, the British NRA is a registered charity with a Royal Charter, and National Governing Body of full bore rifle and pistol shooting in the UK. Based at the world famous Bisley range complex since 1890, the NRA promotes and encourages marksmanship through competition and training.
For medal hunters, British Shooting is the only target shooting governing body in Great Britain recognised by the ISSF, WSPS, British Olympic Association, British Paralympic Association, UK Sport & Sport England.
We’re proud to promote enjoyment of fieldsports and the countryside. There are three guiding principles to everything we do on Fieldsports Channel:
▶ Shoot responsibly
▶ Respect the quarry
▶ Ensure a humane, clean and quick kill

[@fun3000able]

I see Nick enjoys shooting in France and I hope he also enjoys living in France . Merci à vous, vous êtes les bienvenus.

[@Oldhogleg]

That's the difference between rights and privileges; you can vote away privileges, but not rights. Those who are property of the state have no rights, only privileges that are bestowed and withdrawn at the pleasure of government.

[@stubear2000]

He is right - there are loads of people keen on pistol shooting in the U.K. still. It’s just our useless risk averse government preventing it…

[@incubus_the_man]

How much gun crime do you have in the UK if you don't mind telling.

[@stubear2000]

@@incubus_the_man Hardly any thankfully - it’s generally drugs gangs with illegal machine pistols from Eastern Europe

[@charliehayden8050]

@@incubus_the_man sorry if it’s long I copied it from statista, There were 1,085 firearm offences recorded in London 2022/23, compared with 1,071 in 2021/22, which was the year with the fewest firearm offences in the provided time period. Compared with previous years there were far fewer offences in 2020/21 and 2021/22, which may have been due to the lockdowns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is also reflected in London's overall crime rate, which fell from 102.4 crimes per 1,000 people in 2019/20, to 83.3 in 2020/21, before increasing to 92.8 in 2021/22,

[@scotthorning1180]

Junk statistics. Perish the thought that the government would go rogue… Nancy state. Teachers in hiding because they showed a picture of Mohammed and he can’t defend himself. Government is to be small. Government is the threat.

[@RDPproject]

I'm a range officer and coach at two clubs. One at work, King's college Rifle & Pistol club... and the other, Marylebone Rifle & Pistol club. After introducing new people to rifle shooting. We put them on a course on air pistols, and yes...they are all amazed at how difficult pistol shooting is compared to the rifles. They all say the same thing. It doesn't look difficult in the movies. Yep...that's Hollywood for you. Rob

[@jamesj2509]

It's a tad disingenuous to blame only Blair for the handgun ban. Centrefire pistols were banned by the Tories, as were centrefire semi-auto rifles. Few UK politicians are shooters' friends.

[@rogersmith8339]

The big problem with the harsh gun laws introduced following Dunblane was that it happened around the time of a general election and both parties were trying to out do eachother in terms of appealing to the public to win votes regardless of what it was going to cost or what it would achieve.

[@mikesmith8313]

@@rogersmith8339 it was the media, the cops listened we lost every gun right in a small country.

[@rogersmith8339]

@@mikesmith8313 The police did not make the changes, it was politicians listening to the media and trying to make it seem like they had "our" best interests in mind.

[@mikesmith8313]

@@rogersmith8339 Just slang for authority, I know. There's something about the unknown in the mind of that child killer that was life changing for everyone. No where in the world has so many kids been massacred in one go.

[@rogersmith8339]

@@mikesmith8313 What makes it much worse is, like Hungerford before and Plymouth recently, the police had been in a position to have stopped it happening but didn't get kicked suitably.

[@DaibhidhBhoAlba]

Sad thing is, Charlie, that the Tweedy & Plus Four Brigade that you mostly represent in your channel did absolutely naff all to resist the handgun ban, in fact many of them actively threw pistol shooting under the bus (while, of course, ensuring they're retained exemptions for when they needed pistols, like humane dispatch).

[@ngallakp62]

Just need a world war to remind people that to be defenceless isn’t a great idea 😂

[@Oldhogleg]

It's getting like that here in the US between States within the US.

[@DaibhidhBhoAlba]

It's nothing at all like that in the USA and it's insulting for Yanks to continually push that nonsense. Sadly, what goes on the USA is a massive motivation for anti-gun lobbiests in the UK. They use the conveyor belt of 2A nutters and mass shootings to scare people into supporting more and more bans in the USA. The UK has never been like the USA and was never going to be line the USA, even when we had handguns and semi-auto fullbore rifles.

[@vvr881]

That the big problem. Shooting sports are not respected 😢...its great for concentration and self confidence for kids as well

[@Jionunez7]

People working to hold on to their gun rights? In Europe? You love to see it!

[@davedavids57]

To be fair this is actually quite strange. For Europe France actually has fairly strict laws. Most Brits interested in firearms (or working with firearms) moved to Switzerland, Czechia, Austria or the Baltic countries. In Czechia you can conceal carry whatever gun you want fully loaded with a simple licence.

[@geezerp1982]

@@davedavids57 which has less violent crime then the UK , however 99% of brits say we dont need guns for self defence well that means czechia is wrong and needs to ban armed self defence NOW according to them

[@gbrinfo]

Hi from France, it's not something new !

[@aboveaveragebayleaf9216]

Imagine if they came to the U.S.

[@andycarless9069]

We Can Still Shoot Pistol & Revolvers in the UK But as you know we have to use LBP / LBR or go down the path of section 7/3.

[@JammyGuns]

Also NI (NITSA etc) is an option.

[@thepenultimateninja5797]

I emigrated for the same reason. Well, thats not entirely accurate, but when I met an American girl, it certainly made the decision to move to the US a lot easier.

[@RDPproject]

07:08 slide bite anyone?...

[@nixusthefurry]

tbh im getting to the point where the obvious docility and passivity of the British is getting on my nerves.. like.. How the hell can people be so TIMID. Other then that im glad his firearms werent stolen by the grabbery grabberu government. That being said.. I love this pistol of his. Its like a cutsie older 1911 but the sound it makes is hillarious. **Pounch** XD

[@SH-lb1nu]

Tony Blair, the Dark Lord

[@woodnugget1301]

Evil on grand scale that scumbag

[@davidbrewer7937]

It is a wonderful thing. I now live in Canada where TrueDope is currently attacking legal, safe, licensed gun owners. His terrible laws allow existing hand gun owners to continue owning & using thier guns at registered ranges, but he attached a van on importing parts & your guns die when you do... we cannot export, we dannot sell them out of country, we cannot transfer them to say the US so we can pop over the border for some fun...

[@lennybrewster4673]

Before you die, report them stolen, pass them on to your children.

[@jacobrans9269]

The way this channel is going im suprised Charlie is not sporting an Afro with 50 cent playing on his ghetto blaster 😂

[@rocky76dude7]

Lead

[@MrPh30]

Hoplophobite people in charge is not good for the society, embrace the art of firearms and one embraces culture arts.

[@alanmeyers3957]

Kind of like Americans moving out of California

[@lh7325]

6:15 - a person who doesn't have a firearms license can only go twice a year to a range in England? Wow. In Australia, you can go as often as you want.

[@DaibhidhBhoAlba]

Nope. You can go to a miniature rifle range (rimfire) whenever you want. They can be 'pay to play' for anyone not barred from possessing firearms. For approved clubs (like pistol clubs, centre fire clubs etc) they can have 12 guest days per year, so in essence that's once per month. You can also join a club as a probationary member and attend whenever they allow via their constitutions.

[@lh7325]

@@DaibhidhBhoAlba Thanks for the explanation. But I've got one question, how would a range know if a person is prohibited from possessing firearms? Do they have a system connected to the police that does the check on the spot?

[@DaibhidhBhoAlba]

@@lh7325 That relies on the person being honest. But it's really only an issue for the 'pay per play' miniature rifle ranges. They're the ones people rock up to, hand over their money, sign a disclaimer and shoot. For approved clubs, if you apply to become a member, the club has to tell the police and they'll run a background check. So they'll flag if someone is disqualified. For guest days, if you show up once, they won't check and will rely on honesty, however if you were a regular attended, most of not all clubs are going to notify the police and will also probably encourage you to job as a probationary member rather than just appear occasionally as a guest. The other thing to note is that guests cannot just be anyone off the street. They have to either been known by at least one club member or they have to be part of an organised group (like scouts, a local social club, rotary club, sport club etc), so they will be known by other people and that would nor ally flag of the person was unsuitable or had a dodgy background. For approved clubs it's highly unlikely a disqualified person would get to shoot at the range. The only area where it's less strictly controlled is the mi store rifle range scenario, but there limited to 22lr and there's been few and far between issues with them.

[@oldfashioned8602]

Strange how the Remainers wanted the UK to adopt EU laws but none of them promoted French gun laws.

[@davedavids57]

To be fair wasn't UKIP pushing the idea that post Brexit the UK would be legalising hand guns. I love the EU without it I would be pretty impossible for me to have moved here to Prague. I now carry a gun every day. It's amazing. I know young shooters stuck on the island who have no chance of escaping without years at university or mega rich parents (or an irish grandparent). Most of these expats in France will only be their because of the freedom of movement.

[@DaibhidhBhoAlba]

Strange how Brexiters ignore the fact the EU has had next to no impact at all on UK gun laws and that EU firearms policy was less restrictive than UK firearms law, and in leaving the EU we are now entirely subject to UK the nanny state UK approach to firearms without any tempering from the more balanced EU approach to firearms ownership and use. Brexit was utter nonsense from start to finish, it has ruined the UK and we'll be paying for it for generations, and worsening firearm rights that are far more draconian than the rest of Europe are just another part of it.

[@oldfashioned8602]

If you actually read my original comment it points to the lack of impact the EU has had on UK gun laws. @@DaibhidhBhoAlba

[@juliebrady8583]

Britain has some of the strictest gun laws. Guess which country has one of the lowest gun homicide rates? Checked data from numerous sources only yesterday so I can say for sure the answer isn't the USA.

[@rogersmith8339]

We have had fairly strict gun laws in the UK for a long time. The problem has been that Hungerford, Dunblane and more recently Plymouth all happened due to police incompetence or worse still corruption.

[@rogersmith8339]

We have pretty low homicide rates over all compared with many countries (although sadly that is starting to change) so it is as much down to our culture as it is the laws. Look at Switzerland if you want to see high levels of gun ownership and low levels of of ALL crimes to see that culture plays a big part.

[@juliebrady8583]

@@rogersmith8339 would not disagree with that. My daughter lives in Switzerland and the quality of life is amazing.

[@liammeech3702]

What about: Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Norway, Sweden?

[@juliebrady8583]

@@liammeech3702 every idiot carries a gun there too?