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by Mike Masnick

Tue, Nov 4th 2003 9:05am





UK Worried About eBay Gun Loophole

from the assembled-components dept

Over in the UK, they're suddenly worried that people are sneaking guns into the country via eBay. eBay won't sell guns, but will sell gun components - which are being ordered and then assembled once arrived. UK politicians are now trying to close this loophole by banning the sale of even components. This really does seem like a waste of time. If people are really intent on getting themselves weapons, they're going to do so, whether through eBay or other means. That doesn't mean they should be easy to get, but is it really worth the trouble of banning a loophole that already is being used by the sort of folks who will immediately search out a new loophole? Also, considering that eBay seems willing to hand over private info at the first phone call from anyone representing themselves as law enforcement, you'd think that police in the UK might prefer to simply use eBay to keep tabs on just who is importing and building these guns.

4 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    Perhaps for ebay's own good?

    identicon
    dorpus, Nov 4th, 2003 @ 9:45am

    Would we want the next Dunblane shooter to have bought his gun components from ebay? Or the next terrorist who downs a plane over Lockerbie to have bought his components from ebay? Then Europeans headlines will scream that "American weapons killed Europeans" or some such bullshit. It's better to let Europeans kill themselves with their own weapons.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    it's remarkably easy...

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Nov 4th, 2003 @ 4:56pm

    ...buy working replica and replace barrel (or other munged component). Hell, I can put together a weapon for less than the real thing costs in the stores.

    Of course milling out AR16/M16 lower reciever usually requires a visit the the local gun show to complete. Paperweight indeed!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re: it's remarkably easy...

    identicon
    dorpus, Nov 4th, 2003 @ 8:45pm

    That's if you don't mind the risk of the gun blowing apart in your hands.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Perhaps for ebay's own good?

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Nov 5th, 2003 @ 1:33am

    "It's better to let Europeans kill themselves with their own weapons."

    You must be confusing us with Texas. On the whole we don't shoot each other: we bore each other to death with meaningless conversations about the weather, England's chances in the cricket, whether the Red Lion pours a better pint than the Green Dragon, and so on (and on).

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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