Incoming crossbow ban

[Bwian_eh?]

Controls on the use of crossbows on public safety grounds: government response

www.gov.uk

Crossbows to be banned after series of violent attacks

BBC racing commentator John Hunt's wife and two of his daughters were murdered in a crossbow and knife attack in 2024.

news.sky.com

It looks, on first glance, to be a brocock style ban. New owners can't put them on tickets, existing owners cannot sell or pass on.

 

[Bwian_eh?]

The gov link is information from the previous consultation.
Another article here https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/19/buying-crossbow-ban-england-wales-home-office/
It appears they have considered licencing retailers and just gone for the nuclear option- screenshot from the home office website.

This is despite the consultation overwhelmingly being NOT in favour of restrictions.

 

[Tackle]

While there's very few people that have a genuine valid reason for owning one, when will those who make the rules ever understand that banning one sharp pointy item just means that scumbags or nutters will find something else to do harm with, pretty soon we'll be using paper cutlery & everything we eat will come pre-sliced from the supermarkets, lest granny loses her shit halfway through the Sunday roast & turns grandad in to a shish kebab.
Kin nanny state

 

[Bwian_eh?]

Yeah, we all know- or should be acutely aware- RIFs can be banned this quickly with no act of parliament either.

I do- or did, I'm looking for somewhere closer- HEMA fencing, (smashing each other with blunt steel swords) and there's also consultation on banning those but it's not as far along as the crossbow thing, although the crossbow ban went from 0-getting outright banned with very little notice.
No idea how long it will now take for them to implement this.

I feel for the retailers as well, especially when they are quite likely to still have the loss of the blank firers still raw.

I have my eye on a couple of traditional archery bows, I nearly bought one last month, but I'm not going to bother now, don't trust them not to go further.

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

Obvious I know, but every tool that I've used today could kill someone. Hammers, screwdrivers, saws, knives, bradawls, even the bloody drill. As for the heavy duty all steel spade and pick... and as for the 3.5T van that they all live in!