fitz4609

how do you like those new Chinese planes?

That would be great. I'll ask my mom and she will have the address.
She would like to see the area too. She came to Ca to build ships during WWII. I think she would really like that.
Good luck on your furure shuttle landings. Edwards AFB has a loooong runway. Nice talking to you, be safe out there and enjoy the weather and the beach babes!

I was born in Torrance, don't run into too many from there though.
We moved when my day changed from the West coast sailor's union to the East. It was 1967, and I don't recall much as I was 6 yo. I do rememeber playing in the yard and the post man would eat his lunch in the shade of our tree. I always tried to sneak him out some Oreos. Whats the place like now? And, you have a better chance of being the next space shuttle pilot than getting a CCW in LA. Good Luck

LOL, how do you know im already a space shuttle pilor? =) jk.
Torrance is pretty chill nowdays..... Glad to know a fellow Torrance'r
The weather is nice as usual but recently, a lot of furniture stores and car dealerships have been closing down due to the economy, so certain areas that used to look busy with businesses, are now looking like ghost towns.
Where in Torrance did you used to live?
Maybe i can snap a picture of your old house so you could see how it looks now?

Hi,
I've been working my regular job and working on my Sat/Sun days off which really fall on Tue and Wed. This is just for now though.
Reach me at andrebadder@yahoo.com. I check my emails about everyday or every other day. Get that tourist or student visa and come over to the states. I have heard that SA has some of the most attractive ladies around. Bring an extra for me. I'm sure I can find some spare room for all. By the time you get to the states I wont be in cast. Bone is healing well, damn cast drives me nuts.
Talk to you soon.

Cool - looking forward to that.

Thank you for your comments, I really appreciate them.

thanks,
I have a short arm cast on but plan to see the ortho monday.
I joined FNFiles after buying an L1A1 and saw the South African Shooters assn. I plan to check it out the site is under repair. It is a US made receiver with Aussie bolt carrier. Furniture is plastic and it is in good shape. can't wait to put some rds thru it. You should get your student visa and go to a good state school. I am an alumni of the Univ of Florida. Gainesville is a great town. Get by Houston and I'll show you around. Nice city but pretty big. I got stationed here, so thats where I'll be. I'll get back to you and get you my email address.

That's great - I hope to be able to legally carry one day. My dad has quite a few guns that he got before the new laws - one of them is a G17. I've shot a friends Hi-Power before and it was great. We try get to the range as often as possible but since the new laws so many good ranges and gun shops have had to close their doors, and ammo prices are just outrageous because there is so little demand nowadays.

I'm hoping to come to the US some time next year and travel through as many states as I can. I plan on visiting as many ranges/shops as I can to have some fun ;)

Hope the arm gets better. Fire away any questions you've got! :)

thank you for returning my invitation. that is a terrible series of laws that do not benefit any law abiding citizen. I am happy to be in Texas and have my CHL, I carry my Glock 17 or my Browning Hi Power everywhere it is legal to carry. I must apologize for my typing, my right hand is in a cast. I have many more questions and look forward to talking with you again.
Once more, Welcome!

Hey,

Thanks for the welcome!

Sorry I have taken so long to get back to you - I'm on GT all the time but never really bothered to look for PM's in the past.

With regards to your question... In a quick answer - not really anymore. Compared to the general US we've always had relatively strict gun laws. Registration etc. but one would be able to buy a any gun (except full-autos), get a license for it in about 2-3 weeks and be able to carry it concealed. There were also no restrictions on things like silencers, ammo and the amount of guns one could own. Each gun had to have its own license though and that took about two weeks to obtain because of criminal record checks etc.

We had it good until recently...

Between 2000-2004 a new law (the firearms control act of 2000) was introduced. It is the absolute worst thing that's ever happened to our freedom and rights. I know this is going to be long and complicated but I'd like to take the trouble of explaining it to you as best I can.

There are now 3 types of licenses: (1) a self defense license - with this license a person can have 1 gun, and one gun only. They can carry the gun concealed and it must be renewed every 5 years. (2) an occasional sports shooter - this enables one to have 4 guns but cannot carry any of them. (3) a dedicated sports shooter - this enables one to have unlimited guns but one cannot carry any of them.

The problem is a license generally takes a minimum of two years to get. There isn't any point in me even saying that because in reality it actually takes 3-6 years, and there is more chance that you won't get it. Woman have been rejected and told "You have a husband to protect you" and I know 23-27 year olds that have been rejected for being too "young" - even though the law states that one may obtain a license at 21.

In reality a self defense license is almost unobtainable - one is required to motivate reasons for needing one and our firearms registrar never thinks anyone's reasoning is worthy. Besides the fact that the required training and safe inspections can easily cost in excess of R1000 ($150).

The thing is - the antis know that our constitution allows us the right to protect our lives. They are saying that one can still own guns etc. but it is absolute rubbish. One is hardly ever granted a license - and it takes years to get a yes or no.

We do have some hope though. This new law required that all old licenses be renewed. But the previous licenses were "licenses for life" and our NPA (basically your supreme court) cannot find a way to prosecute current license holders because a license for life is exactly that - a license for life and not a license for life until the government decides that it isn't anymore, and so every time they make a deadline for renewals it gets extended. The few of us left with hope are fighting it hard though and we have some great organizations like SAGA, GOSA and the NRA to a certain extent. I hope we can get it thrown out because I turn 21 next year and have a long shopping list - I just might have to move to the US one day to be able to buy what I want.

One last thing to give you a better idea of gun control/crime here. We have one of/if not the most beautiful countries in the world (let me know if you ever want to visit) and it is being ruined by crime and corrupt politicians. We have over 50 000 murders a year and our population is about 1/6 of the size of the US! To give you an idea about gun control - between 1994 (when apartheid was abolished) and 2000, the crime rate dropped by more than 20%. Gun ownership rose by more than 60% though because in 1994 black people were now allowed to buy guns for the first time in years. Since 2000 when this pathetic law started to be implemented crime has risen by massive numbers - yet the government ignores this obviously. It is very sad because we have an enormous and amazing wildlife/hunting culture that is being ruined by these bastards.