This is the Olympic and Commonwealth Games styled competition that rewards the amateur who peaks on the day - with a short recorded burst of his National Anthem - a posy of flowers, - the award of an imitation Gold - Silver, or even Bronze Medal and maybe a ticker-tape parade through the Capital City and a heroes welcome home to his parched farmland.
I have seen an ISSF exponent drive to the range, - extract his ISSF pistol from its lockable container, adjust his clothing and stance, raise his unloaded gun one-handed to eye-level and slowly 'dry-fire' the empty piece five times (lowering it each time between clicks) - re-pack his equipment and quietly depart - not a shot fired. A serious sport.
Commanding Officer (Retired) Xx chose well and selected his bulky new tool in a minor caliber from a range of available specialist equipment:
The Italian made tool uses a magazine that holds only five rounds of small calibre rim-fire target ammunition - so Xx decided that he would like to have four of these - to yield some continuity to the paper punching sequence and to ensure that any faulty magazine might readily be isolated. The gun has a single sided anatomical grip (orthotic?) that is adjusted to be a 'glove-fit' to the shooters strong hand.
To obtain this sporting arm the fully licensed and properly endorsed Xx had first to request a "pinkie" (Form LE-2/1 Application For Permit To Procure A Pistol) from his Club Secretary (valid for one month) completed with his personal details confirming and certifying that he was a current paid-up member qualified, licensed, and endorsed to possess such item.
This document then has to be carried to the nearest Police Firearms Office where it is checked and exchanged for a blue 'Application For A Permit To Procure..' which is in turn completed with the shooters details and intended purchase information (make, model, calibre, serial # etc.) and then exchanged for a further (pink) 'Permit To Procure A Pistol, Restricted Weapon Or Military Style Semi-Automatic Firearm' (Form POL67C 07/03) - valid for 30 days - a copy of which must be given to the supplier/Agent at transfer - and a second copy returned to the Firearms Office, with the freshly bought firearm, for checking type and serial number - for registration to that shooter.
- Are you with us so far?
When the package landed at the New Zealand importing gateway port - its content was checked against the Permit To Import and to the ongoing delight and fulfilment of the Cone-headed Customs erik - he discovered that an unknown person had mistakenly entered the number 2 as the quantity of magazines - rather than the required 4. (- What might have resulted if they had erroneously used Blue ink instead of the stipulated Black ink?)
This tale relates of-course to another planet far away and not to our own green & blue globe - So when you read that 'Cone-Head' excitedly messed into his under clothing - ecstatic that he had, at a stroke, contributed directly to the United Nations Convention / Policy of reducing and eliminating Weapons of Mass Destruction such as nuclear weapons, nerve gas, cluster bombs, fuel-air explosives, and barrel-bombs, - you will no doubt sympathise. - And understand that 'Cone-Head' erik also had a vision of being patted on his head by his superiors - recognition, a promotion and subsequent pay-rise.
Xx was notified that his consignment had been impounded and would be released once the two illicit imports had been destroyed. All reasoned appeals to Customs, Police, Importer, and others were quashed. The offending magazines would not be held until either the existing paperwork might be amended or new paperwork might be generated. - They would be destroyed. (EXTERMINATE - EXTERMINATE - EXTERMINATE).
Even if re-applicationed, re-permitted-to-procure, re-import-permitted, re-ordered - they were doomed to the crusher. I can see 'Cone-head' erik equipped with a brand new lump-hammer and freshly procured sharp & shiny spade, gleefully crunching the contraband and burying the broken shards deep in a secret location - or perhaps chartering a motor-launch to sail beyond the 3 Mile Limits for burial at sea.
- To have been flown around half the Globe to end-up here, shattered and interred, is a stupid waste. But perhaps the war-torn women and children of Syria and Somalia should be told that they can now sleep easier at night.
Xxs two further extra magazines have been re-ordered.
Marty K.
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870
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