PISTOL PETE

Peter And His Guns

By Tina Wyngarde-Hopkins

With Pistols

Peter’s interest in shooting began in the early 1960s when he joined the Kensington Rifle and Pistol Club. Latterly, he would also join the Middlesex Shooting Sporting Club and the Old Windsor Rifle and Pistol Club.

Over the years he became something of a marksman and took part in numerous competitions around the UK, winning several trophies (see below), and also shot in Canada and South Africa.

Above: Peter at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley. I took this photo on Saturday, 4th May, 1996

With Shotguns

In 1996, when the British government were considering bringing in legislation banning the private ownership of handguns, Peter was asked by the clubs to which he held membership if he would lend his name to their campaigns in opposition to the ban. However, he felt that this might be counterproductive, given that any media interest would focus on him rather than the movement.

Gun Club Membership Cards

In 1997, when the Firearms (Amendment) Act was passed by parliament, Peter had to relinquish his pistols and ammunition, but rather than give in, he took up Clay Pigeon Shooting and passed his UKPSA course in shotgun conversion at Enfield (see below).

He purchase three shotguns: a Winchester 1300 pump-action, a Laurona stock action + Forend and a browning 325 “Over and Under” – all 12 gauge.

Below are the 3 shotguns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Over the years I have received many inquiries from fans about Peter and his hobby. Here are the questions I’ve most often been asked:

Q: Did Peter have buy and store to buy and store ammunition?

A: Yes. He had a police certificate which was separate to his Firearms Licence.

Q: Was he allowed to keep live ammunition in his home?

A: Yes. A police officer would visit the flat unannounced twice a year to inspect the gun cabinet where the guns were kept – this was a metal locker which was bolted to the wall inside a cupboard behind the front door in the flat. The ammunition had to be stored in a different part of the flat. In Peter’s case, he kept all the shells in the kitchen.

Q: What happened to his guns after he passed away?

Peter had registered me as his Next-of-Kin[1] with the Metropolitan Police MANY years earlier in relation to his Firearms Licence, and would re-submit my name each time he was obliged to renew the licence (every 5 years). When he passed away, I was obliged to notify the police about the guns and two officers came to Peter’s home to inspect them. The officers immediately recognised me as his Next-of-Kin, and issued me with a temporary Firearms Licence. The guns were then officially signed over to me and I was held responsible for ensuring that they were sold or disposed of within 6 months of the licence being issued.

[1]: The front desk at Kensington Police Station closed in 2017. All documents pertaining to Peter’s Firearms Licence and my being named as N.O.K. were transferred to Shepherds Bush Police Station.

The Gallery

Above: Peter with his buddies from the firing range (he is second from the left in the righthand photograph).

Click below for more about Peter’s interests…