UK Airgun laws [Published]
I see a lot of bullshit and misconception on the web regarding gun law, and specifically airgun law in the UK. A lot of people in the UK have never seen a gun IRL, let alone held or fired one.
This is highlighted by members of the publics reactions to guns. A member of the public saw some one with a .22 rifle fitted with a scope. He described it to the press as 'some huge James Bond sniper rifle with a telescope on it'. Hysteria much?
As far as analagies go, that one ranks along 'yeah man, a subaru imprezza is basically an F1 car'.
Before I begin, I will say if you are unfamiliar with guns, get to know them. Get to know the people that use them recreationally - have a bit of understanding on what is what, why something is totally unsuitable in some situations and let real knowledge form your opinions.
If you are on land you do not own, or do not have permission to shoot on with a loaded air rifle or an air rifle out of its bag or case, you can get done for armed tresspass. At all times when carrying an airrifle, you must have a legitimate reason for having it. Reasons would include travelling to or from a place where your are allowed to shoot, travelling to or from a place to purchase or sell the weapon, travelling to or from a place to have it repaired or modified.
If you are on land wich you own or have permission to shoot on, you must not be in a posiion closer than 50ft to the centre of a public highway when you fire it.
loaded in public - 6 months jail / £2500 fine
armed tresspass - 3 months in jail / £2500 fine
Having an air rifle intent to damage property - 10 years
using an air rifle in a threatening manner - 10 years
If you get sentanced to
years - 5 year ban on handling / owning a firearm
If sentanced to >3 years - lifetime ban.
If you shoot some one intentially - life
If you shoot some one in an avoidable accident and kill - manslaughter
These are all maximum sentances. You know what this country is like for guns now. When I was a kid, the police would normally not give a shit if you were shooting on public land, as long as you didnt look like you would cause a nuciance.
Now, if you are seen with any gun in public, armed response will turn up. They should give you three warnings to put it down, but it ussually goes
'ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon,ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon ,ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon,' Bang and you are dead.
In answer to your question, no you do not need a licence unless the air rifle has a musle velocity of more than 12ft/lb. Anything with a musle velocity of over 1ft/lb is considered a fire arm.
You will then want to know how powerful your air rifle is. For example, with a crossman power pellet (14.3 grains), my Weirauch HW77 .22 (lets say it will have a musle velocity of 600fps) will be producing 11.43 ft/lbs.
If I used an air arms feild pellet (16.4 grains) I get 13.11 ft/lbs and become illegal. There will be a small drop in musle velocity, but only very small. Spin (left to right accuracy) and drop are effected more with a heavier pellet.
If I use an Eley Magnum (30 grains) and use that same musle velocity, we get 23.99 ft/lbs. Nearly double to the legal limit, and most FAC air rifles in the UK market are in the range of 30 ft/lbs.
Now, the police are not going to test your air rifle with the Eley magnum just to catch you out. Only an idiot would use them in a non FAC air rifle as you would just not hit the target.
Now, say I am out with a tin of H&N Trophy Hunter in my pocket, at 15.4 grains, that gives me 12.31 ft/lbs, I am illegal. Having seen quite a few Police Inspector sample papers, I wouldnt risk that call back to the station if I had a brand and model of air rifle with me that would have info on, or looked like it could shoot at 600fps and a tin of branded pellets, within a few minutes even google could tell you what position I would be in.
To calculate for your own air rifle
Weight of Pellet in grains X (FPS squared) / 450240
There is a magic number in all of this to keep you safe. If you can tune your air rifle to fire a projectile at 671 fps, the weight of the pellet in grains will give you the ft/lb exactly - eg, your pellet weights 12 grains, you have 12ft/lb. You dont get many pellets for a .22 (but quite a few for a .20) at 12 grains, but the Paragon Z2 is 12 grains.
My advice is just shoot where you are allowed to shoot, only shoot things you are allowed to shoot and the police wont hasstle you too much. In some shooting comps tho, not only do they chronograph (measure musle velocity, a lot do) but the police will be there too.
My local gun shop stickers the pellet tins with the average pellet weight in grains and I leave it on, in case anyone wants to know .
This is highlighted by members of the publics reactions to guns. A member of the public saw some one with a .22 rifle fitted with a scope. He described it to the press as 'some huge James Bond sniper rifle with a telescope on it'. Hysteria much?
As far as analagies go, that one ranks along 'yeah man, a subaru imprezza is basically an F1 car'.
Before I begin, I will say if you are unfamiliar with guns, get to know them. Get to know the people that use them recreationally - have a bit of understanding on what is what, why something is totally unsuitable in some situations and let real knowledge form your opinions.
If you are on land you do not own, or do not have permission to shoot on with a loaded air rifle or an air rifle out of its bag or case, you can get done for armed tresspass. At all times when carrying an airrifle, you must have a legitimate reason for having it. Reasons would include travelling to or from a place where your are allowed to shoot, travelling to or from a place to purchase or sell the weapon, travelling to or from a place to have it repaired or modified.
If you are on land wich you own or have permission to shoot on, you must not be in a posiion closer than 50ft to the centre of a public highway when you fire it.
loaded in public - 6 months jail / £2500 fine
armed tresspass - 3 months in jail / £2500 fine
Having an air rifle intent to damage property - 10 years
using an air rifle in a threatening manner - 10 years
If you get sentanced to
years - 5 year ban on handling / owning a firearmIf sentanced to >3 years - lifetime ban.
If you shoot some one intentially - life
If you shoot some one in an avoidable accident and kill - manslaughter
These are all maximum sentances. You know what this country is like for guns now. When I was a kid, the police would normally not give a shit if you were shooting on public land, as long as you didnt look like you would cause a nuciance.
Now, if you are seen with any gun in public, armed response will turn up. They should give you three warnings to put it down, but it ussually goes
'ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon,ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon ,ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon,' Bang and you are dead.
In answer to your question, no you do not need a licence unless the air rifle has a musle velocity of more than 12ft/lb. Anything with a musle velocity of over 1ft/lb is considered a fire arm.
You will then want to know how powerful your air rifle is. For example, with a crossman power pellet (14.3 grains), my Weirauch HW77 .22 (lets say it will have a musle velocity of 600fps) will be producing 11.43 ft/lbs.
If I used an air arms feild pellet (16.4 grains) I get 13.11 ft/lbs and become illegal. There will be a small drop in musle velocity, but only very small. Spin (left to right accuracy) and drop are effected more with a heavier pellet.
If I use an Eley Magnum (30 grains) and use that same musle velocity, we get 23.99 ft/lbs. Nearly double to the legal limit, and most FAC air rifles in the UK market are in the range of 30 ft/lbs.
Now, the police are not going to test your air rifle with the Eley magnum just to catch you out. Only an idiot would use them in a non FAC air rifle as you would just not hit the target.
Now, say I am out with a tin of H&N Trophy Hunter in my pocket, at 15.4 grains, that gives me 12.31 ft/lbs, I am illegal. Having seen quite a few Police Inspector sample papers, I wouldnt risk that call back to the station if I had a brand and model of air rifle with me that would have info on, or looked like it could shoot at 600fps and a tin of branded pellets, within a few minutes even google could tell you what position I would be in.
To calculate for your own air rifle
Weight of Pellet in grains X (FPS squared) / 450240
There is a magic number in all of this to keep you safe. If you can tune your air rifle to fire a projectile at 671 fps, the weight of the pellet in grains will give you the ft/lb exactly - eg, your pellet weights 12 grains, you have 12ft/lb. You dont get many pellets for a .22 (but quite a few for a .20) at 12 grains, but the Paragon Z2 is 12 grains.
My advice is just shoot where you are allowed to shoot, only shoot things you are allowed to shoot and the police wont hasstle you too much. In some shooting comps tho, not only do they chronograph (measure musle velocity, a lot do) but the police will be there too.
My local gun shop stickers the pellet tins with the average pellet weight in grains and I leave it on, in case anyone wants to know .
Comments
We usually only shoot things which we own, shoot in his back yard and never at each other (although I did shoot him in the head with a crappy air pistol once :thumbsup:). Never had any trouble with the law, and we've been doing it for years.
Great guide though, thanks
Much as we in the UK can walk in a gun shop and buy a suppressor / sound moderator without having any kind of certification.
Most countries dont allow civilians to own then. The UK does.
I am sure your concern will sway our parliment to change laws.
I lubb my baby. I get the "James Bond! wtf why is there a silencer?" reaction a lot. Glad I can hit a rabbit head and watch it backflip though
Much Like I can go and buy a .50cal rifle with nothing more than a background check.
Much like I can buy a taser.
Much Like I can buy a generation 3 night vision or thermal rifle scope.
Much Like I can buy a 200mW laser and not get arrested.
Much Like I can go take a walk down a street and not have a million cameras watch me.
Much like I can own up to 11 lbs of uranium metal without any licenses.
Don't you be telling me UK > USA.
Huh? There's a law against this in the UK? I hope there isn't, I was looking for a laser to buy
As for the silencer, believe me they help. My rifle is pneumatic so it's quiet anyway, but I can guarantee you that with a silencer, nobody will hear you. go out hunting and you can plink away. I killed 3 rabbits who were in a line, and thanks to the silencer (I guess) none of them heard me shoot...then the bolt action magazine meant I could get 3 shots off quick enough to bag 'em all.
As for the uranium, "real" guns and all that stuff. Well, friends are just a call away
UK >1mW is illegal to own. If you buy one don't get caught.
No really...I ordered 5 off dealextreme (different colours and strengths), took them to my mates DIY shop to get the right batteries and had nothing asked. No Customs letters or anything.
Get one, but keep your mouth shut then, and don't go burning niggers or blinding airplane pilots.
Ok I take that back. Burn niggers. Burn 'em good. Their dark complexion insulates heat, and thus the laser, if put on one area of skin for up to a minute will cause discomfort/pain. Also you can cut hair with >200mw :hai:
Do you know what the consequences of owning one are? I seriously thought that they were alright to own unless you go around being an idiot with it.
They take it and fine you. If they deem that you are "using it to cause trouble" then they can do much more.
@doctor rocker
They are in fact illegal there, if a cop catches you it'll be confiscated and you'll get a fine. Also, DX lasers are shit. If you buy a 200 milliwatt one there it's only 50 green, the rest is infrared.
If you want to play that game this is neither the the thread nor the forum for it.
For what?
Teh lazors I never mentioned?
Nor the website. /b/ is that-a-way ---->
Also, as crummy as DX can be, knowing people in the SFX business = fun with lasers, especially as the ones I know work on Sci-Fi films. The 5th Element was a set/workplace I got to visit as a kid.
America sucks but we are still the superior country to the UK who unless they do something will submit to Sharia law. The UK to an even bigger extent than America represents all this wrong with white Nations. Both country's have become mud infested shitholes.
Stop being retarded. Margaret Thatcher would be in the top 5 of British Prime ministers for magnitude of social change caused by world factors.
She sits amongst those as Churchill, Disreali and Pitt the Younger in management of what can only be called brilliance.
Shut the fuck up.
Feel free to talk about airguns tho.
Her destruction of the trade unions was unacceptable as well. She was a capitalist globalist piece of shit. The fact you would even put her in the same league as Winston Churchhill who actually did do some good for the UK is laughable
I really plan to get a chrono some point in the future..
I have been shooting H&N barracudas BUT having done some calculations I reason these may be putting me over the limit so I'll probably have to get some Superdomes..
Actually, in the US if you can legally buy a firearm you can legally buy a suppressor provided it is legal in your state. I think it is legal in 36 states.
Also, don't air pistols over 6ft/lbs need and FAC as well? Figured that might be good information to add to your original post.
Also, the HW77 is a nice piece
We have those here in the US and they are some of the best airguns for around $100.
Some people even hook paintball tanks and HPA tanks up to them and get thousands of shots per cylinder.
Yeah, airpistols over 6 need FAC, cheers. Historically, people never really bothered with them - they would have to get a cert to get one, so they would just get a cartridge pistol instead. When they got banned, not a lot of people crossed over.
Part of the big mindset that 'no real community can exisits if it has weapons in it' shite that is triped around here by people that would question a mans right to have a screwdriver or change a plug with it.
Fuckwits they are called.
The HW77 is indeed nice. Friends allways complain it is heavey - for me it is the perfect weight for all positions for me.
To strip it you ideally need a workshop but if you have a bit of power you can get the breech block on and off to change seals and shit.
Indeed the fact that they are rather good for tinkering was another one of the factors that attracted me.
My only criticism is that the bolt is a little a stiff but then with use it will get smother.
And for £100/$100 you really cannot argue with the value for money..
And as an aside I am just ordering this: http://www.jsramsbottom.com/products/jsr3940-jsr--leapers-3-9x40-mil-dot-riflescope-with-flip-up-covers.html
Mine.
Weihrauch HW77, .22, has a 3-9 x 50 A0E Bushnell Trophy scope and a Traceer Atom lamp - that is the battery in a holder on the stock.
Bought it through a gunshop that bought a bankrupt gunshop - this one had been tuned and balanced for field target shooting. Got it for half of what it was worth, never used.
Well, maybe aside from the UK. You guys get boned on your gun laws. Some of the laws in your country make my jaw drop. I did get pretty good and blitzed on a layover there once though.
No trips to the gun shop for bullets or powder and from those I do know with cartridge guns, firing pins are a bit of an issue.
Give an air rifle a drop of oil every now and again and pretty much forget about anything breaking on it.
As I say tho, after 10 years seals and springs start to go.
Some guns keep going mind you..
My dad has BSA Meteor MKII from around 1969/70 and it's still going though to be honest it does need a full rebuild and tune up, the action is slacker than a 90 year old whore.
Their was a company in the UK selling them in the 1970's - they were called LEM (look for LEM pellet moulds, as I say, they come up on Ebay) - they produce a heavy pellet - like a pellet called a NATO bullet, but I have not seen those in the shops for a while now either.
I have heard the word that you can get pellet moulds in the US and Aus - maybe a member from one of those areas can help out.
With the LEM, it casted one pellet at a time - really fucking boring making them. For instance, when I make fishing weights I have a couple of moulds on the go at once as I preheat them so the lead does not cool before the cavity fills then cool them in a bucket of water - I normally make them in batches of 30 or so and it takes a while, so to get anything like a decent amount of pellets, you are going to be on for a while.
I had thought about making a mould myself as I have unlimeted access to a milling machine, but I dont have a bandsaw that would cut metal - the only idea I really have for a mould would mean it would be in four parts - I suppose I could start off with four flat pieces of brass or steel rather than cutting.
I dont think I would like centrafrugal / centripetal casting - the idea of molten lead spinning around does not fill me with joy.
You could try pouring some molten lead on some cured moddelling clay - something like FIMO and see if it burns it - if not, make your own mould from a shop bought pellet.
I'm sure yours could :rolleyes: