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Can a visitor to this country possess firearms or shotguns? Under section 17 of the 1988 Act a visitor to Great Britain may, if he is granted a visitor's permit, have in his possession firearms, shotguns or ammunition without holding a certificate. The holder of a visitor's firearms permit may have in his possession any firearm (but not purchase one), and purchase, acquire or have in his possession any ammunition, to which section 1 of the 1968 Act applies. The holder of a visitor's shotgun permit may have in his possession, purchase or acquire shotguns and is exempt from the requirement to produce a shotgun certificate when purchasing cartridges. Both permits are valid for a period of up to 12 months and must show the full details of weapons covered and, in the case of a firearms permit, show details of the quantity of ammunition to be purchased/acquired and held. Similarly, territorial and other conditions as would appear on a firearms certificate, will normally be imposed on a firearms permit. Separate permits for each police area are not required as both permits will cover the visitor throughout Great Britain. Summary of the law relating to the purchase, possession and use of shot guns by juveniles. Under 15 years It is an offence to make a gift of a shot gun or ammunition to children under 15 years old. Children under 15 years may not have an assembled gun with them except: • In the case of shot guns, providing they have a valid shot gun certificate, they may use a shot gun under the direction and supervision of someone of or over 21 years of age. • When the gun is in a securely fastened gun cover so that it cannot be fired. Aged 15 - 17 years A person between 15 and 17 years old may be given or lent a gun with ammunition but may not buy them. Aged 17 Years or Over A person of 17 years or more may purchase a shot gun and ammunition with a valid shot gun certificate. Remember, a shot gun certificate is required at any age unless: • Shooting with the occupier of land and using their gun in their presence or • Shooting at a police approved clay shoot There is no minimum age for the issue of a shot gun certificate. A shot gun certificate shall be granted unless the applicant: • Is prohibited from possessing a gun under the Firearms Acts • Is a danger to the public safety or to the peace • Does not have good reason for possessing, purchasing or acquiring a weapon. (Use for sporting competition or pest control both constitute "good reason"). Do I need a certificate for an air weapon? Conventional air guns, air rifles and air pistols do not need to be held on a firearms certificate unless they are of a type declared specially dangerous by the Firearms Rules 1969. The rules classify any air weapon as specially dangerous if it is capable of discharging a missile with a kinetic energy in excess of: Air pistols - 6ft/lbs OR Any other air weapon - 12ft/lbs It is possible to measure the velocity of the pellets discharged with an electronic chronograph. These measurements allow the calculation of the kinetic energy of the pellet at the muzzle. Weapons exceeding these prescribed limits can only be lawfully held on a firearms certificate and are subject to all rules and regulations concerning section 1 firearms. What legislation refers to Crossbows? Source: Crossbows Act 1987 Offence: Section 1 - (Sale): It is an offence for any person to sell or let on hire a crossbow or part of a crossbow to a person under the age of 17. Section 2 - (Purchase): It is an offence for any person under the age of 17 to buy or hire a crossbow or part of a crossbow. Section 3 - (Possession): It is an offence for any person under the age of 17 to have with him a crossbow which is capable of discharging a missile, or parts of a crossbow which together can be assembled to form a crossbow capable of discharging a missile. Yes, under certain circumstances. Many approved shotgun clubs and Registered Firearms Dealers hold open days, where people without certificates can fire club guns to test their interest in the sport. The club or dealer must hold a section 11(6) permit, issued by the police, which allows these events on a limited number of days each year. Approved rifle and muzzle-loading clubs will allow the shooting of club guns providing you are a club member. Clubs also allow non-members to use club weapons on a limited number of days as guests. You may also shoot shotguns and rifles when accompanied by a certificate-holding landowner or their agent, such as a game warden. You must, however, shoot on the owner's land, using their weapons within the limitations of the certificate for that weapon. You may not borrow another person's gun if they do not occupy the land you intend to shoot on. Safety is the most important factor involved in any shooting sport and airgun shooting is no exception. An airgun is not a toy and rules apply to the ownership and use of them. Time spent learning to shoot safely and responsibly will allow you to use your airgun enjoyably for years to come. The first lesson to learn is to BE SAFE NOT SORRY. A moments stupidity or carelessness could cause injury either to yourself or another person. To avoid this follow the rules below: Always treat an airgun as if it is loaded. Always store your airgun securely in a safe place. Make sure it is unloaded and not cocked. It is often best to store ammunition separately. Never load an airgun until it is safe to fireit. Never point an airgun at anyone. Never carry a loaded airgun in public. Remember, an airgun is loaded when it has a pellet in the breach, it does not have to be cocked to be loaded. Never touch somebody else's airgun without their permission. Always check that an airgun is unloaded when you first pick it up. Never let young children use an airgunun supervised. There may seem a lot of rules, however they are easy to keep to and will save you trouble in the long run. Learning them and teaching them to others will ensure that you enjoy many years of safe shooting. The Law: There are some legal requirements to owning and using an airgun in the UK. They are there to ensure safety and most of them are fairly obvious. For details of the legislation in countries other than the UK please contact your local shooting association or police force. Airguns do not require a licence unless they are over the UK legal limit of 12ft.lbs muzzle energy for rifles and 6 ft.lbs muzzle energy for pistols. Providing you are within the age requirements for ownership listed below almost anybody can own one. Owning and using an airgun: Young people under 14. If you are under 14 years old you cannot buy, hire, be given or own an airgun or airgun ammunition. You can however use an airgun if: you are supervised by someone over 21; and you do not shoot beyond the boundaries of where you are using it; or you are a member of an approved club and you are using it for target practice at that club; Safety & the Law continued It is illegal to: Carry a loaded airgun in a public place. Trespass in a building or on private land withan airgun whether it is loaded or whether or not you have ammunition. Possess or use an airgun if you have beensentenced to three months or more in custody. If the sentence was up to three years you are banned from using orowning any airgun or firearm for a period of five years from the date of release. If thesentence was over three years you are banned for life. Kill or injure any bird or animal protected bylaw unless you are authorised to do so under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. A deactivated weapon is any firearm that has been converted so that it can no longer discharge any shot, bullet or any other missile. Deactivation is intended to be permanent and cannot be reactivated without specialist tools or skills. Deactivation work carried out in the UK since 1 July 1989, will generally have been endorsed by a Proof House. The weapon will be proof marked and issued with a deactivation certificate. There are stringent requirements before a weapon can be proofed as deactivated and such work should be left to a gunsmith. A registered firearms dealer is the best person to speak to about this. Any weapon - including prohibited one such as a machine gun - can be deactivated and will no longer deemed a firearm under the Firearms Act. Deactivated weapons may be possessed without a firearm or shotgun certificate and may be displayed in the owner's home without the need for a locked gun cabinet. Buying deactivated weapons: It is important that care is taken when acquiring any firearm that is described as deactivated. You should ensure that you are shown the proof house mark and certificate issued in respect of any gun deactivated in the UK since 1989. The following are the correct and legal methods of diposing of firearms Shotguns: If you possess a shotgun, legally held on a shotgun certificate, and you no longer wish to keep it, you have various options as to its disposal. You can sell, give or transfer its ownership to a Registered Firearms Dealer or another shotgun certificate holder or who has adequate and safe storage for the weapon. You can surrender the weapon at any police station, where it will normally be sent away for destruction, unless it is deemed of particular historical interest. In the latter case it could be given to a museum or other interested official party. You can have the weapon deactivated. Other Firearms: If you hold weapons on a firearms certificate, the scenario is slightly different when selling, giving or transferring them to another firearms certificate holder. Unlike shotguns, firearm certificate holders can only posses firearms authorised on their certificates. Before transferring firearms to another firearm certificate holder, you must ensure that their certificate carries the authority for the calibre and firearm in question. No such restrictions apply to Registered Firearms Dealers, except possibly in respect of prohibited weapons. The option to surrender firearms at a police station or have them deactivated applies to firearms as it does shotguns. General: Weapons should never be destroyed or disposed of by their owners. Every weapon needs to be accounted for and the police authority that issued the certificate must be informed as to what has happened to the weapon. Unwanted section 1 ammunition can be disposed of through another authorised firearm certificate holder, Registered Firearms Dealer, your target shooting club or surrendered at any police station. |
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