De-acts, no certificate

[Rayee]

I've come across a couple of deact pistols, a Smiffen Wesson revolver, and a Browning semi-auto (complete with Swasticas from when the factory was taken over by the Nazis).
How do I stand with no de-act certificates? They do have the deact stamps on the vital parts.

[loiner1965]

you do not need the certs as they are only handy if you sell or have the misfortune in having to explain them in a police search......you are ok mate

[greenshoots]

Browning semi-auto (complete with Swasticas

pity its deact made a nice sect 7

greenshoots

[master_shriller]

If you look at the proof house marks with a magnifying glass, you should be able to see where they were reproofed as deacts, LP = London Proof house, BP = Birmingham Proof House.

Ring them and find out how you can apply for some duplicate certificates, there is a charge, about £7 for each one IIRC.

HTH

[richard577]

I was led to believe the proof house had to see the gun before issuing a duplicate de-act certificate to make sure that the gun had not been altered in any way since deacting,

[sniper3]

It depends on when they were de-activated becaues on later de-acts they started to keep records and can be located by serial #.

[loach369]

I was led to believe the proof house had to see the gun before issuing a duplicate de-act certificate to make sure that the gun had not been altered in any way since deacting,

True.

I had two re-certed recently at Birmingham. It cost around £80. They insist on seeing them and hit you for a 100% surcharge for instant certificate renewal.

Interesting point of law. There is NO legislation that mandates examination and certification by the Proofhouse and the deact specs are guidelines only.

[acmsarh]

Firearms act 1988
De-activated
weapons
8.- For the purposes of the principal Act and this Act it shall be presumed,
unless the contrary is shown, that a firearm has been rendered incapable or
discharging any shot, bullet or other missile, and has consequently ceased to
be a firearm within the meaning of those Acts, if –
(a) it bears a mark which has been approved by the Secretary of State for
denoting that fact and which has been made either by one of the two
companies mentioned in section 58(1) of the principal Act or by such
other person as may be approved by the Secretary of State for the
purposes of this section; and
(b) that company or person has certified in writing that work has been
carried out on the firearm in a manner approved by the Secretary of
State for rendering it incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or
other missile.