Hate to 'stir the semi auto nest' but...

[Rob Edge]

I am not missing anything off or being selective in any way. If people want to believe it is deemed ok because the ACPO, BASC or even the CPS say they are not currently illegal then that is entirely up to them. None of the above make the law or are responsible for changing it. It may come that Richard is indeed correct and pre-charged will go section 1. The one thing that I am sure of is the fact that some people are gambling with the future of our sport for what? If semi is what you want then why not get your certificate and buy a rimfire which is way more fun than any air rifle.

[evenbad]

Why should I buy a rimfire semi!! The farmer is only allowing me to shoot around barns for rats with an air rifle and cant see my neighbour being happy shooting a rimfire in my garden. Its A LOAD OF CODSWALLOP stating that owners of semi auto air rifles are putting OUR sport at risk. Not everyones is going to shoot the next doors cat, use it for gangster drive byes and rob the local PO!!
Freedom of choice don't take it away and be put off buy what you want ITS a fun gun to shoot deadly accurate and the Steyr Hunting 5 IS the safest air rifle to own as its impossible to fire without mag inserted , well made and I for one love the stock especially the short carbine version, if anyone is in South Wales and would like to try drop me a PM. What's not to like CAN BE FIRED LIKE A BOLT ACTION OR SEMI JUST PULL THE TRIGGER AND ENJOY.

[banksy!]

I am not missing anything off or being selective in any way. If people want to believe it is deemed ok because the ACPO, BASC or even the CPS say they are not currently illegal then that is entirely up to them. None of the above make the law or are responsible for changing it.

I agree. The CPS have not actually stated these guns are legal per se. They have said the position is unclear and needs to be decided by the legislative process 'at the earliest opportunity'. Meanwhile, they should be considered legal for now. This is not the same as declaring them legal. It means that this temporary status could be changed at any time by legislation, or by the courts in case law. This has obvious implications for anyone who has bought one, or is considering a purchase.

[Dodger21]

What exactly is seen as the issue here is it the fact that a semi-auto can fire 5 shots in 3 seconds instead of maybe 7 seconds with a biathlon leaver? Depending on the shooter or is it that you can load more than one pellet in a magazine?

[RichardH]

I agree. The CPS have not actually stated these guns are legal per se. They have said the position is unclear and needs to be decided by the legislative process 'at the earliest opportunity'. Meanwhile, they should be considered legal for now. This is not the same as declaring them legal. It means that this temporary status could be changed at any time by legislation, or by the courts in case law. This has obvious implications for anyone who has bought one, or is considering a purchase.

Ring the home office, the answer will enlighten you

[evenbad]

Look at BASC website also enlighten you

[banksy!]

Ring the home office, the answer will enlighten you

I imagine that would be a frustrating and fruitless experience that would take more than one lifetime. Anyway, I would not rely on guidance received over the telephone. The HO Firearms Guidance document only refers to semi-automatic airsoft weapons, not airguns. As far as airsoft semis are concerned, they make clear that the legislation has not been tested by the courts. It states:

...we think it is safe to conclude that fully automatic airsoft guns
operating at 1.3 joules or less and single shot (or semi automatic) airsoft guns operating
at 2.5 joules or less would not engage the lethality threshold crossing over into stricter
controls under the Firearms Act. This would mean that airsoft firearms that are also realistic
imitation firearms operating at or below these thresholds would, nonetheless, not be
required to be sold by a Registered Firearms Dealer but that the other control provisions
provided by the Violent Crime Reduction Act would apply. Please note that this has not yet
been tested by the courts.

Perhaps you'd like to be the test case for semi auto airguns? I know I wouldn't.

But if you can link to written HO guidance, I'd be happy to read it.

[evenbad]

Get real here who on earth is going to write or phone the HO, think they have more pressing things to deal with, as for a test case you would have to break the law and as far AS I am aware I am not. Again FOR THE RECORD have informed my FAO I was thinking of getting a sub 12FT/LB semi/auto AND HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING that it was illegal

[Rickenbacker]

As long as they stay over 1500 quid, we shouldn't have too much to worry about re the common or lesser spotted scrotes getting hold of them... make hay while the sun shines, gentlemen...

[Rich]

Does anyone seriously believe the scrotes will save up and buy a rifle of this type, to poke out of the car window and try to gun down the enemy gang, when that gang probably has 9mm pistols bought for £40 in the pub? They are not that dumb; if they pick a fight they mean to win it. They learn about self preservation quite early on.

Anybody who hunts with sub 12 fpe knows that now and again, a second shot is invaluable. I can remember about 20 years ago when the first PCPs to have a slider with a shot in waiting came out, was it Titan or Falcon, and then Daystate launched the (infamous) speed loader. At the time this was seen as a must-have facility, or at least ought-to-have, if you had the welfare of the quarry in mind. If we really believe that a second shot is a good thing to have, then the quicker that second shot can be taken, the better.

[banksy!]

Look at BASC website also enlighten you

OK I looked at the BASC site and they give the same advice:

Although it was not Parliament’s intention that any low powered air weapons should be banned by
the 1997 Acts, there is now considerable uncertainty as to whether a rifled airgun of the description
covered by 5(1)(ab) has become prohibited even though it may be a very low powered weapon not
hitherto held on certificate

Do you have a link to something different?

[evenbad]

Cant find it but reads to me on yours that their no illegal

[banksy!]

Cant find it but reads to me on yours that their no illegal

Does it? As others have tried to explain, BASC, CPS and even the Home Office do not decide what is and isn't legal. They can offer an opinion or interpretation. Often they get it wrong. Even the Home Office (Theresa May) has been wrong. It seems to me there is uncertainty which can only be decided by the courts, or by legislation. No-one is suggesting that you will be hauled before the courts for shooting rats in a barn, but what might happen is that your 1950 euro gun will be shown to be illegal. This might happen sooner than you think if the policies of a minority Labour government are influenced by the SNP. Or if some kid steals one and puts 5 pellets in another kid.

Anyway, anyone voting Labour in England or SNP in Scotland should not complain about future airgun licensing.

[evenbad]

OMG politics creeping in here , I'm out of here. enjoy your air rifles guys going to exterminate some coke cans Don't tell anyone or I will be hauled in front of The Green Party for not recycling!! Have a nice day

[StephenJH]

...Or if some kid steals one and puts 5 pellets in another kid.

Which is 'sort of' what happened in New Zealand. The gun shops there used to look like armouries, I was surprised at what was available. Then along came the FX Monsoon. Two people were killed and all PCP's put on FAC. Fingers crossed for here.