According to the letter of the law (amended in 1997) they do appear to be inadvertently included in the ban.

However, this situation was clarified by the Home Office after the law was amended.. The relevant document is Home Office Circular 68/97 :


HOC 68/97

10. We have consulted ACPO and the Crown Prosecution Service about the legal status of these weapons and have agreed, in the absence of a court ruling, that the issue should be resolved formally at the next legislative opportunity. In the meantime chief officers are advised that self-loading or pump-action rifle air guns should continue to be regarded as falling outside the certification process provided that they are low powered and do not fall within the Firearms (Dangerous Air Weapons) Rules 1969.



There was some talk a little while ago that the Steyr Hunter 5 (semi-automatic air rifle) was going to become illegal after talks between the Gun Trade Association and the Home office, but so far nothing has come of this, there have been no announcements, no changes in the law and no new Home Office guidance issued.

The legal status is that the letter of the law prohibits them (due to an oversight in 1997), but the Home Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Association of Chief Police Officers all say that it was just an oversight in the law and it will not be applied to low powered airguns (sub 6/12).

So.... until anything changes (and it could?) then no one will be subject to legal proceedings for possession of an LP5/50.