Licence free, What is an air rifle, What is a pistol?

[Antoni]

In another thread I asked for a source of airgun barrel to fit to a pistol. One suggestion (thank you Bighit) was that I buy a low cost sub-12 .25 rifle and harvest 7½ inches of its barrel.

If I did that carefully the rifle may still be useable, but would it still be a rifle - or would it become a pistol?

Spent some time Googling and can't find the UK definition. The important bit is the 6 / 12 FtLb business. If lopping off said amount of a rifle's barrel left it still capable of 6+ FtLb then it would have to retain its status as a rifle.

What is the definition???

The obvious downside to this whole theory is that I'd end up with a cheap rifle but would then be unwilling to carry out the necessary molestation. As we all know, stuff expands to the extent of space available. Not good.

[aris]

The S1 definition of a rifle is minimum 300mm barrel and 600mm overall. Anything smaller is a pistol. I presume the same for airguns. So you can have something smaller as long as it is under 6ft lbs.

[GB2017]

Not sure if that holds for airguns, leshiys are sold with 250mm barrels as standard

[angrybear]

In sect 1 "handguns" are illegal so we have "long barrelled pistols" to make the 300/600 rule.

in sub 12fpe air rifles must be over 600mm & shoot from the shoulder, or have a min 300mm barrel, any take down or folding stock air rifle must have a lock to prevent it shooting without the stock in place or if it can shoot in "pistol" configuration it must be sub 6fpe.

There is no such thing as a section 1 air pistol, if over 6fpe it's sec 5 prohibited.

so if your cut down air rifle is still over 600mm & has it's shoulder stock it's still legal.

[Black Beard]

The sub 600mm overall length and 300mm barrel length are nothing to do with sub 6/12 ftlb air pistols/rifles. The law on "handguns" does not apply to air guns. A rifle has to be under 12ftlb. A pistol has to be under 6. Their shape and design defines what they are and their size is irrelevant.

BB

[Snapshot]

The S1 definition of a rifle is minimum 300mm barrel and 600mm overall. Anything smaller is a pistol. I presume the same for airguns. So you can have something smaller as long as it is under 6ft lbs.

In sect 1 "handguns" are illegal so we have "long barrelled pistols" to make the 300/600 rule.

in sub 12fpe air rifles must be over 600mm & shoot from the shoulder, or have a min 300mm barrel, any take down or folding stock air rifle must have a lock to prevent it shooting without the stock in place or if it can shoot in "pistol" configuration it must be sub 6fpe.

There is no such thing as a section 1 air pistol, if over 6fpe it's sec 5 prohibited.

so if your cut down air rifle is still over 600mm & has it's shoulder stock it's still legal.

Not true for airguns. Barrel and overall length are not part of the definition. Original power/intent is what matters. This is why it's not legal to stick a shoulder stock on a pistol and up the power to 12 ftlbs.

[aris]

Not true for airguns. Barrel and overall length are not part of the definition. Original power/intent is what matters. This is why it's not legal to stick a shoulder stock on a pistol and up the power to 12 ftlbs.

Do you happen to have a reference for this in the firearms act? Genuinely curious. Even what the cps say is a bit confusing.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/firearms

An air weapon is defined, under section 1(3)(b) and 57(4) of the Firearms Act 1968 as:

"an air rifle, air gun or air pistol which does not fall within section 5 (1) (a) and which is not of a type declared by rules made by the Secretary of State under section 53 of the Firearms Act to be specially dangerous".

[bezzer]

Do you happen to have a reference for this in the firearms act? Genuinely curious. Even what the cps say is a bit confusing.

He is referring to S.5 which says-

Weapons subject to general prohibition.
(1)A person commits an offence if, without authority, he has in his possession, or purchases or acquires .
....
[F5(aba)any firearm which either has a barrel less than 30 centimetres in length or is less than 60 centimetres in length overall, OTHER THAN AN AIR WEAPON.......

An air pistol isn't actually defined anywhere as far as I know so leaves it open to interpretetation as to whether it's what it was originally sold as,? or if it's converted to a carbine does that still count? Or even the other way where air rifles have been cut down to pistols, seen 2 Rapids recently that were chopped are they still rifles or pistols? Has there actually been a prosecution ?

[RobF]

The barrel length isn’t the definition because that would rule a number of rifles, some of which are on sale as being sect 5 pistols, one is quite popular.

The last time this came up it was deemed that if it could be held and used in a way that a reasonable person thinks it’s a pistol then it is. It’s probably an area that would only be defined by a court case and I don’t think anyone wants to put themselves through that to find out or prove a point.