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

[harvey_s]

I'm pretty sure the 300mm barrel length doesn't apply for airguns.
I think the 600mm length does apply to guns with a folding stock.
But to be honest it's not really that difficult is it?... If it has a shoulder fitted then it's a rifle, if it doesn't have one it's a rifle.

[Turnup]

Clearly the 300/600 does not apply to sub 6/12 airguns ('cos lots of air rifles fall short of the 300/600 rule) and it appears that the law does not define "pistol" or "rifle" so it will come down to what a judge/jury might decide. There are probably not very many airguns where it is difficult to tell the difference. Designed to be used one handed = pistol. Designed to be fired from the shoulder = rifle. If there are any airguns where this is not obvious then it would probably fall to the manufacturer's description as a guide. The lack of clarity on this matter strongly suggests that it has not been an issue in the past.

It would be possible to fit a shoulder stock to a (former) pistol. My expectation would be that if this is easily removable then it remains a pistol, but if it is necessary to remove screws to get it off then it has been converted to a rifle. And vice versa.

[angrybear]

Well I've just written an email to the Home Office to ask

[bighit]

It doesn't cover the definition of a pistol unfortunately. There isn't one in law, it would therefore fall upon what a reasonable person would decide is a pistol.

There's a legal argument detailed about if a pistol over 6 ft-lb is section 5 but it then falls back on an air pistol being called an air pistol without defining that unless it's a section 5...

Cheers Rob . I did not have time to look myself .

[aris]

I asked a policeman years ago and he just said he would use common sense.

Can it be fired easily at arms length?

Yes, then its a pistol.

Do not know how well that would stand up in court.

I think this is the main point. Do you want to be a test case for some over-zealous prosecutor looking to make a name for themselves.

[johnbaz]

A friend on here gave me this some years ago- Pistol or rifle?







John

[Murphy]

Dictionary definitions.

Rifle, a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore.

Pistol, a small firearm designed to be held in one hand.

[Antoni]

A friend on here gave me this some years ago- Pistol or rifle?

John

If it's less than 6 FtLb I don't think it matters.

If not, I'd make it so if I were you.

[Antoni]

Dictionary definitions.

Hopefully not an American dictionary.

Legal definitions matter when 5 years is at stake.

Laws can be deliberately written in a vague way so as to prevent gold-plating but sometimes they need to be clear, as it seems, Angrybear thinks too.

[johnbaz]

If it's less than 6 FtLb I don't think it matters.

If not, I'd make it so if I were you.

I think it actually is below 6ft lbs, I'm going to have a go at making a sock to fit it though!!

If the 300mm barrel and 600mm overall was the criteria then it's actually within those parameters!!


This is a 24"/600mm rule..



John

[WILBA]

It mentions lots of things but not what defines air pistols from rifles.

The reason I state 600mm overall OR a 300mm barrel is because that seems to be how manufactures define it.

Some examples;
The Skan mini m-32 is both over 600mm & has a barrel over 300mm,
FX Verminator (mk1) has a barrel only 210mm but the overall length is over 600mm.
HW100 bullpup is only 560mm overall (silencer removed) but the barrel is 310mm.
Hatsan AT-P2 with the stock removed is both under 600mm overall & has a sub300mm barrel it is therefore a 6fpe pistol

As for people stating "I fitted X to Y which would make it illegal"
Yes it might well do

The barrel is 12" on a skan r32 ultra but the length is short of the 600mm you state. Overall length without mod iz 21.5" 600mm=23.5" i know as i own a r32. Though mine is the ultra model which is the shorter one. The longer barreled ones are over 600mm on length.this does not apply to legal power air rifles though

[angrybear]

The barrel is 12" on a skan r32 ultra but the length is short of the 600mm you state. Overall length without mod iz 21.5" 600mm=23.5" i know as i own a r32. Though mine is the ultra model which is the shorter one. The longer barreled ones are over 600mm on length.this does not apply to legal power air rifles though

I took the sizes from an old AGW buyers guide

12" is 300mm so your R32 again passes the either/or test

[RobF]

TX hc doesn’t.

[johnbaz]

Here's a couple with short barrels! (7")..






John

[harvey_s]

I think it actually is below 6ft lbs, I'm going to have a go at making a sock to fit it though!!

If the 300mm barrel and 600mm overall was the criteria then it's actually within those parameters!!


This is a 24"/600mm rule..



John

If it's under 6 FPE you can call it Shirley for all the difference its makes...