LP5/50 now section 5.

[RobinC]

Terry
Have you read or seen the Home Office Circular No.68/97? This is dated from 1997 when the matter was first identified, and appears to clarify the issue then, and states :-

"We have consulted the ACPO and the CPS 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 legistalative opportunity. In the meantime Chief officers are advised that self loading or pump action rfle airguns 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 Weapons) rules 1969."

No its not recent legislation, its an issue that was raised in 1997, reviewed by the HO, and clarified in black and white!

I would add that there have been several legislative opprtunities since, and if they wished they could have been specifically banned, they have not, HOC 68/97 has not been revoked, in fact the most recent HO guidance on firearms in 2015 states that air guns are exempt the certification process, and that covers all except those listed as Dangerous, and it lists various law and rules, and the only specification referred in those regulations and rules for Dangerous is below 12 and 6 ft lb, nothing about semi auto, just air guns. I have spoken to my own very efficient FA dept and they see this as very clear, under 6 pistol or 12 rifle is legal.

Looks like (yet again?) some Chief Officers, and some HO officials do not read their own documents, and are intent on making up their own laws and interpretations! These were never intended to be illegal, it was an error of ommision in the legislation, the HO office and the CPS accepted that in 1997, they circularised all Chief officers and HO with the sensible facts, they state it will be corrected at the next revision of legislation.

Nothing has changed, except people are discovereing old news, looking at part of the facts and jumping to conclusions.