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".
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 ?
Last edited by bezzer; 03-08-2020 at 08:30 AM.
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.
The 600/3000 rule cant apply to airguns as otherwise my skan r32 would be illegal which it aint. Also i fitted a 10" barrel to my crosman backpacker which would make that illegal, crosman pistols come with 10" barrels also again they would be illegal. Its the over 6ftlb in pistols and over 12ftlb in rifles that dictates if its illegal or not.
Page 89 here https://www.25bedfordrow.com/cms/doc...son_090715.pdf
I dont have time to read it so some one here may want to read and give the relevant reply on what it covers .