Evolution of the 12 FPE rule

[45flint]

I now have a pretty good collection of 1950 - 1990 British air rifles. It seems to me the ones I have from the 50’s 60’s seem to be around 10 FPE? Webley Mk3, BSA Airsporter. I assume when the 12 FPE rule was enacted it was thought that British Manufacturers would easily be well under this limit? Did that limit actually cause the manufacturers to try to increase power up to it?

[madcarlos]

I now have a pretty good collection of 1950 - 1990 British air rifles. It seems to me the ones I have from the 50’s 60’s seem to be around 10 FPE? Webley Mk3, BSA Airsporter. I assume when the 12 FPE rule was enacted it was thought that British Manufacturers would easily be well under this limit? Did that limit actually cause the manufacturers to try to increase power up to it?

British ones struggled to get over these powers so to prevent the American and jap guns being preferred for higher power.

[Jesim1]

This comes up every now and again, the general consensus is that the UK set a 12fpe limit to actually help protect the British gun industry at the time, as they were struggling with the European manufacturers who were making higher powered guns better than we were . I think it was a bit early for the American and Chines markets to be having an impact TBH, and without this limit we would all probably be on licence already

[Benelli B76]

As young kids we were forever trying to increase the power of spring airguns, forcing stronger oversized springs in them while risking terrific injuries in doing so. I think as technology developed and also PCP rifles became more popular, air rifles achieved much more power until the powers that be decided there had to be some reasonable restriction to the average normal airgun.

Baz

[T 20]

This comes up every now and again, the general consensus is that the UK set a 12fpe limit to actually help protect the British gun industry at the time, as they were struggling with the European manufacturers who were making higher powered guns better than we were

Unfortunately I don't believe that Bullshit, James,
As it's normally spouted by someone on his soapbox with a long history of attacking the UK Airgun industry.

If the 12ftlbs limit had been introduced to protect the British gun industry then there would be a long list of European guns that were't allowed to be imported after its introduction --- unfortunately there's no such list.

The only European gun at the time that could easily exceed the 12ftlbs limit was the Arcos Setra AS1000, and importation of this one gun was stopped until it was tamed and imported in 1983.



The story that I know to be true is much simpler --- A nutter in London was caught shooting the windows out of buses on the Hammersmith Flyover with a Sheridan rifle, so as part of the updated firearms act the Home Office decided to look at putting a limit on Airgun power as well.
Yes the Home Office did consult Webley and BSA to find out what limit wouldn't upset their product range and 12ftlbs was decided upon.

The only guns of the time that the 12ftlbs limit stopped being imported into the UK were the Sheridan Bluestreak, Sheridan Silverstreak, 177" Benjamin pneumatic, .22" Benjamin pneumatic, Crosman 140, Crosman 147 and the already mentioned Setra.



Strangely the UK Airgun Manufacturers went downhill after the introduction of the 12ftlb limit and within 7 years the Feinwerkbau Sport and HW35 were King.
The best the UK Airgun industry had to offer at that time was the Webley Hawk and Osprey, and the BSA Mercury and Airsporter, all of these being well inferior to the German offerings.



If the UK government had wanted to stop European guns being imported they could have simply increased the import duty on them.



All the best Mick

[madcarlos]

As young kids we were forever trying to increase the power of spring airguns, forcing stronger oversized springs in them while risking terrific injuries in doing so. I think as technology developed and also PCP rifles became more popular, air rifles achieved much more power until the powers that be decided there had to be some reasonable restriction to the average normal airgun.

Baz

The above would make more sense. Myself aswell tried all sorts of springs back in the late 70s, Even my relum was filled to the brim,

[zeroscore]

the old 22 bsa.s could go over 12 easily

[T 20]

As young kids we were forever trying to increase the power of spring airguns, forcing stronger oversized springs in them while risking terrific injuries in doing so. I think as technology developed and also PCP rifles became more popular, air rifles achieved much more power until the powers that be decided there had to be some reasonable restriction to the average normal airgun.

Baz

There's only one problem with that, Baz, the 12ftlb limit was introduced in 1969, modern PCPs weren't introduced until the early 1980s.
So the powers that be had introduced the 12ftlbs limit at least 11 years before the modern PCP came on the market.

[stonyat421]

there was a guy that was local to me many moons ago that was shit hot on the bsa airsporters
and as a young shooter i had 2 rifles one was a bsa airsporter and the other one i think was a asi rangemaster
not seen a rangemaster in years

[Garvin]

Unfortunately I don't believe that Bullshit, James,
As it's normally spouted by someone on his soapbox with a long history of attacking the UK Airgun industry.

If the 12ftlbs limit had been introduced to protect the British gun industry then there would be a long list of European guns that were't allowed to be imported after its introduction --- unfortunately there's no such list.

The only European gun at the time that could easily exceed the 12ftlbs limit was the Arcos Setra AS1000, and importation of this one gun was stopped until it was tamed and imported in 1983.



The story that I know to be true is much simpler --- A nutter in London was caught shooting the windows out of buses on the Hammersmith Flyover with a Sheridan rifle, so as part of the updated firearms act the Home Office decided to look at putting a limit on Airgun power as well.
Yes the Home Office did consult Webley and BSA to find out what limit wouldn't upset their product range and 12ftlbs was decided upon.

The only guns of the time that the 12ftlbs limit stopped being imported into the UK were the Sheridan Bluestreak, Sheridan Silverstreak, 177" Benjamin pneumatic, .22" Benjamin pneumatic, Crosman 140, Crosman 147 and the already mentioned Setra.



Strangely the UK Airgun Manufacturers went downhill after the introduction of the 12ftlb limit and within 7 years the Feinwerkbau Sport and HW35 were King.
The best the UK Airgun industry had to offer at that time was the Webley Hawk and Osprey, and the BSA Mercury and Airsporter, all of these being well inferior to the German offerings.



If the UK government had wanted to stop European guns being imported they could have simply increased the import duty on them.



All the best Mick

This sounds very plausible to me and more or less agrees with what I thought I knew as gospel, Mick.

[T 20]

This sounds very plausible to me and more or less agrees with what I thought I knew as gospel, Mick.

It's what I've always known to be Gospel, Danny.

The funny thing is I knew all this before Internet forums were invented.




All the best Mick

[Powderfinger]

There is also the story of a swan being shot with a Setra. I have all the old Guns Reviews from the 1970s and might read them again one day to refine and clarify what the contemporary reports said. I would not be surprised if there was an element of domestic manufacturers trying to protect themselves. BSA in the 1960s was a massive concern employing thousands of people and no doubt an influential board member might have had a chat with a government minister over a glass of brandy in the Lords.

[Geezer]

It's what I've always known to be Gospel, Danny.

The funny thing is I knew all this before Internet forums were invented.




All the best Mick

Likewise. I thought “everyone” knew this.

[Benelli B76]

There's only one problem with that, Baz, the 12ftlb limit was introduced in 1969, modern PCPs weren't introduced until the early 1980s.
So the powers that be had introduced the 12ftlbs limit at least 11 years before the modern PCP came on the market.

I was more pointing to the fact that in various airguns were getting more powerful in general leading to the authorities clamp down. There were some pretty powerful PCPs around when I was 16, 60 years ago. We had ones made by Fred Jackson of Luton, large calibre butt reservoir powered, no special licence required, except the 10 bob one. I loved going to see Fred, he was the first guy I knew who had to get a licence for the Crosman 600 which were arriving here.

Baz

[Garvin]

I was more pointing to the fact that in various airguns were getting more powerful in general leading to the authorities clamp down. There were some pretty powerful PCPs around when I was 16, 60 years ago. We had ones made by Fred Jackson of Luton, large calibre butt reservoir powered, no special licence required, except the 10 bob one. I loved going to see Fred, he was the first guy I knew who had to get a licence for the Crosman 600 which were arriving here.

Baz

Very interesting, Baz. Were these patterned on the 18th/19th century-type butt reservoirs? I thought they had completely fallen out of production by the 20th century for some reason.