Purchase age ?

[Manxi]

Hi all
Anyone know what year did it change from beeing able to buy a airgun at 16

Cheers manxi

[angrybear]

From the guide to the firearms act Nov 2022.
A bit confusing as 7.11 seems to indicate it's been 18 since 1968, but 7.13 says it only became an offence for the seller in 2010

Air weapons in England and Wales

7.11
Section 22(1) of the 1968 Act makes it an offence for a person under the age of
eighteen to purchase or hire any firearm or ammunition, and this will include air
weapons and ammunition for air weapons.

7.12
Section 22(4) of the 1968 Act makes it an offence for a young person under the age
of eighteen to have with them an air weapon or ammunition for an air weapon, other
than when they are:
i. supervised by someone aged twenty-one or over (section 23(1));
ii. a member of an approved club while engaged as such in connection with
target shooting (section 23(2)(a));
iii. at a shooting gallery where only air weapons or miniature rifles not
exceeding .23 inch calibre are used (section 23(2)(b)); or
iv. aged fourteen or over and on private premises with the consent of the
occupier (section 23(3)).

7.13
Section 24(1) of the 1968 Act was substituted by the Firearms (Amendment)
Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1759) with effect from 28 July 2010 and the revised
provision makes it an offence to sell or let on hire any firearm or ammunition to a
person under the age of eighteen. This includes air weapons. Under section 24(4) of
the 1968 Act, it is an offence to make a gift, or part with possession, of an air
weapon or ammunition for an air weapon to a person under the age of eighteen.

7.14
Section 24ZA of the 1968 Act makes it an offence for a person in possession of an
air weapon to fail to take reasonable precautions to prevent any person under the
age of eighteen years from having the weapon with him. This does not apply where
the person under the age of eighteen years is permitted to have an air weapon with
them under one of the exceptions set out in section 23 of the 1968 Act. The
provisions of section 58(2) of the 1968 Act mean that the offence in section 24ZA
does not apply to an antique air weapon held as a curiosity or ornament (see
Chapter 8).

A defence to the offence in section 24ZA is provided where a person can show he
had reasonable grounds for believing the other person to be aged eighteen or over

[Shed tuner]

can drive a car at 17, but not buy an airgun
I'm sure I was only 17 when I bought my own new HW80 in 1988.. for just over £80 !

[angrybear]

You can buy/ride a moped at 16
I can remember buying both pellets & shotgun cart's on the way home from school, but times were different then.

[Segata]

If you're disabled you can actually have a Car at 16, I think it's gotten so restricted as people kept being foolish with them, look at Airsoft for example, when I was a kid you could walk into any shop and buy pretty much a full replica without ID, now if you don't want a technicolour special you need proof you activey participate and that you are over 18, they are however allowed ownership under 18 where a normal Air Rifle is not.

[where's it gone]

If you're disabled you can actually have a Car at 16, I think it's gotten so restricted as people kept being foolish with them, look at Airsoft for example, when I was a kid you could walk into any shop and buy pretty much a full replica without ID, now if you don't want a technicolour special you need proof you activey participate and that you are over 18, they are however allowed ownership under 18 where a normal Air Rifle is not.

Ownership and buying are not related.
I remember at the age of 13, 1970, buying, by myself, a second hand Webley Jaguar with a 4x20 scope from a sports/ironmongers shop. Also, around the same age, making knockovers in metalwork class, where the teacher had an air pistol in his draw. I don't think people worried about age in them days.

[Lumberjack]

Ownership and buying are nor related.
....... in metalwork class, where the teacher had an air pistol in his draw. I don't think people worried about age in them days.

Our tech teacher (same era) just had a bottle of medicinal Johnnie Walker and a leather strap in his drawer. Think Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall and your there. Life was simpler then.

[rapidresponse1]

life was a lot simpler in them days

[madcarlos]

You can buy/ride a moped at 16
I can remember buying both pellets & shotgun cart's on the way home from school, but times were different then.

Shotguns were more popular in the 70s early 80s than airguns , We used to by the carts as kids around here aswell, Years later things very different, Had to show a licence then to buy them,

[WebleyWombler]

It was 17 to buy airguns and different for pellets. Age was 14 for pellets . A person over the age of 13 (possibly 14) could possess and use on private land. Under 13 could not own or possess either but could use a gun whilst under the supervision of someone over the age of 21.
When this changed I do not know but I think this century. The firearms act 1968 has been ammended so many times I've lost track. It was the same with shotguns until 1968

Airguns were at odds with firearms as there was no age limit for a firearms certificate but one had to be over 17 to buy ammunition on certificate.

When originally set, the age limits took youth groups such as scouts and cadets into account