There’s been much in the UK news today regarding ‘The Queen’s speech’ regarding Prison reforms. The Bill that deals with this is the ‘Policing and Crime Bill 2016.’
(It must be stressed that this is NOT legislation YET. But is being presented to Parliament by the Government.)
On closing examination of said Bill one finds about half way through the document http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2015-2016/0158/16158.pdf (Page 111) is - Part 6 Firearms.
Section 102 of the Bill deals with the definition of a firearm
102 (3) In that section, before subsection (2) insert—
“(1B) In subsection (1)(a), “lethal barrelled weapon” means a barreled weapon of any description from which a shot, bullet or other missile, with kinetic energy of more than one joule at the muzzle of the weapon, can be discharged.
Current UK legislation limits air rifles to 16.2 Joules (12 ft·lbf) over which a FAC is required. Air pistols are limited to 8.1 Joules (6 ft·lbf), if it’s more powerful than that, it becomes a Sec. 5 Prohibited Weapon.
I would imagine that if this is enacted, a large number of air weapon owners are going to fall foul of the law. However, you can have an ‘Airsoft’ weapon up to 2.5 Joules!
Next of interest is Section 105 - Controls on defectively deactivated weapons -
105 (1) It is an offence for a person who owns or claims to own a defectively deactivated weapon—
(a) to make the weapon available for sale or as a gift to another person, or
(b) to sell it or give it (as a gift) to another person.
105 (4) For the purpose of this section, something is a “defectively deactivated weapon” if—
(a) it was at any time a firearm,
(b) it has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile (and, accordingly, has either ceased to be a firearm or is a firearm only by virtue of the Firearms Act 1982), but
(c) it has not been rendered so incapable in a way that meets the applicable EU technical specifications.
If enacted, one can only be thankful that the mere possession of 'defectively deactivated weapons' wasn't made illegal.
TimG
(It must be stressed that this is NOT legislation YET. But is being presented to Parliament by the Government.)
On closing examination of said Bill one finds about half way through the document http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2015-2016/0158/16158.pdf (Page 111) is - Part 6 Firearms.
Section 102 of the Bill deals with the definition of a firearm
102 (3) In that section, before subsection (2) insert—
“(1B) In subsection (1)(a), “lethal barrelled weapon” means a barreled weapon of any description from which a shot, bullet or other missile, with kinetic energy of more than one joule at the muzzle of the weapon, can be discharged.
Current UK legislation limits air rifles to 16.2 Joules (12 ft·lbf) over which a FAC is required. Air pistols are limited to 8.1 Joules (6 ft·lbf), if it’s more powerful than that, it becomes a Sec. 5 Prohibited Weapon.
I would imagine that if this is enacted, a large number of air weapon owners are going to fall foul of the law. However, you can have an ‘Airsoft’ weapon up to 2.5 Joules!
Next of interest is Section 105 - Controls on defectively deactivated weapons -
105 (1) It is an offence for a person who owns or claims to own a defectively deactivated weapon—
(a) to make the weapon available for sale or as a gift to another person, or
(b) to sell it or give it (as a gift) to another person.
105 (4) For the purpose of this section, something is a “defectively deactivated weapon” if—
(a) it was at any time a firearm,
(b) it has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile (and, accordingly, has either ceased to be a firearm or is a firearm only by virtue of the Firearms Act 1982), but
(c) it has not been rendered so incapable in a way that meets the applicable EU technical specifications.
If enacted, one can only be thankful that the mere possession of 'defectively deactivated weapons' wasn't made illegal.
TimG
