I see a lot of bullshit and misconception on the web regarding gun law, and specifically airgun law in the UK. A lot of people in the UK have never seen a gun IRL, let alone held or fired one.
This is highlighted by members of the publics reactions to guns. A member of the public saw some one with a .22 rifle fitted with a scope. He described it to the press as ‘some huge James Bond sniper rifle with a telescope on it’. Hysteria much?
As far as analagies go, that one ranks along ‘yeah man, a subaru imprezza is basically an F1 car’.
Before I begin, I will say if you are unfamiliar with guns, get to know them. Get to know the people that use them recreationally – have a bit of understanding on what is what, why something is totally unsuitable in some situations and let real knowledge form your opinions.
If you are on land you do not own, or do not have permission to shoot on with a loaded air rifle or an air rifle out of its bag or case, you can get done for armed tresspass. At all times when carrying an airrifle, you must have a legitimate reason for having it. Reasons would include travelling to or from a place where your are allowed to shoot, travelling to or from a place to purchase or sell the weapon, travelling to or from a place to have it repaired or modified.
If you are on land wich you own or have permission to shoot on, you must not be in a posiion closer than 50ft to the centre of a public highway when you fire it.
loaded in public – 6 months jail / £2500 fine
armed tresspass – 3 months in jail / £2500 fine
Having an air rifle intent to damage property – 10 years
using an air rifle in a threatening manner – 10 years
If you get sentanced to <3 years – 5 year ban on handling / owning a firearm
If sentanced to >3 years – lifetime ban.
If you shoot some one intentially – life
If you shoot some one in an avoidable accident and kill – manslaughter
These are all maximum sentances. You know what this country is like for guns now. When I was a kid, the police would normally not give a shit if you were shooting on public land, as long as you didnt look like you would cause a nuciance.
Now, if you are seen with any gun in public, armed response will turn up. They should give you three warnings to put it down, but it ussually goes
‘ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon,ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon ,ArmedPoliceDropTheWeapon,’ Bang and you are dead.
In answer to your question, no you do not need a licence unless the air rifle has a musle velocity of more than 12ft/lb. Anything with a musle velocity of over 1ft/lb is considered a fire arm.
You will then want to know how powerful your air rifle is. For example, with a crossman power pellet (14.3 grains), my Weirauch HW77 .22 (lets say it will have a musle velocity of 600fps) will be producing 11.43 ft/lbs.
If I used an air arms feild pellet (16.4 grains) I get 13.11 ft/lbs and become illegal. There will be a small drop in musle velocity, but only very small. Spin (left to right accuracy) and drop are effected more with a heavier pellet.
If I use an Eley Magnum (30 grains) and use that same musle velocity, we get 23.99 ft/lbs. Nearly double to the legal limit, and most FAC air rifles in the UK market are in the range of 30 ft/lbs.
Now, the police are not going to test your air rifle with the Eley magnum just to catch you out. Only an idiot would use them in a non FAC air rifle as you would just not hit the target.
Now, say I am out with a tin of H&N Trophy Hunter in my pocket, at 15.4 grains, that gives me 12.31 ft/lbs, I am illegal. Having seen quite a few Police Inspector sample papers, I wouldnt risk that call back to the station if I had a brand and model of air rifle with me that would have info on, or looked like it could shoot at 600fps and a tin of branded pellets, within a few minutes even google could tell you what position I would be in.
To calculate for your own air rifle
Weight of Pellet in grains X (FPS squared) / 450240
There is a magic number in all of this to keep you safe. If you can tune your air rifle to fire a projectile at 671 fps, the weight of the pellet in grains will give you the ft/lb exactly – eg, your pellet weights 12 grains, you have 12ft/lb. You dont get many pellets for a .22 (but quite a few for a .20) at 12 grains, but the Paragon Z2 is 12 grains.
My advice is just shoot where you are allowed to shoot, only shoot things you are allowed to shoot and the police wont hasstle you too much. In some shooting comps tho, not only do they chronograph (measure musle velocity, a lot do) but the police will be there too.
My local gun shop stickers the pellet tins with the average pellet weight in grains and I leave it on, in case anyone wants to know .
