Airguns and the Law

The aims and objectives of the CAPA
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pmh
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Airguns and the Law

Post by pmh » Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:57 pm

The most important rule of gun handling……

NEVER POINT ANY GUN, LOADED OR UNLOADED, IN AN UNSAFE DIRECTION.

Above all, safety is the most important consideration. Always know where the muzzle of your air gun is pointing and NEVER point it in an unsafe direction.

Whenever you shoot, make sure you know where the pellet is going to end up before you pull the trigger.

The Law

The law makes no distinction between air guns and more powerful guns for which you need a licence – they are all classed as firearms. This means that any offence you commit can carry a very heavy penalty – and there are at least 38 different offences.

Air gun security

From February 2011, the Crime and Security Act 2010 makes it an offence for a person in possession of an air gun to fail to take “reasonable precautions” to prevent someone under the age of 18 from gaining unauthorised access to it.

Who can shoot

18 years

If you are 18 years or older there are no restrictions on buying an air rifle and ammunition, and you can use it wherever you have permission to shoot.

14 – 17 years

You can:-

borrow an air rifle and ammunition

use an air rifle, without supervision, on private premises where you have permission

You cannot:-

buy or hire an air rifle, or ammunition, or receive one as a gift. Your air rifle and ammunition must be bought and looked after by someone over 18 – normally your parent, guardian or some other responsible adult. have an air rifle in a public place unless you are supervised by somebody aged 21 or over, and you have a reasonable excuse to do so (for example, while on the way to a shooting ground).

Under 14 years

You can:-

use an air rifle under supervision on private premises with permission from the occupier – normally the owner or tenant. The person who supervises you must be at least 21 years old.

You cannot:-

buy, hire or receive an air rifle or its ammunition as a gift, or shoot, without adult supervision.

Parents or guardians who buy an air rifle for use by someone under 14 must exercise control over it at all times, even in the home or garden.

It is illegal to sell an air rifle or ammunition to a person under 18 years of age.

Where you can shoot

Where you intend to shoot, always ensure that you are authorised by the landowner or person with the sporting rights and that you know precisely where the boundaries are. Get permission in writing, if possible, to remove any doubt.

Whenever you are in a public place you should carry the rifle in a gun cover and always ensure that it is unloaded and not cocked.

Trespassing

Going on to private land, or water, where you do not have permission is trespassing, and if you are carrying an air rifle it becomes armed trespass. Whether the gun is loaded or not, or whether you are carrying pellets, is irrelevant – armed trespass is a serious criminal offence carrying heavy penalties.

Only shoot where you have the permission of the landowner or tenant.

Firing pellets beyond your boundary

It is an offence to fire an air rifle pellet beyond the land where you have permission to shoot, unless the occupier of the neighbouring land has also given you permission. Where someone under 14 is shooting, both the young person and the supervising adult can be prosecuted.

It is also against the law, in England and Wales, to fire an air rifle within 50 feet of the centre of a highway if this results in someone being injured, interrupted or endangered. These offences could be committed, for example, when someone is shooting in their garden close to a road and the pellets ricochet onto the highway.

It is an offence in Scotland to discharge any gun in a culpable or reckless manner. This means shooting without caring about the safety of others.
M0KPH
I now have so many airguns I've had to make a list, which is >>HERE<<
>>North Manchester Target Club<<

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