Legal to own cpc that has potential over 12psi?

[matt_hooks 188]

Agreed events co-ordinator, the police aren't experts on the law, and regularly get it wrong. Now if they get it wrong and that puts you on the wrong side of the law, do you think they'll put their hands up and say "oops, sorry, my bad, I told him it was ok when it's not"? I'd suggest not counting on it.

 

Now, as to the legality. If they stop you and confiscate the rifle for testing, they will fire it with a range of pellets over a chronograph. They have to do that AS THE RIFLE IS RECEIVED, anything else would be called tampering with evidence. Now if you are careful and keep your rifle at below the 12 ft.lb with the heaviest pellets you can find, then you should be perfectly ok. It is not an offence to possess a rifle that is capable of being altered to fire a projectile at above the legal energy. The offence is possessing a rifle that is capable of firing a projectile at above 12 ft.lb. Any PCP can be altered given a bit of time and knowledge to run above the limit, as can most springers. It is the condition of the rifle as it is siezed that matters.

 

Remember though that it is NO defence to say that you have just received the weapon and aren't aware of the muzzle energy. I know at least one person on here who has a criminal record now because he bought, in good faith, a rifle that turned out to be over the limit.

 

It's a good idea to set it to about 11 ft.lb to give yourself a margin of error. Of course that means you need a chrono. An accurate chrono can be had for around the £100 mark.

[paulus 26]

Agreed events co-ordinator, the police aren't experts on the law, and regularly get it wrong. Now if they get it wrong and that puts you on the wrong side of the law, do you think they'll put their hands up and say "oops, sorry, my bad, I told him it was ok when it's not"? I'd suggest not counting on it.

 

Now, as to the legality. If they stop you and confiscate the rifle for testing, they will fire it with a range of pellets over a chronograph. They have to do that AS THE RIFLE IS RECEIVED, anything else would be called tampering with evidence. Now if you are careful and keep your rifle at below the 12 ft.lb with the heaviest pellets you can find, then you should be perfectly ok. It is not an offence to possess a rifle that is capable of being altered to fire a projectile at above the legal energy. The offence is possessing a rifle that is capable of firing a projectile at above 12 ft.lb. Any PCP can be altered given a bit of time and knowledge to run above the limit, as can most springers. It is the condition of the rifle as it is siezed that matters.

 

Remember though that it is NO defence to say that you have just received the weapon and aren't aware of the muzzle energy. I know at least one person on here who has a criminal record now because he bought, in good faith, a rifle that turned out to be over the limit.

 

It's a good idea to set it to about 11 ft.lb to give yourself a margin of error. Of course that means you need a chrono. An accurate chrono can be had for around the £100 mark.

good advice that

[GruffaloGriff 1,858]

Agreed events co-ordinator, the police aren't experts on the law, and regularly get it wrong. Now if they get it wrong and that puts you on the wrong side of the law, do you think they'll put their hands up and say "oops, sorry, my bad, I told him it was ok when it's not"? I'd suggest not counting on it.

 

Now, as to the legality. If they stop you and confiscate the rifle for testing, they will fire it with a range of pellets over a chronograph. They have to do that AS THE RIFLE IS RECEIVED, anything else would be called tampering with evidence. Now if you are careful and keep your rifle at below the 12 ft.lb with the heaviest pellets you can find, then you should be perfectly ok. It is not an offence to possess a rifle that is capable of being altered to fire a projectile at above the legal energy. The offence is possessing a rifle that is capable of firing a projectile at above 12 ft.lb. Any PCP can be altered given a bit of time and knowledge to run above the limit, as can most springers. It is the condition of the rifle as it is siezed that matters.

 

Remember though that it is NO defence to say that you have just received the weapon and aren't aware of the muzzle energy. I know at least one person on here who has a criminal record now because he bought, in good faith, a rifle that turned out to be over the limit.

 

It's a good idea to set it to about 11 ft.lb to give yourself a margin of error. Of course that means you need a chrono. An accurate chrono can be had for around the £100 mark.

Best advice yet , thanks. Could even borrow a chrono and make sure it is under 12ftlbs and fit a blank plate so the allan key adjuster is not easily accesable.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Agreed events co-ordinator, the police aren't experts on the law, and regularly get it wrong. Now if they get it wrong and that puts you on the wrong side of the law, do you think they'll put their hands up and say "oops, sorry, my bad, I told him it was ok when it's not"? I'd suggest not counting on it.

 

Now, as to the legality. If they stop you and confiscate the rifle for testing, they will fire it with a range of pellets over a chronograph. They have to do that AS THE RIFLE IS RECEIVED, anything else would be called tampering with evidence. Now if you are careful and keep your rifle at below the 12 ft.lb with the heaviest pellets you can find, then you should be perfectly ok. It is not an offence to possess a rifle that is capable of being altered to fire a projectile at above the legal energy. The offence is possessing a rifle that is capable of firing a projectile at above 12 ft.lb. Any PCP can be altered given a bit of time and knowledge to run above the limit, as can most springers. It is the condition of the rifle as it is siezed that matters.

 

Remember though that it is NO defence to say that you have just received the weapon and aren't aware of the muzzle energy. I know at least one person on here who has a criminal record now because he bought, in good faith, a rifle that turned out to be over the limit.

 

It's a good idea to set it to about 11 ft.lb to give yourself a margin of error. Of course that means you need a chrono. An accurate chrono can be had for around the £100 mark.

 

An accurate chrono can be had for under £41, my Combro 625 is within 5 foot per second of an RFDs calibrated Chrony (it reads slightly faster, probably due to location of the Combro, ie right at the muzzle end), so pays your money, takes your choice!

Edited February 7, 2012 by secretagentmole

[GruffaloGriff 1,858]

Don't know anything about chrono's. I assume there are good ones and poor ones like anything else you get what you pay for. Any suggestions as to a decent one that won't break the bank? Should i buy new or used?

[Ashy 0]

no, your airgun shouls not be CAPABLE of over 12ft/lbs. so if it can be turned over 12 its illegal without a licence

[GruffaloGriff 1,858]

Thanks for the input guys, i will give careful consideration before making a decision on the Rapid 7.

[matt_hooks 188]

Sorry Ashy, but by your reasoning ALL air weapons would be illegal, as it is possible to make any air weapon fire at above the legal limit given time and effort.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Most air rifles these days have the potential to shoot over 12 foot lbs, it is only a few adjustments that stop them from doing so, which is where a few shooters are allegedly coming unstuck with the authorities and their testing laboratories, they make the adjustments and lo a 11.5 ft lb rifle is clocked at 18, well it had the potential to do that you see!

[Elmer_Fudd 28]

If you can adjust it over 12 ftlbs it would need to be on a fac and remember if you take it into an rfd and it chronos over 12 he cannot legally return the gun to you Do NOT ask your police firearms dept. Ask your shooting association SACS/BASC etc they will tell you what the law is not what they want it to be as the police often do.

the police are bound by law making sure they have disclosed accurate information .... Just finishing a BSc degree in Policing.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

It is not the police responsible for testing though, it is the laboratory they use, not always run by the Home Office you know. Furthermore once they have demonstrated that it has the potential to exceed 12 foot pounds energy, you are screwed. It does not state that the gun has to be tested in the condition they obtained it, there have been alleged cases of the testing laboratory tampering with the rifle to prove it can exceed 12 foot pounds and then hey presto, a gun crime solved!

 

Check the legislation, it is so loose you could use it to sieve elephants!

Edited February 9, 2012 by secretagentmole

[paulus 26]

the problem is uk gun laws, most air rifles are made outside uk where power levels are not an issue, so any deemed for the uk market are governed as cheaply as possible plastic plug in a grub screw etc...... and called anti tamper :laugh: so most if not all can be made to go beyond 12ft lbs with very little effort. the key is, to ensure if its not on fac its below 12 ft lbs, most good gunshops with test and issue a certificate for about a £5 money well spent every 6 months or so if you ask me. at least its a documented independent check

[GruffaloGriff 1,858]

If you can adjust it over 12 ftlbs it would need to be on a fac and remember if you take it into an rfd and it chronos over 12 he cannot legally return the gun to you Do NOT ask your police firearms dept. Ask your shooting association SACS/BASC etc they will tell you what the law is not what they want it to be as the police often do.

the police are bound by law making sure they have disclosed accurate information .... Just finishing a BSc degree in Policing.

Just think i have the answer then a counter argument comes along and i am not so sure. Anybody know What is the actual ledgislation for air wepons and more importantly how it is enforced?

 

As long as you are shooting on your own land and not at the neighbours cat, windows etc what is the liklehood of the law coming along and taking your air rifle away for testing?

 

Anyone here ever had their rifle conficated, tested and returned by the police?

 

Years agoe the a pair of bobbies came to the house and asked my father to see our air rifle as a nearby caravan had aquired a neat .22 size hole in it. They took one look at the old HW35 and handed it back. Turns out it was a rimfire that made the hole, by some guy who had been passing by shooting rabbits without permission to do so.

[Halfinch 51]

It is not the police responsible for testing though, it is the laboratory they use, not always run by the Home Office you know. Furthermore once they have demonstrated that it has the potential to exceed 12 foot pounds energy, you are screwed. It does not state that the gun has to be tested in the condition they obtained it, there have been alleged cases of the testing laboratory tampering with the rifle to prove it can exceed 12 foot pounds and then hey presto, a gun crime solved!

 

Check the legislation, it is so loose you could use it to sieve elephants!

 

 

 

If that is the case, does that mean I am screwed by owning my HW100?

Because I know for a fact, it CAN be made to shoot over 12ftlb, even though at the moment it is putting out 11.4 ftlb.

[Simonrees 45]

Regardless of what power a rifle can put out the issue is simple. If the anti Tamper pins are intact then the rifle is sub 12ftlbs you have no problems. However if the anti tamper pins have been removed or indeed tampered with other than the condition they were in when they left the factory then you are in possession of a Section 1 firearm, even if the power is sub 12ftlbs when taken for testing. The anti tamper pins/screws need to be intact for the gun to remain legal!

Edited February 9, 2012 by Simonrees