Changes To French Gun Laws

[Coypu Hunter 486]

If anyone travels to or holidays in France regularly, this may be of interest.

 

The laws in France just changed, with effect from 6 September 2013. Prior to that, you could only buy an air rifle of up to 10 joules/7.5 foot-pounds without a gun licence/hunting permit. Over that, you needed a licence to buy the gun, and it had to be declared to the Préfecture (usually by the gunsmith, or by you if the rifle was bought online from outside France).

That has now changed, and you can buy air rifles of up to 20 joules/15 foot-pounds of energy without a licence or a declaration.

Anyone over 18 in France can therefore now buy an air rifle up to 15 foot-pounds retail or online, so long as they can show proof of ID and proof of residence in France (phone bill, electricity bill, etc.). The ban on using air rifles for hunting or pest control does still apply however -- although there are plenty of French people who buy air rifles expressly for pest control! The French have always regarded the law as more of a guideline than an absolute rule...

 

If you're travelling to France and want to take a weapon with you, it is possible so long as you plan ahead. If you plan to take any registered firearm or FAC air rifle across EU borders, you can do so using a European firearms passport. So, for example, I can take my .22 or air rifles across borders -- however, you do need to notify the carrier (ferry, plane or train operator) and will need their written permission in advance to carry the gun as hold or vehicle luggage -- otherwise some customs jobsworth or other will probably try to confiscate it. Firearms must be carried safely -- i.e. unloaded, be separate from any ammo, and be rendered "not immediately usable", i.e. with a trigger lock in place, or some essential part of the gun removed.

 

The law in France regarding ownership of firearms (for example air rifles over 20 joules/15 foot-pounds, .22 rifles, single-shot shotguns) remains the same -- you still need a gun licence/hunting permit for those. Gun licences are easily available, since all you need to do is join a local gun club, clay pigeon shooting club etc, and they will automatically sign you up for a licence. Fédération Française de Tir licences cost 60 Euros and run from September to September; Fédération Française de Ball-Trap (their odd name for clay shooting) licences cost about 45 Euros, depending on the region/club, and run from January to December. Club membership fees will normally also be payable. There are also some gunsmiths who will sell you a provisional licence and a gun on the same day, if you know where to look...

 

If anyone has any questions, just let me know.

[Acuspell 329]

So, reading between the lines.....are you hunting la Ragondin with yours? I saw them in Deux-Sevres, near Poitevin.

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Illegal, mate. I use a .22 rimfire, and have done ever since I learned that pest control with air rifles is illegal in France.

 

Good excuse for getting a Rimmie, as I explained to Her Indoors!

Edited July 29, 2015 by Coypu Hunter

[barrywhite 282]

this is interesting .I guess the 6 ft lbs law is transgressed by every one .when someone gets a gun at 6 ft lbs they put in a stronger spring in it .The problems to society is nil so why make owning a 15 ft lbs air gun a crime .This puts us euro politicians are going to stop every thing in our places .This has to be good news .

[blackscale 9]

Shame we can't have that limit in our country,,,would do away with a bit of windage!...

[pianoman 3,587]

15 ft/lb would be just sweet for hunting. Especially in .177. It's just about perfect.

[rossmpetrie 3]

Coypu Hunter :- I am moving to France this month and was wondering about Air Rifles and saw your post. Am I correct in saying that my rifles (sub 12 ft/llbs) will be OK to take to France?

 

Will I have to register / declare them anywhere (Marie etc) or am I ok to use them on my land without any problem (no game though..?)

Is it possible to buy Air Rifles / pellets in France without problem?

If I buy one in the UK, is it fairly pain-free to take it across on the ferry?

Finally, do you have any english reference to the new laws as all I can find is all the old stuff on the internet.

 

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Coypu Hunter :- I am moving to France this month and was wondering about Air Rifles and saw your post. Am I correct in saying that my rifles (sub 12 ft/llbs) will be OK to take to France?

 

Will I have to register / declare them anywhere (Marie etc) or am I ok to use them on my land without any problem (no game though..?)

Is it possible to buy Air Rifles / pellets in France without problem?

If I buy one in the UK, is it fairly pain-free to take it across on the ferry?

Finally, do you have any english reference to the new laws as all I can find is all the old stuff on the internet.

 

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

 

Hi there.

 

Whereabouts in France?

 

No problem bringing over air rifles up to 15 fpe (20 joules). You do not need to register them with the police, Mairie or anybody else. You are free to use them on your own land without restriction, as long as you use them in a safe manner.

 

As you already know, air rifles cannot be used for hunting or pest control by law, unless you're like the French and decide that the law doesn't apply to you. Several of my neighbours use air rifles for pest control. If you have a pest problem or wish to hunt game on your land, join a local gun club. After 2 weeks you will receive a licence de tir, and you can then immediately buy a .22 rimfire, shotgun or hunting rifle for use on your land, or on land where you have written permission from the owner to shoot. For general hunting off your property/permission, you would need a permis de chasse, which requires passing an exam.

 

Air rifles and pellets are widely available at gun shops, leisure sports outlets like Decathlon, and over t'internet. If you're looking for a specific pellet in a specific size, however, you'd be wise to stock up before you move, or when you visit the UK -- ads for pellets over here often don't give exact head sizes, although there are one or two online sellers that do. And you may have difficulty finding a specific brand like Air Arms or RWS, since the French aren't into airgunning as much as we are.

 

If you're importing an air rifle by ferry, for example in the boot of your car, then you should inform the ferry company in advance to see if there are any special conditions (trigger lock, etc.). They get a bit twitchy about guns, for some reason... However, you don't need to fill out any import paperwork for a sub-20 joules air rifle, so as long as you tell the carrier, you should have no hassle -- it's firearms they're really worried about.

 

There is no English text of the new French law, so you'll have to test your French. The reference to the new power rating appears in Sous-section 3 : Armes de catégorie C, Rubrique 4, Item 4°. Or just search the page for "20 joules". It basically say that you have to declare all weapons with a muzzle energy of 20 joules or higher. Here's the link to the new law. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000027792819&dateTexte=&oldAction=dernierJO&categorieLien=id

[rossmpetrie 3]

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

We are moving to a place near Tercillat in the Limousin and have a small bit of land there, whereabouts are you?

 

I dont intend to do a huge amount of hunting, I just wanted to make sure that I could take it over without problem and I would be loathe to sell it (Pro Sport).

We are in a quiet area with just a French farmer for a neighbour so I cant see it being a problem if we knock off a few rats in the barns if needs be.

 

I shall stock up with some pellets before I leave. It seems to be much easier to get a rifle / shotgun over there than here...?

 

I remember when we went over to look at houses at the start of the year and there were not many forms of wildlife (except vast amounts of Buzzards) and we were informed that the

French tend to shoot anything and everything...? Is there any truth in that?

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

We are moving to a place near Tercillat in the Limousin and have a small bit of land there, whereabouts are you?

 

I dont intend to do a huge amount of hunting, I just wanted to make sure that I could take it over without problem and I would be loathe to sell it (Pro Sport).

We are in a quiet area with just a French farmer for a neighbour so I cant see it being a problem if we knock off a few rats in the barns if needs be.

 

I shall stock up with some pellets before I leave. It seems to be much easier to get a rifle / shotgun over there than here...?

 

I remember when we went over to look at houses at the start of the year and there were not many forms of wildlife (except vast amounts of Buzzards) and we were informed that the

French tend to shoot anything and everything...? Is there any truth in that?

We're in Brittany, on a hectare of land on the edge of a hamlet in the middle of the countryside.

 

The farmer will probably soon be asking you around to knock off some of his rats, too -- the French only obey the law when it suits them!

 

Yup, all you need is a gun licence to get a .22 bolt-action rifle, hunting rifle (either bolt action or semi-auto up to three shots capacity) or shotgun (single-shot, double-barrelled or semi-auto up to three shots).

 

To get a gun licence, just join your local clay shooting or gun club. You'll need proof of ID and residence (leccy or phone bill for your French address), and an FFT licence costs 64 euros for the year September-September. There'll be a club membership fee as well, it's 44 euros at my pistol club.

 

Turn up at the gunshop with your licence, proof of ID and proof of residence and Bob's your uncle. .22s start at around 290 euros retail for a Russian bolt-action like a TOZ, and you can find some good deals including a scope and silencer for not much more. .410 shotguns start at around 189 euros for a single-shot magnum (can handle 3" cartridges).

 

Hares are almost wiped out in France, so much so that in my department they can only be shot on one or two days per year. Rabbits are a bit more common, but not a lot. There are still deer around here, but only because the shooting season for them is so short. The local farmers will indeed shoot anything that moves, and eat it, unless it's wearing a rucksack.

 

Foxes are quite common though, they shot 50+ around here last year. Buzzards are very common too, but are protected. Coypus and muskrats are everywhere, and can be shot anytime, anywhere as they're a pest species -- check out my YouTube channel below to see how to deal with them!

 

There are shooting seasons for some animals, open season for other pest species such as specific corvids, stone martens, rats etc. Check your local Préfecture's website for a list of what's a pest locally (called "nuisibles", and normally shootable anytime) and which animals have a specific season. There's normally a document that lists species which can be shot, and tells you when you can shoot them. Search their website for "nuisible". If in doubt, ask at the local Mairie, and they'll be able to tell you, or put you in touch with the local hunting organisation.

[cpc1812 1]

Thanks for all the tips Coypu Hunter. Do you have any experience of taking guns over on holiday on an EFP? Is anything other than getting one from the local team in the UK required (eg with French prefecture)? Also is it possible to purchase shotgun cartridges using UK SGC and EFP or do you need a French permit? Sorry for all the questions - we've got a holiday home in Limousin and would like to think out the vermin in the garden/ jungle! :-D

[NativeFrog 5]

Another question : I have read somewhere (more than once, though) that .22 rimfire hunting used to be allowed in France "in days of yore" and/or still is (?) in some French départements - any information on that ?

[miggy965 2]

Ello ello! First off would like to introduce my incredible self!

 

I have just bought a small farm and am currently renovating it (work easy, paperwork nightmare) half hour north of Limoges in department 87. i have 3 acres and we (my self 31, my partner 24, and our baby Daughter 7 months) are going down the "Good Life" route of self sufficiency (well mostly, no point in denying ourselves of life's little luxuries like internet and chocolate!).

 

Anyway, i'm a hunter born, but have never had the money, land, or time to really get my teeth into "proper" hunting in the UK (another reason we're moving), had air rifles all my life, and just swapped a pcp for a hw95k luxes .22 (shooting at 11.6ftlb) with a 3-9x40 scope, night vision set up added etc (i love my toys) for pest control work on the farm (in the hamlet we are in we are the only full time residents as all the rest are holiday homes) so no worry about being reported for blatting the odd rat here and there.

 

Having spent ages searching the web (does anyone still call it that?) ive really struggled to find any real info that's consistent about french hunting law (my french is non existent as yet, will be getting lessons once moved and have time and the mrs is pretty good (A Level) so until i found this post i was a little lost, after reading all of Coypu Hunter's comments I'm much happier about my hunting future though i do have a couple of questions left to ask.

 

1) when you say "hunting rifle" what calibre are we talking? enough to take deer as i have a very healthy head of Roe deer in my woods.

2) any idea on the hunting season of deer in dept. 87?

 

3) are there any limitations on the amount of ammo that can be kept?

 

4) what are the specific requirements as to how guns should be kept? (id like to hand my guns on the wall with trigger locks, ammo to be kept separately in a locked safe).

5) just how common are the Coypu/beaver/any other large pest species in central France? is the meat good to eat or just an oversized rat? and are the pelts useful?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply to these posts Coypu Hunter, you are a light house in an otherwise pitch dark sea

[Rabid 1,936]

Excellent information coypu hunter, I am currently researching French laws as looking at a property in Brittany.

[John Stott 202]

More relaxed and more sensible be they on so much. Pity the idiot legislators in Britain can't take a similar approach......oh sorry forgot, ACPO think we are all budding terrorists