Air Rifles!
 

Back in the 70's the law's on owning and using air weapons was very lax - these days the law has been tightened up massively and carrying one without clear permission to use it in a safe place can lead to fines. Using one in a public place can lead to prison, using one in a garden can also lead to fines/prison - not so in the care free 70's!

I had a few .77 pistols and a Webley .22 rifle - anyone else had any air weapons? :rolleyes:

Re: Air Rifles!
 

Yawn...you again.
Okay I did not have a Air Weapon, but I was nearly blinded in by one in my Right Eye back in the late 70's, another centimetre and I would look like Long John Silver, jim lad.
So would you like to explain why you have a issues with the law these days?:rolleyes:

Re: Air Rifles!
 

Yawn! Why you bother replying then? :confused: :rolleyes:
A lot of people have stories of that kind of thing you were lucky!
I'm just commenting how things have changed - from being able to walk in a public place with one uncovered - to now the following...


Offence Penalties: Statute Law

The Penalties for breaking current UK firearms laws with Airguns are as follows:-
Carrying a loaded Air-weapon in a public place 6 months imprisonment and / or £5,000 fine.
Trespassing with an air weapon 3 months imprisonment and / or £2,500 fine.
Trespassing on private land with an air weapon 3 months imprisonment and / or £2,500 fine.
Possessing or using an air weapon if sentenced to 3 months or more in custody 3 months imprisonment and / or £2,500 fine.
In addition if original sentence up to 3 years 5 year ban on use of firearms.
Or if for 3 years or more Life ban on use of firearms.
Killing or injuring any bird or protected animal unless authorised £5,000 fine.
Firing an air weapon within 15m / 50ft of a public highway £1,000 fine.
Selling or hiring air weapon or ammunition to person under 18 6 months imprisonment and / or £5,000 fine.
Making a gift of air weapon or ammunition to person under 14 £1,000 fine.
Having air weapon or ammunition with intent to damage property 10 years imprisonment.
Having air weapon with intent to endanger life Life imprisonment and / or appropriate fine.
Using air weapon to resist or prevent arrest Life imprisonment and / or appropriate fine.
Threatening others with an air weapon (even if unloaded) to cause them to fear unlawful violence 10 years imprisonment and / or appropriate fine.
Not forgetting the chance of being shot and killed by the police should you not obey instructions when challenged by them, they cannot tell if you have just an airgun or a more lethal firearm so will treat all arms as lethal and respond accordingly.

Re: Air Rifles!
 

My dad was shot and blinded in one eye when he was in his early teens. I have no interest in air guns or rifles.

Re: Air Rifles!
 

And there's good reason why you cannot walk in public with one. Good .
But due to your warped view on the world we are all wrong but your right:rolleyes:

Re: Air Rifles!
 

So let me get this right.... You miss being able to carry a Air Weapon in public, loaded or otherwise. You would like to be able to grow your own cannabis and the goverment is out to get us, anyone who challenges you is part of the 'accyweb maffya'.

If you ask me, or any right thinking person, it looks like successive Goverments have made the right decisions.
If you wish to carry a gun in public, why don't you move to the USA on of he southern states would be best.:rolleyes:

Re: Air Rifles!
 

The laws have been tightened up because of planks like you,who have a total disregard for gun safety.Also todays air weapons are considerably more powerful and therefore more deadly than the" carefree 70's" models many of them being able to attain over the 12ftlb limit , which then makes them subject to firearms certification.One last point guns are not toys and should only be used by responsible adults/people so that counts you out :rolleyes:;)

Re: Air Rifles!
 

You can write my speeches for me Dave, can't fault anything you've said there mate

God no,

Don't you dare change your scripts, you're simplistic views and natural typo's are what make you so popular.

Stick to what you think you know.

Re: Air Rifles!
 

as was my cousin when her so called friend was shooting one

Re: Air Rifles!
 

Okay then just for you Less:D

Re: Air Rifles!
 

And there was me thinking it was because of my rational thinking and nous Less:D

Re: Air Rifles!
 

You have no idea if he has total disregard for gun safety from what he has said.

That is utter rubbish.
Air weapons are no more powerful now than when I had my first one at 15 ish.
They may or may not be more accurate now, that depends on how good a shot you are as pre-charged tend to require less skill to shoot with good repeatability.

The legal limit for air weapons has been 6 ft/lbs for pistols and 12 ft/lbs for air rifles since at least 1969 without a firearms certificate as you state. Why you mention many of them require a firearm certificate I dont know as that applies to other rifles, shotguns, hand guns etc

Re: Air Rifles!
 

Neil, you can have an air rifle spec'd well over 12 ft/lbs, in fact if you're doing vermin control thats what you need to do the job cleanly. However you do need an FAC to have one.
No air weapon/firearm should ever be carried round without being in a secure carry case- its not the accuracy, it's not the power, its the fact that even a low powered air weapon discharged close to someone can do serious damage- see the above posts. Whether the discharge is accidental or intentional the damage is the same. Nor should any weapon ever have any load in it unless it's in controlled use-then it can't go off, even accidentally.

Re: Air Rifles!
 

Did it hit the parrot? :D