Firearms Legislation

Question 1

The 1903 Pistols Act

Answer 1

First legislation to ‘try’ and restrict the sale and ownership of firearms.
9 sections, only applied to pistols.
Defined a pistol as a firearm whose barrel did not exceed 9” (230 mm).
Made it illegal to:
Sell
Rent
A pistol to anyone unless they possessed a current gun or game license.

Act was ineffective.

Question 2

The 1920 firearms act

Answer 2

Place a restriction on the possession of firearms.
Required anyone planning purchase or ownership of firearm or ammunition to obtain a firearms certificate first.
Certificated required renewal every three years and specified the firearms and amount of ammunition the holder was allowed to possess.
Local chief police constables were the deciders of who could possess these certificates.
Applicants required to demonstrate good reasoning for owning such weaponry.
Act excluded smooth bore weapons.

Question 3

The 1937 Firearms Act

Answer 3

Amended and updated some of the provisions of the 1920 act.
Main updates:
- raising minimum age to 17.
- shotguns and other smooth-bore guns with barbells less that 20” (510 mm) into the legislation.
- produced the requirement for gun dealers to be licensed.
- chief constables could add conditions to firearm certificates.
- “self defence” was no longer a valid reason
- banned private ownership of fully automatic weapons.

Question 4

The 1968 Firearms act (current legislation)

Answer 4

Unified and rationalised existing firearms in the post-WW2 context.
Created 3 main firearm classification groups:
- section 1 : firearms
- section 2 : shotguns
- section 5 : prohibited weapons

Air weapons largely do not come under the act unless considered “specially dangerous”.

Question 5

Conditions of firearm ownership.

Answer 5

Shotgun or firearm certificates: must provide good reasoning for possession

Reasons could be:
- member of gun club
- sporting pursuit (within reason)
- land management
- professional/work requirements

Medical checks are required upon application and renewal
- Kent police require verification of checks from GP.

Question 6

Required storage of firearms according to the 1968 Firearms Act

Answer 6

In a secure gun cabinet with ammunition locked in a separate area.

Question 7

How does imprisonment affect the licensing?

Answer 7

Anyone sentenced to three years or more in prison is permanently prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Question 8

Definition of ammunition

Answer 8

Bullets, bombs, grenades and missiles whether they are capable of being used with a firearm or not. This includes prohibited ammunition.

Does not include ingredients and components of ammunition, only if assembled.

Exceptions include missiles under section 5 such as those that expand or pierce armour.

Question 9

Firearms and ammunition that is exempt from section 1

Answer 9

Firearms:
- shotguns
- air weapons (air rifle, air gun or air pistol that does not fall under section 5) and is not of a type declared by rules made by the Secretary of State under section 53 of the act to be ‘specially dangerous’.

Ammunition:
- cartridges containing 5 or more shots (none of which exceeding 0.36 inches diameter).
- ammunition for any air gun, air rifle and air pistol
- blank cartridges no more than one inch in diameter measured immediately in front of the rim or cannelure of the base of the cartridge.

Question 10

How does accessories affect firearm length?

Answer 10

Accessories such as retractable, detachable and foldable stocks to not contribute to the firearms measurements.

Question 11

According to act 2, what is a shotgun?

Answer 11

A smooth-bore gun (not an air weapon) which:
- has a barrel no less than 24 inches in length and does not have any barrel with a bore exceeding 2 inches in diameter.
- either has no magazines or has a non-detachable magazine incapable of holding more than two cartridges
- and is not a revolver gun

Question 12

Section 2 firearms are typically:

Answer 12

Traditional single or double barrelled (either side by side or stacked).

Have a box lock mechanism

Any firearm that meets this sections criteria except having a larger magazine capacity could then be classed as a section 1 firearm.

Question 14

Solid slugs

Answer 14

Solid slug shotgun rounds and cartridges containing less than 5 shots (being greater than 0.36 inches in diameter) are classed as section 1.

Question 15

Section 5

Answer 15

Section 5 contains all of the firearm-related weapons that cannot be owned by the general public under a section 1 or 2 certificate:
- military or police hardware
- any firearm disguised to look like another object.
- prohibited ammunition

In effect these are weapons for which there can be NO legitimate ‘good reason’ to possess.

Question 16

What are the special exemptions form sections 1 to 5?

Answer 16

• Police permit
• authorised dealing with firearms
• carriers, auctioneers, etc.
• slaughter of animals - considering they have a license to do so.
• sports, athletics and other approved activities