Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997

General prohibition of small firearms etc.

1 Extension of s.5 of the 1968 Act to prohibit certain small firearms etc

(1) Section 5 of the [1968 c. 27.] Firearms Act 1968 (referred to in this Act as “the 1968 Act”) shall have effect with the following amendments.

(2) In subsection (1) (which describes weapons which are prohibited by section 5), after paragraph (ab) there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“(aba) any firearm which either has a barrel less than 30 centimetres in length or is less than 60 centimetres in length overall, other than an air weapon, a small-calibre pistol, a muzzle-loading gun or a firearm designed as signalling apparatus;”.

(3) In paragraph (ab) (self-loading or pump-action rifles) of that subsection, for the word “rifle” there shall be substituted the words “rifled gun”.

(4) In paragraph (ac) (self-loading and pump-action smooth-bore guns) after the word “not” there shall be inserted the words “an air weapon or”.

(5) In paragraph (ad) (smooth-bore revolver guns), for the words from “loaded” to the end there shall be substituted the words “a muzzle-loading gun”.

(6) After subsection (7) there shall be inserted the following subsections—

“(8) For the purposes of subsection (1)(aba) and (ac) above, any detachable, folding, retractable or other movable butt-stock shall be disregarded in measuring the length of any firearm.

(9) Any reference in this section to a muzzle-loading gun is a reference to a gun which is designed to be loaded at the muzzle end of the barrel or chamber with a loose charge and a separate ball (or other missile).”

(7) The general prohibition by section 5 of the 1968 Act of firearms falling within subsection (1)(aba) of that section is subject to the special exemptions in sections 2 to 8 below.

(8) In sections 2 to 8 below any reference to a firearm certificate shall include a reference to a visitor’s firearm permit.

(9) In section 57 of the 1968 Act (interpretation), after subsection (1) there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(1A) In this Act “small-calibre pistol” means—

(a) a pistol chambered for .22 or smaller rim-fire cartridges; or

(b) an air pistol to which section 1 of this Act applies and which is designed to fire .22 or smaller diameter ammunition.”