http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/27/section/4AFirearms Act 1968An Act to consolidate the Firearms Acts 1937 and 1965, the Air Guns and Shot Guns, etc. , Act 1962, Part V of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 and certain enactments amending the Firearms Act 1937.1978-08-31texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-03-25Expert Participation2026-03-22
Firearms Act 1968ActFirearms (Amendment) Act 1997s. 12(2)Firearms Act 1968s. 51(2A)Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997s. 62(1) Sch. 1 para. 3Firearms Act 1968Blanket amendmentThe Treaty of Lisbon (Changes in Terminology) Order 2011art. 3 4art. 3(2)art. 3(3) 4(2) 6(4)(5)art. 2
Part I Provisions as to Possession, Handling and Distribution of Weapons and Ammunition; Prevention of Crime and Measures to Protect Public Safety General restrictions on possession and handling of firearms and ammunition<Addition ChangeId="key-51be44a706b107850dd996a61ef541e6-1508085397773" CommentaryRef="key-51be44a706b107850dd996a61ef541e6">Possession of articles for use in connection with conversion</Addition>4A1A person, other than a registered firearms dealer, commits an offence if—athe person has in his or her possession or under his or her control an article that is capable of being used (whether by itself or with other articles) to convert an imitation firearm into a firearm, andbthe person intends to use the article (whether by itself or with other articles) to convert an imitation firearm into a firearm.2A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—aon summary conviction—iin England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court (or, in relation to offences committed before 2 May 2022, 6 months) or to a fine, or to both;iiin Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;bon conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine, or to both.S. 4A inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 2.5.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), ss. 127, 183(1)(5)(e); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 4(c)Words in s. 4A(2)(a)(i) substituted (28.4.2022) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/500), regs. 1(2), 5(1), Sch. Pt. 1Words in s. 4A(2)(a)(i) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1 table