Hand Guns in UK

[glidingdoc]

Does anyone know if the UK's draconian law on handguns would apply to single barrel smoothbore flint locks or wheelock weapons?

Steve

 

[cositrike]

Does anyone know if the UK's draconian law on handguns would apply to single barrel smoothbore flint locks or wheelock weapons?

Steve

You’d be ok, if you have a firearm licence with the correct caliber and type on it.

 

[Le Loup]

Does anyone know if the UK's draconian law on handguns would apply to single barrel smoothbore flint locks or wheelock weapons?

Steve

As far as I know Steve the law in the UK is much the same as it is here in Australia, muzzle-loading pistols are treated the same way as modern breach loading handguns. You need a license, & they can only be used on a club range.
Keith.

 

[TFoley]

Mr Le Loup is totally correct. If you have a modern replica of a muzzleloading pistol, then you must have the Firearms Certificate (FAC) FIRST. In order to have a FAC for a pistol you must be a member of a gun club.

It goes -

1. Join a club where they actively shoot this kind of gun as a probationary member.

2. Serve your probie time of three or six months.

3. Providing that you play the game and obey the rules, you get to be a full member

4. And then you can apply for your FAC for the guns you'd like to own and shoot. Most folks apply for four or five of the kind that we don't discuss, and at least one of the kind that we can discuss here.

5. With your FAC in your hand, go to your LGS and buy the pistol. Ah, hold on, what about black powder?

6. You should have applied for your Black Powder acquisition and transportation and holding license at the same time - it's free. The FAC lasts five years and costs around $110.

What if you want a genuine old handgun, say, a Remington or Colt black powder loose loader? Well, first of all, you can go buy it without any kind of permit. But you can't shoot it. If you want to shoot it, then all of my first sentence applies.

 

[dave61965]

As far as I know Steve the law in the UK is much the same as it is here in Australia, muzzle-loading pistols are treated the same way as modern breach loading handguns. You need a license, & they can only be used on a club range.
Keith.

Keith, I’m curious, I watched a few of your videos and really enjoyed them, you seem to live out in the bush, or boonies as I say, are you actually allowed to use your muzzleloaders, to actually have powder and ball and shoot them out and about or is is restricted to where you can only shoot at a club where you pay a membership ?

 

[Rat]

Can only be shot at the club.

 

[smoothshooter]

Mr Le Loup is totally correct. If you have a modern replica of a muzzleloading pistol, then you must have the Firearms Certificate (FAC) FIRST. In order to have a FAC for a pistol you must be a member of a gun club.

It goes -

1. Join a club where they actively shoot this kind of gun as a probationary member.

2. Serve your probie time of three or six months.

3. Providing that you play the game and obey the rules, you get to be a full member

4. And then you can apply for your FAC for the guns you'd like to own and shoot. Most folks apply for four or five of the kind that we don't discuss, and at least one of the kind that we can discuss here.

5. With your FAC in your hand, go to your LGS and buy the pistol. Ah, hold on, what about black powder?

6. You should have applied for your Black Powder acquisition and transportation and holding license at the same time - it's free. The FAC lasts five years and costs around $110.

What if you want a genuine old handgun, say, a Remington or Colt black powder loose loader? Well, first of all, you can go buy it without any kind of permit. But you can't shoot it. If you want to shoot it, then all of my first sentence applies.

What a crappy situation to have to live under.

 

[TFoley]

Just to clear things up a bit - Here in UK you CAN shoot gamebirds with a flintlock or percussion shotgun. You can also use your smoothbore to shoot vermin birdlife and rabbits. However, because of the game laws and necessity to fulfil certain conditions for the acquisition and ownership of RIFLED firearms, the taking of larger game with either flintlock or percussion rifled arms is problematical, to say the least. To shoot deer-sized game you would need to have a firearm that made a certain level of both m/e and m/v - in Scotland, both must meet the national requirements. The minimum calibre of .240" is not in question, but muzzle energy is, and so, in Scotland, is the muzzle velocity.

Please, if you have a minute, read here an excerpt from the BASC pages -

NORTHERN IRELAND

For Muntjac and Chinese Water deer only - a rifle with a minimum calibre of not less than .220 inches and muzzle energy of not less than 1000 foot pounds and a bullet weight of not less than 50 grains may be used.

For all deer of any species - a minimum calibre of .236 inches, a minimum bullet weight of 100 grains and minimum muzzle energy of 1,700 foot pounds is the legal requirement.

SCOTLAND

For roe deer, where the bullet must weigh at least 50 grains AND have a minimum muzzle velocity of 2,450 feet per second and a minimum muzzle energy of 1,000 foot pounds may be used.

For all deer of any species - the bullet must weigh at least 100 grains AND have a minimum muzzle velocity of 2,450 feet per second and a minimum muzzle energy of 1,750 foot pounds. It must be stressed that all these figures are the minimum legal requirement.

(For more on Rifle Calibres suitable for deer stalking in the UK follow this link: rifle-calibres)

For all deer stalking the bullet must be of a type designed to expand/deform on impact. For example soft nose or ballistic tip.

(For more on Expanding Ammunition follow this link: expanding-ammunition)

For more information and advice about the legislation affecting Deer Stalkers in the UK please BASC.

Very few, if any, muzzleloaders could meet this combination of required standards.

So, bascially, here in UK there is NO muzzle-loading game shooting of ground game. As for using a m/l pistol - even a ROA or other revolver - don't even think about it.