Laws around explosives/weapons
Discussion
I was doing some channel surfing and came across a programme on Quest called Combat Dealers. The gist is some slightly portly cockney bloke in a suit goes around buying and selling old Army stuff. Anyway, as part of that they had a WW2 anti-tank bazooka type thing that they used to fire at an old scrap car resulting in big boom.
That got me wondering what the laws were around that sort of thing. Is that something they can actually do, or was it something mocked up to make it look like they had? Presumably there are licences around that sort of thing, but even then it seems a bit unusual to me you can have a functioning weapon like that private individuals could use.
That got me wondering what the laws were around that sort of thing. Is that something they can actually do, or was it something mocked up to make it look like they had? Presumably there are licences around that sort of thing, but even then it seems a bit unusual to me you can have a functioning weapon like that private individuals could use.
It's weird what you can fire in the UK of you know the right people. Deep pockets and a good relationship with local law enforcement helps. I've fired a 10+1 shotgun and a fully functioning machine gun, both owned by a dealer, both most people would argue are 'banned' in the UK. You just need the right licence and a very large playground!
Drumroll said:
I know someone who is licensed (don't ask me what they are called or how he got them) to use all sorts of weapons, he is not ex military either. Gets called as an expert witness in court cases and acts as an armour for some film/reenactment work.
Is he the military advisor on Our Girl? :lol:Evanivitch said:
It's weird what you can fire in the UK of you know the right people. Deep pockets and a good relationship with local law enforcement helps. I've fired a 10+1 shotgun and a fully functioning machine gun, both owned by a dealer, both most people would argue are 'banned' in the UK. You just need the right licence and a very large playground!
As I said he is not military, just from a family of gunsmiths. Drumroll said:
I know someone who is licensed (don't ask me what they are called or how he got them) to use all sorts of weapons, he is not ex military either. Gets called as an expert witness in court cases and acts as an armour for some film/reenactment work.
Is he the military advisor on Our Girl? :lol:Thanks, interesting 
By private individual I guess I meant not Police/Army/Government. Had presumed were licences and things involved, but with firearms laws and things just thought there would be more restrictions in this country about shooting off anti-tank explosives. Not sure where he'd get the actual explosive projectile bit from though?
By private individual I guess I meant not Police/Army/Government. Had presumed were licences and things involved, but with firearms laws and things just thought there would be more restrictions in this country about shooting off anti-tank explosives. Not sure where he'd get the actual explosive projectile bit from though?Evanivitch said:
It's weird what you can fire in the UK of you know the right people. Deep pockets and a good relationship with local law enforcement helps. I've fired a 10+1 shotgun and a fully functioning machine gun, both owned by a dealer, both most people would argue are 'banned' in the UK. You just need the right licence and a very large playground!
Well they are banned. There are just a small number of restricted circumstances where a machine gun would not be banned. The machine gun, assuming fully auto or even modified to be semi-auto, will be a Section 5 firearm. To put in perspective how banned they are, the UK pistol team trains overseas as their pistols are also Section 5 firearms so they are banned. It is only this year that the Home Office has issued a small number of licences to the sports governing body to allow limited pistol shooting in England. You cannot just go to some field and shoot it either, you need a range authorised for Section 5 firearms. Basically, it is never going to happen for normal people even if they legally own other firearms. The large magazine shotgun is available to anyone with a firearms certificate and a slot for it. It is Srction 1, not Section 5. I suspect you should not have been using that though without a firearms certicate and a slot for it and you and the firearms dealer would have been in the poo if the police chose to act.
Edited by creampuff on Thursday 26th July 22:40
creampuff said:
Well they are banned. There are just a small number of restricted circumstances where a machine gun would not be banned. The machine gun, assuming fully auto or even modified to be semi-auto, will be a Section 5 firearm. To put in perspective how banned they are, the UK pistol team trains overseas as their pistols are also Section 5 firearms so they are banned. It is only this year that the Home Office has issued a small number of licences to the sports governing body to allow limited pistol shooting in England. You cannot just go to some field and shoot it either, you need a range authorised for Section 5 firearms. Basically, it is never going to happen for normal people even if they legally own other firearms.
The large magazine shotgun is available to anyone with a firearms certificate and a slot for it. It is Srction 1, not Section 5. I suspect you should not have been using that though without a firearms certicate and a slot for it and you and the firearms dealer would have been in the poo if the police chose to act.
I thought you could only have a 3 shot shotgun on a standard license? Waiting to stand corrected. The large magazine shotgun is available to anyone with a firearms certificate and a slot for it. It is Srction 1, not Section 5. I suspect you should not have been using that though without a firearms certicate and a slot for it and you and the firearms dealer would have been in the poo if the police chose to act.
Edited by creampuff on Thursday 26th July 22:40
I also know a chap who owns a .500 nitro express (in britain). He is into big game hunting hence why he owns such a thing. From what he said to me he could have it on some sort of extension to his shotgun license. Sounded fishy to me but I am not well up enough on the in depth firearm certificate laws to call him out on it.
Also know a licensed slaughterman who owns a .357 magnum for his work. One of the conditions of ownership are that only 2 of the chambers are open and the other 4 are blocked by a metal plate welded in place.
Basically you can have interesting things but only if you have a bloody good reason.
Berkshire bred said:
Also know a licensed slaughterman who owns a .357 magnum for his work.
A friend of mine has a .357 Magnum.It's a copy of the original S&W, but made by a company called Alfa Proj.
His isn't blocked up or anything, it actually shoots 6 rounds.
He loads his own bullets for it.
I think it's classed as a 'muzzle loading revolver', which doesn't make any sense to me as you load the 6 cylinders and it's nothing to do with the muzzle.
It looks like a normal .357 Magnum, which is really cool.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 26th July 23:54
^ Everything in the UK is quite restricted. "Machine guns" as per the earlier post basically just do not happen except for arms manufacturers selling to domestic or foreign military.
Section 2: shotguns with a maximum magazine capacity of 2 rounds. For pump/semi-auto, you could have a 2 round magazine and one in the chamber for a total of 3. So you may see "2+1". Section 2 licence or Shotgun Certificate easy to obtain and you do not need to provide a reason for owning one. Few restrictions on use.
Section 1: All shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than 2. Semi auto 22 or smaller rimfire rifles. Bolt action centre fire rifles. Section 1 licence or firearm certificate not hard to obtain, but you need to provide a reason for owning one. Wanting one is not a reason. More restrictions on use.
Section 5: Everything else. Machine guns, semi-auto rifles (other than 22), handguns. Also includes things like tasers. It is a practical impossibility for almost everyone to either get one or use one. Requires permission from the Home Secretary.
There are other categories for antique firearms or for collectors who do not fire their firearms.
The dangerous game double rifle will be Section 1.
Section 2: shotguns with a maximum magazine capacity of 2 rounds. For pump/semi-auto, you could have a 2 round magazine and one in the chamber for a total of 3. So you may see "2+1". Section 2 licence or Shotgun Certificate easy to obtain and you do not need to provide a reason for owning one. Few restrictions on use.
Section 1: All shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than 2. Semi auto 22 or smaller rimfire rifles. Bolt action centre fire rifles. Section 1 licence or firearm certificate not hard to obtain, but you need to provide a reason for owning one. Wanting one is not a reason. More restrictions on use.
Section 5: Everything else. Machine guns, semi-auto rifles (other than 22), handguns. Also includes things like tasers. It is a practical impossibility for almost everyone to either get one or use one. Requires permission from the Home Secretary.
There are other categories for antique firearms or for collectors who do not fire their firearms.
The dangerous game double rifle will be Section 1.
Lord Marylebone said:
A friend of mine has a .357 Magnum.
It's a copy of the original S&W, but made by a company called Alfa Proj.
His isn't blocked up or anything, it actually shoots 6 rounds.
He loads his own bullets for it.
I think it's classed as a 'muzzle loading revolver', which doesn't make any sense to me as you load the 6 cylinders and it's nothing to do with the muzzle.
It looks like a normal .357 Magnum, which is really cool.
The ban is on cartridge loading pistols (i.e. the bullet, propellant and primer all in a single package). You can buy revolvers if they are not cartridge loading. That means you have the primer, propellant and bullet all separate. They are extremely unreliable. Going by what I've seen, they are a PITA to load and they only go off about half the time. It's a copy of the original S&W, but made by a company called Alfa Proj.
His isn't blocked up or anything, it actually shoots 6 rounds.
He loads his own bullets for it.
I think it's classed as a 'muzzle loading revolver', which doesn't make any sense to me as you load the 6 cylinders and it's nothing to do with the muzzle.
It looks like a normal .357 Magnum, which is really cool.
Northern Ireland is different. You can buy cartridge loading pistols there.
DurianIceCream said:
The ban is on cartridge loading pistols (i.e. the bullet, propellant and primer all in a single package). You can buy revolvers if they are not cartridge loading. That means you have the primer, propellant and bullet all separate. They are extremely unreliable. Going by what I've seen, they are a PITA to load and they only go off about half the time
That's not what I've seen, but I appreciate there are different ways of doing things.This thing loads in only a few seconds as you have a little press type device that loads all 6 chambers at once with everything in one action. It's really easy.
I've watched it rattle off 6 shots in rapid succession and I don't think it's ever not fired.
It's overkill for tin cans in the field though
^ Does it look like this
https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
with a 12 inch long barrel and an extension pole on the handgrip?
It's >24 inches long overall, so it is not considered a pistol.
https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
with a 12 inch long barrel and an extension pole on the handgrip?
It's >24 inches long overall, so it is not considered a pistol.
DurianIceCream said:
^ Does it look like this
https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
with a 12 inch long barrel and an extension pole on the handgrip?
It's >24 inches long overall, so it is not considered a pistol.
Nope. It's this exact gun. Alfa 357https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
with a 12 inch long barrel and an extension pole on the handgrip?
It's >24 inches long overall, so it is not considered a pistol.
^ You cannot buy that in England. You might think he has that, but he does not have that. If he did have it, as soon as it became noticed, he would be going to jail. Notice the price is in $$$, not £££.
He probably has this:
https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
It is not cartridge loading. There may be some way to load it more quickly and more reliably than the usual blackpowder/nitro loads, but it will not be a cartridge loading pistol. Cartridge loading pistils are banned as they are Section 5. Before someone comes along to say on they aren't 'really' banned because all you need is Section 5 authority... yes they are banned. Even the GB Olympic pistol team trains overseas because they cannot obtain pistols here. The authority to possess Section 5 comes from the Home Secretary.
He probably has this:
https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
It is not cartridge loading. There may be some way to load it more quickly and more reliably than the usual blackpowder/nitro loads, but it will not be a cartridge loading pistol. Cartridge loading pistils are banned as they are Section 5. Before someone comes along to say on they aren't 'really' banned because all you need is Section 5 authority... yes they are banned. Even the GB Olympic pistol team trains overseas because they cannot obtain pistols here. The authority to possess Section 5 comes from the Home Secretary.
DurianIceCream said:
^ You cannot buy that in England. You might think he has that, but he does not have that. If he did have it, as soon as it became noticed, he would be going to jail. Notice the price is in $$$, not £££.
He probably has this:
https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
It is not cartridge loading. There may be some way to load it more quickly and more reliably than the usual blackpowder/nitro loads, but it will not be a cartridge loading pistol. Cartridge loading pistils are banned as they are Section 5. Before someone comes along to say on they aren't 'really' banned because all you need is Section 5 authority... yes they are banned. Even the GB Olympic pistol team trains overseas because they cannot obtain pistols here. The authority to possess Section 5 comes from the Home Secretary.
Apologies for the link to the American site but I just googled Alfa Proj 357 and that came up.He probably has this:
https://www.guntrader.uk/guns/pistols-long-barrel/...
It is not cartridge loading. There may be some way to load it more quickly and more reliably than the usual blackpowder/nitro loads, but it will not be a cartridge loading pistol. Cartridge loading pistils are banned as they are Section 5. Before someone comes along to say on they aren't 'really' banned because all you need is Section 5 authority... yes they are banned. Even the GB Olympic pistol team trains overseas because they cannot obtain pistols here. The authority to possess Section 5 comes from the Home Secretary.
Here's a photo of it from a video I had on my phone. Sorry for the bad quality. Cropped it to just show the gun.
As you say, it's a bit of a pain having to load it using the loader thing, but it's amazing that people can still own them at all!
Evanivitch said:
I only say because there's been a few very obvious mistakes on the rifles used on Our Girl, but the real question is has the advisor done it on purpose or not?
There’s a suggestion or two on the Walter mitter hunters club about the ‘military’ adviser on that show.......Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff