Firearms Act 1968

The Firearms Act 1968 (c 27) is a UK Act of Parliament, controlling use and possession of firearms.

Firearms Act 1968
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn 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.
Citation1968 c.27
Territorial extent England and Wales
Scotland
Dates
Royal assent30 May 1968
Commencement1 August 1968
Other legislation
Amended by
Status: Amended
Text of the Firearms Act 1968 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

Since 1968, the act has been extensively amended. Following the Hungerford massacre, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 extended the class of prohibited weapons. Following the Dunblane school massacre, two acts were passed, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and, after the general election that year, the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997, which in effect banned almost all handguns. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 brought clarity to aspects of the act, following a recommendation from the Law Commission.

Prohibited firearms and ammunition

Section five of Part One of the Act states that a prohibited firearm is one which;[1]

  • Fires more than one ammunition when the trigger is pressed
  • Is a self-loading or pump-action rifled gun except when chambered for .22 rim-fire cartridges;
  • Has a barrel less than 30 centimetres in length or is less than 60 centimetres in length overall, except air weapons, muzzle-loading gun or signalling firearms
  • Is a self-loading or pump-action smooth-bore gun which is not an air weapon or chambered for .22 rim-fire cartridges and has a barrel less than 24 inches in length or less than 40 inches in length overall
  • Is a smooth-bore revolver gun except chambered for 9mm. rim-fire cartridges or a muzzle-loading gun
  • Is a rocket launcher or mortar except when designed for line-throwing, pyrotechnic purposes, or for signalling
  • Air firearm which uses a self-contained gas cartridge system, i.e. the Brocock system of pump-up cartridges, each with their own pellet, but not a CO2 bulb system.
  • Weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other, presumably including sound or light that may cause injury

For ammunition it is prohibited if it;[1]

  • Are designed to explode on or immediately before impact
  • Contain any such noxious item
  • Consists of a missile

Prohibited firearms and ammunition may only be possessed, purchased, sold, gifted or manufactured with authority from the government; as enacted this was from the Defence Council, as of 2020 this is from the Secretary of State.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Firearms Act 1968". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2021.


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