Safety and the Law as it relates to the U.K.
Safety is the most important factor involved in any shooting sport and airgun shooting is no exception. An airgun is not a toy and rules apply to the ownership and use of them. Time spent learning to shoot safely and responsibly will allow you to use your airgun enjoyably for years to come.
The first lesson to learn is to BE SAFE NOT SORRY.
A moments stupidity or carelessness could cause injury either to yourself or another person. To avoid this follow the rules below:
* Always treat an airgun as if it is loaded.
* Always store your airgun securely in a safe place. Make sure it is unloaded and not cocked.
It is often best to store ammunition separately.
* Never load an airgun until it is safe to fireit.
* Never point an airgun at anyone.
* Never carry a loaded airgun in public. Remember, an airgun is loaded when it has a pellet in the breach,
it does not have to be cocked to be loaded.
* Never touch somebody else's airgun without their permission.
* Always check that an airgun is unloaded when you first pick it up.
* Never let young children use an airgunun supervised.
There may seem a lot of rules, however they are easy to keep to and will save you trouble in the long run. Learning them and teaching them to others will ensure that you enjoy many years of safe shooting.
The Law:
There are some legal requirements to owning and using an airgun in the UK. They are there to ensure safety and most of them are fairly obvious. For details of the legislation in countries other than the UK please contact your local shooting association or police force.
Airguns do not require a licence unless they are over the UK legal limit of 12ft.lbs muzzle energy for rifles and 6 ft.lbs muzzle energy for pistols. Providing you are within the age requirements for ownership listed below almost anybody can own one.
Owning and using an airgun:
Young people under 14.
If you are under 14 years old you cannot buy, hire, be given or own an airgun or airgun ammunition. You can however use an airgun if:
* you are supervised by someone over 21; and
* you do not shoot beyond the boundaries of where you are using it; or
* you are a member of an approved club and you are using it for target practice at that club; or
* you are using an airgun at a shooting gallery for airguns or miniature rifles.
Young people between 14 and 17.
If you are between 14 and 17 years old, you can be given or lent an airgun or ammunition but you cannot buy or hire them yourself. You can however:
* carry an air rifle (but not an air pistol) in a public place as long as it is covered
with a securely fastened gun cover that prevents it from being fired;
* use an airgun for target practice at an approved club if you are a member of that club; and
* use an airgun at a gallery for airguns and miniature rifles.
So what the gunshop is telling you is true, good to see them being responsible...go for it, get some to buy you one as a gift, you'll have great fun with it...
