Air Arms Owners Club

Whilst it's common sense, and something that I would always do, but do you legally have to cover/slip an Airgun when carrying it in public?

I know that when carrying Airguns in public they must be unloaded, but can they legally be carried with the ammunition in the same bag?

I've tried "Googling" these questions and found the following from The Home Office - "Air weapons should be stored out of sight and separately from pellets. Air weapons should be covered, for example in a gun slip, when being transported".

As you will see, it says should, which implies that you don't have to. It just seems to be a bit ambiguous. Presumably, if it were a legal requirement, the text ought read must.

Without stoking the fires of the off duty 'barrack-room' lawyers, I would say that good common sense says the rifle is covered. Certainly, most of our rifles, with scope, would be described in a 999 call by a well meaning concerned member of the public as a 'sniper rifle'. Why put up with the hassle. Interesting point though is that we have a lot of pheasant shoots around us and its not unusual to see a group of guys withe the duty gun dogs walking along the road with broken shot-guns.

There is a difference between what "common sense" says, and the law.

In law there is no requirement for the gun to be covered. It also doesn't matter if it's loaded or not. You do however have to have a good reason to have the gun in a public place. The validity of the good reason lies with you.
Under 18 you have to be accompanied by someone over 21.

Dependent on where you are a cover could be a good idea or a hindrance

ATB
Ray.

Agree withyou Ray. Common sense sometimes a bit short in some people but properly applied can avoid a load of hassle

Absolutely agree that common sense says to cover an Airgun when transporting it in public. I was just surprised at the ambiguity of the word "should", in a Home Office publication dealing with what is a serious issue.

Bosun wrote:Absolutely agree that common sense says to cover an Airgun when transporting it in public. I was just surprised at the ambiguity of the word "should", in a Home Office publication dealing with what is a serious issue.

Likewise!

ive spoke to police on the streets , they say if they saw some one with out a gun bag they would more likely want to talk to them.
1 is because of the public concerns ( mad gun man )
2 is if they cannot afford a bag then it it unlikely they would chrono the rifle that often or not ever ,
3 is it shows you are not to concerned about the condition or protection to wards their rifle .

the same police said if they were to see some one with a gun bag and they looked non suspicious in their moments and looked over 18 , they would not even approach them at all . as they have no concerns and no crime has been made ( even if the rifle is over 12fpe ) they would not know,
as far as the police is concerned = if some one calls them and says ( gun ) they send the fire arms department , no police will come ( they are not allowed )

if some one calls and says ( air rifle ) then the police will ask the caller whats the problem , if its noise they may ask the caller to try to resolve the issue with the air rifle owner, if the noise / concerns persists then they may call or send community warden as it is a domestic dispute , if the police have established the rifle owner is in his right to use and shoot on his own property or has promotion on private land etc.

the word GUN is bad , the word AIR RIFLE is better , if shooting within your given boundary and at a reasonable time, then AIR RIFLE would mean domestic dispute to the police,

THIS DOSE ALSO DEPEND ON WHERE YOU LIVE, AND WHAT SORT OF HIGH CRIME RATE WITH AIR RIFLES AND POLICE RESOURCES THERE ARE, IF YOU LIVE IN A CITY OR SMALL COUNTRY TOWN ETC, wHere i live its a small town with lots of local farm land.