Do police need a reason to confiscate rifle?

[LordGamebore 0]

If you where out shooting and you came across the police, do they automatically have the right to confiscate your rifle for no given reason? Would they need a warrant to take the rifle in order to test its power. My mate had some trouble with the cops whilst out shooting and the copper said if he sees him again, even though he was on private land, he will take his rifle for testing.

 

Surley the cops have no right to do this?

Edited October 30, 2009 by LordGamebore

[jenksi87 3]

they can do as they please mate. if they suspect the rifle is over power that is reason enough to take it for testing because they will view it as a firearm. generally they wont bother as it costs too much to do and gives them more paperwork but if your unlucky enough to catch them on a bad day or if they havent knicked anyone for a bit then it could happen. providing you are on land you have permission on and are not within any public access i.e. roads and footpaths there should be no reason to bother you. best thing to do is phone your local knick and inform them that you will be shooting on such and such land with permision of the land owner and whatever time and date

[SEAN3513 7]

im affraid they do !!!!

 

it is their duty to ensure the air rifle is legal and/or licenced correctly.

 

they CAN take the gun for testing as it has to be done in a controled environment.

 

cheers

 

sean

[hughes_jh 0]

I'm not basing this on hard facts, more so on common sense......

 

My assumption would be that as long as you are shooting in a safe manner and are applying common sense, then the cops have no need to intervene. There are lots of times where I have been shooting on the farm or on a permission, and because of something like neighbours kids playing in their garden adjoining the opposite side of the field (which is about 300 or 400 yards away) I just put the gun back in the car and head home.

 

I would like to think there are precious few people who get randomly questioned about their guns without some reason for the police to be concerned

[othickman 6]

I have been led to believe that they only need to suspect that it may be over to confiscate it.

 

However as previously said they are unlikely to do so due to the extra hassle it would entail for them, but you never know, also I've heard that there have been very few, if any, prosecutions for an air rifle being over, mainly due to the police simply destroying the offending article and not bothering to bring the person through the courts.

[LordGamebore 0]

My mate has put his gun through the crono and it's putting out 11.9fts. A bit close to comfort in my opinion.