A Silly Thing To Do..or Not?

[steg 609]

Got a question gents.. now this was 15-20 years ago, me and a mate of mine had the farmer's permission to do a bit of ferreting and have a walk about with the airguns..Anyway, quite often on arriving he would go to his cabinet and basically chuck a 410 and a 12 bore in our hands (there you go lads,go get the rabbits sort of speak) Now neither of us two had a shotgun certificate and the farmer new this. We never questioned this either believing he new the laws and what not surrounding guns etc. Farmer and permission long gone now and just a distant memory but i still wonder if what we were doing was silly or perfectly legitimate/what if we had been stopped by the local bobby? P.s still don't hold a shotgun cert so don't know the black and white. Atb.

[Torquemada 288]

You need to be under the supervision (meaning in his/her presence) of the Certificate holder, so, I believe that you and he were both breaking the law as he wasn't actually with you.

[stuartpengs 19]

Certainly illegal now.

"A non certificate holder may use a shotgun in the following circumstances:

• He may borrow a shotgun from the occupier of private land and use it on that land in the occupier’s presence. For a borrower under 18 years old, the occupier must be over 18 years old.
  

• Whilst at a shooting ground approved by the police for shooting at artificial targets only.
  

Note that “occupier” is not defined by the Firearms Act 1968 but may be taken to include the owner, tenant or licence holder.

There is no minimum age at which a person may borrow a shotgun and use it under the circumstances described above, but persons under 15 years old must be supervised by someone over the age of 21 years.

Relevant Act(s): Sections 11(5), 11(6) and 22 -Firearms Act 1968. The Firearms

(Amendment) Regulations 2010"

[SportingShooter 0]

"Presence" again is not defined in the Firearms Act so it would certainly be ambiguous.

 

Normally, it is taken to be within sight or earshot of the person lending the gun.

 

Depends on how long ago it was too. The Firearms Act hasn't changed a huge amount in it's basics since it was enacted in 1968.

[Deker 3,453]

"Presence" again is not defined in the Firearms Act so it would certainly be ambiguous.

 

Normally, it is taken to be within sight or earshot of the person lending the gun.

 

Depends on how long ago it was too. The Firearms Act hasn't changed a huge amount in it's basics since it was enacted in 1968.

 

...and that's about the size of it!

 

[steg 609]

Thanks chaps..sounds like we all might have been lucky. Within sight no!..within earshot, well maybe? Older and wiser these days..don't think i'd like to take the gamble! Still got an interest because of this and been known to shoot to a few clays at gamefairs..just maybe i'll take it further...atb