Blow guns? legal

[demented dale]

I watched a video on blow pipes/guns and looked into getting one for a bit of fun. Not only can I not find one in the UK but I cant find anything in law to suggest why i cant find find one. Any ideas gang?

 

[Laurentius]

They are prohibited weapons, indeed the way the law is written even a pea shooter qualifies as an illegal blowgun. Section 141 of the Criminal Justice act 1988 specifically forbids "the weapon sometimes known as a “blowpipe” or “blow gun”, being a hollow tube out of which hard pellets or darts are shot by the use of breath;"

 

[Kepis]

The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988

Section 141 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 provides that any person who manufactures, sells or hires or offers for sale or hire, exposes or has in his possession for the purpose of sale or hire, or lends or gives to any other person, a weapon to which that section applies shall be guilty of an...

www.legislation.gov.uk

Clause K

 

[Toddy]

Illegal in the UK.

"In the United Kingdom under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and in Australia, the blowgun is categorized as an offensive weapon, and as such it is illegal to manufacture, sell or hire or offer for sale or hire, expose or have in one's possession for the purpose of sale or hire, or lend or give to any other person."

The only exception I know of is licenced (firearms, I mean) vets who can use them to tranquillise large animals....like lions, etc., in zoos.

 

[demented dale]

I have researched also. It looks like you could have one up to 2019. The 1988 act was amended then and lots of mad weapons and implements of doom were tagged on. Basically they banned anything you could hurt someone with, except cricket bats and irons. I think frisbies are still legal (if razor blades are not attached)

 

[demented dale]

Strangely though, you can still buy the darts on ebay

 

[Athos]

I think there’s an episode of Bottom where Rik Mayall hunts Wombles with a blowpipe. Probably why they’re now illegal. Bloody comedians spoiling the fun for everyone else!

 

[Laurentius]

I suppose however if you had a tube loaded with darts and a rubber bulb on the end instead of your lips it would still be legal, such is the lack of logic in our laws.

 

[Toddy]

......if you can keep the psi down......maybe.....

 

[TeeDee]

I'd agree the Law makes no sense in this regard.

Recently I've - very legally - purchased items that make the above ban farcical.

 

[Toddy]

My bother once shot a bead with a needle in it through a length of tubing. It hit a window pane and stuck in it. The needle had gone right through the pane of glass without breaking it.
Pity the poor blighter in those barracks sent to clean the windows and the windolene dribbled through to the other side