Walking with an air rifle in public?

[Scuba Pete]

I have just been offered an air rifle for a great price from a friend.

Then I just remembered that I will have to use public transport to get about as I dont dive just now. I know you can't walk around with a loaded gun in a public place and you need a reason for having it. I am likley to get into problems taking it to and from a shoot etc?

 

[scottishwolf]

As long as it's not loaded and in a secure gun slip or case you're perfectly legal. You're bound to get a few funny looks etc but you should'nt have any problems

 

[ESpy]

The last time I had to walk around in public with an air rifle, I carried it in a nondescript plastic gun case. *I* thought it was obvious what I had, but everyone who asked me assumed it was a snooker cue...

 

[Scuba Pete]

Lol, np.

With the weight of some of these guns, I think I will have a hard time with it strapped to my pack. heh, I will have to wait and see.

 

[Toddy]

You're in Glasgow; where a toddler was killed with an airgun a year ago, feelings are running high, still.
I suggest you use a proper gun bag but cover that with something like a fishing rod bag and no-one will bat an eyelid.
If you don't, someone will report you to the nearest policeman/ security guard/ whatever. Whether you are legally in the right or not, is it really worth the hassle?

I think you could also have problems with the underground, trains and buses too; it is at their discretion whether or not they give passage, it's not a right.
Discrete disguise of the airgun is probably the best way to go.

Hope you have no bother, and things go smoothly.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[spamel]

Don't carry it loaded or cocked, if it has a bottle, remove it and then there can be no doubt that you aren't gonna start shooting the OAPs at the front of the bus!

 

[Scuba Pete]

Hehe, yeah. I will see how I goes as I dont know if I will be able to afford it anyhow. Its a deal not to be missed and its something I have always wanted. I will have to think about it thou. I don't have a garden to speak of so I will have to make sure I have a place to shoot or there will be no point.

Is there anyone in the glasgow/scotland area that goes hunting etc?

 

[Dougster]

I remember seeing someone put one in a golf caddy amonst clubs - with a fluffy toy on top. Time to check the charity shops.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Great idea, lol. Although I don't know what they would say if you stopped on the green to shoot a rabbit. lol

 

[Ridge Runner]

You could use a guitar case. Very discrete.

FYI - Here in Northern Maine, My wife's grandfather used to carry a rifle to school every day and hunt along the way with friends. It was not uncommon. He was 10-11 years old. They would hunt rabbit, squirel, etc.

When they arrived at school, they would lean all their rifles against the wall by the door. No one thought twice about it.

After school, they would hunt all the way home. Sometimes with their teacher.

It never occurred to anyone to use the rifles in an unethical manner. He never even heard of a "school shooting" until the 1980's. Every child owned a gun or had access to one.

He could also remember when Tommy Guns (Thompson machine guns) were for sale at the local hardware store. You could buy one with no paperwork. No crimes were commited with one.

He died several years ago at 95 years old. He gave me one of his .22 lr small bore rifles before he died. I plan on giving it to my daughter.

 

[Andy]

I've carried one rolled up in a blanket with a stap across my back, I policeman asked what it was and was quite happy that it was "just an air rifle"

 

[mikehill]

I've carried one rolled up in a blanket with a stap across my back, I policeman asked what it was and was quite happy that it was "just an air rifle"

You may have been lucky there Andy. The law states that it must be in a "securely fastened cover", different coppers may interpret it in different ways. Be careful out there
Mike.

 

[mojofilter]

You could use a guitar case. Very discrete.

Bingo!

If I have to walk anywhere reasonably public with my rifle, it goes inside a Les Paul soft case, inside its own slip as well of course!

 

[Ogri the trog]

There are some very good ideas here, but a word of caution - there is a very fine line between "Secured in a rifle-slip" and "Concealed in a golf caddy/guitar case", just think before you incur the wrath of any Firearms response unit. If necessary, speak to the police about your intentions and methods of carry, before you set off on your pick-up journey.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[TheGreenMan]

Hello Suba Pete,

I was looking into this very matter earlier in the year. I decided that I would go for the type of hard, rectangular gun case that is approved for transporting firearms by airline.

I didn’t like the idea of walking with a gunslip in public, simply because it looks gun-shaped, and all too obvious.

I found some very useful information on the Metropolitan Police Web site about firearms, I suggest that you have a look at your local force’s site, as Scottish law may well be different.

I did read that one is supposed to seek written permission to transport a firearm by train, from the railway company, but couldn’t find any information about transportation of a firearm by bus.

The Met say that it must be transported in a secured case, I interpret this as a case that has locks on it, and nothing less than that. And I did read of someone being prosecuted for carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, when the individual was stopped by a police officer and it was found that a piece of cleaning cloth had been left in the barrel of the air rifle!

The Home Office makes a document available named Firearms Law – Guidence for the Police 2002, it can be downloaded as a PDF. It’s an interesting read (as is The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003), although I don’t recall it dealing specifically with transportation, only storage of firearms.

If in any doubt, contact your local Firearms Enquiry Team for advice.

Hope this helps.

Merry Chrimbo
Paul.