AIRGUNS -  DEFINITION

Pneumatic guns discharged by the elastic force of air or carbon dioxide.  Guns from which a missile is discharged by compressed gas.  Missiles include 4.5mm. (.77) and 5.5 mm (.22) metal pellets, and 4.5 mm. (.177) ball bearings. 

It is estimated that there are between four million and seven million airguns in circulation in the uk. In Great Britain some airguns (an air rifle with a muzzle energy greater than 12 foot pounds (16.3 joules), an air pistol with a muzzle energy greater than 6 foot pounds, or any air weapon which uses a self-contained gas cartridge system) require a firearms certificate.  Other airguns, referred to as "low powered", do not require a firearms certificate.

It is an offence to carry an airgun in a public place without a reasonable excuse or, in the case of anyone under the age of l8, without adult supervision and to shoot an air weapon within fifteen metres of a highway.

Airguns are involved in almost half of all gun crime and are responsible for almost a quarter of all gun injuries. "Low powered" airguns are capable of delivering fatal injuries, as well as other less serious injuries.

The data confirm that a majority of all recorded gun offences are being committed with weapons that do not require registration.  Offences with airguns and imitation guns accounted for at least 53 percent of the total.

Source:  Crime Figures for England & Wales

RECENT AIRGUN FATALITIES INVOLVING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AS VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS

Rhys Johnson, aged ten, killed after being shot with an air weapon pellet while playing with a 12 year old friend near his home in Llansamlet, Swansea on 27th September 2009.

Jonathan Cooke, aged five, killed after being shot with an air weapon pellet while playing with several other children and an adult in a garden during a weekend camping holiday in Wiltshire in August 2009.

Sam Shaw, aged fifteen, killed after being shot with an air weapon pellet while playing in a garden with his brother and a friend in Hayes, West London in March 2009.

Rachel Davis, aged eighteen, killed after being shot with an air weapon pellet while socialising with friends in a flat in Bury, Greater Manchester, in December, 2008.

To read about other airgun fatalities involving children visit our "Airgun Issues" page.  For details of other incidents involving air weapons visit our "Gun Incidents" page and from the "Issue type" drop down menu select "airguns"

AIRGUN OFFENCES

In 2009 we believe airguns killed four people in Great Britain, three children listed above with child perpetrators, and one woman who took her own life using an airgun.

In 2008 we believe airguns killed four people in Great Britain. A teenage girl was shot at a party by a man with an air rifle, a toddler died after being accidentally shot by his sister with their father's gun in the family garden, and two men took their own lives with air weapons.

In 1997/98 there were 7920 air weapon offences and in 2007/08 there were 6042 air weapon offences. The trend then is apparently down.  However there is evidence of confusion regarding the definition of air weapons, and some air weapon offences are being prosecuted as imitation weapon offences, which could be a relevant factor in the apparent decrease. 

Air weapons remain the category of weapon responsible for greatest number of offences, (42 per cent of the total number of offences). 

Of the injuries caused when a gun was fired, 69 of the serious injuries and 613 of the slight injuries were caused by air weapons. 

The total number of airgun injuries was nearly two-and-a-half times the number of injuries caused by shots from handguns and shotguns combined. 

Airguns and imitation guns (the majority of which can be owned without a licence) were the weapons responsible for nearly 60 percent of all injuries which occurred when a gun was fired.

Source:- Home Office Statistical Bulletin 01/10 - Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2007/08 (Supplementary Volume 2 to Crime in England and Wales 2007/08). To view on this site select 'Home Office Statistics' from the 'Links and Resources' page.

"LOW POWERED" AIR RIFLES   

Air rifles with a muzzle energy under 12 foot pounds which do not require to be registered.

What are low powered air rifles used for?

• Used by individuals, and by members of shooting clubs for target practice. Also used for pest control, ie killing small vermin (rats and squirrels) around buildings at close range. It would be inhumane and cruel to shoot larger animals or birds in flight with a low powered airgun.  It would also be inhumane and cruel to shoot small vermin from a long distance.  The pellet would injure the animal or bird but probably not kill it outright. The animal may die later from its wounds, but would suffer pain and distress.

HIGH POWERED AIR RIFLES   

Air rifles with a muzzle energy more than 12 foot pounds (16.3 joules) and air weapons which use a self-contained gas cartridge system.  High powered air rifles require to be registered.

What are high powered air rifles used for? 

• Used by individuals and by members of shooting clubs for target practice. Also used for pest control, ie. killing small vermin, rats, squirrels, rabbits crows etc.  Not generally recommended for shooting larger vermin or birds in flight at long distances.  The pellet would injure the animal or bird but probably not kill it outright. The animal may die later from its wounds, but would suffer pain and distress.

HOW DO AIR RIFLES CONTRIBUTE TO GUN CRIME?   

Killing and injuring adults and children   

• These guns are involved in thousands of incidents each year affecting adults and children both as victims and perpetrators. Some incidents are fatal, others result in serious injury, others result in minor injuries.  The experience of being shot is always traumatic. 

Read about airgun fatalities by selecting these crimes by clicking on the 'Gun Incidents' page and from the 'Issue type' option select 'airguns'.

Enabling crime (robbery etc.)

• Air rifles are also used to enable crime and even if the gun is not fired victims are threatened, frightened and intimidated ,which can cause long lasting psychological damage.  

Read about these crimes by clicking on 'Gun Incidents'  and from the 'Issue type' option select 'airguns'.

Killing and injuring  birds and animals   

• Air weapons are used to kill and injure thousands of animals and birds each year, cats are particularly at risk, as well as other pets, horses, sheep, wild animals and birds.    

Read about these crimes by clicking on 'Gun Incidents' and from the 'Issue type' options select 'animals/birds' or select 'Animal cruelty' from the 'Current issues' page.  

Domestic violence   

• Air weapons are used in domestic violence.  Victims are fatally wounded, injured, coerced, raped, held captive and threatened.   

For information on campaigns and issues of domestic violence visit www.iansa.org/women or visit our 'Links and resources' page.

For help and advice about domestic violence ring the 24 hour free telephone helpline 080 2000 247.

For information visit www.womensaid.org.uk

To read about incidents affecting women and girls click on 'Gun Incidents' and from the 'Issue type' option select 'Women/girls'. 

Suicide and self-harm   

• Low powered air weapons are accessible and available without background checks or the need for registration. They continue to be used by victims to take their own lives.

For information and support on issues of suicide and self harm visit www.uk-sobs.org.uk or see our 'Links and Teaching Resources'page.

Read about these cases by clicking on 'Gun Incidents' and from the 'Issue type' option select 'suicide/self harm'.

Criminal damage   

• Air weapons are implicated in many cases of criminal damage.  Irresponsible owners used them to shoot at shop fronts, road signs, street lights, windows, sheds, buses, taxis, trains, police cars, ambulances, fire engines and cars.

Read about these crimes by clicking on the 'Gun Incidents' page and from the 'Issue type' option select 'airguns' or 'public services'.

LOW POWERED AIR PISTOLS

Air pistols with a muzzle energy of less than 6 foot pounds. These guns do not require to be registered. 

What are low powered air pistols used for?

• Used by individuals and members of shooting clubs for target shooting.  Because these guns have shorter barrels they are less accurate and are not  generally recommended for pest control.  It would be inhumane and cruel to attempt to shoot anything other than small vermin at very close quarters with a low powered air pistol. The pellet may injure the animal but probably not kill it outright.  The animal or bird may die later from wounds, but would suffer pain and distress.

HIGH POWERED AIR PISTOLS

Air pistols with a muzzle energy of over 6 foot pounds. These weapons do require to be registered.

What are high powered air pistols used for?

• Used by individuals and members of shooting clubs, for target shooting.  Because these guns have shorter barrels they are less accurate and are not generally recommended for pest control for the reasons given above, ie the pellet may injure the animal but probably not kill it outright. The animal or bird may die later from wounds, but would suffer pain and distress.

HOW DO AIR PISTOLS CONTRIBUTE TO GUN CRIME?

Air pistols look like handguns (which are prohibited in UK) they are easy to conceal and are misused in similar ways to air rifles.

They are implicated in cases of :-

• Wounding; robbery; criminal damage; rape; domestic violence and animal cruelty.  Because they are easily concealed they are used to enable crime.  Even if the gun is not fired victims of armed robberies committed using air pistols can suffer psychological injuries following the trauma of being threatened.

In cases where victims describe an assailant with a 'handgun' , but the weapon is not fired and not recovered, it may be that the weapon was an air pistol, a bb gun, an airsoft skirmishing gun, a replica gun or an imitation gun.

What do airguns look like? 

Both air rifles and air pistols look like real guns - which is what they are.  They are capable of killing.

BUYING AND SELLING AIRGUNS

Low powered air rifles and pistols

Because of concerns about the number of crimes and injuries associated with the use of air guns the 2006 Violent Crime Reduction Act changed the way airguns could be bought and sold by traders and dealers.

For information about this Act on this site select 'Violent Crime Reduction Act' from the 'Gun Law' page.

The changes did not affect private individuals selling airguns, other than the purchaser must be over l8 and transactions must be carried out face to face. Anyone wanting to buy and sell new or second hand airguns as a business or trade must apply to the Firearms Department of their local Police to become a registered firearms dealer.  A Firearms Officer must then decide if the premises are suitable, and secure, and whether or not the applicant is responsible enough to become a registered firearms dealer.

If the trader wants to sell only low powered airguns a restriction will be applied limiting transactions to low powered guns.  Once a licence is given the trader must record details of transactions. A trader with a licence which only allows him/her to sell low powered air weapons must apply to have the restriction lifted if he/she wishes to sell high powered weapons.

For further information on air guns hover on 'Current Issues' and from the dropdown menu select 'airgun issues'.