Is an Air Rifle Considered a Firearm ?

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

Mostly the noise factor. Air rifles even larger powered ones just make a loud pop, but a small caliber firearm can be heard for miles.

A subsonic, .22-caliber, rim-fire cartridge shot from a rifle is pretty quiet, yet is still lethal (dangerous). If I could find a similar subsonic round shooting tiny pellets, I would buy a couple boxes for extremely-short-range pest extermination (dang house-chewing rats!).

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by Trim50

So I was wondering if an air gun would be considered a fire arm outside of the US??

It is a device whose primary function is to maim, wound or kill. How do you think it will be classified by the authorities?

[Ahnlaashock]

Unfortunately, the info about noise level is not even close to correct when it comes to the modern high powered airguns.
My 50 requires hearing protection, being only slightly less noisy than a 50 caliber muzzle loader with the same conical bullet.. Louder if you consider loads that produce the same speed. It would not be a bad idea with the 36 either. My 22 rifle is far too loud and powerful for in the house use. It is not louder, but actually makes a lot more noise than the crack of a 22.
In some countries, if it is legal for you to own the gun, it is also legal for you to silence it. In that case, some of the shrouded airguns out there make more mechanical noise than they do at the muzzle.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Ahnlaashock

... My 22 rifle is far too loud and powerful for in the house use. It is not louder, but actually makes a lot more noise than the crack of a 22.

The key is to use subsonic (target) cartridges in a .22-rimfire rifle (no "crack" from breaking the sound barrier. It is not much louder than that of an exposed-hammer fall.

[Astrid]

If I recall correctly, here in Canada an air rifle is not a restricted weapon if its muzzle velocity is less than 152m/s, while those over that mv are considered and must be registered as firearms.

[Ahnlaashock]

Mark, that should read 22 air rifle.
Lots of people have purchased one of the old lever guns chambered in 22WRF. Was not a heel based bullet, so the case was a little bigger around than the 22 long rifle round. When a 22 LR is fired in that chamber, the case plumps up that little bit, and the gun says, "ploop". Sounds very much like a mini mortar round off the television or something. X ring accurate in those old cut rifled barrels too. Requires a beef up on the extractor if you want it to cycle properly. I am assuming the energy lost to the case expansion is making standard velocities into sub sonics.
Don't know what a sub sonic would sound like out of those longer barrels.
This is one of the reasons the GUV is not in too much of a twist about airguns. There are too many readily available options that are used for the same purpose that are easier to use and more stealthy to boot.

[hpeer]

Yeah, I know, old thread. Don't shoot me, please.

But.....what about a slingshot? "Stored energy projectile."

I saw one once, off the back of a runabout. Elastic to stern cleats, one guy and two bikini clad girls having a blast launching water balloons.

But I was thinking of the more normal type, from your wrist.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Yes it can and no if you used it it won't stop someone. It only makes them mad. It's a toy weapon. The really nice ones are a target shooting recreational sport enjoyed by many. It's not a really a serious weapon but some places might consider it one. Other than in competition I know of no serious use for one other than small rodents. They are a lot of fun to shoot at close range.

Not for the rodents.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Yeah, I know, old thread. Don't shoot me, please.

But.....what about a slingshot? "Stored energy projectile."

I saw one once, off the back of a runabout. Elastic to stern cleats, one guy and two bikini clad girls having a blast launching water balloons.

But I was thinking of the more normal type, from your wrist.

Naah.... beer bottles with petrol and concentrated detergent filling...
Load, light the touch paper.. FIRE....!!!

[hpeer]

Uh, I was thinking more about seagulls!

[alan2]

Originally Posted by Trim50

A friend introduced me to his high power air rifle over the weekend and I was amazed at the power. So I was wondering if an air gun would be considered a fire arm outside of the US??

Since we have scuba tanks...

Depending on where you are, and possibly who discovers or hears about the air rifle, it could amount to nothing, or a whole lot of trouble for you.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by alan2

Depending on where you are, and possibly who discovers or hears about the air rifle, it could amount to nothing, or a whole lot of trouble for you.

That's it, my Beeman even through it was a .177 was illegal in Germany as it's muzzle energy was too high, an Olympic Match Air rifle would have been legal though


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[alan2]

As I said in #87, readers are free to take my suggestions or not, for whatever they might think they are worth. I will repeat here, my thoughts.

1. Figure out which ports or places you will be visiting, then do some research, or better yet, contact, if possible, the appropriate embassy or consulate.
2. Ask specific questions, getting, if at all possible, written responses, which should be carefully maintained. Official documents can sometimes save heaps of trouble.

Strikes me that at this point,enough said.

[Rustic Charm]

Make no mistake about it. An air rifle is definitely a firearm throughout Australia.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by hpeer

But.....what about a slingshot?

As with all of these questions, the answer is "it depends."

A slingshot is not like... say, a wrench, which has a normal and expected use, but could be pressed into service as a weapon in some circumstances. A slingshot is a different kind of thing, and a thing that has been used as a weapon for millennia. There may very well be some countries in the world that would classify a slingshot as a weapon, and make it every bit as illegal to have as a machine gun. I don't know. You have to check the laws in each and every country that you plan to visit.

But those slingshots made for launching water balloons do present an interesting question. What if your water balloons were filled with ammonia instead? If you are accurate enough with it, you might disable those in an approaching vessel. At the very least, slow them down dramatically. Or, as mentioned, use it for launching a Molotov cocktail?