Screw in Rifled Shotgun Chokes...... Illegal?

[Robin128]

Will an RFD sell these rifled chokes without going thru the license and recording process?

And will he sell slug also without same?

[Chuck]

I am sure Tom Young at North Ayrshire had this crop up. Gun remains illegal even if you remove choke. But how would you prosecute that unlss someone was seriously spiteful or a police officer actually SAW the gun with /without.

[Sim G]

I would have thought that there was very little need to consult anyone really as the law is pretty clear on this one if you just think about it and especially if you relate it to such things as a paradox shotgun.

That's the thing, its not clear. All of the legislation relates to "Riled Barrels" or "Smoothbore Barrels". The Paradox has it barrel rifled, a screw in choke is an "attachment" along the lines of a moderator or muzzle brake. If deemed OK by the HO, what's the problem? There seems to an anti air already on the thead. Another piece of equipment that enhances the pleasure of shooting, I'm all for it, as long as it's legal.

And that's the point of this. To find out if it will be regarded as legal. I'm not disputing the thoughts already said, far from it, I agreed. I believed that a rifle choke would turn my Benelli S5, but the oints of law and the technicalities of legislation being argued have made some people very wealthy! So why not test it.

Of course, the carte blanch could simply be, even though it is not specified and the barrel is not rifled, a screw in rifled choke is not within the "spirit" of the law...

However, go on, if you could have one, who would? They're quite cheap!!

[pe4king]

you know damm well i would

[Chapuis]

Will an RFD sell these rifled chokes without going thru the license and recording process?

And will he sell slug also without same?

It would have been an internet purchase from a manufacturer in the States where there are no such restrictions. As for buying slug cartridges I'm sure that no dealer would sell them without the correct variation, yet you can cast your own or even buy just the slugs from several places even from ebay just a little while ago. In fact it really got my goat that some people were advertising Lee slugs on ebay with no sence of responsability as to where they were ending up.

[Sim G]

A wee update.........!!

My FEO didn't forget about this! (I was convinced he put it in the "too difficult to deal with box"!

At the minute, he reckons that screw in rifled chokes may very well be legal, based purely on ommissions in the legislation and guidance!! He said that he and the other FEOs had been driving themselves nuts with this one. As was generally acepted on here, they all initially believed they would be illegal, however, cannot make the wording of the acts confirm it....

He has said to hang on before ordering one though, as he doesn't have "the bottle" to give a definitive yes. He's shoved the query up the Home Office for them to play with now!

Better than a Countdown conundrum!

[Porcupine]

Well a shotgun is defined in law as a 'smooth bore gun...' if I remember rightly. So the question is, does the interior of the choke tube count as 'bore' or is it something else? It might be illustrative to consider that, for barrel length purposes, a welded and pinned on choke tube or compensator does (I believe) count as 'barrel' (see the UK-legal SPAS 12s, Mossberg 590s etc). And since the bore is by definition the inside of the barrel.... The only difference seems to be that this would be a removable choke as opposed to a permanently attached one. That seems like a pretty weak leg to stand on to me. But then again, it is quite consistent. If the Home Office want to say that a SPAS 12 or 590 with an 18 inch barrel and a screwed on 6 inch comp is illegal unless the comp is permanently attached, then they must accept that a non-permanently attached comp or choke is not 'barrel' and therefore its interior is not 'bore'.

[Chuck]

if the choke is inside the barrel then you have effectoivel;y rifled that part of the barrel..if it is an extension choke then I suppose you could argue the barrel has been modified to allow rifling, and rifling is not anywhere in the definition of a UK legal shotgun.

I bet Strathclyde know the answer, if any crowd know how to spoil your fun it is them....although I hear they have improved a bit...

[Blackstuff]

As i originally said i had it from a fairly reliable source that they are S1 items, however from watching some YouTube videos they appear to offer little to accuracy improvements so why bother!

[Chuck]

Exactly, if you want accuracy for a shotgun slug fit a ghost ring sight and practice lots.