Transporting Ammo to the Range

[breacher]

I have heard so many misinterpretations and falsehoods concerning the firearms laws and regulations and mostly from those in authority who should have a better understanding of them, club officials, police licensing officers, CID with Customs in attendance, the list goes on.

Your average policeman probably would confiscate a Spyderco UKPN (UK PenKnife) just on "looks" alone, unaware that this particular knife is designed specifically for the UK market to be 100% compliant and perfectly legal to carry without the need for "good reason"....
that being the case, what are the chances of a policeman knowing wether or not it is legal to carry loaded magazines around? Personally I would not want to run the risk of arrest and de-arrest while the police make up their minds. If the roads of ammunition are stored in boxes in a range bag away from the firearms there is far less chance of awkward moments if you are stopped and searched.

The Police have no power to confiscate property based on not being sure of the law and doing it just in case / sort it out down the Police Station. That applies to a penknife, firearm etc just as much as it applies to any other property.

Any officer doing so before exhausting other ( simple ) enquiries such as a phone call to supervisor, firearms unit or FLO would be making a big mistake. Especially if the individual has a FAC with him.

As to arrest - arrest is only to be made when it is essential to the investigation. In the OP scenario it would be an illegal arrest and the amount of time in detention would be compensated at the set tarrif - it was 5k per hour or part of - and that was way back in the late 90's.

[Swamp Donkey]

it wasn't that long ago that my local force refused to allow a relative to transfer to police firearms because he knew too much about guns (had SGC and FAC and shot a lot off the job).

A few years back when a nearby police force were recruiting for FEO's I have it on good authority (a member of the HR team) that any applicants found having FAC/SGC's were binned before the interview stage

Yep. I know that to be true too.

Sent from my mobile using "An application"

[Sim G]

Your average policeman probably would confiscate a Spyderco UKPN (UK PenKnife) just on "looks" alone, unaware that this particular knife is designed specifically for the UK market to be 100% compliant and perfectly legal to carry without the need for "good reason".....

That is the most stupid thing you've posted since joining the forum.

[Sim G]

Yep. I know that to be true too.

My FEO is a member of my club and stalks with his No4. I shoot clays with another FEO and in the North end of the county one of the FEOs is a small bore county shot.

[falco67]

[/quote]My FEO is a member of my club ......[/quote]

So is mine

[Maggot]

In answer to the OP's original question, yes it is perfectly legal to transport ammunition in detachable magazines separate from the rifle.

I do so as I know it is perfectly legal and safe, other people are free to have their own view but that is all it is a view and an opinion, it has no legal standing whatsoever in regards as to what the the OP has asked.

I'll leave the "what if" scenario creators to the anti gun lobby as this is their tool of fear amongst those who know no better.

We have enough rules and regulations to comply with, most of which goes no way to making shooters or society safer, without having self imposed spurious rules applied by other shooters for no good reason.

Unless we stand by and up for those legal rights we have then we will just speed up their loss.

Yet again we find shooters to be our own worst enemies.

No s*** Adam....well posted.

I can never understand why people need to debate and speculate over legal matters when what they could do is just ask the ruddy FEO.

[Rockhopper]

Because the FAO's frequently get it wrong (such as mine insisting that bolts and magazines are stored separately and my rifles should be locked to the car whilst being transported!! - these ideas may well be recommended but they are not "required" or "Law" as he suggested).

[Maggot]

Ok well I have mentioned this post at our gun club tonight....

One club secretary who has a lot of involvement with the police and sits as a member of their Matrix meetings said, "No, you can't transport magazines that are loaded. Various other people agreed that this was the case, except one member who is quite well versed in the law and has lived in Canada. He said that loaded magazines are no different than having them in a box or other container. The club owner said that while it may not actually be illegal to have loaded magazines in a public place, it is certainly not recommended and you may have a though time justifying yourself. I explained that the original poster had osteoarthritis in both thumbs and found it difficult to load the mags so would prefer to do this at his own pace at home. To this the club owner said that such a person "may" have a "good reason".... but for the rest of us, No!

I have a lot of involvement with the Police, a reasonable amount of it to do with firearms....spookilly though I don't go dishing out advice on firearms law.

I just advise them to speak to the "Authorities" and if it is a grey area "Get it in writing". The latter is important because if you have asked their advice, and its wrong (and it can be) then that alone is your defence. You took advice from your issuing authority....not the club expert.

I have argued with my FEO in the past and it ended in him learning something. Not a big issue, it was just a new situation to him, and they happen, so if they have issues;-)

I am regularly getting it in the neck from club "Experts, secretaries, and chairmen", for shooting humanoid targets at Bisley, shooting standing or in any other position than flat on the floor with my rifle sandbagged so its now become a proof gun, owning and shooting something with a brake, wearing the odd bit of MTP and to be honest its all a waste of their time. Some have even watched myself and others shooting with a pair of binos from the 200 point and complained by phone to the range office....again wasting Jacko's time.

They even go to the range office where they are told..."yes, we know, we told them they can shoot like that".....but it don't stop em trying.

There is nothing wrong with club secs etc, someone has to do it and they often do a thankless task, but that makes them experts in the functions of their particular club, not in firearms law (unless they happen to be an expert lawyer) or everything and anything firearms. That is how accidents happen and how people get collared and see where their specialist knowledge gets us then? I bet it all goes very quiet

Take you legal advice from the authorities because it is they that will wield the axe when it goes wrong

[Maggot]

Because the FAO's frequently get it wrong (such as mine insisting that bolts and magazines are stored separately and my rifles should be locked to the car whilst being transported!! - these ideas may well be recommended but they are not "required" or "Law" as he suggested).

FAO....OK

Quite right, that is his advice and not a legal requirement. If you do not comply then legally you are fine...you might find it as a condition on your next FAC but I doubt it.

They are human and this is my point, perhaps if you had asked for it in writing......but the question here is whether it is legal, or illegal, to transport loaded magazines about.

Not whether it is a good idea or not, not whether it is advisable or not, but whether it is LEGAL or NOT....yes?

The FEOs are the representatives of the issuing authority. If they give you legal advice that is flawed, in writing, you are in a much better place than if you stand in the dock and say....

"Well I thought I was OK because my mate saw it on the Airgun BBS"

We know the laws are a mess, so who better to tell us what they want to happen than the licensing authorities. If you get your advice and are still not happy then fine, but keep a copy of what they told you just in case.

[dromia]

Humanoid targets matter!