Can someone help with ammunition laws?

[Tubs]

Ive been reloading for about 6 months now and my question is am i allowed to buy non expanding bullets online e.g. Amax or soft nose and fmj bullets for range and target shooting as my local gunshop is out of stock of my two favourite bullets. If yes then how do i go about getting my bullets put on my ticket or is it just a case of giving my name and licence details over the phone,ive looked on google but its mainly other country info im finding.

[justin credible]

You can buy your target bullets online/ through the post from anywhere as it is fine for them to be posted directly to you.

Some places may wish to see a copy of your licence but they do not need to be noted on the licence itself as they are target bullets.

[MrCetrizine]

Pretty much all UK shops with an online presence including 1967spud will happily post you non expanding bullets without needing to see your ticket as you are buying lumps of metal that don't require a licence.

[Dalua]

Put simply: non-S5 bullets may in law be purchased and possessed without restriction of any kind.

[banus02]

tubs,in your post you state amax /soft points /fmj,you can buy amax and fmj but soft points are section five and a very big no no by post keep a note book on what was loaded when and how many every time you reload .you can buy as many match/target bullets as you like BUT ONCE THEY ARE LOADED THEY COUNT AS PART OF YOUR ALLOWANCE keep records as your flo may want to know usage etc on renewal

[Chanonry]

Just click buy and sit back and wait.

 

I tried buying some expanding from Midway once, got an email saying it was illegal and they would ship to a local rfd

[Tubs]

Thats great info thank you all i will order some up now . Also thanks Banus02 about they are classed as your allowance once loaded thats good to know as i thought it was still classed unloaded.

[radd]

I have the feeling that "primed" cases are classed as loaded and therefore subject to your ammunition count..

[justin credible]

I have the feeling that "primed" cases are classed as loaded and therefore subject to your ammunition count..

That's not correct.

[radd]

That's nice to know.. It looks like the firearms officer that inspected me and my firearms, when I started reloading was in the mistaken..

 

Any pointers to the legislation...??

 

E

[gazzarM1]

Simple really....... a primed case is essentially a blank cartridge .There are no restrictions with the possible exclusion of a minimum age requirement on the possession of blanks.

[Laurie]

What you DO need though for primed brass is an FAC and appropriate variation for that cartridge. This goes back to a court case many years back (1980s I think) in which the defendant was on trial for illegal possession of primed brass which was taken as 'ammunition' by the Crown. The defendant and his barrister argued Gazzars line that it wasn't ammunition, rather equivalent to blank cartridges which are off-ticket. The Crown said not as blanks are loaded cases with a special powder and a nose crimp. That was the argument that won out in court and the guy was done for illegal ammunition possession. AFAIK, that precedent has never been overruled.

 

People got rather concerned at the time that this meant all prepared and primed brass waiting charging / bullet seating would be treated as ammunition both against ammo holding allowances and also for security needing it kept in a cabinet. Some FLOs advised certificate holders that was the case. But apparently not - it's purely an issue of purchase / sale / possession.

 

Since then, things have become slightly more complex / 'tighter' as an RFD permission, FAC or SGC is now required to sell, purchase, transfer, or hold primers in themselves and again the issue of firearms variations on the FAC and primer type arises. So, you can't in theory buy (or if an RFD, sell) pistol primers say if your variations / holdings are all rifles. How that stacks up in legal terms with the legitimate use of pistol primers for some rifle cartridges or special loads (eg Small Pistol in .22 Hornet, Large Pistol in 444 Marlin or 45/70 Gov't and similar cartridges with light loads), I wouldn't know - likely OK I'd have thought, However, you are likely to be refused small pistol primers by a dealer if everything on your ticket is large / rifle.

[radd]

Many thanks Laurie..

I have been licensed since 1980, but only reloading in the mid nineties..

The best thing I can do, to keep sweet with the FLO, is follow the original advice and just ask him to check up on it.. I do like to keep on the right side of the D/P firearms dept.. anything I have applied for as yet has never been questioned..

I'm not a target shooter so I'm quite happy to keep under my limit, I tend to prepare a lot of brass in one go, then load maybe 40-50 to push me up to my limit..

 

E...

[Mattnall]

Simple really....... a primed case is essentially a blank cartridge .There are no restrictions with the possible exclusion of a minimum age requirement on the possession of blanks.

This is how it was explained to me;

Primed cases are seen as ammunition if in a public place.

They are shipped the same as ammunition (to RFD only and possible carrier issues) and you will need to show your FAC to purchase (with possible restrictions on type as explained above by Laurie).

 

Apart from that a primed case is just another reloading component not subject to restrictions and do not get recorded on the FAC or count against your hold limit until made in to a complete round.