France - prohibited calibres

JabaliHunter

Well-Known Member
The question of prohibited calibres/cartridges in France seems to arise quite frequently. Hopefully this answers it, but note that this is not legal advice.

It would appear that rifles chambered for the following cartridges, as well as ammunition, are prohibited:
.30-06 / 7,62X63
.303 British
.308 Winchester / 7,62 NATO
8X57JS / 8 mm Mauser / .315 Mauser

It would also appear that the following ammunition is prohibited (not the rifles themselves):
.223 Remington
6,5X53R Mannlicher
6,5X54 Mannlicher Schoenauer
6,5 Krag / 6,5X55
7X57 Mauser

I believe that in addition, there are handgun calibres/cartridges that are also prohibited as well as certain types of rifle action.

I hope that is of some help, but please check the legal position for yourselves before travelling.
 
I'm sorry to say the French can't even spell the word "clear" properly. :D

The cartridges you list are currently "non permissable" ....that is broadly true, for hunting purposes. Not so for target shooting. However, there's also legislation which has been chugging through their bureaucratic pipelines for several years now which will, if it ever comes to full fruition, change all of this at a stroke. Some even argue that this creates problems applying existing law equitably, particularly for other E.C. citizens (i.e. for those who are not French).
 
JabaliHunter this information has been provided by one or two site members previously and while useful unfortunately doesn’t quite give the full story. When you say that rifles chambered for the following cartridges are prohibited or that the following ammunition is prohibited that isn’t strictly true, they are only prohibited for hunting.Don’t forget that there are two different licensing systems for firearms in France, either hunting or shooting (target shooting).
 
Good points. It does say at the top of the document, 'calibres de chasse'! As I said, not legal advice, and most of the questions I have seen have generally been regarding taking rifles to France to shoot boar, not target shooting.

Its a starting point only, but probably sufficient in the majority of cases...
 
Hi

I understand the BASC have advised that from 2013 some of the previously 'prohibited' military calibres (such as 0.308W) will be authorised for hunting.

Suggest contacting Matthew Perry?(pretty sure he emailed my friend the details) in the Firearms Team.

L
 
Last edited:
Loki,

But that was under the previous Government. I suspect priorities may be different now and necessary legislative time is directed elsewhere.

Stan
 
Well I have Mouflon and Chamois booked for October and, as a result of these threads contacted the PH. Needless to say I have 30.06 and a .308 and he says that, currently, indeed I cannot shoot with them, which is a bugger as the 30.06 has travelled far and wide with me knocking off the odd trophy.
C'est la vie. I will now probably use his .270.
Might the .416 escape their net?
 
well, .223 is most definitely and always was classed as a military round in most EU countrys - hence why the the .222 is so popular - anything else easily converted or modified = banned.
.416, comes under reasonable energy laws - do you need it for a deer? are you a regular export licence applicant?!
 
I think you will find that all pistols are totally prohibited except for the police FC head rangers. There may be an odd exception but not many. I am also reliably informed that body guards and our royal and diplomatic protection squads are not allowed to carry them and while young Pippa has no royal protection anyway, the pistol incident in France a couple of months ago does not ring true either.


Regards

Mark
 
Sorry Mark but you have been misinformed. I understand that it is possible to shoot pistols in France but they are held on a permis de tir (shooting licence) and not a permis de chasse (hunting licence).
 
Handguns (Section 5 firearms ) are more wide spread than you may think.I have several friends who have handguns, I think it is important that we all remember all you have to do to get one is prove 'Good Reason' (easier said than done I admit)If you can talk your FEO around to the belief that it is for HD and is more suitable/safer than using your rifle then there is your good reason.Good luck on that one!
 
Sorry shep but we were talking about France not the U.K. here, you could be diverting the thread off on a tangent.
 
Last edited:
Sorry Yes you are right, What I mean is in public. I understand that you can have a pistol but only at a club. However that seems like ownership in name only. I still think that the only people who can have a pistol other than at a club, are the police of which head rangers with the Frence FC are part.


Regards


Mark
 
I'm not quite sure what you mean by ownership in name only because unless I am mistaken or have been misinformed French target shooters may keep thier firearms at home just as we do in the U.K. One of the requirements for a permis de tir (pardon my poor French) being the aquisition of a security cabinet which is checked by the police, something that is not done with a permis de chasse.
 
I'm not quite sure what you mean by ownership in name only because unless I am mistaken or have been misinformed French target shooters may keep thier firearms at home just as we do in the U.K. One of the requirements for a permis de tir (pardon my poor French) being the aquisition of a security cabinet which is checked by the police, something that is not done with a permis de chasse.


I will get french david involved in this , because he is french.


Mark
 
I am sorry but you are all of you right, in a way.

In France it's easier to say that nobody can have a handgun ! but !

Yes you can have an handgun, only if you are part of a shooting club. You can not use your handgun anywhere else than in a club, even if you've got some land.
Number of handgun and caliber are very limited. Handgun can not be keep at home, except if you have a clearance from the Police. You have to have a security cabinet and an allarm on your house. But on the top of that, even if you've got a licence; if you don't use your gun regulary in the club, your gun and licence are removed imediatly. You are controled every year !

Nobody can have or carry a gun in pubic, except police and gendarmerie. that mean than private bodyguard or security officer can not be armed. (in Paris a lot of Russian have been in trouble)
You can not use a handgun for stalking or shooting, (except in Corsica, they have special laws)

In France the "Lieutenant de Louvetrie and garde fédéral" how are official personne named to controle animal population and vermin, can not used a handgun to dispatch an animal.

And I am sorry Mark, but head rangers in France are not armed usualy. The personne that you mention is at a very exceptionnal high level and he is part of the Gendarmerie.

If any of you go to France for Shooting or Stalking, you can be controled by the "Garde National", and you'll see that they have handgun. But they are police officer!

I hope, I've been able to help a little bit.

David

ps: I am very sorry for my english gammar.
 
Hi All, i am a member of a gun club in france, and i agree with French dave, if you want to own a hand gun you need to apply to the prefecture at the town hall for a license, when you get this you inform the police who will check your security arrangements, there is a limit on the amount of ammunition you can hold, also you need three stamps per year on your ticket this can be done every two months, most of my friends keep there handguns at home, we have a very large security cabinet at the club but unfortunately there is no room for guns as its full of booze. Cheers Geoff
 
I see what is not allowed. This poses the question : What is best to buy for Driven boar in France or central europe, but still usable and licenceable for deer in the UK? I am considering getting a .3oo wsm, in a light weight Kimber. The recoil is fine and the rifle is very handy and pointable, but the crack is rather startling without a mod. Mods are not allowed in some countries, and there is a minimum calibre size in others .If only they would allow a .308 or .30 06 in France but can anybody really see them changing gun laws for us?
 
Back
Top