Security of Sound Moderators

Sako Hunter

Well-Known Member
Is there a requirement to store your Sound Moderator in your gun cabinet at all times?

I keep mine in the top section of my cabinet but have been told by others that I don't need to keep it under lock and key.

I know my local gunshop keeps them under the counter next to his scopes, so in that respect they are not a secured item like any firearm on display.

Comments and advice welcome.
 
I keep mine locked up too, mainly because:

a) if you have the space to lock them up then why not protect a fairly expensive item as best you can?
b) if the house gets broken into I'd rather not have to phone up the police to tell them a moderator on my ticket has been stolen and then have to answer the awkward questions about home security that would inevitably arise!
c) Technically speaking a moderator on a ticket is a firearm and therefore it should be locked up, despite it seeming slightly unnecessary when a moderator NOT on a ticket is just a piece of metal!
 
a moderator on your ticket is a lawful requirement, amoderator on your rifle becomes part of and is classed as a firearm, amoderator off your rifle is nothing more than a gash bit of scrap metal unless you use it as a cosh, then it becomes an offensive weapon.
 
I keep mine locked up too, mainly because:

a) if you have the space to lock them up then why not protect a fairly expensive item as best you can?
b) if the house gets broken into I'd rather not have to phone up the police to tell them a moderator on my ticket has been stolen and then have to answer the awkward questions about home security that would inevitably arise!
c) Technically speaking a moderator on a ticket is a firearm and therefore it should be locked up, despite it seeming slightly unnecessary when a moderator NOT on a ticket is just a piece of metal!

this says it all,...ESPECIALLY- c)..if its on your ticket it is classed as a firearm on its own whether on or off your rifle!... and strange but true,, i had.. a few years ago.. 3 rifles,3 moderators,and 4 shotguns in my 10 gun cabinet (loads of space left!) on buying another shotgun i had a vist,,the reason??? i had exceeded my 10 gun cabinet limit!! in the initial phone call he said he needed to see that all my firearms were kept secure in the cabinet,i explained that 3 were moderators and took up no space at all!! his reply was i now had 6 firearms and 5 shotguns bringing my total to 11 held, and he needed to see the 11 fit in my cabinet!!! upon the visit he said "oh yes you could get another 4 guns in there top and tailed,were not bothered about your guns being scratched etc so long as the door closes and Locke's,ile put your holding capacity down as 15!" and off he went....so there you go,,on your ticket..in your safe!!!!!
 
As there is no serial number on any moderator identifying my air rifle SAK from my T4 which works on 223 and 22LR and air rifle would make PLODS head spin.

You can buy a moderator over the counter without an FAC. So while again it is good practise to keep secure, there is no way you could be prosecuted for it.

Another bit of gorgonzola legislation from the makers of apcolypse britain, which relies on us being confused and frightened of the state.
 
a moderator on your ticket is a lawful requirement, amoderator on your rifle becomes part of and is classed as a firearm, amoderator off your rifle is nothing more than a gash bit of scrap metal...

Although I keep my c/f moderators locked up (expensive, not difficult to misplace), I suspect that this is correct.

Consider hypothetically:
I have a two PH mods, one on a .22LR, and one on an airgun. My FAC states only that I own a .22LR mod (no make, no number). What happens if I swap the mods round? I think the airgun mod becomes the 'FAC-mod', and the 'FAC-mod' becomes in law nothing at all.
This suggests that removing a mod from a rifle does indeed make it nothing at all.
Alternatively, ought I to get a variation for this transfer, and then advise the police in writing that I've done it?

How are FACs worded for those who use one mod on two rifles? If the mod can be the mod for one rifle if it is on that one, and for another rifle if it is on that one, one might imagine it can be nothing at all if it is on no rifle.

I wonder....
 
this says it all,...ESPECIALLY- c)..if its on your ticket it is classed as a firearm on its own whether on or off your rifle!... and strange but true,, i had.. a few years ago.. 3 rifles,3 moderators,and 4 shotguns in my 10 gun cabinet (loads of space left!) on buying another shotgun i had a vist,,the reason??? i had exceeded my 10 gun cabinet limit!! in the initial phone call he said he needed to see that all my firearms were kept secure in the cabinet,i explained that 3 were moderators and took up no space at all!! his reply was i now had 6 firearms and 5 shotguns bringing my total to 11 held, and he needed to see the 11 fit in my cabinet!!! upon the visit he said "oh yes you could get another 4 guns in there top and tailed,were not bothered about your guns being scratched etc so long as the door closes and Locke's,ile put your holding capacity down as 15!" and off he went....so there you go,,on your ticket..in your safe!!!!!

Actually, unless the law has changed this is not totally correct on the part of your police. The law says that firearms have to be stored securely and does not specify the method although it is generally accepted that you need a cabinet to effectively comply and of course you have to describe the storage arrangements on your application/renewal. The police have no right to inspect your cabinet, when my FLO made his last visit I asked if he wanted to see my cabinet and he replied that he had no right to and it was up to me. A friend of mine used to live in Thames Valley jurisdiction and kept his in a locked cupboard which satisfied them.

As I said it is some time since my cabinet was looked at and the law or guidelines may have changed so I stand to be corrected.
 
As there is no serial number on any moderator identifying my air rifle SAK from my T4 which works on 223 and 22LR and air rifle would make PLODS head spin.

You can buy a moderator over the counter without an FAC. So while again it is good practise to keep secure, there is no way you could be prosecuted for it.

Another bit of gorgonzola legislation from the makers of apcolypse britain, which relies on us being confused and frightened of the state.
you are right in a way..you could sell me your t4 off ticket for use on my air rifle,but then you have to EXPLAIN were it went?? but there again you could go into a shop and buy another t4 (for a air rifle off ticket) to replace it.. (they'd never know!)as you say no visible numbers! the fact is you have to ACCOUNT.. for a moderator when its on your ticket,and it does count as a firearm and can be used as a free one for one variation for a rifle or another mod,...so if you have 1 or 2 mods on your ticket best have them in your cabinet at the time of a visit!!!! just a thought on my old ticket it showed..MODERATOR,REFLEX T8 NVN..
 
Although I keep my c/f moderators locked up (expensive, not difficult to misplace), I suspect that this is correct.

Consider hypothetically:
I have a two PH mods, one on a .22LR, and one on an airgun. My FAC states only that I own a .22LR mod (no make, no number). What happens if I swap the mods round? I think the airgun mod becomes the 'FAC-mod', and the 'FAC-mod' becomes in law nothing at all.
This suggests that removing a mod from a rifle does indeed make it nothing at all.
Alternatively, ought I to get a variation for this transfer, and then advise the police in writing that I've done it?

How are FACs worded for those who use one mod on two rifles? If the mod can be the mod for one rifle if it is on that one, and for another rifle if it is on that one, one might imagine it can be nothing at all if it is on no rifle.

I wonder....

it does not matter what .22lr mod your down as having 1 only for the .22lr as you say on your certificate it does not state the make,the problem is you must account for..when you have a visit you will see plod will check...rifle.. ser number..yes thats fine...moderator..no vsible numbers..WHERE IS IT?? your now fooked!! if not in there.. as it is classed as a firearm in the eyes of the law and counts toward your total!!
 
Actually, unless the law has changed this is not totally correct on the part of your police. The law says that firearms have to be stored securely and does not specify the method although it is generally accepted that you need a cabinet to effectively comply and of course you have to describe the storage arrangements on your application/renewal. The police have no right to inspect your cabinet, when my FLO made his last visit I asked if he wanted to see my cabinet and he replied that he had no right to and it was up to me. A friend of mine used to live in Thames Valley jurisdiction and kept his in a locked cupboard which satisfied them.

As I said it is some time since my cabinet was looked at and the law or guidelines may have changed so I stand to be corrected.
ime unsure of the cabinet part being law but it is said to be an accepted way of securing your firearms from those in or outside your household from gaining access,but i do know when your cabinet/means of security holds less than you have you will get a visit because they have to be satisfied of the safe storage! so where ever you keep your guns/rifles my point is because moderators count best keep them with your guns/rifles
 
the fact is you have to ACCOUNT.. for a moderator when its on your ticket..

Could I not simply account for it by saying that I'd sold it to a man for his air-rifle? Obviously I'd have to write and let them know.
If so, why could I not account for it by putting it on my own air-rifle? Would I still have to write and let them know? I'd say probably not, since it is still mine and with a change of my mind it would change back to the FAC-mod.

The odd thing about moderators as far as I can tell is that they become as FAC-able firearms only when they are used on FAC-able firearms.

I wonder if that is correct?
 
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you are right in a way..you could sell me your t4 off ticket for use on my air rifle,but then you have to EXPLAIN were it went?? but there again you could go into a shop and buy another t4 (for a air rifle off ticket) to replace it.. (they'd never know!)as you say no visible numbers! the fact is you have to ACCOUNT.. for a moderator when its on your ticket,and it does count as a firearm and can be used as a free one for one variation for a rifle or another mod,...so if you have 1 or 2 mods on your ticket best have them in your cabinet at the time of a visit!!!! just a thought on my old ticket it showed..MODERATOR,REFLEX T8 NVN..

Correct , I would go in and buy another T4 for my air rifle and that would be that. You cannot account for something that does not have a method of asset tracking. Simples. The point is that if I dont lock it up no-one can prove what it is for and i have commited no crime.

I DO lock mine up as it is GOOD PRACTISE and I dont need any issues with my FO or PLOD, but in a court they would get pumped if it came to it.
 
Saying that you didn't think you had to lock it up because it can't be traced and that you can cover up the loss by buying another one 'for an air rifle' isn't really a defence I'd like to depend upon in court when they find a shady AK47 with your stolen T8 on the end and your DNA/Fingerprints all over it! :lol:

Alex
 
Moderator stored on rifle - is this not considered wicked?
I lock my mods away, as I said, but they're with the ammunition, not where they might make the shooting-irons unclean!

Uneasy lies the mod that rusts the crown!
 
Moderator stored on rifle - is this not considered wicked?
I lock my mods away, as I said, but they're with the ammunition, not where they might make the shooting-irons unclean!

Uneasy lies the mod that rusts the crown!
I fire my rifle almost every day of the year, it is cleaned (on the outside) after use, mod off, threads oiled, mod back on.

It has never been a problem.
 
my mods been on my 243 for quite a while. i swap it between my 308 and 243 and it stays on the shoota that i last used both shoot 1/2 ". one day i may write a post saying dont do it as my guns cant hit a barn door but not so far.

re the mod thing, i took someone out lamping a few weeks ago and a few days later saw a s5 lying in my drive:eek:. phoned up "you lost your mod chap?" "oh you found it, magic". its been in my cabinet for 2-3 weeks and the guy lives 10mins away. i would be straight round if it was mine but as other folk have said, its just a piece of metal no identifying marks. i give him a few days more then tell him to get his arse over to get it.
 
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