12 ft/lb limit.

i think recent eu/uk legislation defined "lethal wound energy level as 1 joule ( 0.737 ft lbs) . Air guns and some toys being given an exemption in the UK.
This made some blowpipes an offensive weapon, thus requiring legitimate users (vetinarians) to I guess apply for a FAC slot for blowpipes. Perhaps a vet who uses blowpipes to administer dart tranquillisers can enlighten us.
Pretty sure blowpipes are illegal for the public to own irrespective of energy
 
I have just had to put an HW80 onto my FAC that I have owned since new for 35 years, turns out it was kicking out 24.5ft lbs from new, grey import allegedly 🙄.
 
How does it shoot? I enquired about buying a new HW80 FAC. I was told it would be putting out about 18-20 ft/lb from the factory.
 
I think the list is a little out of date.
Here in Demark, if you are over 18 you can buy a .177 air rifle of any power you like without a licence, but it cannot be used for hunting. Anything over 4.5mm (.177) and you need a hunting licence regardless of its power, but it can only be used for hunting if it's over 200m/s muzzle velocity and then only on pigeons, corvids, starlings, snipe and woodcock. So you can buy a 30ftlb .177 without a licence but only use it for plinking but you need a hunting licence to buy a 2ftlb .22 air pistol. It just doesn't make any sense
 
How does it shoot? I enquired about buying a new HW80 FAC. I was told it would be putting out about 18-20 ft/lb from the factory.
It shoots very well, it is the only air rifle I have ever owned and thought it was 12 ft lbs until a friend got it checked out for me . I have read an article on the HW80 review that stated lots were manufactured as 24 ft lb, I have shot 100’s of rabbits with it over the years.
 
How does it shoot? I enquired about buying a new HW80 FAC. I was told it would be putting out about 18-20 ft/lb from the factory.
 
It shoots very well, it is the only air rifle I have ever owned and thought it was 12 ft lbs until a friend got it checked out for me . I have read an article on the HW80 review that stated lots were manufactured as 24 ft lb, I have shot 100’s of rabbits with it over the years.
I thought the HW80 was originally designed as a high power springer and had to be modified to comply with UK power restrictions, hence the large cylinder.

The general view among those who know is that the FAC HW80 shot better than the restricted 12 ft/lb version, but I'd always thought the original was only about 18 ft/lb.

I query it because I very briefly owned a Theoben Eliminator which was an abysmal thing. Enormous, horrendous to cock, far too much recoil and struggled to hold 2" groups at 40 yards. That was putting out over 30 ft/lb and the received wisdom seemed to be that 20 ft/lb was the about the limit for a break-barrel springer/gas ram if it was to be usable and accurate.
I'd sooner have 30+ ft/lb but considering new FAC HW80s are about £500 with no air bottles to buy or refill and no shot limit, if it shoots as well as a sub 12 ft/lb springer I'd settle for 24 ft/lb. That's cheap power brand new.
 
When I worked in the gun trade I was told that the 12ft lb limit was adopted as its the same energy produced by an average (malnourished of the day) 14 year old boy could throw a Cricket ball.
Sounds far fetched enough to be right?

Kind regards,
Bob.
 
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