Carrying magazines - best practice?

[purdeydog]

People over thinking this.

If your lawful to start with Going to/from your activity and mag is on or off rifle makes no difference likewise if there bullets in the mag whilst your going to or from your activity. Being sensible aside.

Having an FAC doesn’t in itself provide lawful authority to be in public place with firearm/ammo etc etc

There are other offences relating to ammo not just s19 you could fall foul of.

Ultimately if you’ve got Ammo with you it needs to be in line with your FAC conditions, Not shopping in Tesco with them in your pocket etc

A magazine is not considered a component part of a firearm and on its own is just a peace of metal.

 

[VSS]

.

Ultimately if you’ve got Ammo with you it needs to be in line with your FAC conditions, Not shopping in Tesco with them in your pocket etc

Shopping in Tesco with ammo in your pocket would be fine.
When shopping, leave your rifle in the car and carry the bolt and ammo in your pocket. It's better security than leaving everything together in the car, and raises fewer eyebrows than doing it the other way around.

 

[WalkedUp]

Shopping in Tesco with ammo in your pocket would be fine.
When shopping, leave your rifle in the car and carry the bolt and ammo in your pocket. It's better security than leaving everything together in the car, and raises fewer eyebrows than doing it the other way around.

I agree that the bolt and ammunition are much less conspicuous but crucially less cumbersome. I’m very much in favour of normalising the transport of guns in public etc however normally convenience wins.

 

[slider]

Ultimately if you’ve got Ammo with you it needs to be in line with your FAC conditions, Not shopping in Tesco with them in your pocket etc

Sorry but thats not correct. Having ammunition in your pocket is absolutely fine

Section 19 of the Firearms Act is as follows and nothing in it excudes you from carrying ammunition

Carrying firearm in a public place.
A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place
[F1(a)a loaded shot gun,

(b)an air weapon (whether loaded or not),

(c)any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or

(d)an imitation firearm.]

 

[purdeydog]

Sorry but thats not correct. Having ammunition in your pocket is absolutely fine

Section 19 of the Firearms Act is as follows and nothing in it excudes you from carrying ammunition

Carrying firearm in a public place.
A person commits an offence if, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the proof whereof lies on him) he has with him in a public place
[F1(a)a loaded shot gun,

(b)an air weapon (whether loaded or not),

(c)any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or

(d)an imitation firearm.]

Connected with your activity yes. As I said there’s other ammo offences.

 

[slider]

Connected with your activity yes. As I said there’s other ammo offences.

Pointers to these other offenses would be helpful as there is nothing in the Firearms Act that prevents you carrying ammunition on your person.
Section 57 defines a Firearm and ammunition on its own is not a firearm

 

[purdeydog]

Shopping in Tesco with ammo in your pocket would be fine.
When shopping, leave your rifle in the car and carry the bolt and ammo in your pocket. It's better security than leaving everything together in the car, and raises fewer eyebrows than doing it the other way around.

No not all. Clearly in breach of FAC conditions and other law. If going to from activity then yes no issue.

 

[purdeydog]

Pointers to these other offenses would be helpful as there is nothing in the Firearms Act that prevents you carrying ammunition on your person.
Section 57 defines a Firearm and ammunition on its own is not a firearm

I’ll have to look it up. Can’t remember it off top of head. It basically says having ammo without cert is a crime and it’s specificlly mentions breaching cert conditions in the sub text

 

[slider]

I’ll have to look it up. Can’t remember it off top of head. It basically says having ammo without cert is a crime and it’s specificlly mentions breaching cert conditions in the sub text

Yes, having ammunition without a FAC is a crime, as is breaching certificate conditions.
However having ammunition on your person does not breach any of the conditions os the Act
I suppose it is technically possible that a particularly zealous Police Force could make that a condition of a particular individuals FAC but that would be highly unusual and certainly not something I have ever come across

 

[timbrayford]

No not all. Clearly in breach of FAC conditions and other law. If going to from activity then yes no issue.

What about a shopping trip that involves a visit to an RFD for ammunition, the ironmongers for a new stalking knife and the supermarket, surely that's all reasonable excuse connected with lawful activities?

 

[purdeydog]

What about a shopping trip that involves a visit to an RFD for ammunition, the ironmongers for a new stalking knife and the supermarket, surely that's all reasonable excuse connected with lawful activities?

As I’ve mentioned if in connection with your activity obviously it’s fine. If you’re not doing any shooting that day and decide for some reason to take your rifle ammo out in public that would be a crime and breaching your FAC.

 

[purdeydog]

Yes, having ammunition without a FAC is a crime, as is breaching certificate conditions.
However having ammunition on your person does not breach any of the conditions os the Act
I suppose it is technically possible that a particularly zealous Police Force could make that a condition of a particular individuals FAC but that would be highly unusual and certainly not something I have ever come across

As mentioned as longs it’s in connection with your activity. You can’t just walk about Ann summers with your Mrs carrying your ammo because you like to.

 

[VSS]

What about a shopping trip that involves a visit to an RFD for ammunition, the ironmongers for a new stalking knife and the supermarket, surely that's all reasonable excuse connected with lawful activities?

Been in exactly that situation.
Even been to the bank with my rifle (on route to rfd, easier to park out of town and walk in).

This conversation is reminding me of a time I had an appointment at Boots opticians. After all the usual peering into my eyes the young lady optician took me through to another room for some further tests. "You can leave your coat and bag here, we're coming straight back" she said. I replied that I'd rather not leave my bag, as it was full of rifle ammunition. A very pleasant conversation ensued: turned out her dad was a keen stalker, and she'd accompanied him to Scotland a few times on the hinds!

 

[25 Sharps]

In this day and the age we live in surely the sensible thing to do is to load the magazine when you have parked up at the stalking ground I don't think that the equation muzzle velocity × 70mph ÷ by the m6 would cut much sympathy with the police, shooting across a road if you think its safe are you joking I didn't realise you could now print your own fac .

So if you have a small country, single lane, road at the bottom of a valley that is 150-200 foot deep, you’re stood near the top on one side and have plain view of the road for 1/2 a mile in each direction, with no traffic, are you saying it’s not safe to shoot a fox or deer half way up the other side? (Legalities aside, just from a safety pint of view)

 

[dropmdead]

As a magazine answer, I've asked my buddy to 3D print an extended AI mag with bolt held open in fluorescent orange to fit in the rifle for the very purpose of showing no mag, no bolt function, and acting like a breech flag.


Also getting made is a small 3D printed ammo holder which holds the AI mag, again fluorescent yellow for the bum bag.
This should hold the orange "mag" and show no rounds, until it all gets swapped back to "safe position".


As for good practice, I would suggest that if the rifle cannot operate, and the magazine cannot operate, and the ammo is separate from them all, you have tried your best to be diligent.

 

[timbrayford]

Overall what has become apparent from this thread is if there is one group worse than police FLDs at interpreting the law in a manner that neither parliament had considered nor the courts have determined by case law it's the shooting community itself!

 

[homer]

I just can't believe theres been 136 comments on putting bullets in a magazine! Heres me thinking that was the easy bit!

 

[shakey jake]

I just can't believe theres been 136 comments on putting bullets in a magazine! Heres me thinking that was the easy bit!

But you dont load bullets in a magazine