Latest on Moderators being removed from FACs

[VenatorXCIV]

"264 Commencement
(1) Subject as follows, this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations appoint."

I.e. it needs to be commenced by the Home Secretary, next likely date for that is 1 October 2026. The section that deals with sound moderators is not singled out for a different commencement date.

 

[Chris Richardson]

I'm not sure why you're quoting me on this, or why you're picking a detail that is just an example. It doesn't matter what the illegal gun is. What matters is that the absence of an FAC makes possessing the moderator an offence and opens the door to further police action.

There is no example, it’s a non issue the moderator isn’t deadly the firearm is

 

[Liveonce]

"264 Commencement
(1) Subject as follows, this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations appoint."

I.e. it needs to be commenced by the Home Secretary, next likely date for that is 1 October 2026. The section that deals with sound moderators is not singled out for a different commencement date.

? confusing information on google

1 day ago — The Crime and Policing Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026 and has now formally become law in England & Wales

and

 

[cjm1066]

Has anyone a link to the final text of this bill?

 

[disco_ike]

That’s what am trying to find as I can’t find a reference to the commencement anywhere that venator is quoting.

 

[VenatorXCIV]

It's not available yet as far as I've found, I was looking at the version of the bill before it went into ping pong. Granted it's not the Act itself, but there's no reason they would have changed the commencement criteria.

 

[Liveonce]

guess we have to wait till after the MPs five months summer holidays

 

[Greenmist]

I would opine that it's fairly clear that it is not possible to buy remote. (Without having it delivered to a local RFD)

The requirements are state that you must still be in possession of the relevant certificate, and therefore significant onus is on the selling party to ensure that is the case. Without F2F or transfer via local RFD who could then ensure that check is made, I don't see many (if any) sellers taking that risk.

You could do it how you buy a rifle remotely, you send your FAC to the vendor, they fill it in and return it, except, instead of sending the moderator to an RFD as you would with a firearm, it can be posted directly to you

 

[Greenmist]

It’s that everyone is getting their knickers in knot about having to show an FAC to acquire a moderator because its just a piece of metal tube. So too is a barrel - it’s just a piece of metal tube.

You can buy a rifled barrel and have it sent directly to you, its only when its chambered it needs to be put on your certificate, as you say, both are metal tubes, as are moderators that go on shotguns (I've had a number of shotguns threaded for mods), none of which require a certificate to be produced

 

[Dalua]

It's not available yet as far as I've found, I was looking at the version of the bill before it went into ping pong. Granted it's not the Act itself, but there's no reason they would have changed the commencement criteria.

Interestingly, the wording used here might well be OK.
46 Application of Firearms Acts to sound moderators etc
(1) The Firearms Act 1968 is amended as follows.
(2) After section 2 insert—
“2A Possession of a sound moderator or flash suppressor 5
(1) Subject to any exemption under this Act, it is an offence for a person
to have in their possession a relevant accessory unless the person holds
a firearm certificate or a shot gun certificate.
(2)
10
“Relevant accessory” means an accessory to a firearm to which section
1 applies which is designed or adapted to diminish the noise or flash
caused by firing the firearm.”

So, if we stick with the concept that a moderator is an accessory to a S1 firearm only when it is attached to one, then it seems to be saying that in order to possess lawfully a moderator attached to a S1 firearm, you must hold an FAC or SGC.

That being so, a moderator not attached to a S1 firearm is presumably just as freely-available in law as it was before - or perhaps a little more so, as there's no need to have it entered into a FAC 'slot'.

If (a big 'if', granted, since it applies to a change in firearms law) that is so, this might not be the potential disaster I imagined it might be.

 

[timbrayford]

If he doesn't have an FAC, the moderator becomes incriminating even if the illegal firearm isn't found. The moderator might also not be found, but becomes another liability.

Not so sure on that one, unless the mod is associated with an s1 firearm it might not be illegal, as in airgun etc. Burden of proof lying with the CPS and not the accused!

 

[timbrayford]

Interestingly, the wording used here might well be OK.
46 Application of Firearms Acts to sound moderators etc
(1) The Firearms Act 1968 is amended as follows.
(2) After section 2 insert—
“2A Possession of a sound moderator or flash suppressor 5
(1) Subject to any exemption under this Act, it is an offence for a person
to have in their possession a relevant accessory unless the person holds
a firearm certificate or a shot gun certificate.
(2)
10
“Relevant accessory” means an accessory to a firearm to which section
1 applies which is designed or adapted to diminish the noise or flash
caused by firing the firearm.”

So, if we stick with the concept that a moderator is an accessory to a S1 firearm only when it is attached to one, then it seems to be saying that in order to possess lawfully a moderator attached to a S1 firearm, you must hold an FAC or SGC.

That being so, a moderator not attached to a S1 firearm is presumably just as freely-available in law as it was before - or perhaps a little more so, as there's no need to have it entered into a FAC 'slot'.

If (a big 'if', granted, since it applies to a change in firearms law) that is so, this might not be the potential disaster I imagined it might be.

Precisely

 

[Klenchblaize]

Can't be doing with reading every reply on this thread so appoligies if the following has been put to bed:

Will the RFD - I'm assuming it can only be an RFD - that sells a defined CF rifle compliant sound moderator be required to document evey sale or is it simply to be that one slaps a valid Cert' on the sales counter before filling your boots with any number of cans with baffles??

K

 

[PMA]

Spoke to my FEO this week (renewal finally done !) he said they definitely coming off ticket but they’ve not been given a date yet !!

 

[Ste30.06]

Looks like they will come off ticket by end of May. Will still be an offence to have one if you don’t have a license though.

Update: Government tables legislation to deregulate sound moderators in Crime and Policing Bill

This welcome amendment will have the effect of alleviating police firearms licensing departments of a huge and unnecessary administrative burden, whilst allowing legitimate users of sound moderators to buy and sell them.

www.countryside-alliance.org

 

[cjm1066]

Thats dated February so the intention not the eventual legislation.

 

[Jamouk]

October I've been told