Commentary on Sections Part 5: Firearms Section 39: Prohibition of certain types of weapon
99.This section contains a ban on air weapons that use the self-contained gas cartridge system, which are vulnerable to conversion to fire conventional ammunition and have been increasingly used in gun crime. The section adds the weapons to section 5(1) of the 1968 Act, thereby making them prohibited weapons which cannot be possessed, purchased, acquired, manufactured, sold or transferred without the authority of the Secretary of State. Provision is made for existing owners of the weapons to retain possession, provided they obtain a firearms certificate from the police.
100.This section also creates an order making power that will enable the Secretary of State to prohibit or introduce other controls in respect of any air weapon which appears to him to be especially dangerous.