Offensive Weapons Act 2019 – New prohibitions

Published on:
May 16, 2019

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New prohibitions

The Offensive Weapons Bill was granted Royal Assent today, 16 May 2019, and is now an Act of Parliament. The Act introduces new prohibitions under the Firearms Act 1968 on certain rapid-firing rifles, including lever release and MARS rifles.

Prohibited “rapid firing rifles” are those with a chamber from which empty cartridge cases are extracted using (i) energy from propellant gas, or (ii) energy imparted to a spring or other energy storage device by propellant gas,

other than a rifle which is chambered for .22 rim-fire cartridges.

The prohibitions come into force with effect from today, 16 May 2019, to the extent that they prohibit the manufacture, sale, transfer or acquisition of such weapons.  The prohibition on possession will come into force at a later date, following the completion of the surrender and compensation arrangements.

Compensation and surrender arrangements

Sections 56 to 59 of the 2019 Act set out the surrender and compensation arrangements which must be followed before the prohibition on the possession of the above weapons can come into force.  The arrangements are subject to secondary legislation before they can come into force. The Home Office will publish details on the arrangements for applying for compensation in due course, to include who can apply for compensation, how they can apply, timescales for applications, what information owners need to supply to evidence ownership, and surrender arrangements.

Further information / clarification may follow once we have studied the full text of the Act when it has been published.

Andrew Mercer

Group Chief Executive & Secretary General