Air guns and blank-firing guns under licence ambit
NO LICENCE WAS EARLIER REQUIRED FOR OWNING AIR GUNS AND AIR RIFLES AND EVEN TOY SHOPS COULD SELL THESE
In a country where British-influenced gun ownership laws make owning arms prohibitive, inconveniencing even legal licence holders, the Centre has brought under the ambit of licence air rifles, blank firing guns (used in films) and battery-powered batons that deliver a shock.
On July 15, the Union home ministry brought into force the Arms Rules, 2016, through a gazette notification made getting a firearm licence under the existing Indian Arms Act of 1959 more difficult.
The move has come as a shock to gun owners, dealers and manufacturers of air guns. Members of gun dealers’ associations in several states told HT they may move court. The attempt to impose restrictions on air rifles is being viewed as a move influenced by animal rights activists and sustained campaign by women and child development minister BJP leader Maneka Gandhi.
While no licence was earlier required for owning air guns and air rifles and even toy shops could sell these, the new rules say manufacturing and selling air rifles will require a specific licence under the Arms Act. Also, licence will be required for any air rifle generating more than 20 joules of energy. Though air rifles of .177 caliber — this is standard caliber or bore for all national and international competitions — will not require licence, the restriction on energy (20 joules) will apply to these as well. Air rifles of bigger caliber such as .22 (5.5 mm) will be brought under licence regime and the energy restriction will apply as well.
“The order on air rifles is strange. One can use a chronograph to measure the velocity of a pellet fired from an air rifle. But while buying an air rifle, how will one measure the energy without sophisticated equipment? As far as some of the other rules are concerned, I welcome the move to increase quota of ammunition for competitive shooters at all levels,” renowned shooter and Olympian, Joydeep Karmakar, told HT.