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Remembering that the UK is actually exactly what it says in the title, a UNITED kingdom of four countries, one part of which is actually separated by the Irish Sea and is the top end of the island of Ireland, I've decided to hit you with the skinny on the muzzleloading gun laws as they apply to those of us who live on the big island, known as Great Britain. It is made up of three parts of the UK - England, Scotland and Wales. All three share the UK Common laws on firearms - Northern Ireland has its own take on handgun ownership and sundry parts of licensing, but by and large it is the same.
First of all, to keep this aimed at the muzzleloading shooting sports, EVERY rifled muzzleloading firearm MUST be held on a Firearms Certificate, the FAC. A rifled firearm is called a Section 1 firearm. If it is a rifled barrel antique and you shoot it, it must be on your FAC. If you don't intend to shoot it, then it's an antique, but you are prohibited in law from ever shooting it until you have had the entry for it authorised on your FAC. Each and every live-firing modern-made replica muzzleloader with a rifled barrel is an FAC item. Every smooth-bore replica firearm with a barrel less than 24" is also a Section 1 firearm, and can only be obtained, and shot by an FAC holder. A smooth bore replica firearm with a barrel longer than 24" is classed as a shotgun. One shotgun certificate allows the holder to own any number of smoothbore guns whose barrels are over 24" long, with a bore up to 2".
No propellant, like Pyrodex or T7, needs a license to buy - just show your FAC. Black powder, however, is a Class 1 Explosive and you'll need an explosives' licence to buy it and to transport and hold it - up to 5kg in my county. This license is free.
There is a lot more to this, obviously, but remember that only the USA has the RKBA.
First of all, to keep this aimed at the muzzleloading shooting sports, EVERY rifled muzzleloading firearm MUST be held on a Firearms Certificate, the FAC. A rifled firearm is called a Section 1 firearm. If it is a rifled barrel antique and you shoot it, it must be on your FAC. If you don't intend to shoot it, then it's an antique, but you are prohibited in law from ever shooting it until you have had the entry for it authorised on your FAC. Each and every live-firing modern-made replica muzzleloader with a rifled barrel is an FAC item. Every smooth-bore replica firearm with a barrel less than 24" is also a Section 1 firearm, and can only be obtained, and shot by an FAC holder. A smooth bore replica firearm with a barrel longer than 24" is classed as a shotgun. One shotgun certificate allows the holder to own any number of smoothbore guns whose barrels are over 24" long, with a bore up to 2".
No propellant, like Pyrodex or T7, needs a license to buy - just show your FAC. Black powder, however, is a Class 1 Explosive and you'll need an explosives' licence to buy it and to transport and hold it - up to 5kg in my county. This license is free.
There is a lot more to this, obviously, but remember that only the USA has the RKBA.
