Slow brain day

[cyclone]

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This is going to be an easy and often-asked question, so please be patient with me on it (and yes, I did try searching: it's just not my day for mental sharpness)...


The "fps & joules" test for air guns: do both the fps & the joules limits need to be exceeded for a license to be required?


Again, rather embarrassed to ask, but I'm hoping there's a gentle response - thanks in advance.

 

[skwerl]

More than 495 fps = licence

 

[05RAV]

More than 495 fps = licence

Wrong.
More than 500fps (152.4m/s) or more than 5.7J at the muzzle=licence. In other words, if an airgun shoots over 500fps but not over 5.7J then it's still deemed not to be a firearm.

Sec. 84 (3) Criminal Code: For the purposes of sections 91 to 95, 99 to 101, 103 to 107 and 117.03 of this Act and the provisions of the Firearms Act, the following weapons are deemed not to be firearms:
(d) any other barrelled weapon, where it is proved that the weapon is not designed or adapted to discharge
(i) a shot, bullet or other projectile at a muzzle velocity exceeding 152.4 m per second or at a muzzle energy exceeding 5.7 Joules, or
(ii) a shot, bullet or other projectile that is designed or adapted to attain a velocity exceeding 152.4 m per second or an energy exceeding 5.7 Joules.

 

[trevj]

Hmmm... They changed the writing of that then, IIRC.

The Joules requirement came about as a result of a lot of Corporations like C-Tire and Sears, being on the hook for selling illegal Restricted/Prohib Firearms, as a result of the lightweight 'super speed' pellets, that advertised as being "Up to 30 percent faster!" and the like.
Put those in a 495 fps Crosman pistol, and you had a illegal Restricted!

So they added the Joules limit in addition to the Velocity one, and IIRC, the Law stated that in order to become a firearm under the Act, it had to exceed BOTH the Velocity and Joules limit, but if it was over the Velocity limit but under the Joules limit, it was fine.

Which in exaggerated terms, meant if they clocked your gun shooting a styrofoam bead at 1000fps, it was fine, as long as the Joules limit was not exceeded.

The wording I recall stated that you had to exceed BOTH to be on the wrong side of the Law.

The example that I often used was that it was legal to shoot bowling balls, at 499FPS, but not legal to shoot a .177 pellet at 501fps.

 

[handofzeus]

And remember that all of those well calculated numbers go out the window if your activity with said airgun is deemed a crime.Commit a crime with any airgun and it is automatically deemed a firearm and your punishment will henceforth carry the weight of such a ruling. Say "stick-em-up" while holding a 50 year old Daisy bb gun that doesn't work and you might as well be holding a smuggled UZI with armour piercing ammo in 500round drum mags. In the eyes of the law they are one in the same.

 

[garmic]

Crosman doesnt make a 495fps pistol, just saying.

 

[grauhanen]

The issue of fps vs energy came about as a result of sub-500 fps airguns, which don't require a PAL, being used with ultra light pellets. The non-lead, alloy ultra light pellets are lighter, often around 5 - 5.5 grains, and can produce in MVs above 500 fps in non-PAL airguns.

While the 500 fps is exceeded, the energy level remains relatively low and the airgun remains non-PAL.

Below are examples of ultra light pellets, both varieites weighing in the mid-5 grain range.

 

[trevj]

Crosman doesnt make a 495fps pistol, just saying.

Seen enough 2240's pushing well into PAL speeds to call bull on that.

1377, and 1322's as well.

When this was an 'issue', ALL airguns that were capable of over 500fps were supposed to be registered as Firearms, so all those 2289 carbines (essentially a 1322 with a longer barrel and new clothes) were illegally sold "Firearms" under the laws at the time.

The Politicians quickly rewrote the Laws so that their Corporate contributors would not be on the hook for illegally selling thousands of illegal firearms to their customers.