Firearms - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition firearms

Definition :

Firearms. This word comprises all sorts of guns, fowling-pieces, blunderbusses, pistols, etc. Their discharge in a street is penal.

A weapon that expels a projected (such as ballets or pallets) by combustion of gunpowder or other explosive, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th Edn.

For the purposes of the (English) Fire Arms Act, 1920 (10 & 11 Geo. 5, c. 43), 'firearm' means 'any lethal firearm or other weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged, or any part thereof, and the expression 'ammunition' means ammunition for any such firearms, and includes grenades, bombs, and other similar missiles, whether such missiles are capable of use with a firearm or not. The (English) Firearms Act, 1934 (24 & 25 Geo. 5, c. 16), amends the definition by including smoothbore shot gun, air gun, or air rifle and ammunition, if deemed a lethal weapon. A person under seventeen shall not purchase or hire, nor shall anyone sell to such person, a firearm or ammunition. A person under fourteen shall not have in his possession, use or carry, nor shall anyone lend to such person, a firearm or ammunition.

The manufacture, sale, etc., of weapons discharging noxious fluids is prohibited save by authority of Admiralty, Army or Air Council; see s. 6 of the 1920 Act, which Act also makes many more prohibitions and restrictions.

The (English) Firearms and Imitation Firearms (Criminal Uses) Act, 1933 (23 & 24 Geo. 5, c. 50), makes the use or attempted use of firearms or imitation firearms to avoid arrest punishable with a maximum of fourteen years penal servitude, and also for being in possession of such firearms or imitation firearms when arrested for committing certain offences (as set out in the schedule) is liable to a maximum penalty of seven years penal servitude. Both penalties are in addition to any penalty which may be imposed for the other Act for which the person was apprehended. A firearm or imitation firearm is also deemed an 'offensive weapon' for the purpose of the (English) Larceny Act, 1916.

The (English) Firearms (Amendment) Act, 1936 (26Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8, c. 39), defines firearm description from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged, and shall include any prohibited weapon, whether it is such a lethal weapon as aforesaid or not, any component part of any such lethal or prohibited weapon and any accessory to any such weapon designed or attempted to diminish the noise of flash caused by firing the weapon. See addenda; GUN; and STREET OFFENCES.