Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988

25 Interpretation and supplementary provisions

(1) In this Act “the principal Act” means the [1968 c. 27.] Firearms Act 1968 and any expression which is also used in that Act has the same meaning as in that Act.

(2) In section 57 of the principal Act (definitions) after subsection (2) there shall be inserted—

“(2A) In this Act “self-loading” and “pump-action” in relation to any weapon mean respectively that it is designed or adapted (otherwise than as mentioned in section 5(1)(a)) so that it is automatically re-loaded or that it is so designed or adapted that it is re-loaded by the manual operation of the fore-end or forestock of the weapon.

(2B) In this Act “revolver”, in relation to a smooth-bore gun, means a gun containing a series of chambers which revolve when the gun is fired.”

(3) In section 57(4) of the principal Act after the definition of “registered” there shall be inserted—

““rifle” includes carbine;”.

(4) Any reference in the principal Act to a person who is by virtue of that Act entitled to possess, purchase or acquire any weapon or ammunition without holding a certificate shall include a reference to a person who is so entitled by virtue of any provision of this Act.

(5) Sections 46, 51(4) and 52 of the principal Act (powers of search, time-limit for prosecutions and forfeiture and cancellation orders on conviction) shall apply also to offences under this Act except that on the conviction of a person for an offence under the Schedule to this Act no order shall be made for the forfeiture of anything in his possession for the purposes of the museum in question.

(6) Sections 53 to 56 and section 58 of the principal Act (rules, Crown application, service of notices and savings) shall have effect as if this Act were contained in that Act.

(7) The provisions of this Act other than sections 15 and 17 shall be treated as contained in the principal Act for the purposes of the [1982 c. 31.] Firearms Act 1982 (imitation firearms readily convertible into firearms to which section 1 of the principal Act applies).