S.I. No. 21/2008 - Firearms (Restricted Firearms and Ammunition) Order 2008

S.I. No. 21 of 2008

FIREARMS (RESTRICTED FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION) ORDER 2008

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 15th February, 2008.

I, BRIAN LENIHAN, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 2B (inserted by section 29 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 (No. 26 of 2006)) of the Firearms Act 1925 (No. 17 of 1925), hereby make the following order:

1. This Order may be cited as the Firearms (Restricted Firearms and Ammunition) Order 2008.

2. This Order comes into operation on 1 May 2008.

3. (1) In this Order—

“Act” means the Firearms Act 1925 (No. 17 of 1925);

“accelerator or sabot ammunition” means ammunition containing a projectile enclosed in a sleeve that is discarded after discharge;

“assault rifles” means—

(a) rifles capable of functioning as semi-automatic firearms and as automatic firearms,

(b) firearms that resemble such rifles;

“bullpup rifles” means rifles with a magazine located behind the trigger;

“centre-fire firearms” means firearms using centre-fire percussion ammunition;

“centre-fire percussion ammunition” means ammunition containing a percussion cap;

“long firearms” means firearms other than short firearms;

“repeating firearms” means firearms that are loaded and reloaded from a magazine or cylinder by a manually-operated mechanism;

“rim-fire firearms” means firearms using rim-fire percussion ammunition;

“rim-fire percussion ammunition” means ammunition with a cartridge case not containing a percussion cap;

“semi-automatic firearms” means firearms that reload automatically from a magazine or cylinder each time a round is discharged but can fire not more than one round with a single pull on the trigger;

“short firearms” means firearms either with a barrel not longer than 30 centimetres or whose overall length (including the length of any detachable component) does not exceed 60 centimetres;

“silencers”, in relation to firearms, means any devices fitted or capable of being fitted to the firearms for the purpose of moderating or reducing the sound made on their discharge;

“single-shot firearms” means firearms that are loaded before each shot either manually or by a manually-operated mechanism;

“slug ammunition” means ammunition containing a single projectile.

4. (1) Firearms other than those to which subparagraph (2) relates are declared to be restricted firearms for the purposes of the Act:

(2) This subparagraph relates to the following firearms:

(a) single-shot or repeating short firearms capable of discharging only blank ammunition;

(b) shotguns manufactured, adapted or modified so as to render them incapable of containing more than 3 cartridges, but not to shotguns—

(i) with a detached, folding or telescopic stock, or

(ii) with a pistol grip, or

(iii) whose barrel is less than 60.9 centimetres (24 inches) in length;

(c) the following long firearms (not being assault rifles or bullpup rifles):

(i) single-shot or repeating rifled centre-fire firearms of a calibre not exceeding 7.62 millimetres (.308 inch) and whose overall length is greater than 90 centimetres,

(ii) single-shot, repeating or semi-automatic rim-fire firearms designed to fire rim-fire percussion ammunition and with a magazine having a capacity of not more than 10 rounds,

(iii) air-operated rifled or smoothbore firearms;

(d) silencers capable of being used only with long rifled rim-fire firearms;

(e) the following short firearms designed for use in connection with competitions governed by International Olympic Committee regulations:

(i) air-operated firearms of 4.5 millimetres (.177 inch) calibre,

(ii) firearms using .22 inch rim-fire percussion ammunition.

5. The following ammunition is declared to be restricted ammunition for the purposes of the Act:

(a) ammunition with penetrating, explosive or incendiary projectiles and projectiles for such ammunition;

(b) slug ammunition for shotguns;

(c) accelerator or sabot ammunition;

(d) grenades, bombs and other similar missiles, whether capable or not capable of being used with a firearm, including explosive military missiles and launchers;

(e) ammunition for short firearms, except ammunition for any of those mentioned in subparagraph (2)(a) or (2)(e) of paragraph 4;

(f) any other ammunition designed or manufactured for use exclusively in a restricted firearm;

(g) ammunition for a prohibited weapon.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

12 February 2008

BRIAN LENIHAN.

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.