Legal Definition and Related Resources of Firearm

Guns or pistols or any weapon froir which any shot, bullet or any other missile can be discharged and that is capable o: causing serious bodily injury or death to a person and includes any frame or receiver of such a barrelled weapon, anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm.

Browse or run a search for Firearm in the American Encyclopedia of Law, the Asian Encyclopedia of Law, the European Encyclopedia of Law, the UK Encyclopedia of Law or the Latin American and Spanish Encyclopedia of Law.

Firearm in Historical Law

You might be interested in the historical meaning of this term. Browse or search for Firearm in Historical Law in the Encyclopedia of Law.

Search for legal acronyms and/or abbreviations containing Firearm in the Legal Abbreviations and Acronyms Dictionary.

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Mentioned in these terms

Ammunition, Ballistics.

Antique firearm in Law Enforcement

Main Entry: Law Enforcement in the Legal Dictionary. This section provides, in the context of Law Enforcement, a partial definition of antique firearm.

Resources

See Also

• Law Enforcement Officer
• Police Officer
• Law Enforcement Agency

Further Reading

• antique firearm in A Dictionary of Law Enforcement (Oxford University Press)
• antique firearm in the Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement
• A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis

Firearm in Law Enforcement

Main Entry: Law Enforcement in the Legal Dictionary. This section provides, in the context of Law Enforcement, a partial definition of firearm.

Resources

See Also

• Law Enforcement Officer
• Police Work
• Law Enforcement Agency

Further Reading

• firearm in A Dictionary of Law Enforcement (Oxford University Press)
• firearm in the Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement
• A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis

English Legal System: Firearm

In the context of the English law, A Dictionary of Law provides the following legal concept of Firearm :

For the purposes of the Firearms Act 1968, any potentially lethal weapon with a barrel that can fire a shot, bullet, or other missile or any weapon classified as a *prohibited weapon (even if it is not lethal). The Act creates various offences in relation to firearms. The main offences include: (1) buying or possessing a firearm without a licence; (2) buying or hiring a firearm under the age of 17 or selling a firearm to someone under 17 (similar offences exist under the Crossbows Act 1987 in relation to crossbows); (3) possessing a firearm under the age of 14; (4) supplying firearms to someone who is drunk or insane; (5) carrying a firearm and suitable ammunition in a public place without a reasonable excuse; (6) trespassing with a firearm; (7) possessing a firearm with the intention of endangering life; (8) using a firearm with the intention of resisting or preventing a lawful arrest; (9) having a firearm with the intention of resisting or preventing a lawful arrest; (9) having a firearm with the intention of committing an indictable offence; (10) possessing a firearm or ammunition after having previously been convicted of a crime; and (11) having a firearm in one’s possession at the time of committing or being arrested for such offences as rape, burglary, robbery, and certain other offences. The Firearms Act 1982 extends the provisions of the 1968 Act to imitation firearms that can be easily converted to firearms and a 1988 Act strengthened controls over some of the more dangerous types of firearms, shotguns, and ammunitio The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 bans all handguns above .22 calibre. The public may own and use less powerful pistols in secure gun clubs. The pistols may not be removed from the clubs without prior permission of the police. The Act also provided for the establishment of licensed gun clubs, tightened police licensing procedures, and introduced stronger police powers to suspend or revoke certificates. Anyone who uses a handgun must have a licence. The police have powers to revoke certificates when good reasons for possessing the gun no longer exist. Illegal possession of a prohibited weapon carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. The government proposes to extend the ban to include all privately owned handguns; legislation is expected to be in force by the end of 1997. Under the Theft Act 1968 someone who has with him a firearm or imitation firearm while committing *burglary is guilty of aggravated burglary. For the purposes of this Act, a firearm may include an airgun, air pistol, or anything that looks like a firearm.

See also offensive weapon; repeat offender.

Any weapon that is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive.

Firearm means, in Spanish, “arma de fuego” or “fusil”. Execute by firearm or (informal) shoot means, in Spanish, “fusilar”.