Found Air pistol

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

I found a Webley junior air pistol while clearing my deceased Dad's garage. I'd say it's from the 1950's.

Do I need to call the Guards to collect it?

2011

If you do that you will never see it again. Maybe that doesn’t bother you. First thing you must decide is whether you want to keep it or not. Maybe it has sentimental value?

Alternatively you could drop it into a registered firearms dealer and apply for a license on it. You will only get a license if you meet a number of requirements and jump thorough several hoops. It may not be worth it.

Cass

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Do I need to call the Guards to collect it?

That is up to you, but you have options. Ringing the Gardaí and telling them you have a gun, well put it this way, can you livestream it so we can all watch?

The gun is, and only by the thinnest margins, an actual gun under the law. A single shot, low powered, air pistol that were it a little less powerful would be considered a toy.

You can have An Gardaí collect it, you can drop it into the station (make sure to take it slowly, explain yourself very well before producing it so as not to get rugby tackled by the dude behind the counter, and leave it in whatever carrier you're using and let the Garda unwrap it), or alternatively you can, as said above, drop it into an RFD (Registered Firearm Dealer).

The RFD route is the best option. It gives you more options such as :

• Getting the gun out of your possession.
• Having it stored safely and legally until you license it.
• Having it stored until it sells (an RFD can sell it for you without you needing to license it)

If you decide you want to keep it you need to apply for a gun license. This is an easy, but can be somewhat long, process however there are other factors. Such as a gun safe. You need one for a pistol. Now it can be a small safe but with the safe, the license fee (€80) and then you have to show "Good reason" why you want the pistol (which is target shooting so you have to join a range which may cost hundreds per year) its a lot of money if you have zero interest in shooting.

If you already hunt/shoot then you know the process and the costs involved may be less as you'll have had to meet most of the criteria already. If not it'll be expensive.

So the first question is do you want to take up shooting, if you don't already do it?

Are you prepared for the costs (guesstimate of about €450 - €750) to be legally compliant).

If you answer no to both then store it in an RFD's, sell it, and save yourself the hassle.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Thanks very much for your help. As you can probably tell I have no knowledge regarding shooting whatsoever.

I've no interest in the pistol at all and I'd like to sell it, so will have to find an RFD - if you have any RFD recommendations I'd appreciate if you'd let me know by PM. I'm located in North Dublin.

Cass

You can find a list of Dublin based RFDs here.

Make sure you explain that the pistol was found and you need it stored, even short term, because legally you're not even allowed to possess it without a license and that means just having it in your house, let lone your hand.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Thanks all. Do you think anyone would buy this as a collector? I've seen a few for sale in the UK. Suppose it's worth a try!

clivej

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Thanks all. Do you think anyone would buy this as a collector? I've seen a few for sale in the UK. Suppose it's worth a try!

Can you post a photo or 2 of the air pistol. I had one myself many, many years ago.

Cass

You've nothing to lose, but first step is get it out of your possession.

cookimonster

If your in Dublin Northside, contact-

https://www.sportsman.ie/ - based in Finglas

or give Ivan a shout in Top Gun Sports @ 0419842225, he may be able to tell you if there is a market for it.

Grizzly 45

clivej wrote: »

Can you post a photo or 2 of the air pistol. I had one myself many, many years ago.

I'd agree,some of those Webley air pistols are worth a few quid these days depending on condition and model. There are folks in the UK who just collect Webly firearms so you never know...

Cass

Seems there are a few for sale in the UK all around the £225 mark.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

photos attached and instructions

Munsterlad102

Just a couple of things to consider regarding applying for a firearms license for this air pistol. You can only get a license for an air pistol chambered in .177, so if your air pistol is chambered in say .22 you couldn’t get a license for it. Also the pistol isn’t functional you could get written permission from your local Garda Superintendent or Chief Superintendent to keep it, depending on the caliber.

tudderone

Whatever happens resist the urge to clean it up. Just oil it and wrap it in a rag. Some of those older Webleys are collectable, they are quality, not the pot metal and plastic muck you see now days.

BattleCorp

Munsterlad102 wrote: »

JYou can only get a license for an air pistol chambered in .177, so if your air pistol is chambered in say .22 you couldn’t get a license for it.

Why can't you get a licence for a .22 air pistol? Genuine question. Is it restricted?

Edit. Just looked it up. Apparently it is restricted.

tudderone

BattleCorp wrote: »

Why can't you get a licence for a .22 air pistol? Genuine question. Is it restricted?

Edit. Just looked it up. Apparently it is restricted.

Yeah, it would be a real danger to the public safety, if someone kicked off with one of those

BattleCorp

tudderone wrote: »

Yeah, it would be a real danger to the public safety, if someone kicked off with one of those

There really are some dumb firearms laws.

tudderone

BattleCorp wrote: »

There really are some dumb firearms laws.

A 6ft/lb .22 pellet ................thats a spicey meatball ! You could have someones eye out !

cookimonster

tudderone wrote: »

A 6ft/lb .22 pellet ................thats a spicey meatball ! You could have someones eye out !

....and that is why they introduced licences for air rifles back in the day.:(

tudderone

cookimonster wrote: »

....and that is why they introduced licences for air rifles back in the day.:(

All a bit ott. You should be able to hold a sub-6 ft/lb air pistol on a supers authorisation.

Munsterlad102

BattleCorp wrote: »

Why can't you get a licence for a .22 air pistol? Genuine question. Is it restricted?

Edit. Just looked it up. Apparently it is restricted.

Yep, I don't know what makes it more dangerous than a .177 air pistol but that's the government for you.

BattleCorp

I'm not saying that anybody should be able to get a .22 air pistol without a licence, absolutely not; but to have them classed as a restricted firearm is crazy.

I know they aren't exactly the same size but it doesn't make sense to me that someone can licence a .22 lr pistol but can't licence a .22 air pistol as it's a restricted short firearm in the same category as a 9mm handgun. Madness.

Cass

BattleCorp wrote: »

Why can't you get a licence for a .22 air pistol? Genuine question. Is it restricted?

Edit. Just looked it up. Apparently it is restricted.

BattleCorp wrote: »

I'm not saying that anybody should be able to get a .22 air pistol without a licence, absolutely not; but to have them classed as a restricted firearm is crazy.
Madness.

I know you said you found it out, but it pays to read the laws carefully. SI21/2008 and even SI 337/2009 make it crystal clear that only .177 pistols and .22lr ones can be licensed because anything else is restricted and they cannot be licensed anymore.

Same madness that makes this a restricted firearm:

JP22

tudderone wrote: »

Whatever happens resist the urge to clean it up. Just oil it and wrap it in a rag. Some of those older Webleys are collectable, they are quality, not the pot metal and plastic muck you see now days.

As Tudderone stated, those old Webly Juniors were well made back in the day when craftmanship was admired, some are now collectable.

I would love to own it but for what it is am not going to jump through all the hoops and red tape. Smother it in oil and wrap in an oiled cloth, someone will want it and love it. Shame to see old craftmanship going under the chopping block though.

Grizzly 45

Even better ,it still has [more or less] the original instructions to it as well that adds to their value. Bad news is, because of the rust on it,it has dropped in value.:(
As said previously,dose it in oil[NOT WD40 or anything of the like], wrap it in a cotton cloth and get it into a gun dealer and decide what you want to do with it from there.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

OK thanks folks. Is 3 in 1 oil ok or do I need something peculiar?

BattleCorp

Cass wrote: »

I know you said you found it out, but it pays to read the laws carefully. SI21/2008 and even SI 337/2009 make it crystal clear that only .177 pistols and .22lr ones can be licensed because anything else is restricted and they cannot be licensed anymore.

I read the laws carefully. That's how I found it out. And agreed, pure madness.

Mississippi.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

OK thanks folks. Is 3 in 1 oil ok or do I need something peculiar?

Yeah 3 in 1 is a light machine oil.
It is safe enough

Cass

BattleCorp wrote: »

I read the laws carefully.

That wasn't an attempt to be patronizing, just fyi.