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Tackling replica guns

Tackling replica firearms is one of the five strands of Safer Streets, a Thames Valley Police public campaign to make it safer to live and socialise in Thames Valley.

This strand of Safer Streets aims to:

• Reduce the possession and use of replica or ‘imitation’ firearms.
• Reduce the number of firearms incidents in Thames Valley involving replica firearms.
• Increase awareness, especially among young people and their parents, of the dangers of being in possession of or using a replica firearm in public. Male teenagers aged between 14 and 17 are the age group that is most often caught in possession of an imitation gun or ball-bearing (BB) gun in a public place.

What are ‘replica guns’?

A replica firearm is described as anything that has the appearance of a firearm, including ball bearing (BB) guns and some toy guns.

• It is difficult to tell the difference between a real firearm and a replica firearm. Firearms officers are seriously concerned that they could end up shooting somebody who is carrying a replica firearm.
• Firearms officers’ time is being wasted by attending incidents involving replica firearms. This means that they could be unavailable to help people who are at genuine risk from a real firearm.
• Please help us to keep your communities safe, by keeping BB and replica firearms off our streets.

How you can help – for parents and teachers

• Never buy your child a BB or replica gun – anything that has the appearance of a real firearm. You could put their life at risk and they could end up with a criminal record if they take that item into a public place.
• Read ‘Ball bearing (BB) guns and imitation firearms – a guide for parents (PDF 187 Kb - opens new window)’. This guide has been produced by Thames Valley Police.
• Watch the ‘Worlds Collide (opens new window)’ film, produced by Thames Valley Police. This film warns people about the dangers of having a BB gun or replica firearm.
• Download the ‘Worlds Collide Resource Pack (PDF 144 Kb - opens new window)’ which goes with the film and the 'Worlds Collide notes (PDF 553 Kb - opens new window)' for teachers.
• If you are a parent with a child who owns a ball bearing (BB) gun or replica firearm, make sure that you and your child are aware of what the law says. More importantly, make sure that your child is aware that, if they go out in public with the item, they could end up being shot by a firearms officer because it is difficult to tell the difference between a real firearm and a replica firearm.

What the law says

• You must be aged 18 to purchase or hire an air weapon, including some of the more powerful ball bearing (BB) guns. This also applies to ammunition for an air weapon.
• You must be aged 18 to sell an air weapon, let one on hire or make a gift of an air weapon.
• Carrying an air weapon (and this includes some BB guns) in a public place is an offence unless you have a ‘reasonable excuse’. An example of a ‘reasonable excuse’ is that you are taking the item home – but you would need to prove this. The maximum penalty for this offence is up to 12 months in prison.
• It is an offence for anyone to fire an air weapon beyond the boundary of any premises without consent from the person whose land you are firing over or into. You could face a £1,000 fine if you commit this offence.
• It is an offence to make, import or sell a realistic replica firearm. If found guilty of any of these crimes, you could face a prison term or a large fine. A realistic replica firearm is one that is so good only an expert or a person who examined it very closely would know that it wasn’t a real firearm.
• It is an offence to sell a replica firearm to someone under the age of 18. It is also an offence for someone under 18 to buy a replica firearm.