Section 11: Sports, athletics and other approved activities.

Firearms Act 1968 · 1968 c.27

Part I: Provisions as to Possession, Handling and Distribution of Weapons and Ammunition; Prevention of Crime and Measures to Protect Public Safety

11(1)

A person carrying a firearm , ammunition or a relevant accessory belonging to another person holding a certificate under this Act may, without himself holding such a certificate, have in his possession that firearm , ammunition or relevant accessory under instructions from, and for the use of, that other person for sporting purposes only ; but where the person carrying the firearm , ammunition or relevant accessory is under the age of eighteen, this subsection applies only if the other person is of or over the age of eighteen.

11(2)

A person of or over the age of eighteen may, without holding a certificate, have a firearm in his possession at an athletic meeting for the purpose of starting races at that meeting.

11(3)

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11(3A)

Subsection (4) applies to a person at a relevant rifle range or shooting gallery who is not the operator of the range or gallery.

11(4)

The person may, without holding a certificate, have in their possession—

(a) a miniature rifle, ...

(b) ammunition for a miniature rifle, and

(c) a relevant accessory,

provided by the operator of the range or gallery.

11(4A)

In this section—

  • “miniature rifle” means a rifle chambered for .22 rim-fire cartridges;

  • “operator” means the person conducting or carrying on the relevant rifle range or shooting gallery;

  • “relevant rifle range or shooting gallery” means a rifle range or shooting gallery at which no firearms are used other than air weapons or miniature rifles.

11(5)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11(6)

A person may, without holding a shot gun certificate, use a shot gun at a time and place approved for shooting at artificial targets by the chief officer of police for the area in which that place is situated.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.