Energy comparison – advice for firerarms enquiry officers

The Home Office guidance document ‘Firearms Law: Guidance to the Police 2002’ provides a table at chapter 13.15 (page 77) to assist with judging the suitability of rifle cartridge chamberings for certain quarry.

The common link between the various cartridges is the four energy/quarry species bandings. By necessity, the examples given in the guidance are  brief. Therefore, the following table has been compiled to extend those examples. It is not intended to be a definitive list, but merely to provide simple and basic extension to the information at 13.15.

The examples are primarily taken from Barnes 11^th edition of Cartridges of the World. Most current cartridges in America, Britain and Europe have been provided. Examples of a larger number of British obsolete cartridges have been included as they may still be seen from time to time. Obsolete American and European cartridges are not covered to the same  extent. A number of military chamberings have also been included where they may have an application for live quarry.

The list contained in ‘Firearms Law: Guidance to the Police 2002’ at page 77 should not be used in an arbitrary way; this document may be used more as an extended information source to assist with decision-making.

The energy bandings used are taken from the maximum and minimum figures shown by Barnes. There will be many other loadings, both  commercial and hand loaded which may or may not extend the examples given and in cases of confusion the applicant should be in a position to provide the relevant information. However, it should be noted that reloading data is NOT an indication of how a particular load will perform in any particular rifle. There are many variables which come into play and if there is any doubt, it may be appropriate for police licensing staff to ask the certificate holder to provide some evidence, which would assist in making a final decision.

It is also important to remember that there are a number of instances where the energy levels span two bandings i.e. either side of ballistic minima prescribed in law e.g. the Deer Acts.

It is also important that the extended table below should be read in conjunction with  the whole of Chapter 13, but in particular, paragraphs, 13.15, 13.17, 13.23, 13.25, 13.29, 13.32, 13.34 and 13.35.

It is critical to use Chapter 13 in ‘Firearms Law: Guidance to the Police 2002’ as a guide for the ‘initial reason’ the firearm is sought. The “No’s” in the chart on page 77 do not prohibit calibres from being utilised on smaller species.

Where larger rifles are sought to shoot smaller species, once initial good reason has been demonstrated, secondary quarry species should be allowed. Such applications may be perceived to be outside the realms of Page 77’s chart; however, the primary concern for licensing staff should be whether the calibre is  capable of achieving a humane dispatch of the quarry species concerned. Chapter 13.14 and 13.22 of ‘Firearms Law: Guidance to the Police 2002’ explains about dealing with reasonable eventualities in detail.

Additionally, energy levels may need to be adequate for a particular legal requirement. Remember that, in particular, bullet weight and velocity (in Scotland) and minimum calibre (in England and Wales) also need to be taken into account where deer are the intended quarry.