news | sportsman's association Sportsman's Association News July 2015 By Mike Wells, General Secretary WE TEST THE LAW ou may recall that Judge does not rotate upon firing three years ago The Armsel Striker/Protecta whereas the Striker does. I asked readers shotgun with stock folded to be the judge Load of bull onY the following case of I was asked to supply a Taurus a Taurus Judge smooth Judge 5 shot revolver that I believe bore .410 5 shot revolver. to be a Section 5 (1)(aba) Some of you may be handgun, and NOT a Section 5(1) aware that the firearms act (ad) as the Home Office claim. The allows for the grant of a .410 purchaser’s certificate issued by or 9mm rimfire shot pistol for Kent Police clearly stated that to the destruction of vermin and acquire or possess one five shot pests. The reason for the grant .410 revolver. I had the Judge in was because in confined areas stock so I completed the sale and such as barns and outbuildings notified Kent police of my it was deemed safer and more transaction to their certificate convenient than a section 2 holder. shotgun. Single and double I must point out that I had barrelled shot pistol are written to the Home Office with prohibited section 5 handguns, our legal opinion as to the status as they are less than 60cm in of the Taurus Judge. As usual I was length but provided you can greeted by the Government ‘Wall demonstrate good reason, your Taurus Judge is a conventional revolver of silence’. I got no reply to my Firearms Enquiry Team should grant you a where the cylinder is locked upon firing, it numerous emails. shot pistol on a section 1 Firearms Certificate. only rotates upon cocking, or when the I was advised that I should not have Note that the weapon is still Section 5, and if trigger is pulled in double action. In my view made the sale as this ‘grey area’ was under you wanted to dispose of it you would have it is clearly a section 5(1)(aba) and is in no investigation. I prepared myself for my third to go through a Section 5 dealer. way caught by section 5(1)(ad). The only arrest. revolver I can think of that rotates upon firing Some weeks later my customer advised What goes around is the Webley Fosberry, and the Judge is not me that he had been visited by a Kent A quantity of Taurus Judge revolvers one of those. firearms officer requesting that he surrender chambered for .410 shot shells and smooth Owners of the Taurus Judge have had the Judge on the grounds that they thought bored were imported two years ago. The them confiscated, awaiting legal opinion. it was a “revolver gun”. My customer, Taurus Judge is a conventional revolver with a We have made a video of the two incidentally a Sportsman’s Association cylinder to accommodate five rounds. Well firearms, and they are clearly different as the member refused, and got on the blower to the police did their usual knee-jerk and have me. He advised me that it looked as if we tried to say they were illegal as a shot pistol were both to be prosecuted, even though as they fell foul of the Firearms act as a Kent had authorised the acquisition of a 5 section 5(1)(ad). It is not a section 5(1)(aba) shot .410 revolver. Twelve months later the handgun; I say rubbish. The act states that a Kent Firearms officer visited our member to revolver gun is a firearm where the cylinder or advise him that he could keep the Judge; drum rotates upon firing. This applies to the no explanation was offered, the officer was South African Armsel Striker, also known as somewhat dismissive, inferring he shouldn’t the Protecta. The rotary drum magazine has a don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. spring which is wound, and the drum loaded Our legal expert concluded that the with 12 shotgun cartridges in 12 gauge. In Home Office and the Crown Prosecution essence it a quick-firing semi-auto shotgun for Service had second thoughts, bowing to use against insurgents – once fired the drum Mike Wells with the Judge .410 the Sportsman’s Associations superior rotates and ejects the spent cartridge. The shotgun/revolver knowledge in the matter of this firearm. 36 july 2015 | GUN MART View hundreds more gun reviews online at www.gunmart.net.