{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firearms-act-1968/section-57A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firearms-act-1968/section-57A.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1968/27",
  "legislation_title": "Firearms Act 1968",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firearms-act-1968",
  "path": "section/57A",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "57A",
  "heading": "Exception for airsoft guns",
  "text": "(1) An “airsoft gun” is not to be regarded as a firearm for the purposes of this Act.\n(2) An “airsoft gun” is a barrelled weapon of any description which—\n(a) is designed to discharge only a small plastic missile (whether or not it is also capable of discharging any other kind of missile), and\n(b) is not capable of discharging a missile (of any kind) with kinetic energy at the muzzle of the weapon that exceeds the permitted level.\n(3) “Small plastic missile” means a missile that—\n(a) is made wholly or partly from plastics,\n(b) is spherical, and\n(c) does not exceed 8 millimetres in diameter.\n(4) The permitted kinetic energy level is—\n(a) in the case of a weapon which is capable of discharging two or more missiles successively without repeated pressure on the trigger, 1.3 joules;\n(b) in any other case, 2.5 joules.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 57A inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 2.5.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), ss. 125(5), 183(1)(5)(e); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 4(b)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/27/section/57A",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:54:25.041392+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}