Replacing lost de-act certificates

**severin** · 08-23-2015, 09:02 PM

I recently worked at a Police Station alongside two firearms officers and asked about certs.
This was as I am sure you can imagine a long conversation!
The up shot, no pun intended was where ever they were in any doubt take the guns first last and always.
So best practice, belts and braces so to speak get the cert and leave them in no doubt.
Still doesn't really help, if an officer thinks it's been mucked about with all the proof stamps and certs in the world won't help.
Jonathan.

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 08-24-2015, 11:48 AM

Now lets just suppose that you had a pre-95 Mp40 smg which has genuine proof-house stamps, and you have lost the deactivation certificate. You know it isn't an offence to own the gun without the certificate - as the law does accept that they do go missing from time to time. So you decide to re-submit the gun to the proof-house to get a replacement... They weld it solid to meet the current specs, and you walk away with your Mp40 and certificate - and a considerable amount of money knocked off the value. Would you really do that when there is no legal requirement to do so?

**severin** · 08-24-2015, 11:53 AM

Mr Mole,

I know what I would done with that Mp40, nothing!

**Jerry B** · 08-24-2015, 11:53 AM

by Gunny Hartmann

I read somewhere that a new spec deactivation costs about £100.

Thanks Paul.

Quite a chunk of a guns value to get it deact!

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 08-24-2015, 12:13 PM

When you compare the price of an SMLE in working order to that of what that has been chopped, there can be a significant difference. Especially when you consider that many deactivated weapons were clapped-out guns only fit for scrap anyway.

**lebus12** · 08-24-2015, 04:02 PM

In France, when the paper is lost, the marking on the weapon is good.

**Panzer 3** · 09-01-2015, 06:07 PM

Hi,
I have read the thread about the lost Cert,s I have put up a reply i had from the owner of Helston gunsmiths here in cornwall last yrs. Hope this helps in some way.
Dave.

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 09-01-2015, 07:57 PM

Very much as I told you then. The certificate is only paper proof that the deactivation work has been inspected to see that it complies with the specifications approved by the Secretary of State under Section 8 of the firearms act. The proof House stamps applied to the parts which have been deactivated is all that is required. But again I would state that it is always preferable to have the certificates.

**JamieGerman44** · 12-30-2015, 03:45 PM

Thanks for all of your replies. My friend has a pre 95 mp38 and a mp40, if he re submits these to be deactivated under the new laws he is going to loose a great deal of money on both guns.