Starting pistols are implements used to signal the beginning of competitive swimming events and some running races.
Fans may be interested in learning more about how the starting pistols used at the event actually function and what the laws governing them are as the 2023 World Athletics Championships get underway in Budapest, Hungary.
Are the bullets in a starting pistol genuine?
Traditional starting pistols fire blank shells or caps rather than actual bullets. To fire real ammunition, a starting pistol would need to be significantly altered. To simulate the sound of a real gun without the risk, starting pistols are used.
Electronic starting systems have replaced traditional starting pistols in many sporting events.
These devices broadcast a flash, simulate a gunshot, start the timing clock, and broadcast to each lane of the race.
They are linked to official timers and are unable to begin without the judge’s approval.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, an electronic starting system was introduced for the first time.
Another competition that has since switched from starter pistols to electronic guns is the World Athletics Championships.
The fact that each runner hears the starting gun at the exact same time is one of the main advantages of using electronic starting systems.
What are the starting pistol regulations in the UK?
There are limitations on where and how starting pistols and blank ammunition can be used in the UK, but you can purchase them without a license.
According to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, starting pistols and blank-firing handguns fall under the broad definition of imitation firearms in Section 19 of the Firearms Act.
Any imitation firearm in public without a valid justification is illegal to possess.
According to the Firearms Act of 1968, a “public place” is defined as “any highway” or “highway road” within the meaning of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, as well as “any other premises or place to which at the relevant time the public have or are permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise.”
In connection with training dogs, for instance, would be a valid justification for having a toy gun in a public setting.
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