[David Hunter]

Has the state of English law, not to mention the English language, deteriorated to the point that an air rifle is now a firearm?

I quite agree. Unfortunately, when the British government included air rifles with power ratings over 12 ftlbs and air pistols over 6 ftlbs in the Firearms Act 1968 in order to license their owners, they created a logical argument for the Courts and Police to use to insist that lower powered airguns were also firearms. We are now left with a situation where, in the eyes of UK law, even a child's plastic airsoft pistol is a "firearm".

[AdamSelene235]

Unfortunately, when the British government included air rifles with power ratings over 12 ftlbs and air pistols over 6 ftlbs in the Firearms Act 1968 in order to license their owners,

I wouldn't even consider carrying something less than 400 ft-lbs for self defense. I finally found a good 44 load which I clocked at 1,100 ft-lbs.

Now we're cooking with gas.

[AdamSelene235]

Unfortunately, when the British government included air rifles with power ratings over 12 ftlbs and air pistols over 6 ftlbs in the Firearms Act 1968 in order to license their owners,

She'd be better off throwing rocks. A half pound rock at 50 mph will give ~ 40 ft-lbs.