Looking at guns per capita by country, Jersey comes 63rd out of the world’s top 100 with 9.2 guns per 100 people, above the UK, which has 6.6 per 100 people and is in 82nd place. However, neither comes close to the US, which has approximately 101 guns per 100 people.
However, the figures do not take into account the estimated six million air rifles privately owned in the UK which do not require a certificate, but do in Jersey.
Over the past five years the overall number of firearms certificate holders in Jersey has decreased by 194 to 1,396, figures released to the JEP show. And the total number of firearms is also down, by 510 to 9,288.
Figures revealed following a freedom of information request reveal that across the most common categories of firearms Jersey has:
- Over 2,350 registered shotguns (of which 147 are semi-automatic).
- 2,216 registered rifles (of which 588 are semi-automatic).
- 1,534 semi-automatic pistols.
- 858 revolvers.
- 590 air rifles.
- 256 air pistols.
- 165 carbines (the best known are the Thompson and Sterling sub-machine guns used in war. The modern equivalent is the Uzi 9 mm).
The remaining 1,316 registered firearms, details of which were not included in the FoI response, include a mix of more specialist or ‘antique’ firearms and others.
In 2006 it was reported there were 1,876 people registered to own guns in the Island. Between them they owned 11,051 individual weapons and 6.5 million rounds of ammunition.
At the time six people had also been given permission to own .50 Browning submachine guns – a heavy anti-aircraft machine gun used throughout the Second World War and in other major conflicts that is designed to attack aircraft. One of the guns in Jersey at the time had 250 rounds of ammunition and had not been de-activated.
Following a recent case in which a UK-based antiques dealer, Paul Edmunds, was found to have supplied gangsters with antique guns and specially made or altered ammunition which was then used in more than 100 shootings, Jersey’s firearms licences department have confirmed that any holder of an antique gun must be licensed unless they are held as curiosities or ornaments, which are then exempt.
In Jersey each certificate holder is allowed to own 5,000 rounds of ammunition in total. Anyone wanting to possess any more than that must have the permission of their parish Constable. St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said three people had maintained their permission to possess over 5,000 rounds of ammunition in St Helier so far this year. And he added: ‘There are 14 individuals in total across the parish who have this permission.’
According to the figures there have been five such applications this year. Four were granted by the Constables of St Brelade, St Peter, St Helier and St Ouen. And St Saviour are still considering one application.
