Can you take one through the tunnel and how do the French cops view air rifles?
Harmless toy or killing machine?
My friends have a nice house in rural France and want to shoot some rabbits.

I’d be more worried about bringing it back in.

Any air rifle of 7ft/lbs (about 10 Joules) requires a firearms licence in France.

But the big stumbler here is that hunting with any air gun in France is illegal. .22 rimfire minimum for rabbits.

I could be wrong but I believe most countries on the continent ban the use of air-rifles for hunting – even small vermin. That was certainly the case in Spain. I think that the permited power levels may also be lower.

Taking it in/out of the UK shouldn’t be a problem, there should be a guide on the airline/ferry/tunnel website and I think you probably have to declare it, but having it chrono’ed by a reputable gunsmith and having that doc/report with you should help ensure that on entry no one questions its power and asks to see your FAC for it.

Go and do a search on the airgunBBS, someone will have asked this there.

You may just wish to buy a cheap plinker in France…

edit: beaten to it 🙂

Just out of interest, what rifle is it?

When you get to the border control…just put your foot down and go in guns blazing.

It’ll be fine.