Storage Requirements - Dealers/Armourers

Weapons Regulation 1996

Section 31 Floor

The floor of the premises must--

1. be made of concrete at least 100 mm thick; or
2. be made of another material and have steel security rails fitted around the base of the premises that prevent under-floor access to the premises.

Section 32 Walls

The walls of the premises must be made of--

1. brick, concrete or solid timber; or
2. if the person starts business at the premises after 30 September 1997--brick or concrete.

Section 33 Ceiling

1. If the ceiling of the premises is not made of concrete, steel mesh must be securely fixed into position to prevent access through the ceiling from above.
2. The steel rods that the mesh is made of must--
   1. be at least 5 mm in diameter; and
   2. be arranged in a square or rectangle, of which no side is over 200 mm long.

Section 34 External doors

1. This section applies to any door able to give access into the premises.
2. The door must have 1 padbolt fitted within 300 mm of its top and 1 padbolt fitted within 300 mm of its bottom, and a built-in deadlock.
3. If the padbolt is on the outside of the door, the padbolt must have a sturdy padlock.
4. The deadlock and padlock must always be locked (other than for the time necessary to have the premises open for a proper purpose).
5. A door (other than a glass shopfront door) must be made of steel or solid timber and have steel door jambs.
6. A glass shopfront door must be made of laminated glass in a metal frame and have metal door jambs and a grill.
7. The pins inside the door hinges must be incapable of ready removal.

Section 35 Grills for windows and shopfront doors

1. This section applies to a grill for a window or shopfront door required under this part.
2. The grill--
   1. must have steel bars at least 15 mm square or in diameter that cover the whole door or window; and
   2. if the construction of the premises allows--must be fitted between the glass and the interior of the premises.
3. The grill must be bolted to the premises by hardened steel bolts at least 10 mm in diameter with the bolt or its nut welded to the grill.
4. The centre-line of the bars must be no more than 150 mm apart.
5. The grill must have pieces of steel fitted at right angles to the bars that prevent the bars from being spread.
6. The pieces of steel must be at intervals of no more than 500 mm.

Section 36 Burglar alarms

1. The premises must have a burglar alarm system able to detect any entry into the premises by any means and the breakage of any glass door or window and instantly activate--
   1. a loud siren outside the premises; and
   2. a remote alarm at the place where the alarm is required to be monitored or connected.
2. The siren must have a flashing blue strobe light and its own self-contained power source.
3. The remote alarm must always be monitored by a security service.
4. However, if that monitoring is not available, the remote alarm must always be connected to the ordinary place of residence of the armourer, dealer or theatrical ordnance supplier.
5. Each of the system's sensors must have an anti-tamper circuit that is always operating (even if the alarm is not set).
6. The system's controls must be out of view from, and protected against access by, unauthorised persons.

Section 37 Vaults and safes

1. A vault in the premises must be made of concrete or concrete blocks filled with concrete.
2. The vault door must be made of steel and have--
   1. steel door jambs; and
   2. a built-in deadlock or combination lock; and
   3. hinges that are welded to the door and door jamb.
3. A safe in the premises must be made of steel and--
   1. weigh at least 150 kg; or
   2. be fixed to the premises by welding or hardened steel bolts at least 10 mm in diameter.

Section 38 General requirements--gun racks

1. A gun rack required under this part must have sturdy metal bars, grills or chains, to secure the weapons, locked in place by a sturdy keyed lock or keyed padlock.
2. The gun rack must be fixed to the premises by welding or hardened steel bolts at least 10 mm in diameter.
3. Not more than 10 guns may be kept in the gun rack.