Throughout this site the following abbreviations will be used:

  • AMTAAirgun Manufacturers and Trade Association
  • AT    Anti Tamper
  • PCP  Pre Charged Pneumatic
  • RFD  Registered Firearms Dealer

The most important thing about AT is that it IS NOT a legal requirement
and the responsibility of remaining legal on power is YOURS !!!

firefox Anti Tamper is a measure that was introduced by the AMTA and applied to PCP air rifles as a self regulation measure, to ensure that PCP's cannot be increased in muzzle energy by the owner, beyond that which is set by the manufacturer.

To achieve the stated goal it was only necessary to seal the power adjuster, but, in effect, the gun has been totally sealed by various means in order to prevent the owner from being able to disassemble the gun in any meaningful way.

 

What are the benefits of AT?

The manufacturer can prove that no one can increase the power of the gun without first removing the AT and therefore the goal is achieved.

What are the disadvantages?

For the owner the main disadvantage is not being able to reduce the power of the gun should it become necessary in order to remain legal. The owner is solely responsible for the power of his/her gun, but the AT makes it impossible to control it. Other disadvantages are that even for a very simple seal change, which could be done by the owner, a friend or an RFD, the gun will now have to be returned to the manufacturer. This will entail the cost of sending and returning the gun, the cost of the seal, and the removal and replacement of the anti tamper devices.

What doesn't Anti Tamper do ?

Well, the main thing it doesn't do is fulfill the goal it was intended to fulfill, it doesn't stop the gun going over the legal limit from natural drift. It also doesn't allow you the owner to reduce it once it has naturally drifted very slightly high, which can occasionally happen.. Your only recourse is to return it to the manufacturer, at your cost, to have it reduced in power.

What can we do ?

What we must do first is make as many people as possible aware of AT and it's ramifications to the cost of owning a new PCP gun.

Why was AT implemented ?

Much research has been done by a group of people determined to answer this question, but despite literally hundreds of hours work we can only have an educated guess as to the real reason.

Several years ago, the now defunct Firearms Consultative Committee stated that there was concern that PCP rifles could be significantly increased in power at the turn of a screw. The key word here is "significantly". Figures of 80 to 150 ft/lbs were talked about, but as anyone with even a little knowledge of PCP's knows, these claims are ridiculous. The power adjusters on current PCP's will only adjust the power by a very small amount and are intended only for fine tuning, but the AMTA apparently took this "concern" to heart and implemented AT.

As to why they took this decision is a matter of conjecture.

Along with the fitment of the actual AT devices there were several other stipulations made by the AMTA to the manufacturers which included the testing and marking of all makes and models of gun to ensure they complied with and met the AT specifications. This would obviously be a cost to the manufacturer, both in time and money. The owner of this site does have an original e-mail from the General Manager of one of the UK's leading manufacturers that states quite clearly that the greater proportion of UK manufacturers are not marking their guns as compliant.

All that has been said above could have been answered simply by the AMTA coming clean and telling us the customer why they did it, but, even though they have been asked numerous times, they will not answer the question. In fact almost all communications between the owner of this site and the AMTA or any AMTA member is met by total silence.

 

STOP PRESS !!! Tony Belas has stated that Daystate are now prepared to remove AT from any gun returned for repair/service on request and if requested from any new gun ordered. A waiver will have to be signed.

Great news, that puts Daystate top of my list for a new gun.

 

A Greater Threat is now on the horizon. It would appear that the word "CAPABLE" in the legislation is now being interpreted differently than in previous years and now guns are apparently being modified by the Police labs to make them go over. These are dire times. Please be aware.