Reviews

Below are extracts taken from reviews published in various specialist shooting or legal journals. Where available online, the link to the full review is included below. You can also find more reviews of the book on Amazon.

Review of the Firearms Law Handbook, by David Frost |January 2020 issue

“The book is well laid out and written in a friendly and easy to read style. The law is clearly explained and the relevance of caselaw pointed out. I like the asides, in which the authors comment on some less satisfactory and idiosyncratic features of the way the law has developed. If every licensing department had a copy there might be fewer poor decisions made. I recommend it for anyone with a need for detailed knowledge of this complex subject. You should certainly buy it if you need to appeal against a police licensing decision.”

★★★★✩

Vital Answers to Loaded Questions, by Timothy Kiely | 5 March 2020

“It is a mark of a good textbook that the first thing you do when you get your copy is flip immediately to the relevant chapter for clear and precise answers to a case you are, at that moment, dealing with.

Saunsbury and Doherty come from a background where they have ‘represented enough people who have inadvertently fallen foul’ of the law on firearms to know how much difficulty can arise for the unwary. Firearms law is so technical, and so subject to continual evolution, that even lawyers of many years’ experience can be tripped up. Much of the guidance is aimed at gun owners or retailers. There are detailed guides to the storage requirements, and the practicalities of both putting protections in place and negotiating with officers.

Legal readers will also find useful breakdowns on major firearms offences and even some handy tips on potential avenues for cross-examination depending on an expert’s provenance or any particular policy considerations they might bring to the case. Despite not being a criminal practitioner’s guide specifically, this is nevertheless an indispensable companion to a complex and wide-ranging field of law.”

By Alastair Aitken | Winter 2019 issue

“The Firearms Law Handbook provides the reader with an informative reference document covering firearms law as of the end of January 2019. This invaluable reference is compiled in a concise and well laid out way, which readers will find easy to understand. The ability to cross-reference information through the helpful footnotes, which are in great supply, is very helpful. Reference to past cases assists one in understanding the background to judgements and how interpretation plays a significant role in the development of firearms law.

The material contained in the publication provides accurate, concise and factual information on all aspects of the firearms laws that affect shooters across the UK. The material is comprehensive and each chapter provides bite-sized chunks of detail, which includes advice on how the shooter can avoid committing a firearms offence in error.

Any shooter or practitioner will find this book an asset in providing clear and accurate information on firearms law. Any shooting club or organisation will find this publication informative and a valuable reference source of information covering all aspects of firearms legislation. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to understand or is involved in any aspect of firearms legislation.”

Firearms Law Explained, by Diggory Hadoke | 1 November 2019

“The latest edition of the only book you need on British Firearms Law.

Even the police often mis-understand or mis-interpret the law and it is very useful to have a credible book to which you can make reference when challenging them on an issue. That book is available now and I recommend it to everyone involved in the Gun Trade and to gun owners in general.

The Firearms Law Handbook (eighth edition) covers all aspects of the law relating to the use of firearms in Britain. Those who enforce and apply the law will find it of invaluable assistance in their work. Although the subject can be complex, the book is written in an approachable style, intended to be understood by all of those with an interest in the subject. That means even gun dealers and ‘normal’ gun owners will find it easy to read and absorb.”

The Newsletter of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association

By Radha K Baan, Kingsley Napley LLP | October 2019

“The objective of this book is to untangle a convoluted area of law and make it accessible to both non-lawyers and criminal practitioners. Although the book is relatively short, it is densely packed with pearls of wisdom and plenty of experience; this saves criminal lawyers valuable time and effort and gives them a solid foundation on which to build their case. Each topic is introduced with an amalgam of the law from legislation and guidance, expanding with relevant case law and illustrating it all with apt examples.

This book is peppered with pragmatic advice for gun owners and highlights considerations for lawyers confronted with firearms cases. Acknowledging the plethora of topics surrounding the law of firearms, the authors constrain the scope of the book to the most important facets and inform the reader where to continue with their research.

This makes the book a great starting point for even the more complicated firearms cases, and promotes an understanding of the law worth the investment. The authors have succeeded in their aim to comprehensively set out an intricate area of law for both lawyers and non-lawyers; it is a compulsory read for the responsible firearm owner and a handy foundation for practitioners.”