Question about the (Dutch) law

[shadowzzz]

I have used the search function but no topic had my specific question.
I am new and I don't know if this topic should be in this section and I am sorry if I have misplaced it, and sorry for my english.


So, here's the question:

I live in The Netherlands and I have made a copper pneumatic launcher (I think it will be best to refrain from using the word gun?) with a friend of mine.
Sometimes we carry it to each other's home by putting it in a guitar case.
We were wondering: Does the police force have the right to search your guitar case?

For example: If an officer would see a protruding copper pipe from a guitar case, would they have the right to search it and use it as evidence ?

And what if there was no protruding pipe?

Thanks in advance

[blind909]

I have no clue, but you could PM BrianTheBrain though, I think he lives there. Just type his name into the memberlist.

[john bunsenburner]

The way i carry things short distances is i shov ethem up soem loose fitting pants(preferably jeens with a belt) and pet them coem up through my shirt, if needed i fix them by using the belt, but this works onyl for short disctances and it looks like your limping so be prepared for an excuse.
I would guess the poliece has the right to search your guitar case, or atleast ask about it, if they this your a safety hazard they can search, also if they ask and you say no then they will ask for your personalities and get suspicious.

[iemand]

Well, if you're 18- then it's illegal when you take it into any public area, because it is officially(according to the law) a regular airgun. So if you are 18+ then you're safe anyway, but you aren't allowed to carry it around and being able to use it in a couple of second(like a loaded airgun on your back).

Just to be sure keep it hidden and not-ready-to-fire when you transport it...

[psycix]

A pneumatic spudgun is considered as a normal airgun (oftewel luchtbuks) by the law. Airguns are legal to own and use on own terrain if you are older then 18.
A spudgun can always be disguised as a bunch of pipes n fittings.
Also, when you carry the gun in such a way that it is not readily usable, you should be fine. Having it loaded and ready, will be a problem in their eyes.

Note that shooting an airgun somewhere else, like not in your own backyard, but in the woods or some public place is NOT legal.

Combustions are considered firearms and are always illegal.

[shadowzzz]

Wow thank you all, yes, even Thunderlord for the comic relief .

Sadly I am not 18 years of age, but I never carry it loaded/pumped up or something like that.
But because I am 15 years old I am not even allowed to own it?

But to recap:

If I carry it concealed in my guitarcase, not loaded, not pumped:

1. No one will notice because it is in a guitar case.
2. A cop will ask for the contents of the guitar case ( for some reason ) and I do not have to answer him.
3. If he does open the case he may put me in jail ?

In The Netherlands you don't get put in jail very fast, I guess. So even option 3 won't be very severe. But I will watch my steps very carefully, I am quite paranoid

Thanks so much for all of the information, ya'll have been of great help !

[psycix]

1. No one will notice because it is in a guitar case.
2. A cop will ask for the contents of the guitar case ( for some reason ) and I do not have to answer him.
3. If he does open the case he may put me in jail ?

1. Dont be too obvious and act normal.
2. A cop will not ask what is in your case unless you acted very suspicious. And if he does, denying him will only aggravate him. Just show him. Some spudguns are not even recognized as a spudgun by most of the people.
3. Hahah no of course not. If you just tell him its a school project or something you can just talk yourself out of it. Things detaching the barrel or carrying it in parts will help, as you will not be able to just pull the gun out and shoot someone.
And even IF he does get angry, he probably just takes the gun, writes down your name, and leaves.

Or just dont transport the gun that much.
Why do you want to lug it around?

[sniper hero]

a police officer won't search for nothing

ifso and considers it as a weapon
the maximum time they can hold you is 6 hours

you won't get in trouble
at home it's legal and while traveling the chance you get arrested is realy realy small.

remember to behave.
so make sure no one has problems with you shooting an airgun.

[john bunsenburner]

The thing is if it sticks out of the guitar case then that look suspecion, so it would be better to deasemble it and put it in somethign you would expect a bunch of fittings and pipes in. If he searches you for any reason and find a spudgun in a guitar case that is very suspicious and he may make use of the 6hour holding time...Just use main roads, public places, the mor epeople the better, then all you do is act normal. Or use really hidden places, mountain tracks or paths through the forrest, which ever is convinient.

[maverik94]

wow, over here in the good old free usa, I dont worry about anyone searching me with my spudguns, anyway, where I live, a cop drives down the road about.......4 times a year (no joke!) I live WAAAAAAAAAY out in the country.

[rcman50166]

Just curious, did a moderator delete my post to Thunderlords response? Also I noticed that Thunderlords comment is deleted as well. lol c'mon I just woke up and now I'm tired and confused.

[shadowzzz]

Thanks for all of the advice people!
As for the disassembling advice:
Me and the guy who I made it with were already planning on doing that so we can have interchangable barrels, so that's quite convient actaully =)

As for you question, psycix, it's just for carrying it to the above mentioned friend.

Sorry for all of the questions

[geetarfrik]

wow, over here in the good old free usa, I dont worry about anyone searching me with my spudguns, anyway, where I live, a cop drives down the road about.......4 times a year (no joke!) I live WAAAAAAAAAY out in the country.

I live i a small town, and the popo drive by all the time except the 2 times they needed to be here when we got robbed.

[Brian the brain]

For more about spudguns in Holland and specific laws, look here:
http://eurospudguns.forumsdot.com/

I have carried around a rather large pneumatic in a guitar case in quite a few locations and have always wondered why nobody cared...


A 15 year old with a passion for playing guitar is not going to get much attention.
You can transport it to a friend without getting into trouble.

You can transport an airgun the same way.Just don;t have it ready to fire.

[psycix]

The thing is, that the policeman (IF you encounter any) is not looking for people with spud guns. He probably has no single thought in his head about people disguising spudguns in guitar cases.
You, do have that thought and that is what makes you think you can get checked.
When carrieing around an actual guitar in a case, you will not think of "I hope I wont get checked and arrested". And that is the reason why the policeman will not check your luggage, his mind is not set to spudguns in guitar cases.

However, when you act weird, because you have something on your mind, you may get checked. This is what policemen look for, suspicious behavior.

It is a great thing to walk on the street with a bunch of friends (without spudguns), and when you randomly encounter police, start running like crazy. They'll come after you, even if you haven't done anything and haven't got anything illegal with you. Just because you all start running from them, they assume you did something.