+'ve ROC,
The text below is from the police site and when you need a FAC.
As your rifle is below 12ft/lbs you don't need a FAC. See the last paragraph.
"The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, Sec 39 creates an additional category of prohibited weapon to be added to Sec 5 of the Firearms Act 1968. The new subsection is Sec 5(1)(af) and now includes any air rifle, air gun or air pistol which uses, or is designed or adapted for use with, a self-contained gas cartridge system. "
New Legislation.
Conventional air guns, air rifles and air pistols do not require to be held on a firearm certificate, unless they are of a type declared specially dangerous by the Firearms, (Dangerous Air Weapons) Rules 1969.
It is possible to measure the velocity of pellets discharged, to a satisfactory degree of accuracy, by use of an electronic chronograph. These measurements allow the calculation of the kinetic energy of the pellet, at the muzzle.
The Rules provide that any air weapon is specially dangerous, which is capable of discharging a missile with a kinetic energy in excess of:
In the case of an air pistol: 6 ft/lbs or
In the case of an air weapon other than an air pistol: 12 ft/lbs
Such air weapons, exceeding these prescribed limits, can only be lawfully held on a firearm certificate and are subject to all the rules and regulations pertaining to all Section 1 firearms.
See also Air Weapons and Government Proposals.
FT