Indians For Guns

Arms Rules 1962, # 21. Conversion, repair, text, sale, etc
(1) Where a license is granted in Form IX or Form XI for conversion or repair, but not manufacture, of any category of fire-arms or ammunition, it entitles the licensee to fabricate components or parts for the purpose of conversion or repair of such fire-arms or ammunition but to manufacture such components or parts to be utilized for assembling into complete fire-arms or ammunition of any category which he is not allowed to manufacture.
(2) (a) A license in Form XI shall not entitle the dealer to shorten a fire arm or to convert an imitation fire-arm into a fire-arms, unless he has a licence in Form IX showing specifically that he is permitted to shorten a fire-arm or convert an imitation fire-arm into a fire-arm.
(b) Under no circumstances shall a dealer shorten the barrel of a rifle or smooth born gun so that the resultant becomes less than 20 inches.
(c) The detail of the cases in which barrels are shortened and imitation fire-arms are converted into fire-arms shall be reported every month to the District Magistrate, in such form, any, as may be required.
(3) A dealer having a licence in Form XI, Form XII or Form XIII to repair or test or to sell fire-arms or ammunition shall not take the fire-arms or ammunition for testing range or other place, unless specifically permitted to do so by his licence, and he shall carry out tests only in such manner and subject to such conditions as are laid down therein.
(4) Where a licence is granted in Form IX or Form XI for conversion of ammunition, It shall not entitle the licensee to convert blank cartridges or any ammunition having no projectile into single multiple project ammunition or to load any ammunition.

Does this mean that legally:
<1> only dealers (those having licences issued by forms 9 or 11) are allowed to modify, convert or repair (in any way) a firearm?
<1> <a> things like polishing, blueing, heat treating, deburring, chequering or re-crowning the muzzle can be called modifications, conversions or repairs?
<2> reloading of cartridges by dealers and or owners is indeed illegal?

I hear the cops in India are becoming increasingly anal about arms licencing and increasingly retentive about enforcing arms laws. In such a scenario, what is the legal situation of those who wish to perform (advisable or otherwise) DIY acts on their firearms and ammo???

I did the required for search, and found one similar post that soon became a discussion about aesthetics of shotgun stocks and barrel lengths. I hope this post does not suffer a similar fate.

form ix and xi are for dealers. which means that not any tom dick or horny can set up repair shop. Also dealers need to have both licence ie for dealership and repair.

noting to do with ordinarily licence holder repairing his/her firearms by themselves.

dealers i think can not reload for resale. a licence holder can reload for his/her use. for reloading one does not need licence. However one needs to have licence for powder/caps.
at the moment in India only black powder is to be had, normally used in muskets.

Stuff like blueing, repairs (meaning bringing back to factory spec) can be done by any one who has a license to do the same. The specific licensing requirements mentioned above are most likely to prevent harm in cases where some one gets the idea to shorten the barrel of a firearm or decides to do some modifications that may ultimately turn out to be dangerous to the user or to others.

As for reloading for personal use, it is allowed and clearly mentioned. The above is for license holders in Form IX and XI, who are dealers/gunsmiths etc. Most individual licensees will be Form III or IIIA holders.
Regards,
Anand

reloading is done by every 12 bore tom,dick and horny !.most dealers and feelers (so called gunsmiths)cannot repair a firearm(very few can).cops have no idea of firearms,arms act or arms rule.they are ignorant lot.firearms are considered as'' untouchables'' and anyone having one is a criminal.no one will shorten a firearm only a criminal would do that.as procuring licence and obtaining a gun is like climbing mount everest no one will dare fiddle with a legal firearm.which criminal will report to a DM that a imitation weapon is converted to a firearm?iof arms are weapons of misery so test firing is banned!every iof owner is a gunsmith for his gun,i beleive!! ggggrrrrrrrr