Thread: What is the process in applying for a Firearms Licence?

I would like to find some information about the application process for a firearms licence. Ideally, I'd like to start target shooting with a rifle, Lee Enfield or similar.

I live in Sussex, does anyone know of a range that I could join?

Help!

Join a rifle club.
Serve a 3 month probationary period. (some clubs may require longer)
Fit a rifle cabinet and an ammunition cabinet in your home and make sure the place is reasaonably secure.
Apply for a Firearms Certificate. £50 (£60 if you buy a shotgun certificate at the same time which you should)
Get firearms Certificate (unless you're mad or bad you'll just get it even if they pull their faces a bit)

Buy rifles,

Watch and Shoot! Watch and Shoot!

That simple eh?

Any recommendations for where to buy and what?

Sussex? Talk to Ugly and Biped

Where to buy and what...

This is a bit chicken and egg. To apply for your FAC you need to decide what calibre(s) you wish to shoot, get your ticket, then you go and find the gun to go with the ticket. But you might not know what you want until you find something...

I'd suggest you go with EX_STAB's advice and join a club (or two) first. Then you can have a go with various weapons and decide what you like and how much you can afford. Depending on whether you want to shoot targets or hunt you'll need something appropriate to each. If you want to hunt it's not too hard to find someone who'll take you out with them - the club and/or your local dealers should be able to suggest. There may well be some ARRSErs who will oblige in your area.

Take a look at guntrader.co.uk for an idea of prices and availability. Remember the cost of the gun isn't all - ammunition costs vary from a few pence for .22LR to over a quid a pop for the larger full-bore calibres. And the scope / moderator / bipod / sling can double the cost of the gun again (but if you buy well the first time you can use them again when you upgrade the gun).

Then visit some of your local dealers (find them in yell.co.uk under "Gun Dealers") and handle some guns, get their advice - most of them really do know their stuff.

One thing to take a bit of the curse off of the outlay. Buy gun safe larger than you need and tell the bride you are doing so in order to give her a safe place to store her good jewelry etc. Of course if you have never bought the girl jewelry it might not work. This technique helped me. Actually she kept her handguns in there too. I no longer have the wife but still have the gun safe.

I recommend buying a GSG-5. .22 LR semi-automatic carbine with up to 22 round magazines. Surprisingly accurate, loads of fun.

Here's a review:

http://gunmart.net/gun_review/gsg-5/

Lee Enfield .303, cheap to buy, very accurate with handloads and factory ammo is reasnoble, + there is historical value to the rifle

can be used for target rifle, competition rifle and practical rifle competitions

Had a FAC back in NI before I joined up, which was obviously handed back to the peelers.
Now ten years later would like to apply for another one but have since picked up a Drink-drive conviction, technically gives me a criminal record, will that give me problems from the local cop shop?

Originally Posted by metocman

Had a FAC back in NI before I joined up, which was obviously handed back to the peelers.
Now ten years later would like to apply for another one but have since picked up a Drink-drive conviction, technically gives me a criminal record, will that give me problems from the local cop shop?

yes, unless the conviction is "spent".

Always willing to help out on the sporting front and I also know quite a few reasonable clubs, I am sadly flat out at the moment and about to start on the Pheasants!

My brother belongs to a pistol caliber range on brighton seafront, they seem to have a laugh down there, I can get you a contact no. if you wish

Have had a FAC in NI for about 22 years.
Initially, it was get two letters from farmers with permission to shoot. Then window shop for shotgun etc. Then fill in the application form with a letter from the gunshop. Picked up the gun a few weeks later. Getting additional weapons was done through the gunshop, just gave them the licence and they took care of the paperwork. Although a cabinet was mentioned, I never got one and no one asked about it again.

Then, about two years ago, I forgot to renew it. Fire Arms Officer actually phoned up and called at the house, which was a good trick since I'd moved house, without changing the address on the FAC.
He was very helpful, but wanted to take the guns and keep them in the police station strongroom until it was sorted out. Fair enough.

Called into the station and filled in the renewal form. Then had to get a gun cabinet (around £160) because the guns been just broken and hid in a cupboard. Sitting chatting about DIC and would it affect an application, just curious, he said 'Nah, sure everyone's got one.'

He came out and tried to pull the gun safe off the wall, was satisfied, gave the guns out of the boot of car, job done. Weapons were two shotguns and a .22.

Originally Posted by EX_STAB

Join a rifle club.
Serve a 3 month probationary period. (some clubs may require longer)

6 months surely for a Home Office approved club - I remember being pissed off when they brought it in (late 80s David Warrington, Home Sec?). Won't you have difficulties if it isn't Home Office approved? I know not all, but every club it seemed to be 6.

Originally Posted by ugly

Always willing to help out on the sporting front and I also know quite a few reasonable clubs, I am sadly flat out at the moment and about to start on the Pheasants!

Could you PM me a couple of recommended clubs, I'll trot off to them and carry out my own recce.

Many thanks to all those that have helped, comments most appreciated.