Shotguns owned by the Battery

Just a quick question , if anyone can give me a pointer:

To cut a long story short, I would like to purchase 2 shotguns for my Battery.

What sort of paperwork do I need from the system?

I have a shotgun license and am happy to purchase these guns, how do I transfer ownership to the Battery?

msr

 

Be advice I can think of is for you to contact the firearms dept of your local plod. I wouldn't think there would be a problem though

 

Not too worried about plod, it's more the paperwork that I need to be able to transfer the guns off my ticket and onto the Armoury / Special Stores Register.

Has anyone done this before and if so, what do I need to watch out for?

msr

 

I believe that the Battery itself will need to obtain a shotgun certificate, in the same way that a shooting club has SGC/FAC to hold weapons. You'll need to speak nicely to local Plod, and start the application process.

 

Why? We hold a considerable amount of automatic weaponry with no license off the rozzers... and that includes a number of 105mm Light Guns*.


msr
*although as single shot weapons, you wouldn't need an FAC for one

 

The gats and Light Guns are Crown property, so their possession and use by soldiers is specifically allowed for in the various Firearms Acts; shotguns, target rifles, "live" trophy weapons, etc, are all private property and therefore have to be on licence. Believe it or not, the Army is fully subject to all aspects of "civvie" firearms law. The Law is now such an arrse, that you'll find that many units have got rid of all non-issue weapons, and even the Army museums are now de-activating or scrapping the weapons in their collection.

 

GMP Firearms licensing Unit say I only need a certificate from the CO.

I'll speak to the QM tonight.

msr

 

Having been through the hoop many times before there is only one way of doing it within the law. Unless the shotgun is military i.e. bought by the queen’s purse then a shotgun must be purchased by an individual and held on that person’s shotgun cert. It can not be transfer to a Battery only another individual with a valid shotgun cert. (the transfer forms must be sent of to the rozzers firearm dept) You can though get permission to store it in a unit armoury with permission from your CO and the local firearms officer. You need to display to them that you have tight control measures are in place. Normally the plod are on side and understand what we have in place. The biggest hurdle I've found has been the MI Sect - they don't seem to understand the complexities of having a shotgun on an individual’s certificate and storing it in a unit armoury - especially if it has been purchased with PRI funds.

Whatever you do bring the QM on board at the earliest opportunity and seek his advice. As you mentioned make sure if it is PRI purchased it appears on an account somewhere. A good source of info can be obtain from the RA Gun Club at Larkhill - the person running that site will have all the info you require. Remember if you purchase a shotgun and it’s on your licence then by law you are responsible for it!! Good Luck.

 

Didn't some civvy owned guns go missing from the armoury at Larkhill a few years ago?

 

Having spoken to the 'man in the know' at Larkhill here are the facts:

1) Shotguns must be held on an individual's shotgun certificate, but can be stored in an armoury

2) You can't get cartridges or clays through the system

3) The army coaching qualification is not worth the paper it is written on. (Why do they run it?)

4) The coaching qualification required is from the CPSA

msr
P.S. Many thanks 'Lefty'

 

You can still get the guns taken on to account but you need to keep it on a private ticket. so when the guy who's ticket it is on gets posted he has to get it transferred.

Dave

 

The only shot guns you could do that with now would be issued shot guns L32 and L74. To be honest you probably wouldn't be too welcome at the local clay ground with one of those bad boys firing single slug!!

Dave

 

Pity cos shooting skeet with a short barreled pump is great fun!