fitzscoob

Applying for this over the weekend. Since giving up golf, I've been looking for a new hobby and enjoyed clay shooting a few times over the last few months.

Has anyone else applied for a license recently, apart from not dressing up like John Rambo for the interview, are there any other tips or is it pretty straight forward?

I dont have a safe yet, so will require a further visit if the application is granted to validate the install.

billythekid

Offer the nice officer a brew when they arrive!

The main things you will fail on is:

Reason.
Obviously you will just say for sporting reasons and you have become a member at ABC Club etc.

Cabinet.
Fails are wall mountings, not in a suitable location, not to BS standard.
Make sure its into a solid brick wall, and can take some serious muscle. My FLO grabs the inside of the cab and swings off it like a monkey! It should not move.

Other nice to see items:
Good door / window locks on ground floors.
Modern alarm system.
Suitable place for ammo.

Also, remember you must keep the keys on you at all times, and no one else should have access to the keys. So when they come to do the inspection have the keys in your pocket not on the side table or in a kitchen drawer etc.

Paucatuman

It very much depends on who turns up to do your interview. Some are really good and pretty well talk you through the application and others are right little Hit**rs.

Some forces don't insist you have a safe, some are happy with a steel cable with a lump of lead on the end screwed to a rafter in the loft with one way screw in it, that goes through the trigger and you put a great big padlock on it - it ain't going nowhere then!

It's good not to have keys lying around (to show you are security conscious) and tell them that any key associated with locking the gun is somewhere that only you know about.

They will also ask about anybody that lives with you as well - this will heavily influence whether or not you have a successful application. It is also good to already be a member of a club or at least be able to refer to where you intend joining.

Good luck.

billythekid

Oh and dont forget to join the CPSA. A good mag, also good insurance as you get £10M insurance.

fitzscoob

Thanks for the information there, really helpful.

At this stage I hadnt intended on fitting the safe (I realise this will mean a revisit from the officer when it is installed) as I'd like their opinion on the best place to fit. I live in a one bed flat so options are limited.

As for security, I live on in the top of the block, so keys required to gain access to the block before you even think about the door.

I take all other points on board with regards to keys etc.

The shooting club I've been going to is pretty local and its easy to reference too.

Having just typed all that it, its probably easier if I buy and install the safe prior so that it can all be taken care of in one visit.

With regards to ammunition, does this have to be stored in a different safe or is it ok to store it apart from the gun (obviously) but not in locked storage?

EddScott

We have to ID new clients and the only thing one client had was indeed their shotgun license.




She's about 85.

Paucatuman

Not sure where they stand on blocks of flats - it's getting it in and out with as little visibility as possible really.

In a flat you may find that they will encourage you to go for a cable for the stock and store the barrell and ammunition hidden somewhere in a different part of the flat.

As long as you're not a twitching, cross eyed, very sweety nervous wreck with something to hide you'll just be in for a bit of a chat.

fitzscoob

Thats me screwed then!

OK, well maybe I'll stick with plan A and see what the police reccomend in regards to storing the gun.

Thanks

billythekid

Ammo is bulky stuff. You might be better keeping ammo limited - i.e buy a gun safe with an ammo section (sperate key and door internally) and you can fit 250 - 300 rounds inside most 4 or 5 gun safes. You can always buy ammo at the club - well every club I have ever been too anyway! But the bottom line is there is no specific law about where you store the ammo.

I keep about 2000 rounds at any one time (I shoot a lot) and they go inside a locked cupboard. Also, be aware 500 rounds is 15kg... so heavy stuff! I buy in lots of 2000. I also buy quite a mix of shot sizes... so depending on the time of year I might well have quite a bit more than that.

If you live on the top floor of a flat you will have to lug it all up.

I used to live in a flat years ago (only 2nd floor though) and got some strange looks carrying boxes and boxes of ammo up the stairs!

You are going to acquire quite a bit of kit, so space is going to be your issue. Chances are you will be buying cleaning gear, gun oil, shooting jacket, boots, chokes, ammo, more guns, more gun oil etc etc etc

I would also buy a small soft guncase. One which you can break the gun down and carry. Something thats not camo! And does not say "hey look at me I have a gun". As a) someone will break in to have a look for it and b) someone might well call the cops if you live in a city.

donny andi

iTrader: (3)

I got mine granted , it's not hard to get if you have a clean background , I on the other hand had a 'mispent childhood' .....took 5 years with 1 little slip up to get mine

If and when you get it I have a really nice Winchester select for sale.....it's to nice of a gun to saw the barrels off

mamoon2

This is not correct, you do not have to have the keys on you at all times. However the keys must be secure or hidden and your Firearms licensing officer will not ask you where they are just whether they are secure / hidden

You also don't need to be a member of a club, you can just say its for sport shooting and you have attended a certain clubs a few times.

Unless you have violent / drugs / drink related convictions you will granted the certificate.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Over in Ireland, the Garda decided to review everyone's firearm's cert & check that the guns owned were the actual ones on the certs (only in Ireland...). So they called up my mum & said they wanted to come round and inspect the gun, so she called me and told me & I told her I couldn't give her the key as otherwise I would be in breach of my licence! This stumped them a bit (especially the officious ban-garda) but eventually we agreed that my mum would phone me when they came round, I would tell them where the key was and they would check, then take the key away with them for me to collect when I was next over... Needless to say they just handed it back to my mum when they left

danny c

iTrader: (6)

when i applied for mine the lady came round,asked why i wanted it (clays and vermin controll) looked at the cabinet (bolted to wall in understaires cupboard) had a chat and asked some gun safety questions etc, then she mentiond the scooby on the drive and said how clean it was looking and said you will have to be extra carefull now as speeding tickets etc can go against you and your gun licence!
few weeks later my licence came!!

stilover

The general question they ask are to get an appreciation of your metal state towards guns. Stating that you want it for sport, and also to give any potential burglar both barrels, will see your application turned down.

Being a member of a Clay shooting club would be ideal, as they know where you are planning on using it. You will have to have a gun cabinet installed prior to being granted your license.

Ammo doesn't have to be kept in a cabinet, but they prefer it not left out on display. They will try to get you to install your Cabinet in the loft, as any burglar won't stumble upon it. It will have to be secured to a structural wall. A partition wall won't do. Neither will a garage.

donny andi

iTrader: (3)

No you don't need to have a cabinet installed first ?
What if they refuse you?

The firearms officer will not hand over. In person the grant until he has seen/inspected the cabinet.......he will phone to say it's gone through etc etc and arrange a time to deliver and check the cabinet

I've just moved house and he wouldn't hand the grant back over to me until the cabinet had been checked

As for joining a shooting club. It makes no difference if you do or don't .....I'm not in one

Btw I was informed to hide the cartridges where I hide the pornos

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

Perfect reply

Kev_turbo

As said you do not need a cabinet to have a license. I got my license at my old house so I could go game shooting with a borrowed gun when at the in laws. Having the licence meant I could borrow the gun for up to 72 hours without the need to notify the plod and not need direct supervision of the guns owner. I held the license for 12 months before moving and deciding to install a cabinet and buy my first (of many!!) guns. When I moved and bought the cabinet the firearms licencing officer came and looked at the cabinet (never touched it) and said he would make a note on the file stating it was a 5 gun cabinet so if I bought any more than 5 they would be ringing me to find out where I was keeping the surplus. There was however no restriction on the original license that would have prevented me from going to the local gun shop and buying a shot gun, I would however have had an issue on informing the plod i had bought it.

One of the questions asked by west yorkshire is who do you shoot with/ They like to know that a newbie is out with experienced people.

If you say pest control they want to know where and see written permission

A lot of the clay clubs around me are just pay on the day set ups, i.e. no membership. I shoot at 4 or 5 different places but have no paperwork from them that states that. Have you got any old scoring cards you could show? If you can say I have been going to XXXXXX clay club with Jo Bloggs who I have known for 10 years and has been shooting all his life then you will be fine.

hodgy0_2

the sock draw then

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Are any previous convictions for violence an instant decline, even if it was years ago, and "spent"?

donny andi

iTrader: (3)

No mate , they look at the violence and sort of re interview you.
Drink/drug problems are a problem , don't think a spent armed robbery would go down well

I had a lot on the violence side of things.......embarrassing to admit , but my firearms officer was spot on who listened to my side of the story

He did explain to me though......ANY run in with the law I would get armed response through my front door and be introduced to cable ties........then they would listen to my side of events

donny andi

iTrader: (3)

No bud.........in the oven , only place my missis won't go near

billythekid

The issue is you dont *need* to do anything. You don't even *need* to let the FLO see your storage arrangements when you apply. Dnothing in the act to say you have too. Do you want to try it?

My FLO asks keys are kept on your person when not at home. Why? Because if you get broken into, or if someone finds the keys you WILL be prosecuted for allowing unauthorized access to a firearm. There is also the issue of family members knowing where keys are. Chances are they will know.. The best solution, for when you are not at home is to keep them with you. When at home, a small key safe with number lock is ok. Don't tell wife the code. Job done.

I have been shooting 24 years and its served me well.

danny c

iTrader: (6)

to be honest i think it varys so much between the police forces and what part of country you live!even down to the officer who comes!

if i was you id take it as it comes,answer the questions honestly as they WILL check anyway!

if you listen to everyones opinions/help you will end up in a mass muddle and they will know something is up!

billythekid

Agreed.

I fall under level 3 so have to have reasonable security arrangements.
At L1 a FLO might be happy with lower security due to the lower risk.

Dave T-S

The main difference between a shotgun certificate and a firearms certificate is that for a shotgun certificate you do NOT have to prove good reason to apply for a certificate, or to own shotguns. Providing you meet the criteria (age, mental stability, criminal record etc etc ) the police cannot refuse to issue you with a shotgun certificate. Once you have your certificate, you can go and buy whatever shotguns you like, within reason (and providing they meet the criteria of Section 2 of the Firearms Act 1968).

You don't have to be a member of any club.

With a firearms licence, you have to prove good reason to hold firearms, and you have to apply, in advance, to your local Firearms Licensing Authority for the firearms you wish to purchase and the reason you want them.

There is no legal requirement to keep shotgun ammunition under lock and key (but your FEO may try and say otherwise ).

ANY previous convictions, including motoring convictions, need to be notified. There is no such thing as a spent conviction on a shotgun certificate application. That doesn't mean to say past convictions will necessarily go against you, but non disclosure certainly will.

ScoobyWon't

A couple of years ago, I responded to a 999 burglary call. Arrived to then be told shot guns had been stolen. If I'd known that I'd have not walked in so casually. Anyway, did what I had to do to record the crime, then the firearms lads got in touch a few days later - they went out and nicked the owner for breaching his licence as he had left them loose, outside the cabinet, after starting to clean them before going out.

billythekid

Section 5 is when it gets interesting..

Dave T-S

Section 1 when the feds try and interpret it as Section 5 is even more interesting

mart360

Can you have a licence, and hire / borrow a shotgun?

I wouldnt mind taking up clays with the other half, but not sure whether she'd play ball with the guns at home bit ..

Could you have a licnece and use say a gun / clay club gun? on a per visit basis (without supervision etc?)

That said i allready have numerous Archery bows at home, differnt kettle of fish i know, but the mind set is similar..

There always kept in their taken down state, and not prominantly on display

Strange how you dont need a licence for them though ?


Mart

mamoon2

He deserved to be nicked if he went out and left the guns unlocked.

Sounds like a set up job to me. An easy way of getting a couple of illegal firearms on the black market.