newcomer needing advice please

[Barky 24]

hi all im after some advice, iv got a shotgun licence and iv had it since i was 13 im now 25, i go out with my shotguns most evenings and weekends but im now wanting to apply for my firearms licence in the near future so i would like some advice on what to go for, and anything else you think i should know. iv got permisson on a fair bit of land none of which has been cleared for using a rifle on yet. i will be using rifles for rabbit control, and fox control. any advice would be appreciated. thanks barky

[tegater 789]

hi all im after some advice, iv got a shotgun licence and iv had it since i was 13 im now 25, i go out with my shotguns most evenings and weekends but im now wanting to apply for my firearms licence in the near future so i would like some advice on what to go for, and anything else you think i should know. iv got permisson on a fair bit of land none of which has been cleared for using a rifle on yet. i will be using rifles for rabbit control, and fox control. any advice would be appreciated. thanks barky

OK Barky. First of all, most forces will not give you a ticket for fox control, on a rimfire rifle. This is not law, and is something that Chief Constables take responsibility for. So, on that note, you may need to look at a centrefire for foxes and there is a whole host of different calibres to choose from.

If you are only ever going to go for foxes as the largest mammal you are likely to shoot, then as a starter rifle calibre, then a .223 could be what you are looking for. If you are really going to get into it, and start reloading, then my choice would be 22-250, but this is my personal choice.

If you think that in the near future you may also have a go at some deer management, the go for .243 as a starter.

For the rabbits, go either .22 or .17hmr. Again it depends on your ground and the end game as to which one you choose.

 

However all of this will depend upon what your firearms licensing unit, deem the land is suitable for, and what conditions they will stipulate.

 

You will get a whole host of other advice from people on this site which will be excellent I am sure, but do loads of research as to what will be best for your particular circumstances.

 

Good luck.

[markha 99]

Hi Barky,

 

This has all the info you need to get your head around the application process and form filling

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/67282-firearms-certificate/

 

Fill your application forms out, get a permission slip printed off have, a search for 'Land Authority Form' as this is a nice clear form accepted by all Forces.

It shopuld have the name of the land owner/owner of shooting rights, the address of th e same and the address of the land if different. Also include the acreage and what type of fireamrs you have ben granted permission to use on that land.

Go on to Ordnance Survey online mapping (or if you have an OS map of your shooting area) and print off a map of your permission land and mark the boundaries on it.

Get your 2 referees to complete their form and sign a couple of photos of you.

 

Put it all in the recorded delivery post, sit back and wait

 

They will want to go and see your permission for a tour around and get it cleared for whatever calibre they deem is appropriate. It helps if you go with them as you can show them you know the lie of your land and safe back stops and arcs of fire and any public rights of way etc.

 

I would say always try to get your centrefire rifle passed for shooting 'vermin' and not just 'destruction of fox'.

 

Best of luck and welcome to the world of rifles - Oh thats reminded me, if you have been shooting an air rifle for years, tell the FEO when they visit you, every little helps, you have to be safe with all firearms, more so with rifles, theres a bit of a difference between the range and energy of a pellet from a shotgun and a bullet from a rifle.

 

Do lots of homework and research on the main rfile calibres used for hunting, find out their pro's and con's as this may ultimately lead you to making the best choice of calibre that you need on your permissions.

 

Have fun and all the best with it.

[Gloop 5]

Of course if you have loads of money you can buy a rifle for each job. But as we are all generally constrained by beer tokens here is my take.

22lr for rabbits out to 60 ish yards. cheap to buy £200 will buy you a good 2nd hand one. Cheap to run. about £5/7 for 50 bullets I think.

17hmr for rabbit out to 150 yards. I have used it on foxes out to 100 yards with my FEO blessing. Feos often prefer the hmr to other calibres because they are less likely to ricochette. Costs twice as much as a .22lr at least to run. If used on foxes you need to be sure of the shot as it has less power than the following.

 

Dedicated foxing rifle I would go for a 223. Just my personal choice. less noisy than the 22.250. but you can pick up a 22.250 very cheap nowadays as they are out of favour with many buying 222 and 223. Can also be used on munties. I haven't shot a 22.250 but I love my 223.

 

Deer rifle, I would start with the 243 which will take anything up to Fallow comfortably as long as your placement is right. I know a few people who just shoot Fallow with 243 but plenty of people think it is too small. you could also use something like a 55 grain bullet for foxes and a 95 grain for deer.

 

Now if I only had money for 1 rifle then it would be a 17HMR. This will cover rabbits and let you take foxes providing you are careful. practice practice practice till you are a good shot and take your time.

 

Keep some money aside for a good scope. You don't need a Zeiss or really expensive one but you don't want a cheap airgun one either. Plenty of good budget scopes out there but that is another thing. And as for which make and model. That will just start a fight. And I'm not going to mention my favourite subject..... Night vision

 

Hope this is of some help.

[The Duncan 802]

That's an A1 answer, gloop!

 

D.

[HUnter_zero 58]

Hi Barky, so very good advice so far.

 

I'll add my take on things as well.

 

1) You are going to need suitable land. What 'we' deem suitable and what the firearms department deem suitable seems to differ some what. So, cutting to the chase choose the most hilly land you have, the one with the most back stops, the one which has very little in the way of public access, the one that is obviously better than the rest.

You must remember that for the first few years you can only shoot on cleared or passed land! This might restrict you at the beginning but you can always ask for other areas of land to be 'passed' after you have your FAC granted.

 

2) Obviously you need to think about why you need to own a firearm. Are the rabbits out of range for a shotgun/airgun on this farm? Foxes causing issues? Sound of gun fire at night an issue? You have to remember it's not your legal right to own a firearm, so you must have a good reason.

 

3) You need to decide on which calibre to buy. You will be restricted with this and for you first application you might be restricted to rim fire only. Forces have been know to be reluctant to issue center fire calibres on your first application. A .22rf is IMHO a must, so there is a start. Don't forget you can ask for anything but you might be refused, however this will not effect your over all application, it will just show you have an understanding of the calibres capabilities. Refusal will be based on experience alone.

 

4) Get the application in as soon as possible, resent times have shown that the application process is slow due to government cut back and a draconian approach to our police force.

 

Good luck.

 

John

[paulus 26]

just a point to remember this will be the only time you can apply for multiple calibres for a fixed price, in future you will have to pay for each calibre you apply for so fill your boots they can only say no

[Barky 24]

Thanks guys for the advice, great comments. i will be doing more homework then putting in for it so fingers crossed! i will let you all know how i get on and thanks again guys.

atb barky

[andyf 144]

Hi Barky:

Best advice is apply for a .22 Rimfire AND a 17hmr, assuming you have decent acre's etc you will (with your background) get them with no problem, the Centrefire(s) can come

later.

Anyway as you apparently have no 'rifle' experience on record, it's probably best to cut your teeth on the rimfires anyway, you'll have a lot of fun doing so!

By the way the .22 is the way in, cheap ammo and decent range/killing power, the 17hmr is an expensive plaything, (and in my opinion not that special).

Later a 22.250 maybe the way to go unless you have Deer 'on the menu', but beware Centrefire Rifles/Ammo/Scopes etc start to escalate in £££.

Go for it!

AF

[TWOTWOTHREE 152]

Good luck With the app,

Some good comments from above,personally I think if u want rimfire and centrefire bite the bullet so to speak lol and apply for 22lr 17hmr and the cf you fancy doing so,yes the cf shoots out to some crazy distances but to be fair it's all down to common sense and safety,point a rimmy in the wrong direction and it's asking for trouble,whether I've got my shotgun rimfire or cf in my hand a safe shot is the thing I'm thinking everytime I pull that trigger,back stop, line of fire it all makes a safe shot,we all started somewhere apart from shotgun which I had ten year plus I remember the first time I fired the lr I was amazed as airgun was king up to this point,then I got the hmr holy shite I thought this can't shoot this flat all the time but it did,by this point I didn't think I needed another rifle,so what happened I went and applied for the 223 I couldn't help it,I don't shoot deer so I'm complete in the armoury department,the moral of this story is shooting rifles is addictive but act safe and we will be safe,I think I speak for all on that note,and on the plus side it costs less in variation fees,the worst thing is the feo can say no but they are monsters just do their job,good luck with the process and I hope it doesn't take to long for you,unlike Derbyshire I've posted a variation today and the lady in licensing said it won't be back before santa comes !!!!!!!!

Atb 223

[TWOTWOTHREE 152]

Not monsters should I say ,just in case mine is reading it lol

[matt_hooks 188]

If you're going cf, go for a .243 at least. IMHO the .243 with the right round will do everything the .22 cf's will do, but also with the option of beefing up the round a bit and taking deer.

 

Anyone who tells you a .243 isn't enough round for fallow is either a very poor shot, or doesn't know what they are talking about. The .243 is plenty big enough for any species of deer in the UK, in fact I know a few highland stalkers who use them to take big read stags, anything else is a snap (given good bullet placement. A big round will never make up for poor placement)

 

So go for .22 LR and .243, they should do everything you'll ever need.

[The Duncan 802]

.308 will kill anything you could ever want to in the UK, including boar