Applying For Fac , But What's Best For Different Quarry

[Alsone 789]

Now I'm getting confused ,

 

The simple answer is you're trying to shoot 2 very different sizes of quarry.

 

I'd perhaps consider the .17 Hornet as I'm presuming you're not ready to homeload and unlike .22 hornet, the ammo is all good out of the box as it's a new calibre.

 

120yd with the HMR is a tough shot for a novice as fox ideally requires a headshot at that distance and HMR is prone to windage effects, and a miss will cause severe injury and suffering as although it has the power to kill, it doesn't have huge reserves of power to cause fatal shock and damage if off the vital target point.

 

The downside, is if you have a lot rabbits, any centrefire will soon get very expensive to run.

 

If you have a lot of rabbits, then you need to go .22LR or HMR for economy and restrict your foxing to close range ie for a novice I would suggest 40 yards max.

[andyf 144]

160 yard Rabbits 'easy' 17hmr. (yeh right)

Check your range with a laser not your fantasy matey I don't think so.

That's a long way, you can't even see a Rabbit properly from that far let alone 'head shoot' one, with

a crap airgun scope.

Don't get carried away with range.

[Deker 3,478]

160 yard Rabbits 'easy' 17hmr. (yeh right)

Check your range with a laser not your fantasy matey I don't think so.

That's a long way, you can't even see a Rabbit properly from that far let alone 'head shoot' one, with

a crap airgun scope.

Don't get carried away with range.

:hmm:

 

What may be easy for some is impossible for others, don't be too hasty to jump in.

 

My furthest rabbit with a HMR was 258 yards witnessed and confirmed on a range finder, another pal took one at 285 yards. These are one off shots and I would never suggest that was the norm, the circumstances and situation came together to allow these shots.

 

I have taken many a rabbit at 160 yards with my HMR but I would again suggest that if anyone considers they need that distance regularly they should consider something more than a HMR, possibly a .17 or .22 Hornet.

 

Most of my shots are under 150 yards, I need to give careful consideration to the shot if I am looking any further than that with a HMR, but 150 yards +++ is definitely achievable.

 

ATB!

[charlie caller 3,654]

.22 hornet Hornady 35 grain vmax,fox and long range rabbit, .22lr close range (40 yard) fox and bunnies galore, then when you feel like it you can reload the hornet for around 18 pence a bang, and shoot 200 yard bunnies with comparative ease, and all for the same cost as running the horrid .17 pop gun

[ianm 2,594]

I started off by advising considering the hornets .17 and .22 and i stand by that advice.

If fox is involved at greater than 100yds as you have stated then you will need something more substantial than a hmr. My mate has a .17 hornet and i used it to shoot a few rabbits with him last night, not a mark on them and very flat shooting. I think they are ideal for quarry up to fox size to 200yds and up to 300yds on corvids, rabbits.

 

As for the people who say you will not be granted a centre fire on first application then i am afraid that statement is "horseshit". If you can show good reason and you obviously can then they have to grant it. On my first application i applied for .22lr, .17hmr, .223 and .243 and was granted them all because i had good reason. I also refused point blank to have a mentor so that also went away, a week after the interview my ticket arrived. It was opened after 10 months. So do not be put off by people who are frightened of feo's and roll over at the first hint of opposition, submit your application with whatever you require and put forward a case of good reason then see what transpires.

 

Good luck with whatever you choose.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Good advice from somebody who knows what he is talking about, I would just add, dont demand, a courteous attitude will get you far more than a demanding approach (not suggesting you were not advocating that Ianm) but as said dont be afraid to stand up for yourself, and roll over, some feo's make the rules up as they go along.

[celticrusader 78]

160 yard Rabbits 'easy' 17hmr. (yeh right)

Check your range with a laser not your fantasy matey I don't think so.

That's a long way, you can't even see a Rabbit properly from that far let alone 'head shoot' one, with

a crap airgun scope.

Don't get carried away with range.

 

YOU!.. Calling me a liar pal!

First of all under the right circumstances it is easy as I have open flat fields at the 170 yrd range where any movement scares them off so a mate and I sit at the top of one of these fields and pop them off so yeah 160 sodding yards paced out by myself with my hmr and and my Nikko sterling game king 4-16 x50 and my pal an international shooter present.

The pics have already been posted on another topic.

 

Come to think of it I believe my profile PIC is that of a 148yrd headshot!

Edited August 21, 2014 by celticrusader

[J_Edwards 70]

I have .17HMR for vermin and .223 fox, as South Yorkshire Police don't like HMR for fox, so I had to get both. I was recommended .22 Hornet, but the FEO acknowledged that ammo is a problem unless you reload, and was happy to grant both. I've never used a .17HMR on a fox, but from what I've seen and heard, they will do the job up to 100 yards, after which you'd probably need a .22 centerfire.

 

The longest I've taken with the .17HMR is a crow at 150 yards, with slight compensation for the wind, so I have no doubts that CelticCrusader is speaking the truth.

 

In terms of .17HMR ammo, I find 17gr Hornady V-Max to be the best for my rifle, but naturally yours could be different and like different ammo. There's some nasty rumours going around about 20gr V-Max, but that's a manufacturing error, and nothing to do with the round itself

[Deker 3,478]

I have .17HMR for vermin and .223 fox, as South Yorkshire Police don't like HMR for fox, so I had to get both. I was recommended .22 Hornet, but the FEO acknowledged that ammo is a problem unless you reload, and was happy to grant both. I've never used a .17HMR on a fox, but from what I've seen and heard, they will do the job up to 100 yards, after which you'd probably need a .22 centerfire.

 

The longest I've taken with the .17HMR is a crow at 150 yards, with slight compensation for the wind, so I have no doubts that CelticCrusader is speaking the truth.

 

In terms of .17HMR ammo, I find 17gr Hornady V-Max to be the best for my rifle, but naturally yours could be different and like different ammo. There's some nasty rumours going around about 20gr V-Max, but that's a manufacturing error, and nothing to do with the round itself

HMR has plenty of ammo issues in all forms, and it isn't a rumour, it is well known and accepted since day one by all the manufacturers.

[nasher1 258]

I've been informed that its not worth putting down for a cf on my application even though I have reason to own one, also I was told a DSC1 was needed, I know its bullshit but you cant really start arguing with them before you have the ticket in your hands I have seen the resulting shit they put you through when you don't toe the line.

[celticrusader 78]

No dsc1 is not relevant but I'm sure they're going down that route and want to make it compulsory in the future.

[SportingShooter 0]

I've been informed that its not worth putting down for a cf on my application even though I have reason to own one, also I was told a DSC1 was needed, I know its bullshit but you cant really start arguing with them before you have the ticket in your hands I have seen the resulting shit they put you through when you don't toe the line.

Perhaps not "argue"

 

Put your views across definitely. Tell them to put everything in black and white and their reasons for refusal, definitely.

 

If they refuse you a centrefire and you have the "good reason" and the land to use it on, send all correspondence to BASC or whoever you use and let them sort it out,

 

Do not be bullied by a firearms department that know little about how firearms are used in the field.

 

Take whatever someone from a firearms departments says about firearms certificates, halve it, then halve it again. You may be closer to the truth.

 

DSC is bollocks.

 

If you have the reason, stick it down.

[delswal 3,819]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/329845/GuideFirearmsLicensingLawJune14.pdf

 

Everything there you need to know about applying for a firearm and the law ……all 254 pages …….and this is the LAW not what a local FEO THINKS good luck

[Deker 3,478]

 

I've been informed that its not worth putting down for a cf on my application even though I have reason to own one, also I was told a DSC1 was needed, I know its bullshit but you cant really start arguing with them before you have the ticket in your hands I have seen the resulting shit they put you through when you don't toe the line.

Perhaps not "argue"

 

Put your views across definitely. Tell them to put everything in black and white and their reasons for refusal, definitely.

 

If they refuse you a centrefire and you have the "good reason" and the land to use it on, send all correspondence to BASC or whoever you use and let them sort it out,

 

Do not be bullied by a firearms department that know little about how firearms are used in the field.

 

Take whatever someone from a firearms departments says about firearms certificates, halve it, then halve it again. You may be closer to the truth.

 

DSC is bollocks.

 

If you have the reason, stick it down.

 

You forgot to write +1.

 

[Deker 3,478]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/329845/GuideFirearmsLicensingLawJune14.pdf

 

Everything there you need to know about applying for a firearm and the law ……all 254 pages …….and this is the LAW not what a local FEO THINKS good luck

 

This is a very useful GUIDE, which will give guidance to the Police and others on a lot related to Firearms!

 

But note, it is actually a GUIDE which quotes a bit of Law!

 

It is designed to help the Police regions administer the Law in a similar manner to each other, and steer punters in the right direction, large parts have nothing specifically to do with the Law and are yet to be tested in the Courts.

 

ATB!