Applying for a Firearm Certificate

[Heman468 1]

Hi All

Im a new member so hope you dont mind me asking for advice. Thanks in advance

Basicalky, I want to apply for a firearm licence so i can get a .243 rile for hunting and target practice etc.

I have researched all the ins and outs about applying for a firearm licence (having to be a full member at a home office approved Shooting club etc) and i know about the "good reason" that the police are looking for etc.

I am just a bit unsure and its a bit unclear on what you can and cant use your rifle for once you have the certificate. Lets just say i apply for the licence through my local police dept. and  i say i want to use tye rifle for target practice at my named shooting club. Will that mean i can ONLY use the gun for target practice once i have the licence or will i be able to hunt with it aswell provided i have permission by a landowner? If i intend to use the rifle for target practice at my club AND for hunting around the UK, do i need to state this on my application?

Also, from your experience, how likely do you think it will be for me to successfully obtain the licence based on me wanting a .243? I figured a .243 is all i need for what i want to hunt and it will possibly be easier to achieve than applying for a .308 ?? Im not overly keen on a .308 right now anyway. 

I currently have no real experience with guns apart from shooting my friends rifles a few times in south africa (5 or so years ago) so I will be looking to apply and join the NRA on a probationary membership and i will then be doing the 5 training modules so that i can eventually obtain full membership before i eventually apply for the firearm licence so i can get my own personal rifle.

I am very passionate about the outdoors and have been wanting to get into shooting and hunting for many years now so i have decided to just go for it. I just REALLY dont want to have to spend approx £600 on membership and training modules through the NRA if ultimately the police deny me a licence

Thank you in advance everyone and hope my post isnt too annoying .

 

[walshie 2,804]

If you get your rifle based on target shooting as a full member of a club, your certificate will be conditioned just for that purpose. If you later get permission to shoot over suitable land, the rifle will need to be conditioned for your intended quarry as well. If you applied for target AND quarry, you would have to provide details of the club and the land you intend to shoot over, along with a letter from the landowner giving you permission. The land would also need to be cleared for that calibre by the police.  

.243 is not "usually* classed as a target calibre, so I'm not sure you would be granted a 243 if it was only for targets, but you can only ask. What quarry would you intend to shoot?

a .243 wouldn't be any easier or harder to get than a .308 as they are both centrefire rifles and FEOs aren't keen on granting centrefires on first application. I believe Surrey insist on mentors for centrefire for anything other than targets.  

As with all questions on here, we can only give you our opinions based on our experience with our own licencing authorities, and the only 100% answer you will get will be from your own. 

But feel free to ask. Lots of knowledgeable people on here.  

[Heman468 1]

Thanks Walshie, that's a helpful reply.

Ok so i am more after getting a rifle so i can hunt (id want to hunt deer mainly, maybe boars aswell eventually but would then need something bigger than .243)

I dont currently have amy permission. I just thought i would try get a licence and then seek to go on organized hunts and perhaps find people that will allow me to hunt on theor land eventually later on. 

Is it THAT strict that you cant just hunt as and when you please on land that is usually hunted on?

As for target practice,  i was only going to put that down on the form because i woupd be part of a club and it would sound more legit. I didnt realize you had to go through so much snot to hunt once you have a gun

I woild be keen to do the odd bit of target practice but ultimately id like to hunt....im very confused now

[The one 8,473]

Hello and welcome mate as said for a first certificate  it will be closed or you might be put under supervision but as said only your local FAO will know and only for the price of a phone call 

[walshie 2,804]

2 hours ago, Heman468 said:

Thanks Walshie, that's a helpful reply.

Ok so i am more after getting a rifle so i can hunt (id want to hunt deer mainly, maybe boars aswell eventually but would then need something bigger than .243)

I dont currently have amy permission. I just thought i would try get a licence and then seek to go on organized hunts and perhaps find people that will allow me to hunt on theor land eventually later on. 

Is it THAT strict that you cant just hunt as and when you please on land that is usually hunted on?

As for target practice,  i was only going to put that down on the form because i woupd be part of a club and it would sound more legit. I didnt realize you had to go through so much snot to hunt once you have a gun

I woild be keen to do the odd bit of target practice but ultimately id like to hunt....im very confused now

You can get a certificate for target shooting to begin with then get it amended to shoot live quarry as and when you get a place you can do that. 

No, you can't hunt as and when you please until your certificate says you can. It's not as complicated as you think once you understand the vagaries of firearms licencing. 

[Outofnowhere 93]

1 hour ago, Heman468 said:

Thanks Walshie, that's a helpful reply.

Ok so i am more after getting a rifle so i can hunt (id want to hunt deer mainly, maybe boars aswell eventually but would then need something bigger than .243)

I dont currently have amy permission. I just thought i would try get a licence and then seek to go on organized hunts and perhaps find people that will allow me to hunt on theor land eventually later on. 

Is it THAT strict that you cant just hunt as and when you please on land that is usually hunted on?

As for target practice,  i was only going to put that down on the form because i woupd be part of a club and it would sound more legit. I didnt realize you had to go through so much snot to hunt once you have a gun

I woild be keen to do the odd bit of target practice but ultimately id like to hunt....im very confused now

Please take what I'm about to say as tough love and not having a go...

When you apply for a FA certificate you MUST demonstrate good reason to hold and use FA's.  This is a go / no go question.  No good reason, no further consideration of your application.

If your good reason is because you have joined a club who target shoot, then your local Police Authority will, if happy, grant you a FA certificate for use in connection with Tgt shooting.  The LPA will write on your certificate what you can use your FA's for.  To use your FA's outside of the conditions on your FA certificate is an offence.  A quite serious offence potentially.  So no, you just cant use it to hunt with if you do not have it written on your FA certificate.

 As for target practice,  i was only going to put that down on the form because i woupd be part of a club and it would sound more legit. I didnt realize you had to go through so much snot to hunt once you have a gun

I think you understand the potential problems with the above statement I have cut and pasted?  I'll say no more.

Privately owned FA's are not popular in the UK, we have the most restrictive FA's legislation second to none.  There is a system and you have to follow it; simples.....!  Many people have and are in your position, but it is a step by step process and whether its right or wrong is of no consequence in the great scheme of things, follow it, play the game and you'll get there.  

Also, you mentioned South Africa, it might be important might not, but you must declare all offences wherever committed save for a couple, from memory parking tickets is one.  Even childhood offences.  Definitely not saying your a bad un just what you're required to do on the application.

If you joined one of the shooting organisations BASC being one, they offer free legal advice to its members.  Might be a good investment.

Good luck and keep us posted. 

[Heman468 1]

"Outofnowhere" i haven't taken offence by wjat you wrote,  so no stress

 

I think i have maybe come across in the wrong light though (i didnt structure my wording very well now that i read it back) .

 

What i meant by the statement you copied and pasted was just me trying to say that while i fully intend on following the law with no deviation, i just wanted to find the easiest way to get a rifle (if that makes sense), so that eventually i can hunt), aswell thats all. I just wasnt aware that applying for a firearm after going through so much training and expense would be so restrictive....but i respect that too.

 

I certainly wasnt trying to imply that i would like to blag my way into getting a gun for target practice and then go off hunting on my own free will....not at all my intention.

 

The reason i am here on this site is becaise i genuinly want to take up the sport of shooting....but im not keen to rush into spending £600 on training modules etc if i am ultimately going to be restricted to just for target practice. I guess i just need to think about it. 

 

As for offences,  i have ZERO against my name....i havent even been fined on the road before and ive been driving 18 years....so i have lno concern from that point of view.

 

Cheers for your advice

 

[Stavross 15,414]

This is just my little bit to chip in as the others have covered the application side well, 

do you know anyone that shoots? That would maybe show you the ropes, don’t take this the wrong way but it worries me when people say want a rifle and want to go hunting, we all started at the bottom, most with help from people already involved with shooting, mentors are a fantastic way to to learn, I take a young lad out now and by the time he comes to apply for his own FAC he will have the experience they are looking for and I will also vouch for him, if you don’t know anyone then I would recommend joining a rifle club to gain experience, then after you have became a fully paid up member apply for your own FAC, slow and steady wins the race 

this is only my opinion, other opinions may vary

[Heman468 1]

"Outofnowhere" i haven't taken offence by wjat you wrote,  so no stress

 

I think i have maybe come across in the wrong light though (i didnt structure my wording very well now that i read it back) .

 

What i meant by the statement you copied and pasted was just me trying to say that while i fully intend on following the law with no deviation, i just wanted to find the easiest way to get a rifle (if that makes sense), so that eventually i can hunt), aswell thats all. I just wasnt aware that applying for a firearm after going through so much training and expense would be so restrictive....but i respect that too.

 

I certainly wasnt trying to imply that i would like to blag my way into getting a gun for target practice and then go off hunting on my own free will....not at all my intention.

 

The reason i am here on this site is becaise i genuinly want to take up the sport of shooting....but im not keen to rush into spending £600 on training modules etc if i am ultimately going to be restricted to just for target practice. I guess i just need to think about it. 

 

As for offences,  i have ZERO against my name....i havent even been fined on the road before and ive been driving 18 years....so i have lno concern from that point of view.

 

Cheers for your advice

 

[Heman468 1]

1 hour ago, Stavross said:

This is just my little bit to chip in as the others have covered the application side well, 

do you know anyone that shoots? That would maybe show you the ropes, don’t take this the wrong way but it worries me when people say want a rifle and want to go hunting, we all started at the bottom, most with help from people already involved with shooting, mentors are a fantastic way to to learn, I take a young lad out now and by the time he comes to apply for his own FAC he will have the experience they are looking for and I will also vouch for him, if you don’t know anyone then I would recommend joining a rifle club to gain experience, then after you have became a fully paid up member apply for your own FAC, slow and steady wins the race 

this is only my opinion, other opinions may vary

Yep, thats exactly what i intend on doing...thanks.

[Heman468 1]

Thanks for all your help chaps...i have applied for probationary membership and will then work my way up to full membership after i have completed the necessary training.

I will then look to go on mentored hunts for the near future while building up experience. As long as i can get opportunities to go out, ill be happy, that's all i wanted really.

Cheers

[Stavross 15,414]

Just another thought, but have you considered a shotgun to begin with, days on the clays mingling with people that are also involved in game shooting, farm pest control and the likes, get to know them and offer your help, the more people you get to know the more opportunities may come your way, best of luck getting to where you want to be

[Heman468 1]

1 hour ago, Stavross said:

Just another thought, but have you considered a shotgun to begin with, days on the clays mingling with people that are also involved in game shooting, farm pest control and the likes, get to know them and offer your help, the more people you get to know the more opportunities may come your way, best of luck getting to where you want to be

yeah i am also keen for a shotgun to do some clay shooting so will be applying for one aswell. Hopefully i do get to meet some cool people