FAC Shotgun

Chris Rob

Well-Known Member
I've got the opportunity to purchase a FAC shotgun which will come in handy for the pigeons & wondered do you treat it as you would any other variation or are there any quirks to applying for these?

Cheers

Chris
 
Any other variation. Plod will require proof that you need it for lots of vermin destruction though. A letter from a farmer stating he's over run with them will help lots. A simple "I want it because it will come in handy" probably isn't enough "good reason". Phone your local fire arms team and ask them. They're there to help.
 
I believe that friends of mine that have them use "avian control" on the application. I would be less specific then you can use it for what you want rather than be restricted. Alternatively you could brush up on your shooting then you wont need to fife so many shots.
 
A friend has a ten shot on ticket, primarily as a practical shotgunner, but he also has a specific condition on ticket to use it for pigeon.
 
As the others have said, as long as you have a reason then it shoudn't be a problem. Have Clay target shooting put on the conditions of use though as well as vermin. A lot of bigger clay shoots won't let you use a FAC gun but you might come across one that will. Also, don't forget that, if you breach the conditions (and get caught) you will be for the high jump, wildfowling might be an example. I was talking to the Police about the problem of cowboys using s/guns on muntjac drives (yes this still goes on!), they said that as the shotguns/deer/farmers defence etc was a legal minefield, they would go for anyone using a section one shotgun and pursue the breach of conditions aspect. JC
 
Might be a good time to also get some 12 bore slugs on your FAC as well. They can come in useful for all kinds of things including humane killing.
 
Alternatively you could brush up on your shooting then you wont need to fife so many shots.

Thanks for that Pete :rolleyes: I really wanted it when in the hide & roost shooting later on in the year as its a pain having to reload every 3 shots when they are flocking in as they are at the moment! :D

Cheers

Chris
 
Thanks for that Pete :rolleyes: I really wanted it when in the hide & roost shooting later on in the year as its a pain having to reload every 3 shots when they are flocking in as they are at the moment! :D

Cheers

Chris

Chris
there is also the other side of things, you do get tempted to shoot at the same pigeon 5 times and still miss :oops:
and also a ball ache loading/unloading 5 shells
I do luv my 5 shot thou, especially for foxing :thumb:
 
I expect that in a few months time that ALL shot guns will actually be have to be held on a new single "Firearms and Shot Gun Certificate" and the Shot Gun Certificate will go. I do hope not!

But to the matter in hand.

I had a s1 Browning Auto-5 on my Firearms Certificate for shooting sea gulls (believe it or not). The justification for the multiple shot requirement was that these things appear in number and that a conventional restricted magazine shot gun could not cope.

I also (for shooting rats) had a 9mm Rimfire Bernadelli shot gun on s1 but that was because it had a detachable magazine (of three or four shot capacity) and could not be converted made into a fixed non-detachable magazine shot gun.

My personal belief is that you will be hard to justify an increased capacity for just pigeon shooting over decoys on crops as, by its nature, firing just one shot scares them away and over a day you can kill scores (although I've never done so) using just a conventional double barrel gun let alone a multiple shot s1 shot gun.

One last point as others have said EC Law does impact of magazine capacity of shot guns from a conservation angle so be aware.

Best of luck.

I think that you may struggle.

But certainly the SAFEST gun in any hide (apart from something like a Greener GP that also can be reloaded in the vertical position) is a pump action or self-loading gun as it does not have to be lowered and broken to be reloaded.
 
Last edited:
Should not be an issue, i own a hatsan 10 shot. Admittedly, i am not william tell! So i find 10 shots very handy for running rabbits and pigeons. There should be nothing to stop you owning a multishot shotgun just so long as you have land to rough shoot. The only downside i see, is picking the damn cartridges up after. Especially in long grass!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top