wha are my chances??

r judd

Well-Known Member
Hi all, i will give you my situation....i am going to apply for my first fac and putting down for .22 and .243.
I am 25 have no criminal record or experience in stalking/larger calibers. I have been out many times with my dad his .22rf both day and night. I also have plenty of experience with shotguns and also own an air rifle. My dad has his fac and has asked the land owner where his is passed for and he says there is no problem for me to have permission also.
Before i send my papers in i am hoping to have an outing stalking to have an insight/experience for when the officer comes to my house.
My reasons for applying for 243 is it is the smallest caliber legal for deer in uk and hopefully i would have a better chance of having it passed.
What do you lads think my chances of having it granted??
Cheers ben


 
That depends on your local Bobbies.

I had a .308 granted as my first rifle with no other conditions aged 28. It would appear a lot of people on here struggle with overly bureaucratic police.

Good luck with your application.
 
If you provide good reason I can't see why not?. It may be worth booking on a DSC1 course as well? You're almost certainly going to have a mentor restriction put on any centrefire initially though! I would however put in for the calibre you actually want instead of the one that is the smallest. I don't think that reasoning is going to make any difference at all.
 
well i do want to do my dsc1 and have pondered weather to do it before application. the mentor restriction wouldnt be a major issue as i know lads will take me out, it is just how long the restriction would be there for. i have though about .243 as i am not planning on having a go at anything large just roe and muntjack until i gain more experience. if a larger caliber would be passed then it would save me having to change in the future??
 
I used to have a pistol ticket back in the early 90's. (which I allowed to lapse, hind sight is 20-20!)
When I applied for that, I was told to ask for more than you need, then when they knock you back re a certain calibre its not so bad.
I applied the same logic when I got my rifle ticket. I asked for;
22lr for rabbit
22.250 larger vermin and fox, small deer
6.5 x 55 all deer
9.3 x 62 boar
The FLO had kittens re the 9.3 saying its too big (???) I did point out the 22.250 would travel further but it fell on deaf ears.
I did find that reading up on the different calibre's you want and their different characteristics goes a long way to getting what you want. Rather than just saying "oh I just fancied something big!" Which I have heard someone ask for.
It did make me laugh when they asked what experience I had re larger calibre's........I mean apart from .223 .243 and .308 its difficult getting a paid stalk with any other calibre.
Anyway I ended up with 22.250 and the 6.5 x 55.
Re your situation, I see no reason at all why they'd refuse it. But then they don't exactly need a reason do they?? :D
Good luck!!
 
well 6.5x55 is a caliber i have been looking at and if i am honest would prefer. at least it will stop anything larger. the reason i am looking at .243 is a couple of things 1, i dont want to get knocked back for it and 2, the land is already passed as my dad has it on his ticket. from what experience i have with the .22rf is thats more dangerous than most with the ricochet problems. wanted to get some opinions from lads who may have had problems applying in the past. from what i am gathering not many of the answers have said for me to go for .243!!!!
cheers ben
 
Ask your licensing bureau for a copy of their policy WRT deer cal rifle in writing, saves money and time.
I use a .243 on Roe, Muntjac and Fallow, excellent round on foxes as well.
 
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If you're worried about ricochet problems then put in for a .17hmr too. Great round without the ricochet. Also doubles your effective range. This is a 5 year ticket. If you change your mind in 3 years time it's going to cost you unless you apply for what you really want now and at least have it on your license!
 
the 243 is a great round and a good starting point for your c/f experience as the land is passed thats one less hurdle ,cant get my head round the whole mentoring thing on your[ ticket] but that said a mentor/mate to show you the stalking ropes is a great way to learn and save you some cash ie dsc1 ,not knocking it but its something you can do further down the line imo.i am not a fan of the police using dsc 1 as criteria for issuing a cert .should you get totally addicted as time goes by and your experience grows you will do as i did and try different calibres to do basically the same job ....kill deer .good luck with your application plenty of opiniuns and help on the SD
good hunting
norma
 
where in south yorks ar you? i got my ticket int summer put in for 22rf 17 and 22hornet.the bloke who came was only goin to give me 22rf then he decided to give 17 but knocked me back on hornet said i had to get some expierience with the rimfire then in 6 months he would give me choice of hornet 222 223 or 22.250. then 2 days later i got a call from a woman in firearms who asked why ide withdrawn the hornet so i explained wot had happened.and she ended up granting it said i had the land and the reason so they couldnt not give it me! great so now im goin t do a variation on the 17 for 243 see wot happens
 
Go for the .243 mate ,if you have good reason and the land s.yorks will have no bother granting what you want on first application,I had .22lr and .22-250 on my first,and now got .243 and .270.
Jase.
 
Hi I got my fac last year with West Yorks. Just like you been shooting with my dad. Put down for .22lr .223rem and .270win all with sound mods. Got them granted no problem go for it
 
Anyone starting out should apply for the calibre / 's they "NEED", not the perceived minima, by the FLO'S/FEO'S...... & land checks, what a load of rubbish!............. if you can safely use a .22LR on it, you can use a deer calibre too.
 
few keys words

SAFE BACK STOP NEED NEED NOT WANT NO SUCH THING AS OVERKILL DEAD IS DEAD O AND SAFE BACKSTOP NEED NEED NEED
 
go for the deer calibre you want not what you think will be granted. explain that the 6.5 x 55 has a good range of bullet weight for fox and deer and whilst you can only see shooting roe and muntjac at the moment you might get asked to shoot elsewhere in the future at differant species.

i was told when applying for my .222 and 6.5 that if i couldnt buy both within 6 months then they would be taken off my ticket. i now know this was utter rubbish and wished i had literally stuck to my guns and insisted on my choice of 6.5

i now have a 308 but thats another story. i definatly wanted to change up from the 243 and havnt looked back. if i started with the 6.5 i would probably still have it but thats just my personal choice
 
I am 25 and got .17hmr, 22-250, .270 for my first time, long as you have a good reason should be no problem.
 
If you want a 6.5x55 and have a good reason for aquiring one then go for it. A mentoring condition should only be for 3 stalks then get a letter from your mentor to have it removed. It would probably take less time to just do your mentor process than arguing that you have got to do it.


All the best. M
 
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