Bertie Leblanc
Well-Known Member
I applied for a variation to my FAC for a 308 and whilst waiting for the process to unfold I saw what I was looking for advertised in SD.
I spoke to the seller and told him I was waiting for my variation and we both agreed that I could make the purchase and have the rifle sent to my local RFD whilst I waited for my variation. I contacted two local RFD's and they confirmed that it would be fine for them to accept delivery of the rifle and hold it while the variation was dealt with. Another call to my chosen RFD again said OK to what I was doing and we agreed prices etc, he also told me that my FEO had changed and gave me a phone number for him.
I paid for the rifle and went abroad for 6 weeks working, my variation sent with a covering letter saying can you visit on my return?
Next thing is my wife gets a call from the RFD saying he can't accept the rifle as I do not have a slot for a 308 on my licience and I shouldn't have bought it, the police are clamping down on this etc etc......
A phone call to him from me ( from USA!) and I reminded him that we had spoken about this and he had agreed it was OK to do, he calmed down and accepted the rifle but said that there may be issues.
I return home and the next day my FEO turns up and we have a pleasant chat about the type of rifle I had requested and that one of the farms I wanted to shoot was only cleared to .22 rimfire and the other only to .243. I said I wanted the 308 as I was doing a paid stalk at Thetford Forest and they only use .308 and I was planning Stalking in Scotland where the .308 seems to be the choice which he agreed.
He then commented that I had bought a .308 already so he understood that the .243 ground would need to be cleared for .308. There then was a lengthy conversation about the fact that I had broken the law by purchasing the .308 even though it was held by a RFD. He is of course correct if you read your firearm certificate, so I had to eat humble pie and plead mitigating circumstances and poor advice which I believe he was OK with but he said that his boss, the Chief Police officer who signs the FC had clamped down on this happening in this area so ultimately its up to the man who signs my certificate.
For my part I believe that its the RFD's who are at fault as the RFD's in this area had been warned about it before and should have passed that on to their customers.
Next time I will phone up BASC for advice rather than listen to well intentioned advice of others.
In the mean time I hope this will not turn out the wrong way, I will keep you posted but in the mean time be warned.
Lets be safe out there
Bertie
I spoke to the seller and told him I was waiting for my variation and we both agreed that I could make the purchase and have the rifle sent to my local RFD whilst I waited for my variation. I contacted two local RFD's and they confirmed that it would be fine for them to accept delivery of the rifle and hold it while the variation was dealt with. Another call to my chosen RFD again said OK to what I was doing and we agreed prices etc, he also told me that my FEO had changed and gave me a phone number for him.
I paid for the rifle and went abroad for 6 weeks working, my variation sent with a covering letter saying can you visit on my return?
Next thing is my wife gets a call from the RFD saying he can't accept the rifle as I do not have a slot for a 308 on my licience and I shouldn't have bought it, the police are clamping down on this etc etc......
A phone call to him from me ( from USA!) and I reminded him that we had spoken about this and he had agreed it was OK to do, he calmed down and accepted the rifle but said that there may be issues.
I return home and the next day my FEO turns up and we have a pleasant chat about the type of rifle I had requested and that one of the farms I wanted to shoot was only cleared to .22 rimfire and the other only to .243. I said I wanted the 308 as I was doing a paid stalk at Thetford Forest and they only use .308 and I was planning Stalking in Scotland where the .308 seems to be the choice which he agreed.
He then commented that I had bought a .308 already so he understood that the .243 ground would need to be cleared for .308. There then was a lengthy conversation about the fact that I had broken the law by purchasing the .308 even though it was held by a RFD. He is of course correct if you read your firearm certificate, so I had to eat humble pie and plead mitigating circumstances and poor advice which I believe he was OK with but he said that his boss, the Chief Police officer who signs the FC had clamped down on this happening in this area so ultimately its up to the man who signs my certificate.
For my part I believe that its the RFD's who are at fault as the RFD's in this area had been warned about it before and should have passed that on to their customers.
Next time I will phone up BASC for advice rather than listen to well intentioned advice of others.
In the mean time I hope this will not turn out the wrong way, I will keep you posted but in the mean time be warned.
Lets be safe out there
Bertie