Do you routinely carry your FAC whilst out?

do you carry your FAC/SGC whilst out with your rifles/shotguns


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nun_hunter

Well-Known Member
Doubt that I will sign.


If we had to carry a piece of paper for every poor bit of legislation...
I mean do we need to carry a bit of paper regarding transporting our firearms when we go out hunting? Or bringing a box of ammo home from the shop?

This was taken from another thread about knife crime and got me thinking, how many stalkers carry their FAC whenever out with their rifle/shotgun?

In response to the quoted post surely your FAC covers this and although you don't need to carry it everywhere I would think that the majority of stalkers carry their FAC whilst out and about (especially when buying ammo as it'd be difficult to purchase it without) to prove to anyone who has an authority or necessity to see it.

On the odd occasion that I have gone out without mine I have wondered what would happen if I was stopped by the police, or neighbouring landowner, landowners family member, member of the public, anyone who had a genuine reason to make sure I wasn't trekking around with an illegal firearm etc. Would they take the word of a total stranger carrying a firearm who says they're allowed to have it or would they err on the side of caution and seize it (obviously seizure etc relates to police officers, possibly PCSOs depending what powers conferred on them by the CC) until an FAC or other proof could be obtained?

In todays blame culture I wouldn't expect the police or anyone for that matter for put their job or (with corporate manslaughter and negligance laws) their freedom on the line for a stanger when they have the choice of doing the "corporately correct" thing to do and not having their ar$e nailed to the wall when something goes wrong down the line and someone needs to be blamed.
 
Always have the original in the car, or luggage if away, I also always carry driving licence/logbook/m.o.t./insurance for whatever vehicle I'm using, or likely to use, pain in the ar*e going to a police station to produce!
 
No, the original FAC is in the safe at home. Simply because of rain, mud, blood..and the risk of loosing it.
However I always carry a COPY.

I believe the Law as it stands doesn't demand you have the original FAC on your person while out shooting, it simply demands that you should be able to ' produce it'. Which I can , if requested, but only eventually. In addition to the FAC copy I carry ID such as my Drivers License, so in the unlikely event the Police does a check they can quickly establish my identity and check that I am the real me and that Firearms are registered to my address.

Theoretically the Police can confiscate any fire-arms and amo you carry if you can't produce the ORIGINAL FAC but I believe that with instantaneous checks by radio and also via your car reg. no. there is no need for them to use those powers, if you have done nothing wrong.
 
I generally don't if Im local to home , mainly due to British weather , I dont want to have to send in a soggy mush and explain every few months, also the Rozzers can check you out via the radio if they really have to, shame we cant get SGC/FAC`s in credit card format like some European countries.
 
Another thing to consider with carrying a photocopy,........... try buying ammunition, or primers if the need arose, or a good deal came your way?
 
+1 kept in a safe place ie in safe , but i have a laminated copy of both in eack gun bag with copy acrossed in big letters, but a pnc brings up that you are a holder anyway


No, the original FAC is in the safe at home. Simply because of rain, mud, blood..and the risk of loosing it.
However I always carry a COPY.

I believe the Law as it stands doesn't demand you have the original FAC on your person while out shooting, it simply demands that you should be able to ' produce it'. Which I can , if requested, but only eventually. In addition to the FAC copy I carry ID such as my Drivers License, so in the unlikely event the Police does a check they can quickly establish my identity and check that I am the real me and that Firearms are registered to my address.

Theoretically the Police can confiscate any fire-arms and amo you carry if you can't produce the ORIGINAL FAC but I believe that with instantaneous checks by radio and also via your car reg. no. there is no need for them to use those powers, if you have done nothing wrong.
 
+1 kept in a safe place ie in safe , but i have a laminated copy of both in eack gun bag with copy acrossed in big letters, but a pnc brings up that you are a holder anyway


I know a PNC shows you as a FAC holder but other than the licensing department (which only work office hours) do the general police officers have access to the computer system that shows your cert number and what firearms you are entitled to carry? I know in Sussex that the general bobbies don't, so is there anyway to check that the actual rifle you're carrying is the one you're allowed to have? As most of us stalkers keep pretty unsocial hours in the pursuit of deer I wonder if they can check it out at 4am on a Saturday?
 
generally wilst out lamping or when stalking on someone else's land I do. I may not always take it if i am local and just popped out for a walk with the shoty say. But i have scanned copy's of my FAC, DSC1, and permissions which I have on my phone. any probs its all in my pocket.
 
I carry copies of my certificates in the glove box of my car/landrover but I do not carry anything on my person. I think the shooting organisations should push the idea of creating a firearms ticket in a driving license style card.
 
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I now have my FAC in a sealed envelope in the pocket of my gunslip.........previously I was under the impression that it was a requirement to carry the original document on your person at all times when shooting, I used to keep it in my trouser pocket until one night it fell out into a bucket of rabbit guts. After sending it to Firearms Licensing for a variation I received an irate letter back complaining about the smell and appearance of the document! "it is a legal document and should be treated as such" unfortunately my shotgun license was folded up with the FAC at the time of the rabbit gut bucket incident and I will have to send that off for renewal in a few months time. The police will probably think I'm doing it deliberately!
 
I keep mine in a lockable box in my defender. I have tried the colour copy but have been Caught out a couple of times when I have wanted to purchase ammo and didn't have the original with me to do it.
 
Keep mine in the truck and carry laminated copy on me but that's just me! Do think it's about time we got CC style licences tho another thing for BASC to push with the ACPO.
 
never had any probs in 30plus yrs, i'v had old bill walking across muddy fields and hellys trashing my shooting :doh: all have been happy with a copy and tip toe'd away leaving me alone to to what i am allowed to do and each time its been out of hours the helly was at 3am and the sun god came out to play so i rang there dispatch control office and had the choppy moved away from my lawful business so no never carry my cert i'am within the law as it stands at the mo. one reasion is it's so easy in this day and age to ajust a cert and if done some one could buy any toys and ammo my way is at best thay know my address .
 
I would never carry about the original certificate with me. Usually I wouldn't take a copy either, the exception being if I'm away from home shooting. As for the police, a wee radio message should have your certification sorted (and the men in white coats on their way). :cuckoo:
 
I carry a copies of my certificates in the glove box of my car/landrover but I do not carry anything on my person. I think the shooting organisations should push the idea of creating a firearms ticket in a driving license style card.

I always carry mine when I have a gun with me, if you are stopped by a police officer it is useful to have it with you. The only reason that I don't carry a copy instead is if the opportunity arises of buying some ammunition or reloading components.

The idea of a plastic smart card would bring that aspect of FACs into the modern era.

I think that ACPO may already aware of this but it would not do any harm for individual shooters to raise this directly with them. Whether or not our shooting organisations are capable of doing so remains open to question. atb Tim
 
I generally don't if Im local to home , mainly due to British weather , I dont want to have to send in a soggy mush and explain every few months, also the Rozzers can check you out via the radio if they really have to, shame we cant get SGC/FAC`s in credit card format like some European countries.

Now your talking Johno,
+1 Copy for me also. along with driving licence (original in safe), come to think of it I've never came across anyone who has lost a cert .... wonder what hurdles (if any) you'd encounter to obtain a replacement ?
 
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i voted never but I have a photo on my phone

I don't always carry my driving license when driving either

We live in a digital age.
The only people who matter who will want to prove ownership or authority are the police who have plenty of media to get your details from.
 
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