Shooting if you don't have your FAC with you

[sauer]

But are they competant to handle firearms ?

I have heard of someone who was stopped and certs at home ( had other ID & PNC check ok)
But officer said he was thinking of taking the guns , the person asked if he was firearms trained ..... no was reply..... He told,them he wouldn't hand over the firearms unless they produced someone with firearms training.

They hummed and heyed, bit eventually said ok fine on your way

Dunnoe if I could be doing with that hassle .... If I'm going out I lock my certs in glove box of motor and carry wallet with usual ID in it

Paul

 

[Norrie1956]

I don't carry my original tickets, but I DO carry notarised copies from my lawyer...perfectly acceptable to a PO doing checks, as I too have been "pulled" in the early hours heading either out or heading home...on one occasion they didnt ask to see my ticket or even my rifle, , just said, "heading out or home from shooting ?"...they must do a PNC check before pulling you in....... BUT, you cant buy firearms or ammo with one.. I also have a letter lodged with my lawyer, telling the cops ( if need be) the whereabouts of my cabinet keys. They know that too, as when they asked at my last renewal if i'd like to tell them where i keep them, I told them NO !! But my lawyer will if you need them at any time..

 

[Whitebeard]

I have heard of someone who was stopped and certs at home ( had other ID & PNC check ok)
But officer said he was thinking of taking the guns , the person asked if he was firearms trained ..... no was reply..... He told,them he wouldn't hand over the firearms unless they produced someone with firearms training.

They hummed and heyed, bit eventually said ok fine on your way

Dunnoe if I could be doing with that hassle .... If I'm going out I lock my certs in glove box of motor and carry wallet with usual ID in it

Paul

Your friend is lucky he did not get arrested for obstructing a police officer in the execution of their duty, i would say the only reason they let it go is because they were not quite sure of the procedure and did not want the hassle themselves.

ian.

 

[Greymaster]

Whether the police are competent to handle firearms, wasn't actually the question asked and is not relevant to your legal position.

It would be very interesting to know how many people on here in the last 5 years:

1. Have had their licence checked while out shooting
2. Have had the gun they were using at the time confiscated because they didn't have their certificate with them

I had the local country cop ask me to produce my SGC when he happened to discover myself and a friend shooting Canadas, and also asked under what clause of the General Licence we were shooting them under. I had my SGC with me my friend did not and the copper went to great lengths to explain that he could take my friend's SG off of him if he wanted to. My friend offered it to him and demanded a receipt for same but he declined to bother on this occasion. He did check if we were using steel shot, which we were. This was a couple of years ago.

 

[VSS]

Why are folk so paranoid?
Going about your lawful activity with a firearm = nothing to fear.

 

[Brno2e]

Got stopped Friday night lamping, polite enquiry as to what was I doing, simple reply and showed them a copy of my certificate and explanation of who I was and why I was out. After a quick check they said sorry for stopping me and that they were looking for Hare coursers. I thanked them for stopping me and also for being aware of a big local problem. I always carry a copy of my certificate but would never carry the real thing.

 

[bongo]

I have just processed my renewal (cheshire) , And on my home visit i was told to carry my certificates or risk my guns been confiscated if stopped or checked as allegedly that's there instructions . I used to carry a copy , i now carry the original's because i have been told / warned whatever , i certainly don't want my pride and joy rattling around in a police car boot and thrown into a store room all because im silly enough not to carry my certificate . Albeit legally i know i am not required to do so . Pretty simple .

 

[Taff]

I don't carry my original tickets, but I DO carry notarised copies from my lawyer...perfectly acceptable to a PO doing checks, as I too have been "pulled" in the early hours heading either out or heading home...on one occasion they didnt ask to see my ticket or even my rifle, , just said, "heading out or home from shooting ?"...they must do a PNC check before pulling you in....... BUT, you cant buy firearms or ammo with one.. I also have a letter lodged with my lawyer, telling the cops ( if need be) the whereabouts of my cabinet keys. They know that too, as when they asked at my last renewal if i'd like to tell them where i keep them, I told them NO !! But my lawyer will if you need them at any time..

This rates up there with he best, payin a lawyer, instead of carrying the original, how would they know your lawyer was genuine , as far as I know a PNC does not reveal you are a firearms owner, can someone who is really in the know answer that question, and if it does, do they know whether you have it for target or hunting, as having worked closely with the police, it seemed that no one new I owned firearms until I told them.

 

[sauer]

I've been stopped when I was out on my motorbike years ago , routine stop, PNC check on me & the bike reg.
I heard the one on me " no outstanding warrants or convictions and FAC holder" was mentioned ....years ago tho .

 

[Legolas]

This rates up there with he best, payin a lawyer, instead of carrying the original, how would they know your lawyer was genuine , as far as I know a PNC does not reveal you are a firearms owner, can someone who is really in the know answer that question, and if it does, do they know whether you have it for target or hunting, as having worked closely with the police, it seemed that no one new I owned firearms until I told them.

Taff, a neighbour of mine is a traffic Bobby in a fairly rural area. I asked him about this some ten years back and he told me that the vehicle check wouldn't flag anything up FAC related, only registered keeper, insurance etc. However a PNC check on an individual would would flag up the FAC.

 

[Sinistral]

I think your average bobby on patrol would be most reluctant to confiscate any firearm without exhausting all lines of enquiry. Most of them aren’t familiar with guns of any kind, even airguns.

A single air pistol was handed in today during a ‘Knives Amnesty’ today in Peterborough (just appeared on the coverage from police HQ - ITV Anglia News 6pm if anyone wants to catch up on ITV+1 at 7pm) An incredible fuss when the ft./lbs rating hasn’t yet been established, so it could be perfectly legal.

As rifles are far more lethal I think you’ll find every force’s operational order is not even to touch them. To make sure that ‘a weapon’ is safe to handle (i.e. unloaded) I believe they’re supposed to put in a call for attendance by a TFU who do have the appropriate training.

This involves escalating a routine check into an incident, much hassle, and everyone waiting around. Something tells me that providing you’ve got some sort of ID the most likely outcome is that running a PNC check on you & your address from the squad car will give them all the FAC verification that’s needed.

Details of all SGC/FAC holders are on the PNC. That’s been confirmed during House of Lords questions to the Home Office.

My FAC stays locked up in the cabinet along with the articles it refers to, but it does occasionally get an airing if there’s a transaction or an auction lot to pick up.

 

[.243 t3]

I was out shooting a year ago and got pulled by the police on a random check, truck was all good then the female police woman saw I had guns in there lol this is 0200 in morning as was out foxing and I had told them that I was shooting and she wanted to do a check.
so she called Hereford police station some officer said no they can't find me on the system and said I don't hold a licence so she foing to confiscate them .243 / .17 both rifles were wet as was raining.
So 8 weeks later I got them back with rust on them and the reason they took them was because I had them on display !! Lol in a hard case so don't know how she got that.

 

[N1mr0d]

Got stopped Friday night lamping, polite enquiry as to what was I doing, simple reply and showed them a copy of my certificate and explanation of who I was and why I was out. After a quick check they said sorry for stopping me and that they were looking for Hare coursers. I thanked them for stopping me and also for being aware of a big local problem. I always carry a copy of my certificate but would never carry the real thing.

Think you will be unlucky if this scenario does not work for you - good attitude is everything

 

[Davie_M]

I carry mine at all times as i use it for proving my age in pubs.

Pensioner discount

 

[theredfox]

I was out shooting with shotgun 4 years ago stopped by police ,they used there radio with screen and they checked with h/q a photo came back with my details and my mug shot , so I think you shouldn't need with you and if you lost your cert they whould not be pleased and then you should need to wait for a replacement cert

 

[Whitebeard]

I was out shooting with shotgun 4 years ago stopped by police ,they used there radio with screen and they checked with h/q a photo came back with my details and my mug shot , so I think you shouldn't need with you and if you lost your cert they whould not be pleased and then you should need to wait for a replacement cert

I give up!! all you guys who carry a copy of your FAC, a screenshot or even a signed letter from your lawyer please carry on doing so.
I will be carrying my original FAC/SGC with me everytime i go shooting safe in the knowledge that if i am ever requested to produce it i can.

ian.

 

[VSS]

I give up!! all you guys who carry a copy of your FAC, a screenshot or even a signed letter from your lawyer please carry on doing so.
I will be carrying my original FAC/SGC with me everytime i go shooting safe in the knowledge that if i am ever requested to produce it i can.

ian.

That's fine - it works for you and keeps you happy.
But I be damned if I'm going to carry sheets of paper around with me when I go shooting! When we get a credit card sized FAC I might think about it!

In the meantime, the chances of me being stopped when out shooting are negligible, and the chances of not being able to explain what I'm doing to any reasonable copper are smaller still. I don't see any risk in not having my FAC with me.

Different matter if I'm traveling a long way from home, or maybe stopping overnight at somewhere that doesn't have a gun cabinet - would definitely have it with me then, but probably not on my person. In the glove box would be good enough.

 

[Sinistral]

That's fine - it works for you and keeps you happy.
But I be damned if I'm going to carry sheets of paper around with me when I go shooting! When we get a credit card sized FAC I might think about it!

In the meantime, the chances of me being stopped when out shooting are negligible, and the chances of not being able to explain what I'm doing to any reasonable copper are smaller still. I don't see any risk in not having my FAC with me.

Different matter if I'm traveling a long way from home, or maybe stopping overnight at somewhere that doesn't have a gun cabinet - would definitely have it with me then, but probably not on my person. In the glove box would be good enough.

Very pithy.... I do like this.

My FAC runs to 9 sides over 5 pages now. Complete with vinyl holder to stop disintegration it could choke a hyena.

No way it'll fit into a pocket comfortably, so I'm not carrying that on my person. I do make an exception for a few sheets of Andrex quilted.

 

[Sans Culottes]

I carry mine at all times as i use it for proving my age in pubs.

Do OAP's get a discount up your way ?

 

[old man]

I'm with Ian on this one just because I don't want my kit thrown about by anyone but me.