Shooting if you don't have your FAC with you

New Avon Arms
old man said:
I'm with Ian on this one just because I don't want my kit thrown about by anyone but me.
Click to expand...

And me. No problem to leave it locked in the vehicle whenever I'm out. Don't subscribe to the school of thought about it being a major issue if a replacement is needed - how many other handsome dudes are there walking around with exactly the same features as yours truly? :D
 
.243 t3 said:
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.
Click to expand...
Absolute nightmare!!! My guns are always being confiscated revoked etc etc
Did you put in an official complaint?
 
VSS said:
Yes.
But maybe things are bit more laid back in North West Wales than they are in Somerset.
Click to expand...

We've got a major problem with fish in Somerset. That's why I take my FAC, driving licence and passport when I go out now.
If your seen with a gun the helicopter comes out.
 
Yoda said:
We've got a major problem with fish in Somerset. That's why I take my FAC, driving licence and passport when I go out now.
If your seen with a gun the helicopter comes out.
Click to expand...

I can see this hypothetical scenario, shooter going about his legal business taking a few rabbits in a field, ARU turns up, guns are trained on the shooter and the command "armed police throw down your gun down" is shouted, shooter does not respond immediately because he knows he is not doing anything wrong so they cant mean him!!
Command is shouted again, shooter replies "i am not doing anything wrong officer" command is shouted for the third time, shooter thinks i have not done anything wrong however i will put down my gun not throw it down but i need to unload it first, its during this manipulation of his prized rifle that he does not want to throw in the dirt that the shooter is shot dead for not doing as he is told quick enough.
A lot of you are going to say what a rediculous statement but think about it then think about all those innocent people shot dead by armed police who were not even carrying a gun.

ian.
 
Last edited:
Yoda said:
We've got a major problem with fish in Somerset. That's why I take my FAC, driving licence and passport when I go out now.
If your seen with a gun the helicopter comes out.
Click to expand...


I feel for you.
NWP have a good interpretation of what is reasonable, and provided your behaviour is reasonable they're happy.
For example, let's presume I want to collect my rifle from the gunsmith after repairs, and my wife wants to go shopping. the supermarket is at the other end of town from the gunsmith, so she drops me off there as we pass, and I arrange to meet up with her later in the supermarket car park. So, I collect my rifle, in a slip of course, and walk through town to get to the supermarket. On the way I go into a couple of other shops and the bank, with my rifle. That is reasonable behaviour and wouldn't raise any eyebrows. However, if I'm still walking around town with a rifle 4 hours after collecting it then that wouldn't be reasonable.

Likewise, shooting from a public road that happens to pass through my land (unfenced), no probs provided all is safe and no-one endangered.
Crossing roads from one piece of land to another - no need to cover rifle, as perfectly good reason for being there.
etc etc.

Whitebeard said:
I can see this hypothetical scenario, shooter going about his legal business taking a few rabbits in a field, ARU turns up, guns are trained on the shooter and the command "armed police throw down your gun down" is shouted, shooter does not respond immediately because he knows he is not doing anything wrong so they cant mean him!!
Command is shouted again, shooter replies "i am not doing anything wrong officer" command is shouted for the third time, shooter thinks i have not done anything wrong however i will put down my gun not throw it down but i need to unload it first, its during this manipulation of his prized rifle that he does not want to throw in the dirt that the shooter is shot dead for not doing as he is told quick enough.
A lot of you are going to say what a rediculous statement but think about it then think about all those innocent people shot dead by armed police who were not even carrying a gun.
Click to expand...

Whitebeard, I really do think you're paranoid!
 
VSS said:
I feel for you.
NWP have a good interpretation of what is reasonable, and provided your behaviour is reasonable they're happy.
For example, let's presume I want to collect my rifle from the gunsmith after repairs, and my wife wants to go shopping. the supermarket is at the other end of town from the gunsmith, so she drops me off there as we pass, and I arrange to meet up with her later in the supermarket car park. So, I collect my rifle, in a slip of course, and walk through town to get to the supermarket. On the way I go into a couple of other shops and the bank, with my rifle. That is reasonable behaviour and wouldn't raise any eyebrows. However, if I'm still walking around town with a rifle 4 hours after collecting it then that wouldn't be reasonable.
Click to expand...

Perfectly reasonable as far as you and me are concerned VSS but not in the eyes of joe public, bank customers and people in the street would be on their mobiles saying "there is a man walking up the street with a gun" and "there is a man in the bank with a gun"
I think you would be staring up the wriong end of a few MP5s from a unconfortable position on the ground if you did that.
Im not being paranoid mate just aware of the over raection of both the public and the police.

ian.
 
Never carry on my person,always take it and lock it in my car which is only a short walk away.......so would hope that any reasonable copper if treated with respect would take a stroll with me to see it.........have never been stopped and asked to produce it not even when a group of us were out with the hounds and our shotguns and the police pulled up,they just asked what we were doing,general chat, good luck and on they went.....
 
Whitebeard said:
, bank customers and people in the street would be on their mobiles saying "there is a man walking up the street with a gun" and "there is a man in the bank with a gun"
I think you would be staring up the wriong end of a few MP5s from a unconfortable position on the ground if you did that.


.
Click to expand...

Well this hasn't happened to me yet mate, and I've played out precisely the scenario I described on more than one occasion.
The gun is in a slip, remember, so nothing to alarm anyone.
Was talking to my FEO about this sort of situation just the other day, and it was him that said - fine, provided you're not still walking about town with a rifle 4 hours later...
I mean, how does anyone get to and from their gunsmiths if they don't have parking outside the door? It's perfectly acceptable to walk, or even catch the bus.

Edit: I should just add that I would have my FAC with me in town, as I'd need it for concluding my business at the gunsmith's.
 
Last edited:
Maybe the public are more in tune with shooting in NW but in Northampton you would have a size ten across your neck and the barrel of a MP5 in your ear in no time.

Ian.
 
Personally, I would NEVER commit such details to a phone or internet media storage or similar. Call me paranoid but I just don't trust any electronic source like that as secure. I don't internet bank either come to that...

My certificates don't get taken with me every time I go out because my licencing team FEO confirmed that it wasn't necessary. All policemen have the means to get confirmation via PNC very quickly for your firearms certificate so there should be no need to exercise a confiscation unless for some other more serious reason. The proviso is though that you carry some proof of identity such as your driving licence. I have a signed copy which I may sometimes take with me (eg to the range or out on one of the more remote permissions).
 
VSS said:
I feel for you.
NWP have a good interpretation of what is reasonable, and provided your behaviour is reasonable they're happy.
For example, let's presume I want to collect my rifle from the gunsmith after repairs, and my wife wants to go shopping. the supermarket is at the other end of town from the gunsmith, so she drops me off there as we pass, and I arrange to meet up with her later in the supermarket car park. So, I collect my rifle, in a slip of course, and walk through town to get to the supermarket. On the way I go into a couple of other shops and the bank, with my rifle. That is reasonable behaviour and wouldn't raise any eyebrows. However, if I'm still walking around town with a rifle 4 hours after collecting it then that wouldn't be reasonable.

Likewise, shooting from a public road that happens to pass through my land (unfenced), no probs provided all is safe and no-one endangered.
Crossing roads from one piece of land to another - no need to cover rifle, as perfectly good reason for being there.
etc etc.
Click to expand...

As they are is Somerset, where, when visiting my gunshop in town with a firearm in a slip, I have to walk 1/2 mile from the carpark along the high street, say goodbye to my wife outside M&S having arranged to meet her in the coffee shop where we have a coffee before returning to the car. In all my years of doing so no one has ever blinked an eyelid.
 
I keep mine in my shooting vehicle. Not for the benefit of the police but so I don't forget to take it when visiting the RFD! I was a little surprised some members use it as a form of ID, my FEO suggested I keep my ownership of firearms fairly low key. The only people who see my ticket are the RFD or the police if they should ever require for some reason. TBH if it wasn't for requiring it to buy ammo I wouldn't carry it myself.
 
I never take my certificate with me, and I have a real life scenario.
Two rifle shooting friends had come up to visit, we left their cars in a layby. We'd been rabbiting first and then gone on to lamping foxes in the mountains. I think we had six rifles between us. At around 2.30AM we were back at the layby transferring rifles into their respective cars to go home when a Police Volvo fast patrol car went past and stopped. We must have looked totally illegal, like he'd just come across some illicit gun running gang. We all looked at each other and thought here we go. He reversed back into the layby and positioned himself between our cars. We didn't have our firearm certificates and thought the minimum we'll get away with is a confiscation of the rifles.
He wound the window down, and asked 'what you been up to lads?' We told him exactly what we'd been doing and showed him where we'd been. He then asked if we'd been successful, we told him we'd had a few rabbits but not even seen a fox. He said, 'that's how it is some nights, we have the same'. He never got out the car, didn't check the rifles, ask for any certificates or even letters of permission/authority. As he drove off he said 'drive careful lads' and that was that.
Proper policing, and country boys just doing what they do. I honestly think he was a shooter himself, and that was the only time I've been stopped. If you want to get stopped by the Police take two working terriers out on a couple, that'll get you into serious bother...
 
Whitebeard said:
Maybe the public are more in tune with shooting in NW but in Northampton you would have a size ten across your neck and the barrel of a MP5 in your ear in no time.

Ian.
Click to expand...

One of the gunshops in Worcester is in a pedestrian precinct. Perhaps we should ask for police escort to allow passage in and out?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Fox/pest shooting before updated FAC arrives?
2 3
Replies
42
Views
3K
Heym SR20
Heym SR20
Take BASC with you: make your voice heard in parliament
Replies
0
Views
245
Conor O'Gorman
C
Insurance! Which organisations don't cover you if this happens?
2 3 4
Replies
78
Views
4K
Conor O'Gorman
C
Invite your MP to see the value of shooting
2 3
Replies
45
Views
4K
norsk
norsk
Variation Refusal Appeal - Ripe Shooting Insurance
2 3 4
Replies
70
Views
4K
Dave_45
Dave_45
1967spud Reloading Supplies Ltd - UK Suppliers for Reloading Equipment supplies, We also stock Bullet Heads and Bullet Cases Guns Cabinets, Night vision and much much more...
Back
Top