Firearms Enquiry Officer - I totally despair of some.

8x57

Distinguished Member
My mate is going through the renewal process for his FAC and SGC and has just been visited by a FEO from Gloucestershire. He's just phoned me to tell me that the FEO is insistent that all expanding bullet are to go back on section 5 in the near future, because allegedly shooters are stock piling them and passing expanding missiles onto criminals. She also told him that the maximum amount of propellant that he could hold was 9KG.

Where the hell do they find some of these people. What a total load of cobblers. How on earth can the force let loose someone who is in daily contact with the shooting public to spread such misinformation and crap. The law regarding expanding missiles was corrected what four or five years ago now. Are they likely to change it back again to the way it was when the Home Office originally cocked up the legislation in 1988, I don't think so.

I'm now just trying to figure out where the figure of 9Kg comes from as I can't recall hearing that particular figure mentioned previously. Yes I'm familiar with the figure 5kg and even 15kg has been mentioned in certain context ,but where does 9Kg come from? Never mind the absolute bollocks about the bullets.

Praise the gods of hunting that I don't come under Gloucestershire.
 
[QUOTE="Stalker1962, post: 1858272, member: 19383"
Perhaps she is still "learning the ropes"...
[/QUOTE]

If so she is a very slow learner as she also dealt with him at his last renewal.
I think it's about time that she received some formal training.
 
If so she is a very slow learner as she also dealt with him at his last renewal.
I think it's about time that she received some formal training.

If that is the case, then to use a phrase I once heard a Defence Barrister use at Crown Court when his "client" admitted his guilt to him....


"Your Honour. I now find myself professionally embarrassed and must recuse myself from further defending this burglar".
 
Years ago before the pistol ban a friend and fellow club member who was always a bit of a western fan, fancied buying a Winchester carbine. So he submitted his application for a variation to buy a .357magnum rifle. At that time the applications were initially dealt with by the local police station. Two weeks after submitting his application the local bobby called by and told him "My inspector knows about guns, and he says there's no way that you are having an elephant rifle".
My friend explained to him that while a .375H&H might be considered an elephant gun a .357magnum wasn't. The bobby took the application back to the station and his varied certificate dropped through the door the next week.
Since then our local force has moved on and all FACs have been dealt with by FEOs who in the main have been knowledgeable and hopefully have received appropriate additional training. This doesn't seem to be the The case with all forces evidently.
 
I really find this whole business with FEO's being keen on restrictions because 'criminals might get your ammo' such total b*llocks!

I was told a similar thing with my 6.5x55 by the FEO who limited me to 100 rounds.

How many criminals have any interest in ammo for fullbore hunting rifles? At a guess, none. They will want ammo for pistols, not deer rifles. The only rifle ammo I can see being of any use is .223, 7.62x39, .308 as I suppose there are some things chambered in that which criminals might have an interest in. That said, if you're well enough connected to get a black market AK I imagine you're also well enough connected to get the ammo for it.

Otherwise, there may be some merit in relation to pistol calibers (expanding ammo for which I believe is still s5) but the rest really is a load of rubbish.

I sometimes think that these rules are being invented by management types who come out with 'that would be a good idea, wouldn't it' kind of suggestions, without any actual knowledge of what they're talking about.

Anyway, rant over...
 
Used to be said that you could hire a pistol for £50 for a job from around the towns east of Glagow.
However if it were fired then you had to by the weapon at £500
 
We are expected to jump through various training, perhaps it’s about time the FEO has to pass a city and guilds type exam, if they still exist, before they can do the job on their own.
Latest in a Kent via a friend of a friend doing a renewal, if you do not agree to put test fired cartridge cases for all firearms in a forensic sample bags and store safely separate from the firearms they will not renew your certificates, anybody else heard of this mandatory requirement.
 
We are expected to jump through various training, perhaps it’s about time the FEO has to pass a city and guilds type exam, if they still exist, before they can do the job on their own.
Latest in a Kent via a friend of a friend doing a renewal, if you do not agree to put test fired cartridge cases for all firearms in a forensic sample bags and store safely separate from the firearms they will not renew your certificates, anybody else heard of this mandatory requirement.
Heard of it yes! But it doesn't apply here at least not yet. :scared:
 
Latest in a Kent via a friend of a friend doing a renewal, if you do not agree to put test fired cartridge cases for all firearms in a forensic sample bags and store safely separate from the firearms they will not renew your certificates, anybody else heard of this mandatory requirement.

No.
It is a suggestion which now comes with a standard letter (from most Forces) with your renewal documents. It is a suggestion nothing more and nothing mandatory about it.
If you are feeling rather too chipper today - look on here for the thread that covers it to death - that should bring you back down again.

Views expressed include those willing to do it, to those who see it as another blatant attempt by Big Brother to reduce further our civil liberties.
 
We are expected to jump through various training, perhaps it’s about time the FEO has to pass a city and guilds type exam, if they still exist, before they can do the job on their own.
Latest in a Kent via a friend of a friend doing a renewal, if you do not agree to put test fired cartridge cases for all firearms in a forensic sample bags and store safely separate from the firearms they will not renew your certificates, anybody else heard of this mandatory requirement.
Insist that the police attend to witness the firing of said cartridges, provide the forensic sample bags and seal and label them in your presence and maintain secure custody of them themselves. Otherwise I'd imagine they're of very little use as evidence.
 
If that is the case, then to use a phrase I once heard a Defence Barrister use at Crown Court when his "client" admitted his guilt to him....

"Your Honour. I now find myself professionally embarrassed and must recuse myself from further defending this burglar".

Yes for despite what some think a barrister is NOT allowed to attempt to have his or her client acquitted by the Court if that barrister has been told by his/her client that they are actually guilty.
 
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