FAC Land Access Requirements for .308

[SnackStalker]

I'm intending to apply for my FAC via the Met in London soon and I'm getting conflicting information about land access requirements requirements.

I'm applying for approval to keep a few small bore rifles for target shooting and a .308 for deer stalking.

The small bore rifles are easy to establish reason for ownership as I can use them for target shooting at my local rifle club.

Getting approval for the .308 seems a bit more complicated as, even if I can establish why I need a deer hunting rifle, I can't shoot full bore rifles at my rifle club and I don't own land or have membership anywhere else where it would be permissable.

I should note that I do note have my DSC1 yet.

Would having a few stalks completed, and also having a few booked for the future, be enough to meet the land requirements in addition to demonstrating my reason for ownership?

I recently had someone tell me that I need to be a member of a syndicate or deer stalking club for the application, but I can't find anything that explicitly states as such.

Thanks for your help

 

[Morkai]

Book some stalks with a some of the members on here, you then have good reason.

 

[DaveNeal]

it varies from region to region.

I'm Essex, have never been a member of a club and at the time of application didnt have my DSC. I had however shot and processed several deer, rabbits and squirrels to numerous to mention, and I had somewhere to shoot. I applied and was granted .22lr, .17 HMR and .308.

good luck !

 

[Jh1986]

I was granted my 308 under Surrey/Sussex for paid/invitation stalks. Expect a mentor condition, and maybe have someone lined up prepared for that if you can. I did my DSC1 and got on with someone from that. He's now my mentor.

In addition I had 2 letters stating I'd had previous experience with 308, one was family so they basically ignored it. The other was the person I shot my DSC1 test with.

 

[Tim.243]

I'm intending to apply for my FAC via the Met in London soon and I'm getting conflicting information about land access requirements requirements.

I'm applying for approval to keep a few small bore rifles for target shooting and a .308 for deer stalking.

The small bore rifles are easy to establish reason for ownership as I can use them for target shooting at my local rifle club.

Getting approval for the .308 seems a bit more complicated as, even if I can establish why I need a deer hunting rifle, I can't shoot full bore rifles at my rifle club and I don't own land or have membership anywhere else where it would be permissable.

I should note that I do note have my DSC1 yet.

Would having a few stalks completed, and also having a few booked for the future, be enough to meet the land requirements in addition to demonstrating my reason for ownership?

I recently had someone tell me that I need to be a member of a syndicate or deer stalking club for the application, but I can't find anything that explicitly states as such.

Thanks for your help

Have you read the current firearm guidance notes on applying for a FAC, "good reason to posses" is the key.

 

[SnackStalker]

I was granted my 308 under Surrey/Sussex for paid/invitation stalks. Expect a mentor condition, and maybe have someone lined up prepared for that if you can. I did my DSC1 and got on with someone from that. He's now my mentor.

In addition I had 2 letters stating I'd had previous experience with 308, one was family so they basically ignored it. The other was the person I shot my DSC1 test with.

That's good to know.

Did you need to submit the letters with the application, or do you provide them during the visit from the FAO?

 

[Stalker62]

I recently had someone tell me that I need to be a member of a syndicate or deer stalking club for the application, but I can't find anything that explicitly states as such.

That is because you don't.

 

[Shootgun]

That's good to know.

Did you need to submit the letters with the application, or do you provide them during the visit from the FAO?

You submit all your available paperwork with the application.

 

[Scarpa]

A couple of receipts for booked stalking with an estate rifle can work wonders, especially if you have completed them and can show that you have taken deer successfully with no issues. But so much depends on the individual officer's perception of you as a safe and responsible person. I had possessed a shotgun cert for decades but was moving between Wales and Austria pre Brexit so had a bit of hassle with my cert regarding my permanent address. The local police were very helpful once I explained the situation to them, I then asked about bringing my Austrian 30-06 back to the UK and putting it on an FAC as my first rifle, they said that as long as I produced some evidence from Europe such as stalking receipts or letters from a rifle range demonstrating that I was seen as safe then I would have no problem. It may take a little time but is is fairly easy to build up a little demonstratable evidence such as range tuition, a long range rifle day etc plus a stalk booked that will show that you are taking the process seriously. A DSC1 booking for next year should put the icing on the cake.

 

[Bowland blades]

We all need a verifiable " good reason " for each firearm in our possession. If your searching about for a reason then you are way ahead of yourself at present.
A bit chicken and egg i know , lets just talk stalking for a minute as example . You can book stalking on the" Estate rifle rule" book it pay it go out see if you like it ! If you do carry on and put your application in . Sure you will need to keep going but the same is true of target shooting the sectary has to report those not regularly attending sessions

 

[purdeydog]

The met really don’t seem to like FAC holders. They can’t seem to get their head round the public can own them. Utter nonsense needing to be in a syndicate.

Have some stalks done, have some booked up. Have a cover letter from who you’ve booked with saying you’ve been and coming again. Book up a firearms training course or dsc will also help. If you have no previous experience shooting outside of a range club they will rightly want something before your let loose in the wild.

 

[Stalker62]

The met really don’t seem to like FAC holders. They can’t seem to get their head round the public can own them. Utter nonsense needing to be in a syndicate.

Really?

Where exactly does it say, that it was the Met told the OP anything?

 

[purdeydog]

Wtf are you going on about. It doesn’t and I didn’t say they did. Go to bed. Night night.

 

[Stalker62]

Wtf are you going on about. It doesn’t and I didn’t say they did. Go to bed. Night night.

I merely asked the question.

Your response is rather warm. Perhaps it is you who needs to get some rest?

 

[One on top of two]

Why do you not just ask your licensing department ? They will tell you everything you need to know and everything you need to do .

One persons license and there conditions are for them only , in the same way licensing department's are all different and all have there own requirement's for granting licences’s .

So stop wasting your time getting 50 different answers to the same question’s and give them a bell .

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm.
As above demonstrating “good reason” is the bottom line, that and evidencing that you are a fit and proper person to possess what is sometimes perceived as a WMD.
Sooo, all those years ago when I applied for my first centrefire I basically pulled together a package which served as a submission to answer any questions before they were asked. This package accompanied my application. Of course that was before on-line application came along but if you have the same prepared then you can simply hand it to the FEO - it’s all about sending the right signals.
I set out a well-drafted history of my experience with firearms and in addition to the evidence of past and present deerstalking outings I got the three professional stalkers to confirm in writing on their letterheads that I was a safe and proficient shot; a letter saying pretty much the same from my small bore club and pheasant syndicate secretaries; and for about a fiver a hard-copy CRO check attesting to the fact that I was a good little boy.
My .308 was granted without challenge and that was without any deer stalking “ology” and at the height of that little local difficulty in Northern Ireland - I lived in Belfast.
Take your time, you know the likely questions and most if not all of the answers - make it easy for the police.
Good luck.

 

[Shootgun]

I'm also in South London and i got my FAC with the MET back in the day, based on paid stalking, didn't had any permissions on my own back then.

Give me a shout if you need any help.

 

[25 Sharps]

Why do you not just ask your licensing department ? They will tell you everything you need to know and everything you need to do .

One persons license and there conditions are for them only , in the same way licensing department's are all different and all have there own requirement's for granting licences’s .

So stop wasting your time getting 50 different answers to the same question’s and give them a bell .

Because they are not always right!

 

[bullet chucker]

As you reside in London,Bisley NRA is not far to travel join up' do your safe certificate requirement, and away you go! Good reason a place to shoot any caliber easy peasy every ones a happy bunny.

BC.

 

[One on top of two]

Because they are not always right!

But they make the rules !