Gloucestershire Police - Requiring Training before Shotgun Certificate Grant

[disco_ike]

Hi All,

Has anyone else come across a requirement by Gloucs Police to complete "Training" before they will grant you a shotgun certificate? Just been asked about this as they have asked someone to obtain training before they will grant his certificate. I am lead to believe the training is basically Ian Coley's Starter pack for £450. I am not suggesting there is a link between Ian's and Gloucs FEOs but seems very odd to specify such a requirement which is no where in the legislation.

I have already messaged @Conor O'Gorman to flag it with BASC and emailed them for advice so just seeing if anyone else on here has been subjected to a ludicrous request like this.

Ta D-I

 

[Tim.243]

Hi All,

Has anyone else come across a requirement by Gloucs Police to complete "Training" before they will grant you a shotgun certificate? Just been asked about this as they have asked someone to obtain training before they will grant his certificate. I am lead to believe the training is basically Ian Coley's Starter pack for £450. I am not suggesting there is a link between Ian's and Gloucs FEOs but seems very odd to specify such a requirement which is no where in the legislation.

I have already messaged @Conor O'Gorman to flag it with BASC and emailed them for advice so just seeing if anyone else on here has been subjected to a ludicrous request like this.

Ta D-I

The bad handling i have seen at charity events when people dust of the SG then yes

 

[Loki]

Hi

Gloucester Firearms Licensing Team seem to be a law unto to themselves (as in not backed by The Law ye and I know/read) - how do I know, well apparently .300WM and .375H&H are 'too powerful for Boar' in Gloucester.............................

L

 

[cjm1066]

Hi

Gloucester Firearms Licensing Team seem to be a law unto to themselves (as in not backed by The Law ye and I know/read) - how do I know, well apparently .300WM and .375H&H are 'too powerful for Boar' in Gloucester.............................

L

They are worried about carcase damage, boar is good to eat!!

Perhaps someone can explain what to powerful is?

 

[JackDavis]

The bad handling i have seen at charity events when people dust of the SG then yes

The person in question has been out with me several times and I’d say 90-95% of his clay shooting will be when he comes with me to a clay ground.

The FEO also said he needs to no how to “clean and dismantle” a shotgun

 

[Smellydog]

There is nothing in law to back this suggestion.
The law says that an applicant for a shotgun license shall be granted a licence.

 

[deerstalker.308]

Shotgun license in the English law is a right not a privilege.
It certainly always used to be the case that if there was no reason not to be granted one then it was a given. Unless Gloucestershire now something different they might need to check the law!

 

[Cottis]

The person in question has been out with me several times and I’d say 90-95% of his clay shooting will be when he comes with me to a clay ground.

The FEO also said he needs to no how to “clean and dismantle” a shotgun

Crikey, if cleaning guns were a requirement for certification, mine would have been revoked years ago

 

[purdeydog]

I see no issue with this. If you’ve zero experience then you should get some experience/training on weapon use/safety etc before SGC/FAC issue.

 

[Nimrod1960]

I understand why people get worked up about the “right” to have a gun. However I have seen some utterly terrible gun handling over the years, which makes me question wether their should not be some basic safe handling requirement.
Or at least a demonstration that the individual understands the lethality of the weapon they are asking to posses.

 

[spanj]

The bad handling i have seen at charity events when people dust of the SG then yes

That should be dealt with by the event management then . There is nothing in law, £450 !!!!!!!

 

[JackDavis]

I see no issue with this. If you’ve zero experience then you should get some experience/training on weapon use/safety etc before SGC/FAC issue.

Been out with me several times and 95% of his shooting will be with me

 

[Rake Aboot]

Utter rubbish
A sgc is an entitlement in the UK

They can only refuse if they have a good reason and cannot insist on training / shooting permission/ gun security etc etc

This sort of garbage needs push back .

 

[Tim.243]

That should be dealt with by the event management then . There is nothing in law, £450 !!!!!!!

When a bloke walks up to the cage and is loading the gun as he 5-6 paces from the cage and you are the one running that stand 10 stands the event manager can't be on each stand. So you ask him to unload and give him his card back.
Then give him the choice of walking back into the cage telling him he might do that at young farmers but not here.

 

[Rake Aboot]

I see no issue with this. If you’ve zero experience then you should get some experience/training on weapon use/safety etc before SGC/FAC issue.

None of that is a requirement.
This is the kind of thing that will wear shooting down until it vanishes .

 

[disco_ike]

I have no issue with, have you been out with a mate or someone shooting?
Have you got experience of shooting both at a clay range and rough shooting (if that’s what you want to)?
But insisting they have to complete a course with a ridiculous cost no…… even the £20 BASC thing they do at a game fair I could sort of accept reluctantly just as does this person understand safety & etiquette bit but yeah expecting them to do an expensive course just no……

 

[Rake Aboot]

You don’t need to give a reason far a sgc though.

It’s simply became a norm that the police have continued to push.
Bloody one lad a know had to fit an electronic keypad key safe , for his gun safe ( which isn’t even a requirement for a grant)

 

[Cyres]

It's about time BASC took Glos Firearms dept to task. They appear to continually invent new constraints.
If the OP has never used a shot gun before a lesson at a reputable shooting school would be money well spent. At the end of my first lesson I was shown how to disassemble and clean a shot gun.
D

 

[Kalahari]

Sadly BASC are a large part of the problem. I would use the term supine but that would flatter them.

David.

 

[enfieldspares]

BASC used to run a "Shotgun Proficiency Course. I did mine back in maybe in the 1980s? I did it as there was a thought at the time that if I wanted to shoot in France I'd need to show some sort of "certificate of competence". That never happened but I did the course anyway. It wasn't £450 either!

There is also now the online, free, BASC SAFE SHOT CERTIFICATE. I do not want to create "empires" but this BASC online assessment can be done by non-BASC members and my advice would be if it is insisted to on, this evidence of competence, to do that and submit it.

Shotgun safe shot - theory test

The free test provides you with a chance to demonstrate you have the knowledge on how to use shotguns confidently and safely in the field.

basc.org.uk

This below costs £30

Shotgun safe shot - practical test

The BASC shotgun safe shot assessment has been designed to give you the chance to demonstrate a confident and safe use of shotguns in a field-based situation.

basc.org.uk

Maybe, as others say, BASC might post an opinion on the matter?