What do you do

Fester

Well-Known Member
Hi all.
How many of you carry your certificate :confused:
I live in derbyshire but border leicestershire. I have land in both counties. Derbyshire seem fine about me not carrying my certificate with me when out shooting. Leicestershire have none of it & say i must carry my certificate with me at all times. They wont accept a photocopy either.
personally i dont like carrying my certificate with me because its just another thing i could possibly loose :rolleyes:
Whats your views on it :confused:
 
ticket

Lets be practical about this. I carry a photocopy and leave the original in the car. Although, i have never been challenged to produce it. Now the much maligned FAC register is on line the photocopy should suffice.
 
Common sense?
A photo copy and some other photo ID would be good, proper cert better off at home than left in the car in a remote spot.
just my opinion.

Dickie.
 
ticket

Dickie,
Yeah that would be ok. I think your car is more likely to get screwed in asda carpark than the horrid, muddy lanes us fools drive down
 
I wouldnt like to keep the cert in the car even down a dark lane.
Ive only ever been pulled over once by plod when ive had a rifle in the car & that was by derbyshire police. They were fine that i didnt have my certificate with me & were more interested if in actually looking at my rifle & scope than anything else just to see it. They were even more interested in the fact that i had been out foxing & were genuinely interested. :D
 
I have my sert crumpled into my inside jacket pocket....

I've never needed it.... yet......

Argh famous last words eh...
 
We've got one bobby in 20 miles, he's a great bloke, knows my ground and stalks too, so I don't really feel the need to carry it. ;)

Darn sarf, well that's another matter. Always a photocopy in the pocket.
 
I don't carry mine on me, usually leave it the car, police have radio's and computers to check ownership etc, photocopies not much use, if you are away from home and need ammo etc, been stopped by plod twice and never been asked to show fac or rifle, this is in warwickshire, local coppers who know the farmers and what goes on.

steve
 
I carry mine, my BASC membership card (in case I need the insurance details - god forbid) and a copy of any letter of permission in a waterproof wallet type thing that I had for keeping valuables dry when I used to go kayaking.
I've been asked to show it once to a disappointed road rat (traffic cop) who was all excited about the possibility of seizing a rifle cos he was convinced that I would only have a copy with me.
It was so good to watch his face fall a mile when he saw the original.
Sorry to burst your bubble guys, but as an ex-cop myself I know the regs and the original is what is required, photocopies are too easily forged or altered.
Cops are allowed to exercise some discretion so can accept a photocopy if they can believe it is genuine, getting your FEO to sign and stamp it as a genuine copy helps them with that. I was always happy to accept that, but then I was a shooter myself and was sympathetic, not all of my former colleagues thought like that.
Show an unsupported copy to a mean, difficult g*t or to one who simply wants to get back inside the station for a while with a chance to impress the boss and you could end up without your rifle and a fight to get it back.
Leaving the original in the car is taking a risk, your FAC is a valuable official document, it allows the holder to carry a lethal weapon after all, treat it with a lot of respect and carry it or a certified copy (which isn't ideal) or be prepared for some hassle sometime.
Sad but true.
All the best
Geoshot
 
Hi
I never carry my actual FAC but there is a photocopy in the car.
A couple of years ago I'd been out lamping with two mates and we'd left their car in a layby. It was about three in the morning and I'd driven back to the layby to swap rifles and gear back into their car.
So picture the scene I'm handing rifles from my car to number one mate who's passing them to number two mate to put in the boot of his car ,and guess who drives by? Police Volvo stops on the main road, reverses back and turns into the layby, and we're thinking this doesn't look good! He drove up to us and asked what we'd been up to, so we told him "lamping foxes", he asked if we'd had any luck "yes" we said, what rifle you got etc etc. At no point did he get out the car or ask to see anyones FAC, he didn't hassle or preach to us, and I was left thinking how sensible he'd been through the whole encounter. But let's be honest it could have turned out very differently!!
 
My firearms licencing section, suggested carrying a photocopy & not the original after seeing my old certificates that had been taken out to various places including the marsh.
When will they take on board all the advice & produce a 2 part licence like the drivers licence.
1) - a credit card ID with photo, personal details, types of weapon held etc.
2) - A paper section to record transactions & other details.
I'm sure most people would keep it in their wallet & have it handy, it would also withstand the elements.

With the current system there is already a national database which records all firearms/shotgun certificate holders details which is available to all police forces 24/7 as the computer is working of course.
In reality most police officers will just want to verify that the weapons are legally held.
The majority of police officers I know have a very basic knowledge of firearms if any.
 
I have got to admit that I always carry my original certificate
with me when out stalking.It is starting to look a "little dog eared" and some of the writing is a little difficult to read.

Pity they don't produce a credit card type one yet, that could be swiped for ammo and gun additions :!: It would be a lot easier to store.

Even when I am stalking in the Highlands of Scotland with no roads
for miles I have it with me.

Some of the boys take the pee though :oops:
 
Fallow Stalker. The only reason you take your FA certificate with you, even in Scotland is because you are paranoid about us doing something really horrible to you on your 40th birthday.

I and the choosen few would never ever do that to you :confused:

I really do not want you to worry about this anymore :lol: as WE know you will be abroad at the time :lol: and moving has only made things worse, :p

And if you think for one moment that will stop any practicle jokes happening, What was that old programme on the TV years ago hmmmmmmm :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Ah yes no hiding place :lol:
 
Thanks Sika Malc

I have nothing to worry about then, :eek:

That has really put my mind at rest :(

If you think I am going abroad will I need sun screen
or a snow suit?

I must apologize to other forum users this is a private matter
please ignore :D
 
Thank you gentlemen for your views on this matter. I will contact leicestershire constabulary & discuss the matter further as i really dont like to carry it with me & cant see what there problem is as my licencing contabulary (Derbyshire) have no problem with me not carrying it :confused:
Thank you very much gents :D :D
 
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