If you could change the licensing system

easypeasy

Well-Known Member
After reading about the Green party tree huggers proposals for firearms law. If the government were to ask the shooters for ideas to radicalise the licensing system what would you suggest?
I would start with a 10 year license at least.
 
swap a say 243 for a new 243 with no one for one as same calibre

make moderaters non licence item its only a lump of metal
 
Id have a credit card sized fac for a start , if you have an open license then you should be able to buy anything sect 1 on the day without verifications/applications , maybe a quantity limit of 10 guns unless you have good reason for more.
 
I think the Banded system they were going to introduce in NI was a good idea. ie Band A all air weapons, Band B all Rimfires, Band C all small centerfires etc etc. If you wanted to do a variation you could do so within your Band doing a one on one off in the shop, but if you want something outside your band you had to put in for a variation.
 
After reading about the Green party tree huggers proposals for firearms law. If the government were to ask the shooters for ideas to radicalise the licensing system what would you suggest?
I would start with a 10 year license at least.

Move everything that is currently S1 to S2. Get rid of a load of unnecessary hassle and paper work that adds inconvenience to the shooting public and wastes vast amounts of police time and resources administering.

ATB,

Scrummy
 
Take licensing away from the police and place into hands of a National Firearms Licensing Authority, with a board of governors made up from the industry and home office.

Automatic right of appeal.

10 year licenses with photo card. The card is the licence, the paper the certificate.

Licence holders permitted to carry a knife as a tool and not subject to arbitrary interference by plod.
 
Move everything that is currently S1 to S2. Get rid of a load of unnecessary hassle and paper work that adds inconvenience to the shooting public and wastes vast amounts of police time and resources administering.

ATB,

Scrummy

I totally agree with that one.

atb Tim
 
one single card for standard license whether shotgun or rifle, 10 year renewal with up to 6 guns per standard license. Upward of 6 you need 'good reason' to increase the numbers of guns you hold.

Bossed it

ps no 'ammo' allowances, limits or stupid conditions past standard legislation
 
All of the previously mentioned changes plus-

1. Bring back pistols for target shooting.
2. Remove all the silly restrictions on posting expanding bullets.
 
I don't see any need on an upper limit.

I would not support everything being section 2 - so any licensed individual could buy any gun.

I would be supportive of 'groups' of section 1; FAC air & rimfire, fox and small vermin, deer & boar, dangerous game. I do think it should be mandatory on the individual to prove experience before being allowed to shoot alone. Whether that experience comes from courses (DSC 1&2) or practical field experience. I think the police's remit should be widened to include an assessment of field experience or an assessment of shooting qualifications. Guidance could easily be drawn up of what is required.

Once you had the group on your FAC you could buy and sell as many rifles as you can safely store in that category.

I'd argue that a centrefire rifle is vastly more dangerous than a shotgun. Not sure it would be in anyone's best interest an 18 year old with a crisp new SGC/FAC going out and buying a 50 cal!

I can't see any benefit on ammunition restrictions - If I go mad an do a shooting spree with the 300 CF rounds is that going to make me less infamous than if I could buy 2000?

I'd tighten up the requirements for a grant and make a medical report compulsory. If in doubt a full psychological assessment. I'd have zero tollerance to previous criminal history.

I'm sure we all know people with guns who perhaps aren't suitable individuals, but there is nothing anyone can do about it.
 
I withdraw what I previously said about agreeing with everything that had already been mentioned. Yes I would suggest a single certificate that covers both shotguns and what is now known as section 1 firearms but I would restrict some people to only certain categories of firearm/shotgun.
I've always been pretty much opposed to a shooting test but in actual fact I'm coming more and more around to something like they have in many European countries such as France or Germany. That's only because more folk are now entering the sport that have absolutely no prior knowledge or experience of firearms whatsoever and who would probably benefit from some sort of formal training.
 
I don't see any need on an upper limit.

I would not support everything being section 2 - so any licensed individual could buy any gun.

...

I'd argue that a centrefire rifle is vastly more dangerous than a shotgun. Not sure it would be in anyone's best interest an 18 year old with a crisp new SGC/FAC going out and buying a 50 cal!

Works in Switzerland mate, you can buy whatever is legal when you have your first certificate.

You are either trustworthy with guns, or you aren't.

I do believe it is that it is that simple.

(I certainly don't have the confidence in the HM Constabularies consistently smoothly running anything more complex I'm afraid)

ATB,

Scrummy
 
Hi All would be nice if the police forces would stick to statutory firearms law ,so every area was the same .
 
I'll not be popular for this but one certificate to cover everthing air rifles , shotguns, rifles rimfire and centrefire if you are fit to have one you are fit to have them all, likewise if deemed unfit to have one you should not be allowed any.

Youngsters make an age that is regarded as responsobile to have a certificate in their own right, do away with age restrictions on youngsters that are under the supervision of a responsible adult certificate holder
 
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Ensure the police officers that are dealing with renewals etc, know what they are doing!
Last one I had round took my .22 rimfire off me, read the serial number off to his mate then proceeded to lean the rifle against the wall barrel/mod to the ground!!! He got a shock when I shouted "What the f--k are you playing at" !!
 
Bring back pistols for target shooting, especially semi auto,used to have a nice collection of them, streamline procedure of obtaining variations., possible having a cert that allows you to buy a max amount of guns in various cals, i think the procedure of obtaining first cert is ok at the moment ( at least with Police Scotland), i gave up my collection years ago so had to put in a first application recently, if you are deemed responsible enough to own and use , say a .357 mag surely you are responsible enough to have a .38 or a .32 also,
my cert was issued for .308 .243 22-250 & .22 , i have been thinking I might like a 17hmr but i would need to apply for a variation, its the law but it seems crazy to me
it has been proved making it dificult for legal owners does not stop the criminals getting weapons, so we need to streamline the process for the people who want to own and use firearms in a responsible and legal manner
as for the limitions on the amount of ammo, for the .22 i have a max amount of 300 when i had my permissions i could go through that in a weekend no problems, although police scotland have said this was only due to first issue and raising the limit should be no problem, so why put the limit in the first place, i used to have a limit of buy 1000 and hold 2000 for .22 and buy 500 & hold 1000 for all my centre fire guns ,pistols and rifles
 
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All licences should be handled centrally - we do need a defined list of what calibers are legal rather than a set of guidelines that are open to interpretation
licences should be credit card size 1 licence to include FAC/SGC
Make variations online
you licence data should be available to view online so you can see/check what guns you currently hold
1-4-1's should be done at the RFD
pistols should be allowed again
National online database for land
 
I like the idea of credit sized licence plus the 'paper part'. Also putting rifles into sections, if you want to try a different rifle you don't have to go through so much crap.
 
Some very good suggestions, many of them no doubt never to see the light of day, unfortunately.

Perhaps we should aim to obtain something achievable. Support the BASC idea that certificates should last for ten years. Credit card certs and the derestriction of moderators are reasonably achievable. One for one swaps should be merely a notification job, (like buying a shotgun).

All of these have benefits for the certificate holder but also benefits, mainly in time and money, for the issuing authorities and could be readily agreed given a lot of support and consent.
 
Remove the entire process from police control. Set up a national firearms authority made up of people with a minimum of 10 years experience of using firearms, supported by an advisory group of (possibly) a Home Office civil servant, senior police officer, shrink, doctor etc. The authority to have a regulatory function and act as a repository of expert knowledge to advise and inform both Parliament and the Executive. From this all of the other suggestions described above would almost automatically flow ........
 
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