can you answer this

Scots_stalker

Well-Known Member
a wee query for you .
i have a farm that i shoot over with calibres upto 243 ,as it has rabbit , fox , and roe
i also have ground that i shoot over with calibres upto 308 as it has rabbit , fox , roe, red ,and sika

heres the question , can i take the 308 onto the first farm for zeroing, as i wont be shooting deer
 
Is there not an issue with regard to what the local firearms officer has cleared that particular land for in terms of maximum permitted calibre?
If you have an open FAC, I presume that would negate the above statement.
David
 
Worth checking with the local firearms officer to be safe.
Funny - I currnely have a similar problem. I have a shooting competition in 2 weeks time and both my rifles are zeroed with expanding but I need to zero for FMJ. I have permission for land with maximum calibre of .243 so I can zero the .243, but I won't be able to with my .308.
 
this what i was thinking,, if land is not passed for hunting with the 308 , is it still ok to zero with it ?

As I understand it. It doesn't matter what the local force as passed the land for so long as your certificate has open conditions for the 308 with regards to where you use it. It is then up to you to decide whether or not you can shoot safely there.
 
Worth checking with the local firearms officer to be safe.
Funny - I currnely have a similar problem. I have a shooting competition in 2 weeks time and both my rifles are zeroed with expanding but I need to zero for FMJ. I have permission for land with maximum calibre of .243 so I can zero the .243, but I won't be able to with my .308.

Where is the problem? Surely all the conditions are on your certificate? The conditions will specify if there are restrictions on where you use each calibre and what for. If a condition states you are only to shoot a specific rifle with an approved club then you can't use it for targets on a farm. If you have a dual purpose target/deer rifle and if the condition states,

'..and for zeroing on ranges, or land over which the holder has permission to shoot with that class of firearm from the person by whom shooting rights are owned or from .......'

, then in this case it doesn't matter what type of bullet you are using because you are within the law and all of your conditions. Zeroing is zeroing. You are not shooting deer with the FMJ are you so no offence is committed?
 
The problem is we don't know whether Scots_stalker has an open or closed certificate, in which case the maximum calibre permitted for that land will be relevent.
 
Yes my FAC is open. The reason I am asking is during my home visit today for my renewal the question came up as to what rifles I used where and what for. The officer coulndt answer if I was doing right or wrong and would refere it back to branch
 
Yes my FAC is open. The reason I am asking is during my home visit today for my renewal the question came up as to what rifles I used where and what for. The officer coulndt answer if I was doing right or wrong and would refere it back to branch

It sounds to me like you are making trouble for yourself! You either have restrictions on your certificate or you don't. Why don't you use your .308 for deer on the land that you have the question over? Is it personal choice or is there a restriction on your certificate?
 
Yes my FAC is open. The reason I am asking is during my home visit today for my renewal the question came up as to what rifles I used where and what for. The officer coulndt answer if I was doing right or wrong and would refere it back to branch

I would certainly not want to pre-empt a referred decision by going out and zeroing your .308, as you asked in your original post, until the officer has come back to you.
 
I was just being honest when asked a question. The ground that I shoot the 308 over is mote than an hour away a bit far just to zero. And the farm I use is just 5 mins
 
I was just being honest when asked a question. The ground that I shoot the 308 over is mote than an hour away a bit far just to zero. And the farm I use is just 5 mins

If you have an open cert the land doesn't need to be cleared for anything. You think every square of the highlands has been inspected by a policeman?
 
As Tack says, it's all in the conditions.

If you have an open certificate, then it matters not a jot what the local bobby thinks a particular piece of land is "safe" for. You have permission to shoot on the land, and you have a condition saying you can use the .308 on land over which you have permission (or similar).

Ergo your certificate allows you to use the rifles over land where you have permission, no matter if they have been cleared or not.

Imagine you were to shoot on land that they had not cleared at all. Your licence allows you to do that with no restrictions. Shooting over assessed land is no different as far as your certificate is concerned.
 
As Tack says, it's all in the conditions.

If you have an open certificate, then it matters not a jot what the local bobby thinks a particular piece of land is "safe" for. You have permission to shoot on the land, and you have a condition saying you can use the .308 on land over which you have permission (or similar).

Ergo your certificate allows you to use the rifles over land where you have permission, no matter if they have been cleared or not.

Imagine you were to shoot on land that they had not cleared at all. Your licence allows you to do that with no restrictions. Shooting over assessed land is no different as far as your certificate is concerned.

Agree on that matt_hooks. However as Scots_stalker has asked the question and not got a suitable answer from the firearms officer pending a response from the firearms department, irrespective of the above would the FLO take a dim view if he just carried on without further communication with the FLO?
 
Agree on that matt_hooks. However as Scots_stalker has asked the question and not got a suitable answer from the firearms officer pending a response from the firearms department, irrespective of the above would the FLO take a dim view if he just carried on without further communication with the FLO?

I don't see why he should. The conditions are perfectly clear. There is no breach of his conditions, and no illegal act.
 
I don't see why he should. The conditions are perfectly clear. There is no breach of his conditions, and no illegal act.

It is simply common courtesy, irrespective of the legal status. A question was asked which was referred by the FLO - in my opinion it is courtesy to at least speak to him again, maybe armed with the basis of the comments on this thread and discuss it first before carrying on stating 'actually, I have an open licence so I am authorised to shoot on any land that I deem fit'.
 
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