Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2025

[Benelli m2]

‘I’ve been in the gun trade for 40 years. I fear Labour’s crackdown will destroy it’

Experts claim newly tightened shotgun licensing laws will only serve to kill shooting sports and curtail conservation

www.telegraph.co.uk

According to this article, these changes apparently go much further than I was aware, and introduce firearms-style "good reason" and presumably "variations" for each individual shotgun.
BASC (the org of which I'm a member) doesn't appear to have publicised the same understanding of the rules as some in the gun trade. Fingers crossed that this isn't another massive regulatory mis-step.

I wouldn't take to much notice of the telegraph look on basc website

 

[Spear Chucker]

I wouldn't take to much notice of the telegraph look on basc website

Telegraph seems to have been taken over by the Daily Mail editorial team. Badly written, single source unverified stories, alarmist and stuffed full of click-bait articles. Given up. Now only reading Warlord, Victor and Commando pre 1980.

 

[Stalker62]

Now only reading Warlord, Victor and Commando pre 1980.

@Spear Chucker

Ah, the halcyon days of my youth...may I venture to add 2000AD?

A comic set in the future: and now in the blink of an eye, belongs in the past.

 

[Whitefront]

‘I’ve been in the gun trade for 40 years. I fear Labour’s crackdown will destroy it’

Experts claim newly tightened shotgun licensing laws will only serve to kill shooting sports and curtail conservation

www.telegraph.co.uk

According to this article, these changes apparently go much further than I was aware, and introduce firearms-style "good reason" and presumably "variations" for each individual shotgun.
BASC (the org of which I'm a member) doesn't appear to have publicised the same understanding of the rules as some in the gun trade. Fingers crossed that this isn't another massive regulatory mis-step.

The journalist has conflated the changes that are already happening with those that might happen in the future.

Putting shotguns under current Section One stipulations would indeed be a massive problem, for reasons that are all too obvious.

This proposal was instigated by a coroner's report a few years ago and has been floating around for even longer, avidly pushed by anti-gun groups. It was dismissed by the Home Office under the last Conservative government, largely at the behest of BASC, who marshalled sympathetic legislators to kill it before it got running.

However, the political landscape has changed dramatically since then. Labour loath us and have a gang of vindictive, unruly backbenchers to distract and appease. It's no surprise that the shotguns on S1 proposal has been resurrected. It is due to go out to consultation at the end of this year. When that happens, the shooting community will have to pull together and respond to it as never before.

 

[Benelli m2]

Labour = scum

 

[VSS]

Labour = scum

No worse than the alternatives, quite frankly.

 

[Spear Chucker]

@Spear Chucker

Ah, the halcyon days of my youth...may I venture to add 2000AD?

A comic set in the future: and now in the blink of an eye, belongs in the past.

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You definitely are a connoisseur of the very finest literature Sir. I salute you. 2000AD another of Britain's great exports. Loved the ABC warriors and the Strontium Dogs. Just sorted through the pile of commandos to whittle out any of the modern stories. Too touchy feely by far. Editor was an odd fellow...felt the urge to tell the tales of such oddities as the Land Girls. Fine for Judy, not for Commando. Just bought the Warlord annual for 1982 for £7!

 

[timbrayford]

No worse than the alternatives, quite frankly.

Hopefully in four years time we'll have a better option?

 

[Spear Chucker]

No worse than the alternatives, quite frankly.

Agreed thus far. However, my fear is that the vacuum currently prevailing (and over the last 30 years) will encourage the rise of far more extreme voices. That may be what is needed.

 

[Jura]

Am I correct in thinking that when an FEO asks a referee about a firearms holder, all he/she must establish from the referee is that the firearms holder is a suitable person of good character and responsible to be a firearms owner?

The reason for the question is that my wife’s referees were asked about her firearms skills, shooting ability, and one was sent a form to fill in, which she was later told by the FEO to ignore during a telephone interview.

 

[rocketdogbert]

Am I correct in thinking that when an FEO asks a referee about a firearms holder, all he/she must establish from the referee is that the firearms holder is a suitable person of good character and responsible to be a firearms owner?

The reason for the question is that my wife’s referees were asked about her firearms skills, shooting ability, and one was sent a form to fill in, which she was later told by the FEO to ignore during a telephone interview.

Yup, suitable, responsible person. No non-professional can be expected to judge somebody’s skill at shooting, and it’s not a legal requirement.

The law doesn’t stop the Met asking you to have shotgun lessons before they’ll grant

 

[Jura]

@rocketdogbert Many thanks for qualifying that.

 

[doric_prince]

Am I correct in thinking that when an FEO asks a referee about a firearms holder, all he/she must establish from the referee is that the firearms holder is a suitable person of good character and responsible to be a firearms owner?

The reason for the question is that my wife’s referees were asked about her firearms skills, shooting ability, and one was sent a form to fill in, which she was later told by the FEO to ignore during a telephone interview.

Correct. The referee is mean to sever as a character reference, not a person who must assure on the applicants ability to use firearms.

Many a past reference of mine had no such knowledge to provide, beyond judgement of my character.

 

[Liveonce]

The law doesn’t stop the Met asking you to have shotgun lessons before they’ll grant

Kent are also asking for shotgun lessons.

 

[rocketdogbert]

Kent are also asking for shotgun lessons.

I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but it’s not a legal requirement, and not a reason to turn down an grant

 

[Scarpa]

I was lucky when I used to have a shotgun cert. My referee was one of my best old friends, she was the headmistress of a primary school, that is a pretty responsible job to provide references from.

 

[Spear Chucker]

Kent are also asking for shotgun lessons.

makes no sense at all, unless the applicant has never handled a gun. In that case you might be forgiven for asking if they were the right sort of applicant anyway. We all had lessons from knee height up. just backside covering.

 

[Swedish]

I was lucky when I used to have a shotgun cert. My referee was one of my best old friends, she was the headmistress of a primary school, that is a pretty responsible job to provide references from.

lol ahh yes I remember the old referee system where it had to be someone of good standing such as a magistrate, teacher, doctor, lawyer etc... all professions that have harboured some of the worst of humanity including the most prolific serial killer in British history!

 

[Spear Chucker]

lol ahh yes I remember the old referee system where it had to be someone of good standing such as a magistrate, teacher, doctor, lawyer etc... all professions that have harboured some of the worst of humanity including the most prolific serial killer in British history!

I wonder if that was why serving policemen (they aren't officers) were forbidden from acting as referees

 

[Stevie/P]

someone of good standing such as a magistrate

Oh Yes my first referee was a magistrate I was in good stead as I was a pupil in her Sunday school class so knew me from the age of five how things have changed.