Gun storage with the Police...advice please.

[Sheprador1973]

Just a quick one guys. Sadly me guns need to be taken and stored by my local police force....hopefully not for too long.

I have them is slips/cases but am concerned about rust over time. I intend to oil all steel parts liberally before putting them away but is there anything else I could/should be doing please?

Many thanks if you are able to help.

 

[75]

Why can’t they be lodged with RFD? That would be my preference over leaving them with the Police. I didn’t think Police had the space or inclination to store firearms?

 

[enfieldspares]

Yes. Take pictures from left and right side laid flat with today's Daily News, Mirror, Sun, Express, Mail, Etc. in the shot. So a record of condition on that date. Grease the bores with a mop dipped in any good grease. Kao Cho Line, or Etc.. If possible grease under the metal and the woodwork. Don't use vaseline for that! Remove all non licensed parts such as 'scopes, detachable magazines and etc. Make sure gunslips or cases are bone dry...damp or humid gunslips make guns sweat and rust guns! Get a receipt. If possible get police to sign print out of the pictures you took. Is storage with an RFD not possible to head off this event?

 

[Mossypaw]

At the very least, put your ammunition to an RFD, don’t put it in with the rifles. I have had firearms and ammunition held by the police and let’s just say that on collection, there was slightly less ammunition than there should of been !

 

[ColinJ]

Why can’t they be lodged with RFD? That would be my preference over leaving them with the Police. I didn’t think Police had the space or inclination to store firearms?

RFD’s cost money. Depending on the circumstances requiring the guns to be lodged it could be months rather than years, and the storage bill could end up being more than the guns are worth.
If your FEO is trying to help and offering to lodge the guns I would suggest a light covering of oil and a gun slip or box for each gun.
Take photos of guns and ammo and make a note of their condition and the quantity of S.1 ammo.

 

[Jelen]

Just a quick one guys. Sadly me guns need to be taken and stored by my local police force....hopefully not for too long.

I have them is slips/cases but am concerned about rust over time. I intend to oil all steel parts liberally before putting them away but is there anything else I could/should be doing please?

Many thanks if you are able to help.

Yes. Take pictures from left and right side laid flat with today's Daily News, Mirror, Sun, Express, Mail, Etc. in the shot. So a record of condition on that date. Grease the bores with a mop dipped in any good grease. Kao Cho Line, or Etc.. If possible grease under the metal and the woodwork. Don't use vaseline for that! Remove all non licensed parts such as 'scopes, detachable magazines and etc. Make sure gunslips or cases are bone dry...damp or humid gunslips make guns sweat and rust guns! Get a receipt. If possible get police to sign print out of the pictures you took. Is storage with an RFD not possible to head off this event?

As Enfield says above. Most definitely remove scopes.
Ref RFD's, it does get expensive. I was told recently of a chap whose storage bill came to nearly£500, partly his own fault and partly through the Police authority ineptitude!

 

[TH4]

RFD is the way to go, I have seen some guns that have come back after the police took them and the state was enough to reduce the owner to tears.

 

[Sheprador1973]

Why can’t they be lodged with RFD? That would be my preference over leaving them with the Police. I didn’t think Police had the space or inclination to store firearms?

My RFD has been very good about it and a recent circumstantial blow is leaving me very low on £.

 

[ashray]

DONT repeat DONT. this is from personal experience.<less ammunition ,returned bolts stripped but not put back together, rifle and ammunition stored in a damp shipping container, rifle take out of travel boxes and laid on the floor, rifles used and returned dirty not looked after at all . just told to go and collect them after 6 months waiting time DONT DO IT!! just be warned that the police dont expect to return them to you so dont care and are just waiting to be told to destroy all your kit . bisley armoury will hold them for £85 a year.

 

[mealiejimmy]

Just a quick one guys. Sadly me guns need to be taken and stored by my local police force....hopefully not for too long.

I have them is slips/cases but am concerned about rust over time. I intend to oil all steel parts liberally before putting them away but is there anything else I could/should be doing please?

Many thanks if you are able to help.

Only give them the bits that count as firearms
Remove scopes, stocks, magazines and even triggers if posible.
The fewer bits they have, the less chance that anything will go missing, be damaged or taken out to "play" with.

Cheers

Bruce

 

[VSS]

My RFD has been very good about it and a recent circumstantial blow is leaving me very low on £.

Sorry to hear that you're going through a tough patch.
Obviously we don't know the personal circumstances that have brought this about, but I'm guessing that for a while it's not going to be appropriate for you to keep firearms at your home address. Rather than storing them with the police or an RFD, could you not install a cabinet at another address (friend or family member), and keep them there temporarily?
If there's an issue surrounding your access to firearms at what is clearly a difficult time you could also lodge the keys with your solicitor. Get a cabinet with 2 locks, keep one key yourself and give the other to the solicitor. That way, you cannot access the guns without his say-so, but he cannot access them either (so all legal).

 

[Will the chippy]

I've often wondered if your RFD could hold all your cabinet keys. Could this be a good way to go short term?

 

[Bowland blades]

I've often wondered if your RFD could hold all your cabinet keys. Could this be a good way to go short term?

problem is that its not a great deal of work and time for a safe to be opened by people unauthorised .

 

[Will the chippy]

problem is that its not a great deal of work and time for a safe to be opened by people unauthorised .

I assumed as much. Seem to remember my brothers shotgun ticket had elapsed and the police rang me to see if I could take them and I think he gave me the option of holding his keys. No rifles involved tho, so would be different.

 

[Sheprador1973]

My RFD has been very good about it and a recent circumstantial blow is leaving me very low on £.

I meant FEO of course. Doh

 

[Sheprador1973]

Sorry to hear that you're going through a tough patch.
Obviously we don't know the personal circumstances that have brought this about, but I'm guessing that for a while it's not going to be appropriate for you to keep firearms at your home address. Rather than storing them with the police or an RFD, could you not install a cabinet at another address (friend or family member), and keep them there temporarily?
If there's an issue surrounding your access to firearms at what is clearly a difficult time you could also lodge the keys with your solicitor. Get a cabinet with 2 locks, keep one key yourself and give the other to the solicitor. That way, you cannot access the guns without his say-so, but he cannot access them either (so all legal).

Really appreciate the kind thoughts and advice VSS. Thank you

 

[75]

Anyone you can trust (properly trust!!) with FAC that could get a variation and buy them off you for a very reasonable amount? I appreciate variation times vary and I’m not sure how many rifles we’re talking but some forces are turning variations around in a week or two (especially with a friendly FEO on side).

Assume we are taking rifles as shotguns wouldn’t be a problem to move to someone else’s cert.

All the best and hope it all works out for you.

 

[25 Sharps]

as said above, I would strip every non licensed part to leave only barrel, action/receiver, bolt body zip tied into the same. Grease and n the bore good layer of oil externally.

 

[GMan14]

Are you a member of any home office approve clubs? If you have a good relationship with them, they may offer a good price for long term storage.

 

[Lever357]

I know of a gunsmith who recently had to instigate 3 insurance claims against the police for the condition guns were returned in after they had seized them from FAC holders. As others have said, look at every conceivable option before asking the police to store them and remove all items not classed as part of a firearm. See if your club could store them or if friends could apply for variations.