Is an FAC worth it ?
- Thread starter Deerhunter22
- Start date
Morkai
Well-Known Member
Even his face annoys me.
Rake Aboot
Well-Known Member
Don’t use YouTube for “ research”
Hope that helps
Hope that helps
Deerhunter22
Well-Known Member
Aye maybe I do sound a bit paranoid. Some of it was what happens in a revoke with rifles ect the other was in all honesty I appreciate after the Plymouth incident they re reviewed everyone but for me I have got a history of mental health nothing tht makes me feel im a danger to anybody n I know five welll I’m not I think anyone who knows me would vouch for tht I’ve just had a **** time of it just as your say getting paranoid n paranoid over nothing really. Anyways I am applying n thts tht
paul o'
Well-Known Member
My take on having a cert is..
Can I just go shooting when I like! Sometimes at a cost =Yes
Not having a cert .
Can I just go shooting when I like! Always at a cost ? Well = Yes " but I'd need to book ahead and still pay should the weather or and other factors not allow me to attend the booking .
Would I have a cert now if I was to be just starting out ? Hmmm =NO the reason for this is there are many good outfits that allow the use of an Estate Rifle. So my costs would be overwhelming less when you think of the costs when owning and feeding your own rifles ? just the fact of not owning your own rifle scope etc would offset the cost for a few stalks a year.
I'v held a cert for well over 40yrs.
My views may not be others views but that it ! its your choice .
Can I just go shooting when I like! Sometimes at a cost =Yes
Not having a cert .
Can I just go shooting when I like! Always at a cost ? Well = Yes " but I'd need to book ahead and still pay should the weather or and other factors not allow me to attend the booking .
Would I have a cert now if I was to be just starting out ? Hmmm =NO the reason for this is there are many good outfits that allow the use of an Estate Rifle. So my costs would be overwhelming less when you think of the costs when owning and feeding your own rifles ? just the fact of not owning your own rifle scope etc would offset the cost for a few stalks a year.
I'v held a cert for well over 40yrs.
My views may not be others views but that it ! its your choice .
Choices:
- Use an estate rifle, no issues, if you only stalk a few times a year as a guest.
- Get an FAC, 151,218 firearm certificates on issue in England and Wales; 25,345 firearm certificates in Scotland - clealry the process of applying isn't to aruous.
- Use an ilegal gun, perhaps lots of fun, perhaps nice accomodation in prision
- Fine another sport
Apply mate and what’s the worse that can happen ? They say no, but they also could grant it to you. They fact is you won’t know until you apply like you are doing. I myself overthink and every renewal I worry if there will be an issue knowing full well nothing has changed . It just the way some people are. All I can say is good luck and really hope you get the grant as it’s a truly amazing sport. And I have met some great friends through it.
Best of luck with your application.
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
If this is true.
You need to sit down with your GP, and have an honest conversation with them, before you do anything.
All FAC/SGC now come with a health 'oversight'.
I do not know (nor do I need to know), your exact situation - it may be minor and manageable: if it isn't, then the sooner you are apprised of that fact, the better.
Deerhunter22
Well-Known Member
Exactly yeh, no it’s maybe not a minor case of mental health but it certainly isn’t anything that makes me a danger or a liability to own a firearms and I think the doctor would agree with that. It’s just been because of a bit of traumatic time younger growing up ect thts about the jist of it ae. Ovbiously as I said before it’s not something I’d ever hide I’m quite open about it all really anyways
Speak to your doctor then speak to your FEO, if both agreeable then put your application in.
If either has reservations, particularly the doctor, consider postponing until you are on an even keel. One of the questions is ‘have you ever been refused a firearm certificate?’ You don’t won’t to jump in feet first now if a refusal is more likely as it may affect your chances in the future.
Last edited:
Deerhunter22
Well-Known Member
Oh is it ? Didn't know that, I am on an even keel, I take meds still but its such a low dose tbh well its nothing compared to what some get im on 30mg I know of someone on 300 odd. A lot of the reason for needing it is I never talked fully in depth on things ae because it was difficult but it's not anything that makes me a danger. You know I've never at any time been depressed to the point I've tried to jump off a bridge nor decided oh im gonna seek revenge on people. Im not naturally that way inclined. Never been in a fight ect Will speak to my doctor then for there view on it.
They will be as concerned of you being a danger to yourself as much as to others, any suicidal thoughts on record and you'll possibly come unstuck, speak to the doctor and go from there, that fact you are medicated may unfortunately exclude you for now but it may not.
Deerhunter22
Well-Known Member
yeh I know is what it is, its frustrating all the same though when I know im not a threat to myself or others. If I was hell bent on harming myself there's a million ways to do that without a rifle. Im sure of myself and know fine well I have mental capacity to be trusted. Its proving that to an FEO I guess. I really would like an FAC but it seems at times like a no go then your hearing of others who have mental ill health but hold faces makes it confusing. Best way forward is talk to my doctor and too the FEO
Go for it , but just be aware, the people that suggest the revoking of certs ect is just a minority and the police have been great with them , is probably because they never been in a situation where the police get involved , be it an argument in a store car park ect if you got a fac , the police will remove your guns , they might give them back if they decide, you we’re totally innocent or they might just revoke. I’ll give you one example of a revoke guy shooting on a leased wood rough shooting , asked the guy who leased it if he could shoot with a rifle , he said ok. Now some bigger boss seen him coming out of the wood with a rifle. He then phoned the police police came big boss saying he not got permission to use a rifle , my friend saying he was told it’s ok. It went to court the guy that told him it was ok denied he told him. End of story revoked for 3 years. It’s that simple no matter how low your crawl to keep your ticket yes sir 3 bags full sir ect. If they want to revoke they can and will regardless. The reason it was 3 years revoked his lawyer asked the judge how long should he wait to reapply he said 3 years. Having said that go for it but be aware , keep your nose very very clean if you want to keep it
Or just get something in writing before entering new land, even if it’s just a text…..Go for it , but just be aware, the people that suggest the revoking of certs ect is just a minority and the police have been great with them , is probably because they never been in a situation where the police get involved , be it an argument in a store car park ect if you got a fac , the police will remove your guns , they might give them back if they decide, you we’re totally innocent or they might just revoke. I’ll give you one example of a revoke guy shooting on a leased wood rough shooting , asked the guy who leased it if he could shoot with a rifle , he said ok. Now some bigger boss seen him coming out of the wood with a rifle. He then phoned the police police came big boss saying he not got permission to use a rifle , my friend saying he was told it’s ok. It went to court the guy that told him it was ok denied he told him. End of story revoked for 3 years. It’s that simple no matter how low your crawl to keep your ticket yes sir 3 bags full sir ect. If they want to revoke they can and will regardless. The reason it was 3 years revoked his lawyer asked the judge how long should he wait to reapply he said 3 years. Having said that go for it but be aware , keep your nose very very clean if you want to keep it
Subsistence
Well-Known Member
OK, first one I feel I might have the necessary experience to lend something to the conversation.
I'm in scotland and have had some mental health problems in the past.
I have applied for and been granted an AWL, I will soon be applying for my SGC I'm just debating whether I should hold off and do the FAC at the same time as obviously its better for everyone concerned.
As far as I can tell the AWL now goes through exactly the same prosses as the other certificates.
Firstly my Dr was easy to deal with quick in response time and very reasonable price wise £25 (Think I'm on the lucky side here)
As for dealing with the licensing team, all went pretty smoothly, had the usual home visit from the FLO and he was quite happy, asked me some questions about my mental health, as he should, I answered open and honesty, as I should. He left happy and I thought my licence would be in the post.
A week or so later I had a call saying I needed another interview, this was due to my application being "contentious" (all applications with mentel health or other markers flag as this, and is just due prosses and rightly so). This was a video call with the chief constable of licencing and one other person. Again we went through my mental health, same questions and responses as with the previous visit. I made sure to tell them the whole story my future plans for SGC and FAC. They where more than happy with what I had to say and even suggested I might be better off applying for them than using and air rifle for some of what I wanted the Air rifle for. I asked if my mental health would be an issue for future applications, they said that they would just need to follow the same prosses and could see an issue as long as nothing had changed.
Anyway the AWL came in the post less than a week later. I'm confident I will get my SGC when I apply, I just want to get a little more experience and have some stalking booked before I do a double application (don't want to give them any reasons to say no.
All in all, I found them to be very reasonable
Hope this helps to dispel some of the worries.
I'm in scotland and have had some mental health problems in the past.
I have applied for and been granted an AWL, I will soon be applying for my SGC I'm just debating whether I should hold off and do the FAC at the same time as obviously its better for everyone concerned.
As far as I can tell the AWL now goes through exactly the same prosses as the other certificates.
Firstly my Dr was easy to deal with quick in response time and very reasonable price wise £25 (Think I'm on the lucky side here)
As for dealing with the licensing team, all went pretty smoothly, had the usual home visit from the FLO and he was quite happy, asked me some questions about my mental health, as he should, I answered open and honesty, as I should. He left happy and I thought my licence would be in the post.
A week or so later I had a call saying I needed another interview, this was due to my application being "contentious" (all applications with mentel health or other markers flag as this, and is just due prosses and rightly so). This was a video call with the chief constable of licencing and one other person. Again we went through my mental health, same questions and responses as with the previous visit. I made sure to tell them the whole story my future plans for SGC and FAC. They where more than happy with what I had to say and even suggested I might be better off applying for them than using and air rifle for some of what I wanted the Air rifle for. I asked if my mental health would be an issue for future applications, they said that they would just need to follow the same prosses and could see an issue as long as nothing had changed.
Anyway the AWL came in the post less than a week later. I'm confident I will get my SGC when I apply, I just want to get a little more experience and have some stalking booked before I do a double application (don't want to give them any reasons to say no.
All in all, I found them to be very reasonable
Hope this helps to dispel some of the worries.
Subsistence
Well-Known Member
I know the above doesn't really answer the question. I was just trying to show that in my experience, the licencing department that I delt with (Scotland west) where, at all time reasonable, as I suspect they would be regarding any potential revocations. Also that as long as you can explain your mental state and do not pose a significant risk, all should go smoothly.
Similar threads
