My diary of my FAC application 😵‍💫

[Steve2_1]

Hi all,

I'm quite new to the forum, looks like lots of like minded people here which is great!

Anywho, I'm in the process of a FAC grant application with Dorset Police so I can get out stalking more, rather than rely on accompanied stalks and estate rifles.

7 months in, so I thought I'd begin a diary of my progress.... If it's going to take a while we might as well have a bit of a laugh about it. I'll regularly update, hoping to get it before the end of the year....

 

[Gary123]

I am awaiting my ticket in the next few weeks, applied in December, had FLO out a week ago, he said 2-6 weeks for license to be signed off and with me

 

[Rory]

Hi all,

I'm quite new to the forum, looks like lots of like minded people here which is great!

Anywho, I'm in the process of a FAC grant application with Dorset Police so I can get out stalking more, rather than rely on accompanied stalks and estate rifles.

7 months in, so I thought I'd begin a diary of my progress.... If it's going to take a while we might as well have a bit of a laugh about it. I'll regularly update, hoping to get it before the end of the year....

I can appreciate the pain. I applied in 2016 with Essex, during the upheaval. It took a year from applying to grant. They're far, far better now thankfully.

 

[Steve2_1]

I am awaiting my ticket in the next few weeks, applied in December, had FLO out a week ago, he said 2-6 weeks for license to be signed off and with me

That's reasonable, which force is that with?

 

[Gary123]

That's reasonable, which force is that with?

North Wales

 

[foxhunter]

I put my renewal in January has now expired on 18 May and have been given 8 week extension but heard absolutely nothing from FEO ...this is Durham Constabulary

 

[Lone wolf]

I'm from Durham and I am 18 months into a grant

Staffing issues have plagued my force and then the already delayed chaos from covid is just exasperating the delays, renewals and grant taking unprecedented times

Good luck hopefully your not waiting long

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Hi all,

I'm quite new to the forum, looks like lots of like minded people here which is great!

Anywho, I'm in the process of a FAC grant application with Dorset Police so I can get out stalking more, rather than rely on accompanied stalks and estate rifles.

7 months in, so I thought I'd begin a diary of my progress.... If it's going to take a while we might as well have a bit of a laugh about it. I'll regularly update, hoping to get it before the end of the year....

I know a bloke where his took almost a year!

Patience is the ley

 

[Steve2_1]

I know a bloke where his took almost a year!

Patience is the ley

It does seem like a year is the average time now

 

[Steve2_1]

Update ..... Had a phone call with the FAC office this morning, apparently my application has been processed and is in the queue for action by an FEO .... Fingers crossed it won't be too long now

 

[billbob]

12months for me with d and c. Cheque been cashed long time back. Was told I in the pile and then got told they not even doing home visits yet. They are still just doing renewal and if you need for you job. But as close as they get to the end of the pile every week more renewal roll in. Never ending cycle.
The system is broken they need a lot more staff it is getting beyond a joke now. I feel for the local gun shops lots wanting to buy but they system is putting them out business.

 

[Steve2_1]

12months for me with d and c. Cheque been cashed long time back. Was told I in the pile and then got told they not even doing home visits yet. They are still just doing renewal and if you need for you job. But as close as they get to the end of the pile every week more renewal roll in. Never ending cycle.
The system is broken they need a lot more staff it is getting beyond a joke now. I feel for the local gun shops lots wanting to buy but they system is putting them out business.

Definitely hear you there, the gun shops really are suffering. The knock on effects impact more people than one would realise.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Definitely hear you there, the gun shops really are suffering. The knock on effects impact more people than one would realise.

But who, with any real capacity to address the many & varied issues in play, gives a damn for ours and the RFD’s plight?

Put another way, we sadly have no friends in high places that might ‘push’ the injustices that at one time or other we have all felt over the years, and now more than ever.

This also comes at a time when the Country, or at least the less well-prepared, will soon be on their knees financially and with many families unable to pay their energy and food bills.

What chance then of a Government/Home Office focus on the plight of would-be FAC holders and the retail outlets that support their sport/interest?

Just a thought or two.

K

 

[Len the dog]

At the end of the day, it is no secret that both the police and the Home Office want to see the end of private gun ownership. If by slowing the system down to a virtual standstill, whilst being able to blame Covid, GP lack of participation, or the additional work load brought on by the Plymouth incident, then they will deter new applications and even see previous owners giving the sport up. Furthermore, if it puts RFDs out of business then that only discourages even more people from participating in gun ownership.

They already know that if they revoke someone’s licence on some trumped up pretence then there is zero chance that it will be challenged in the courts due to the outlandish costs that would be incurred by the complainant, especially now that BASC have withdrawn their support through the insurance that they once offered.

I’m afraid that we’re on a very slippery slope and I personally believe that I will see the end of recreational shooting within my lifetime.

 

[Stalker62]

At the end of the day, it is no secret that both the police and the Home Office want to see the end of private gun ownership.

This assertion (held by many) is simply not supported by the evidence.

This from the H.O.


As at 31 March 2021, there were:

• 156,033 firearm certificates on issue, a 2% decrease
• 548,521 shotgun certificates on issue, a 3% decrease
• 565,929 people held a firearm and/or a shotgun certificate, a 3% decrease of 20,422 since last year

In the year ending 31 March 2021, there were:

• 4,988 new applications for firearm certificates, of which 98% were granted and 2% were refused
• 10,901 new applications for shotgun certificates, of which 97% were granted and 3% were refused
• 2,566 new coterminous applications, of which 97% were granted and 3% were refused
• 306 firearms certificates were revoked – a decrease of 18% (-65) compared with the previous year and 0.2% of the total firearm certificates on issue
• 982 shotgun certificates were revoked – a decrease of 14% (-159) compared with the previous year and 0.2% of the total shotgun certificates on issue
• Experimental statistics: 365 firearms and shotguns were reported as lost or stolen; of which, 126 were lost and 239 were stolen

 

[Len the dog]

Let’s wait for the statistics next year and the year after, now that many forces have indefinitely suspended grants and turnaround times have increased massively in pretty much every force.

The trouble with statistics is that they are already out of date.

 

[Steve2_1]

This is all very true, and can't be ignored. An FAC is very much a privilege which has significantly more against than for, and really is at the bottom of the police priority list. It will get more difficult in time I'm sure. It's just sucks for us responsible, law abiding shooters.

 

[Klenchblaize]

And not to decry Stalker1962’s demonstrable and indeed commendable desire to see the positive in such matters, it has to be observed that the figures quoted cannot be assumed to imply that the Police and Home Office are therefore not against private firearms ownership. It simply confirms that Firearms Licensing Departments are complying - for the most part - with current law and guidance as Servants of the Crown.

K

 

[Stalker62]

The trouble with statistics is that they are already out of date.

Indeed they are.

Not entirely sure how one would go about predicting the next year's results...



It is difficult to prove, one way or another, what they (who are they?) are intent on doing.

That said, the whole licensing system is in dire need of overhauling and the service that most Constabularies are struggling to provide is in many cases, not fit for purpose.

Notwithstanding delays for the average 'punter', I do wonder what effect those delays are having on the businesses of RFDs when they cannot shift stock in a timely manner.

 

[Len the dog]

Indeed they are.

Not entirely sure how one would go about predicting the next year's results...

View attachment 257831

It is difficult to prove, one way or another, what they (who are they?) are intent on doing.

That said, the whole licensing system is in dire need of overhauling and the service that most Constabularies are struggling to provide is in many cases, not fit for purpose.

Notwithstanding delays for the average 'punter', I do wonder what effect those delays are having on the businesses of RFDs when they cannot shift stock in a timely manner.

Unfortunately it's not just the licensing system that needs completely overhauling, the whole of the firearms act needs to be rewritten from the ground up. However, what government is ever going to dedicate the not insignificant time and resources to doing that when they can simply 'encourage' people to give it up anyway.

Although your statistics were rather on the thorough side, there is one detail that isn't supplied, the age of the certificate holders. Based on nothing more than observing fellow shooters and reading comments from obvious old gits here on SD, I would hazard a guess that the average age of a recreational shooter is towards the upper end of the scale for outdoor pursuits, therefore natural wasteage, for want of a more caring word, will only increase with every year that passes.

Again, going back to the statistics for FAC as an example, for every 1 grant there were 31 existing FAC holders. Is that a sufficient ratio to maintain the numbers in our sport or is it, over the next few years, to head towards a dwindling number of certificates?

Obviously I don't know the answer to that but my own personal feeling is a rather gloomy one.