Reasonable wait for variation…

1 Year waiting on .223 here in NI. Land passed and all checks done within a month of the application going in. Passed to senior firearms licencing manager for further consideration. It's not even my first centrefire as I previously held a .308. It really is ridiculous. Can't complain to them about it because they don't give answers, and I've heard of a couple of occasions where those facing lengthy waits have had FAC's revoked because they expressed their frustration to the firearms branch.
 
Well, maybe someone in Sussex firearms licensing department read this thread because I received an email today to say the variation has been accepted and to send off my ticket!

Thanks for all the replies. I’m in no doubt though that is still be waiting if I hadn’t chased though.
They absolutely do have a presence on the forum, having been directly told "your complaining about wait times online is not appreciated".

This was the only place I'd posted, and it was a very similar post to yours (just enquiring about wait times)
 
  • Like
Reactions: VSS
What the hell has happened in the last couple of years

I'm with the Met. wait for a grant is running at around 12months
I asked BASC they suggest start chasing after 40 weeks

According to this Only 3 years ago they were averaging turning them round in 3months
What's gone so wrong lately ?
Brexit
 
They absolutely do have a presence on the forum, having been directly told "your complaining about wait times online is not appreciated".

This was the only place I'd posted, and it was a very similar post to yours (just enquiring about wait times)
I’m sure that the police do not appreciate threads like mine - I wouldn’t if I were them - but I would suggest that their stance that people should not complain about a poor public service is not ok. Surely it should be to take responsibility and improve it?
 
I know that firearms licensing departments remain under resourced despite the extra fees we as certificate holders are now paying. I’m also aware how hard my FEO is working and the stress she is under, but I can’t help but to be slightly peeved that the wheels turn so slowly.

The wait for my variation is now being measured in months and I’ve had no reply to either email or text message. I don’t want to hound my FEO, and just wondered what people are doing when their variations take months and months to be processed. Are people just accepting this and waiting patiently or chasing with emails and phone calls or maybe asking professional bodies to intervene?
Bad management , a simple variation should generally take a fortnight and most forces do seem to things in that kind of time . Renewals should happen faster than new applicants . Quick easy fast work needs little attention by the licensing department . How long it is actually getting the assistant Chief Constable might be problematic if its allowed to build up . Its got to be time for a phone call ?
 
I’m sure that the police do not appreciate threads like mine - I wouldn’t if I were them - but I would suggest that their stance that people should not complain about a poor public service is not ok. Surely it should be to take responsibility and improve it?
That's my view. It's like the bus driver telling you off for chatting in the queue about how late the buses are.

I know it's not their fault, that's the system they work in. Don't take it personally when people complain about the system then.
 
I believe the unbroken line of excuses over the past 20 years are

Global financial crisis
Tory austerity
Brexit
COVID

COVID if feeling a bit stale we may need a new one soon
I could add

Global warming
Dietary Requirements
 
West Yorkshire Police, sent my variation at the end of May, approved within a week then on waiting to be printed status… for over a month now.

Not sure what happened with the staff, i thought process would be better with increased fees :(
Update, just got it today. So about 6-7 weeks in total.
 
Just had a few changes done with Glenrothes, 5 weeks to the day from posting to receiving it back, and from what they say it was posted back to me a full week before I received it, so 4 weeks for them to turn it around I can’t really complain.

I can’t imagine waiting over a year as some above have mentioned for simple additions etc.
 
My last 141 variation was over 2 months and it needed me to send a nudge email to get it sorted.
My 141 variation last month, was done in under 7 days by Police Scotland (Edinburgh). They have done three of four variations last year, all in a similar timescale, other than adding 3 new rifles + mods which took 2 weeks, mostly due to their complexity (all modular).
 
In the end when i did a variation for another 7x57 after 12 weeks, i had to pull the work related management card, as the land is actually in owned by my boss!

Be under no illusion, they were certainly in no hurry.
 
Back
Top