The Requirements Regarding A Section 5 For Dispatch.

[AndyAitchison]

Hi members.

Im looking for more info, and pitfalls, or your experiences with your local firearms dept.

As above what are The Requirements Regarding A Section 5 For Dispatch.

Do there vary from County to County.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Apache]

It's actually very simple. Show you have 'good reason' and you will get one.

The caviat to that is whether you actually have a good reason or you just fancy one. What do you intend to use it for? I can't see many people lugging an extra firearm about when stalking to follow up a wounded deer, and I'm not sure suggesting to your FEO that you wound a lot of deer is a great plan . Maybe if you take out a lot of guests then that sort of thing becomes more likely

If you deal with RTAs then there is almost always a better 'tool' in the cabinet. I tend to use my .22RF, .410 shotgun or captive bolt for these cases.

I use mine for shooting adult cows and horses. Have only shot a couple of deer with it, and that was more because I had it with me in the car rather than because it was my 1st choice in the situation.

 

[AndyAitchison]

Thanks Apache you raise valid points

 

[cjm1066]

Lincs will issue them if you make a good case.

 

[Cranhill]

Hello
A "Good reason" can also be "Unsafe by another means ie rifle or knife"

 

[jamross65]

I have an 'interview' the week after next following submitting an application for a 38/357 handgun.

My reasons were as follows:

Following up wounded Sika stags in very heavy and thick cover (Sitka spruce). I sent in a covering letter explaining what the ground was like, and the fact that I guide, I track the deer with a dog with the tracking lead in my hands, I am sometimes on my hands and knees to get through the Sitka, a rifle with a telescopic sight is not usable at the kind of close ranges the deer may need shot again in the trees, I cannot check what is under the animal and a full bore rifle may cause a very dangerous ricochet as it exits, and so on. In other words I have asked for one on health and safety grounds and animal welfare issues. As well as athe fact that a wounded Sika stag can be bloody dangerous so as far as I am concerned a knife is not an option. I also offered the FLD a 'site visit' in the hope that a wee bit of education may be forthcoming from it as well as me being able to show a 'genuine' need for one. The feed back I got for the covering letter was 10/10 for covering all valid points, and the interview is to discuss/answer questions that they must put to me. I applied for one many years ago and the FLD sought advice from the then Deer Commision for Scotland (because they were seen as the 'expert' body), who in turn responded with a load of ill informed opinion resulting in refusal. I let it go on that occasion but now again feel that there is a need, not least because of the numbers being shot, which I also think will have a bearing on its grant.

Dont get me wrong, if all my stalking was on open hill where a wounded beast could be shot at again from a safe distance with a rifle and where the optics were usable, and reducing the risk of a bullet bouncing back at you, then I would not be applying for one.

I think if you believe there is a good reason for having one, then also offer the FEO'S an option of a visit to your ground, to prove what difficulties/risks you face. I even suggested to mine that I would hand him the rifle and dog on the lead and tell him to show me how to do it, then try and aim at an imaginary ****ed off aggressive stag that is wanting to skewer me and the dog! He laughed....... Because I don't think he thought I was serious.

 

[jamross65]

One other thing, be very clear on what is a suitable calibre for the job if you don't have any personal experience with handguns. ChrisC on here has given me first class advice based on what he sells and what comes back a few months later as it is unsuitable for the job. I know one lad who was refused a handgun calibre but was granted permission for a .410 pistol, in the meantime to see how he gets on with it . I am told that they are absolutely useless for the job unless the muzzle is almost resting on the animals head.

 

[Apache]

Although I have never used a .410 pistol for humane dispatch I have used a .410 shotgun a number of times - the last time was a limousin bullock weighing ~500kg shot at a distance of about 5 meters. Dropped instantly dead to the shot.

Realistically what range do you expect with a handgun?

Incidentally a .32 will kill the biggest bull. I wonder if there is more restriction with people wanting 'a big one'?

 

[Deerstalkermark]

A mate of mine a few months back emailed his firearms dept enquiring about getting a .38 special revolver and what conditions etc would be imposed. He waited 3 weeks and no reply. So he banged in a variation stating he wanted it for humane dispatch on his existing ground. 7 weeks later it came back through the post as granted, no interview no nothing just conditioned to 2 shots.

 

[VSS]

Although I have never used a .410 pistol for humane dispatch I have used a .410 shotgun a number of times - the last time was a limousin bullock weighing ~500kg shot at a distance of about 5 meters. Dropped instantly dead to the shot.

Realistically what range do you expect with a handgun?

Incidentally a .32 will kill the biggest bull. I wonder if there is more restriction with people wanting 'a big one'?

I think that a .410 pistol would be a very useful bit of kit to have. Like Apache, I've used a .410 shotgun for despatch of some big animals (large pigs, full grown bullocks weighing 500kg+, etc etc) and found it ideal - never lets me down. A pistol version of the .410 that would fit in your pack or pocket would be great in heavy cover.

 

[Hornet 6]

I have been having thoughts of a .410 shot pistol for a while now, not I might add for deer despatch.
I have 6 lakes and the clubs building to look after, the last 2 years rats have been a real problem, usually in heavy bramble growth
or around and under the buildings and shipping containers, I also run traps for rabbit, mink and rats.
Despatch of these is a pain, full size .410 won't fit through the bars of the traps, and carrying a shotgun around when over there fishing or working is also a pain.
Not to mention the alarm it causes the club members, who in the main know nothing of the running and maintenance that running a club this size entails.
But not really sure what to put on the variation, as if I am going to apply it may as well also cover despatch, mainly the odd fox that is stupid enough to wedge
it's self in a cage trap, although I do get a few that get hit by cars on the surrounding roads and drag themselves in to cover around the lakes.

Neil.

 

[User00021]

Andy, I owned a two shot .44 revolver for 3 years and recently sold it. Sussex are now refusing to grant another .44 and also refusing self loaders but are willing to grant two shot .38 revolvers as long as there is good reason (according to Sussex Police the RSPCA are switching over to .38). So if you want the easy option apply for a two shot .38. Lincolnshire might be a bit more enlightened and allow other calibres etc. so good luck. I have owned a .410 derringer and a .410 Taurus revolver for vermin control around buildings and the 6" barrel revolver is far superior to the short barrelled derringer (~3"). Unfortunately the revolvers are currently unavailable (confiscated!) so a single barrel or sbs would be your only option.

 

[Milligan]

One other thing, be very clear on what is a suitable calibre for the job if you don't have any personal experience with handguns. ChrisC on here has given me first class advice based on what he sells and what comes back a few months later as it is unsuitable for the job. I know one lad who was refused a handgun calibre but was granted permission for a .410 pistol, in the meantime to see how he gets on with it . I am told that they are absolutely useless for the job unless the muzzle is almost resting on the animals head.

I was under the impression that a pistol chambered in .410 would also fire the .45 long colt as well, or is that just some makes/models?
Course you'd need to have .45 long colt on your ticket to be legite.

 

[bruce w]

are the .410 pistols chamber 2 1/2 or 3 ins , i have used 3 ins in a shotgun to put cattle down ,worked fine ,just thought 3 ins plenty recoil in a light pistol

 

[howa243]

Surely the shot would start to open up as soon as it left the barrel and therefore require the shot to be taken from what might be an unsafe distance (too close).

 

[jamross65]

Surely the shot would start to open up as soon as it left the barrel and therefore require the shot to be taken from what might be an unsafe distance (too close).

Exactly...

A pistol with a .410 chambering and a 3" barrel is a restricted weapon, and to use one requires that authorisation to be granted, and if it is will allow you to only use that ammunition also approved for it.

I agree that a .410 shotgun will kill very well even at a distance, but a 3" barrel pistol being used on a wounded stag from perhaps up to 20ft away? No thanks...

 

[Si]

What's the best option for dispatch of foxes in cage traps?... We rent out part of our farm for allotments, some of which have chickens and foxes are a real problem. I shoot some but I can't be out every night so I've got a couple of traps, I've been using a 12bore for dispatch but it makes hell of a mess and damages the cage.

 

[matt_hooks]

.22LR is your best bet at close range. You could even get some .22 long or .22 CB rounds. They put out around 40 ft.lb, more than enough to dispatch a fox in a trap and less likely to go bouncing around the countryside, or damage your traps.

 

[news of the world]

.410 rifled slugs for humane despatch 1/2oz slug @1800fps.
Simples..

 

[matt_hooks]

NOTW, I asked for that on S1 from TVP for wild boar. I was told that we don't have wild boar in the area. At the time I was working at a farm that had, you guessed it, wild boar. I was then told "we don't allow solid slug for wild boar, only for practical shotgun."