UK Firearms Regulations

[CrocodileDundee]

Can you chaps explain to me how it all works over there? Interested how it compares to here. I've read thru a few threads where some things have been discussed but couldn't get my head around it as its been in a certain context and mostly using terms I'm unfamiliar with. Whats good? Whats bad? What can you do? What can't you do? What do you have to do? Processes, time frames, etc? For both target shooting an hunting. Are there any specific taxes or fees on anything related to the shooting sports?
I know its a pretty open ended question and there are a few countries in the UK which I would assume are all different as well just hoping to learn a little more about it is all.

[sunndog]

From talking to aussie members on here I think our laws are broadly similar to yours

We can't have pistols anymore. But when we could again the law was pretty much what you have now

A more complete answer may come from someone who types better than me lol

[phoenix]

What's good is that there is fairly tight licensing system in place which, on the whole prevents nutters legally obtaining firearms (it doesn't do much to prevent them keeping their firearms when they do become nutters though)
I'd say we get one nutter incident every ten years of the sort that happens in the states every week.
If you accept that there needs to be a licensing system, then what's bad is the variability of how the rules and regulations are applied by different police forces across the country and the wide variation in the time it takes for a first grant of a certificate, a renewal or a variation.
A fireram certificate (fac) will specify the calibre and quantity of each rifle you own or have permission to aquire.
It will also specify how much ammo for each calbre you can posses at any one time.
The FAC may also have conditions placed on what you can shoot with each calibre of rifle and where you can legally used them.
The licensing system is administered by the Police, with each force having Firearms Enquiry Officers (FEO) who, in many cases are retired police officers who have received training in firearms law. The FEO receives an application form and then contacts the individual to arrange a home visit to check on security and to basically size up the applicant to get a feel for whether or not he's "suitable" to be an FAC holder. The FEO will also contact the applicants referees to check wioth them on the applicants suitability.
My local police force were absolutely brilliant and I had the same FEO for my last 4 renewals - he even personally deliverd my FAC to me after I had applied for a variation.
Unfortunately I don't have a local police force anymore, we now have a national police force in Scotland, and the FEOs are now regular cops, who, in the main don't have a scooby about firearms law and firearms in general.
We also have a justice secretary who has a hard on about air guns and has said he is going to introduce licensing for them, and that licensing system will also be administered by the police.
At a rough estimate there are more than 1 million air guns in Scotland (nobody really knows how many), so you can imagine how much work the good old FEOs will have to get through to sort that lot out.
Meanwhile you can bet your arse that FAC holders who want renewals and variations are going to pushed to the back of the queue
Apologies for the rant - back on track now!
Licensing is the same for hunting as for target shooting and the cost is the same.
You pay a fee when you first apply and you pay again when you renew (now every 5 years).
A variation (change or addition of the quantity and/or calibre) can be free if you dispose of a rifle of a given calibre and aquire a rifle of the same calibre, otherwise you have to give them money (£26?)
At the moment, the law is the same for each of the 4 countries, although you'll fiind it harder to get a certificate in Northern Ireland than, say, rural Scotland or Wales where the crime rate is low and we haven't people blowing each other for a couple of hundred years.
Between Scotland and England/Wales there are differences to what you can shot, when you can shoot it and what you can shoot it with.
The best known of these is that in Scotland you can legally shoot roe deer with .222 or larger. In England you legally require a 243 or larger to shoot roe deer
Shotguns are a separate license and they are easier to aquire
Basically to get an FAC, you have to prove that you are a "suitable" person, for a shotgun licence application to fail, the cops have to prove that you are not a "suitable" person.
That's enough for just now, I know I've only scratched the surface and that other forum members will be delighted to jump in and fill all the gaps and tell me where I've made all my mistakes.

Cheers

Bruce

[CrocodileDundee]

Maybe if I ask some more specific type questions will help as well.

Whats the process to get a license? Time frame and cost.
Whats the process to get a firearm permit? time and cost
Is it easier to get a second or subsequent?
Are there caliber restrictions? (375ct 338lap 50bmg 22hornet )
Is shooting cost prohibitive? How much do things cost? Say a Tikka Varmint? Or a Savage Axis? 100x 223rem/308win factory rounds? Are these costs fair to you? IF not what reason is there for the expense?
Can you own semi autos of any kind? And under what conditions if any ?
Can you own rifles of "military appearance" (scary black tactical stuff)
Magazine restrictions?
Moderators? Specific licenses or permits needed? And costs?
Is there a limit to the number of firearms you can own? / own of any one caliber?
Can you borrow/lend them from/to others easily?
Age restrictions?
Storage requirements?
Transport requirements?
Can non licensed persons shoot? if so under what conditions?

That's a good start me thinks.

edit- just seen Bruce's post. Will put this up anyway since I've written it and read Bruce's .

[sunndog]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&sourc ... jUOY3grNXw

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&sourc ... FFZC0to_oQ

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&sourc ... 8DzmUFMfJQ

The only semi auto rifles we are allowed are .22lr .22wmr....oh and shotguns
No restriction on what rifles look like or amount you can own really
We can have .50 cal here if you really want it

[phoenix]

There's no separate license and permit, everything is in one document.
If you haven't been convicted of a serious offence and you still have land permissions, then renewal is usually easier and quicker than first grant
No calibre restrictions per se - some target shooters have 50 cal rifles, but you have to justify what each calibre is going to be used for.
Shooting is expensive - mainly because it's a small market in the UK and most weapons and ammunition are imported from the US or Europe. You can't buy guns in your local supermarket here and there are no gun fairs like they have in the US
A tikka T3 varmint new costs approx £1000
Shop bought CF ammo (243) works out at approx £1.25 per bang
I don't believe that any of us thinks that's fair, but I also don't believe than most gun dealeras are ripping off their customers - what they charge simply reflects the high cost they have to pay to get the stuff into their shop
Only 22RF semiautos are allowed, no HMR semi autos permitted because when they banned semiauto CF rifles HMR wasn't invented. There are no votes in allowing an increase in semiauto firearms
"Tactical" rifles are allowed - the law has nothing to say about the appearance of the weapon.
No magazine restrictions, although pump and semiauto shotguns held on a shotgun licence are restricted to 3 shells. These restrictions don't apply if the shotgun is held on an FAC
Moderators are licensed. If you want a moderator you have to include it on your application, no additional cost involved unless you add it later through a variation
No specific limits on how many firearms you can own or of how many of each calibre you can own. it all comes back to be able to demonstrate a need for each specific weapon.
For several years I had 2 semiauto 22s and was able to keep them because I convinced the cops that they were so unreliable that I needed a second one when the first one malfunctioned. Eventually they got wise and we negotiated a situation where I gave up one of the semis and replaced it with a bolt action. Then the reason for having two 22s became one for daytime use and one for NV
Borrowing/lending is not easy unless the person borrowing a rifle has an unused permission on their fac for that calibre.
There is an "Estate Condition" frequently used when someone who does not have an FAC goes deer stalking under the supervision of a stalker who has an FAC for the calibre of rifle being used. Under this condition, someone who does not have an FAC can use the rifle under the immediate supervision of the FAC holder
Minimum age for someone to hold an FAC is 16?, you can be in possession under supervision younger than that (12?)
Target shooters are strongly recommended to keep their weapons at their club.
For the rest of us it's a locked steel cabinet bolted to a load bearing wall or floor
Weapons to be kept out of sight during transportation and all reasonable means taken to secure them while being transported
I think I already addressed the non licensed persons bit

[Snapper]

Very basically the issue can be broken down into 2 parts; gun ownership laws and gun use laws.

Gun ownership:

There are 3 distinctions in the Uk for firearms and each is treated differently:

1. Air rifles can be bought and used by anyone over the age of 18 without licence or examination, so long as the muzzle energy is no greater than 12 foot pounds.

2. For all air rifles over 12 ft/lbs and any other rifle barreled firearm you need a firearm certificate (FAC) issued by the police in your region. To get an FAC you need to fulfill certain requirements (storage of rifle/ammo, no criminal record etc) and have a reason to want to own one. A police firearm officer will visit your house and background checks are made, including to your doctor, and a personal referee has to sign the form too. The cost is £50 and it lasts for 5 years. There are also restricted types of firearm as mentioned above.

3. Smooth bored weapons require a different certificate (SGC) but require roughly the same checks and storage requirements. You don't need to show a reason to own a shotgun and there is no limit to the amount of carts you can store - and they don't need to be locked in a safe. It also costs £50 and lasts 5 years. The SGC applies to guns that can hold a max of 2 carts and one in the breech.

You can apply for both certs together for a discounted price, although it is already a pretty good price. My SGC came through about 15 weeks after my police visit, which I had 2 weeks after putting in my documentation.

Gun use laws:

There are too many complicated bits of legislation to list, but basically, common sense mixed with obscure waffle that is open to interpretation is married with species lists that you can shoot (and seasons for some quarry) to make a hotch-potch but just about workable system. There are no game licences or shooting permits.

The hardest thing in the UK is getting permission to shoot on land as there is only a finite amount and lots that want to shoot it. I'm luck enough to have more than enough but I have to keep the farmers happy by going regularly - it's a tough life!

[dhmservices]

Just a point of interest WE are allowed pistols BUT the barrel has to be 12 inches or more. A muzzel loading pistol can have a shorter barrel.A friend of mine has just sold a .38 and a.45 muzzel loading pistols and is waiting for a .38/.375 long barreled pistol. The new pistol will fire factory or home loaded ammo in a 6 shot cylinder. The only thing is there will be a stainless bar fitted to the under side of the pistol grip and I think that will be about 12 inches long. It is the so you can not fit into your pocket when you go out to the pub at the weekend. Some people DO have short barrel pistols BUT that is for Humane Dispatch of deer [stalkers] and only hold 2 shot.

[sunndog]

True, we can also have "historical" pistols but they must be kept at a club

in my view long barreled pistols are just a bloody embarrassment so I don't even mention the daft things

[CrocodileDundee]

Ok. so lets see if I have this right.

You get your approval which will include whatever firearms you list and can justify a need. But your able to trade sell and buy along the way without further paperwork or costs as long as they stay the same cals?

But you also need approval for ammo. Which is the max number you will have for any given cal you own or have an approval for??

Air guns uner 12ftlb are GTG without hastle.

And you pay way too more for everything in comparison to here and we pay way more than the US?