spandit

Speaking to the police on the BASC stand was invaluable. There was one stand actually selling firearms but they had a lot of antique sort of stuff. Food was way overpriced at the burger van but some great stuff in the food hall

At the moment, all I have is a sub-12ft.lbs air rifle (Air Arms SE90 .22 in case anyone wondered... No one? I'll go on). Assuming my FAC goes through as intended, as promised by my FEO, I shall be buying a .22LR which is roughly 10x the muzzle energy (around 110 ft.lbs) . I'm then going to buy a .223 which is up another 10x, around 1100 ft.lbs... Any mathematician can see that the only sensible choice after that is .50 BMG - I wonder if the police will follow the logic?

From what I understand, they don't much like a non-FAC airgun pellet. From reading around, these garden guns are too short to be considered shotguns which is why you need an FAC

The same people that made a single shot 9mm garden gun a firearm, despite the fact that it could barely take the skin off a rice pudding

I suspect they didn't want me going out and shooting deer because the kind of ranges involved are quite high and there is a lot of tourism on the Ashdown Forest that would lessen if inexperienced people were leaving wounded deer around or shooting dog walkers. Shooting foxes tends to be on more private farmland and at shorter range... Not sure, but FEO seems to be satisfied and has sent my application on for processing with the .223. I just hope I don't run out of foxes...

I know all about the dangers of using the wrong ammunition (although I understand some guns can shoot both) but am I likely to be able to buy the latter in the UK (or does the fact that my licence will probably say .223 and not 5.56 mean that I wouldn't be able to purchase them anyway? I know that shooting FMJ isn't advised (or allowed?) for vermin so I'd guess any surplus ammunition is unsuitable anyway or do you get expanding 5.56?

Have you gone for FAC or SGC? Wouldn't mention your sausage fingers to the FEO when he calls round

Welcome! You should shoot that Meteor, it's what they are made for. It's a great gun for your children to use too

Had a reply back from my FEO already - looks like the .223 is a goer. Let's hope the processing is as quick as they promise

That's exactly my viewpoint. Why go through the hassle for a rifle that won't see as much use as the RF or SG anyway? If deer come onto my land and start eating my tree saplings. I know a man who can help

13.2 does state that it is complex. It's all about **** covering. If they can get you to attend, say, a DSC1 and get a piece of paper saying what a terrific marksman you are, then when you accidentally shoot someone, they can answer the question "Why did you grant the defendant a full bore calibre" with "because BASC/whoever assessed him/her as being fit" I know the guidance is being updated but I wouldn't hold my breath that it's going to get any looser

Isn't .20 ammunition more expensive and are the rifles dearer? I'm wondering whether the expense of an FAC application might work out cheaper for .22 FAC air?

It was like banging my head against a brick wall. They want me to have some experience, whether by attending a firearms course, a DSC1 or some mentored stalking. This is in line with the Home Office guidelines, in fairness. Quite why they deem a round that is pretty much identical to the one the army uses to kill people with safer than a slightly bigger one, I don't know. I got the impression it wasn't his free choice and arguing about it would only delay things further

David, I knew you'd be up in arms (pardon the pun!). The officer in question seemed to be under pressure from his superior. He mentioned a "line drawn in the sand" with regards to deer calibres. From what I understand, this is a Sussex thing and I know BASC may be disappointed that I've effectively accepted a refusal but I did speak to a BASC rep on the stand and in conversations with your colleague in firearms, I was finding it hard to get definitive advice. I will let you know the outcome, of course, but frankly I'm just keen to get practicing on rabbits and foxes rather than fighting the police who, although they may not be directly applying the law as you understand it, have ways and means to be obstructive that are very difficult to overcome

Try telling that to Sussex . There are Home Office guidelines that recommend an applicant should have some experience See https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/237366/Guide_Firearms_Licensing_Law_2012-13_chapter_13.pdf sections 13.4, 13.26, 13.28 and 13.32 I've been through a very similar application and it looks like I'm getting a .223 rather than the .243 I asked for

...the law won, well, sort of. To summarise as quickly as possible, I applied for an intial FAC (with coterminous SGC) for .22LR, .17HMR and a cheeky ask for a .243, expecting the latter to be refused but was told that I could have it if I jumped through a load of hoops. To do so may have taken months and would have delayed getting my licence at all. It's obvious that they didn't want to refuse me the calibre as I'd be able to appeal that. Met up with the Licencing officer today at a game fair, on the BASC stand. We eventually compromised that I'd drop my request for the .243 and change it to a .223, so I could get my application processed immediately. He said that in a few months my centrefire experience would enable me to progress to a higher calibre and I wanted it for fox anyway initially. Happened to be speaking to a solicitor and he said I could take them to court, spend a lot of money and in 6 months get my .243 and probably a black mark on my record, or accept the .223 and in 6 months get the .243 anyway Spoke of my experiences at the BDS stand and one of them was furious, the other reckoned I was doing the right thing by playing the game

Ah, that makes sense... Can you tell I'm bored whilst waiting for my licence?

I've been told many times that you can buy as many shotgun cartridges as you like and put them wherever. However, I recently read this: http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/business/tradingstandards/explosivesandfireworks/default.htm Specifically, it states that you can only store under 20kg of small arms ammunition without being registered. It then states that if you store over 5kg you need to be registered, which completely contradicts the previous paragraph. Regardless of this, a thousand cartridges would weigh well over 20kg and I've heard of people buying them in greater numbers. 1500 rounds of .22LR would weigh about 5kg and that's not a huge amount (although 3 times what I've applied for).

I'm guessing in the USA they consider anything smaller than 6mm a children's gun

David, I will make enquiries. Have just emailed your colleague Matt with some details, should have copied you in, sorry.

Blimey! What did he apply for? Congratulations nonetheless...

Thanks, David. Was intending to join today but we haven't got proper Internet yet and other things got in the way... Is there some way the police could issue my licence with the .22 & .17 on it but withhold the .243 without me having to pay for a variation? I'm making some progress on finding a mentor and getting some more experience but to get enough to satisfy Sussex is going to take a long time

Tried calling BASC today but no answer so will try tomorrow. The conversation I had with the police last was that they wanted to issue all calibres at once, as to delay the .243 would be an admin cost. It's also delaying my co-terminous SGC

Just had a reply from someone who might be able to help... fingers crossed

Had a call from Firearms Licencing Officer at Police HQ in Lewes, think I'm going to join BASC and ask them to clarify as at the moment they don't want to issue my licence for .22LR/.17HMR without the .243 to save admin costs/time. It's also holding up my coterminous SGC