955i Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 (edited) This is harking to a thread by Les in the For Sale section and got me wondering. I realise that you need to have land to justify your FAC, but if (like him) you lose your land through no fault of your own and can't immediately find more is giving up your firearms the only solution? Surely Firearms Departments would have some sort of discression on this as people must lose the land stated on their ticket fairly regularly for one reason or another. Wouldn't a grace period to find more land would be an easier solution all round, particularly for long-term licence holders. Edited December 12, 2010 by 955i Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lez325 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 (edited) This is harking to a thread by Les in the For Sale section and got me wondering. I realise that you need to have land to justify your FAC, but if (like him) you lose your land through no fault of your own and can't immediately find more is giving up your firearms the only solution? Surely Firearms Departments would have some sort of discression on this as people must lose the land stated on their ticket fairly regularly for one reason or another. Wouldn't a grace period to find more land would be an easier solution all round, particularly for long-term licence holders. Not too sure on that myself- but I lost the only land I had, all my firearms were attached to that 4,500 acres- land here in Somerset is hard won and the chances of find suitable land with centre fire clearance are few and very far between I did call a lot of people prior to making my decsion to give it up- not a decsicion I would wish on anyone - trust me its a sad sad feeling Les Edited December 12, 2010 by Lez325 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiss.tony Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 not 100% but im sure it will only matter at renewl time when they check with farmers to see if you still shoot there land so if you lost your land you wood have till then to find more but i might be wrong if so how wood they no till you told them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted December 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Not too sure on that myself- but I lost the only land I had, all my firearms were attached to that 4,500 acres- land here in Somerset is hard won and the chances of find suitable land with centre fire clearance are few and very far between I did call a lot of people prior to making my decsion to give it up- not a decsicion I would wish on anyone - trust me its a sad sad feeling Les Was sorry to hear about it Les, must be heartbreaking for you. I started wondering as I only shoot one farm and, while I can't see us losing it, it could happen and would like to know the score in worst case scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I'm definately with Tony on this. Don't give them up until you're forced to, nobody is likely to find out until renewal. Depending on the circumstances of your loss could you not tell the land owner your situation so he could speak with his neighbours? It's not unheard of to be given "permission" somewhere to cover your backside and I did it with one when I went for my open ticket. I've never shot there! Either way sit back and think before you leap. It's a big step to sell all your kit so do your best to avoid it! When it comes to renewal though unfortunately I think they would have to go unless you can get a ticket as a collector and hand in all your ammo (ie not use the guns). Last of all never keep all your eggs in one basket. If I'd have stuck with just one shoot when I got my FAC, I'd now be in the same boat. Try to spread yourself around a bit and visit everyone enough to keep them happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artschool Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 why not just join a club? then you can keep everything till more land comes up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I'm not sure you can get FMJ HMR ammunition any more? It isn't a good enough reason to hold expanding ammo but at a push could save the rest of his guns (or all of them if in fact you can still get non expanding HMR?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lez325 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 why not just join a club? then you can keep everything till more land comes up? No clubs around here - I did think of that :o Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenix Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Option is there to join a club that shoots at a place like Bisley, if you shoot a couple of times a year its enough to keep your rifles (HMR would be a problem) until you hopefully get more land. Long drive from your neck of the woods, but accommodation is cheap if you want to stay overnight. My club fees are £100 / year and that includes the range fees for 6 or 7 sessions and access to a clubhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsm1968 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 No clubs around here - I did think of that :o Les Ivythorn sporting near Street have a range you can use by the hour/day. If you shot on a range regularly you could justify firearm ownership. What about your shooting mates? If one of my mates was in this situation I would get him signed on my permission until he got sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Les - where are you exactly in Somerset? I cant promise anything, but I might be able to help with a covering letter to tide you over are you on an open ticket currently? You have taken out of few of the lads from PW so you deserve supporting, there must be someone in Somerset that can help you out? Mark (Devon - Tivvy'ish!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Ivythorn sporting near Street have a range you can use by the hour/day. If you shot on a range regularly you could justify firearm ownership. What about your shooting mates? If one of my mates was in this situation I would get him signed on my permission until he got sorted. Thats exactly what I would do..I have taken people out from on here since they lost their permission through no fault of their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronsugar Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 hi i joined a club just to keep ticking over kept all of my rifles im sure my luck will change,hopefully quite soonon a promise of new ground to shoot over, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxnet22 Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Les - where are you exactly in Somerset? I cant promise anything, but I might be able to help with a covering letter to tide you over are you on an open ticket currently? You have taken out of few of the lads from PW so you deserve supporting, there must be someone in Somerset that can help you out? Mark (Devon - Tivvy'ish!) now that is an exellent offer well done fella.its good to see fellow shooters helping like this.hope les can keep hold of his guns its a sad thing to read a fellow given up his pleasure and pastime.once again well done mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 What about the BASc stalking/rifle clubs scheme? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 now that is an exellent offer well done fella.its good to see fellow shooters helping like this.hope les can keep hold of his guns its a sad thing to read a fellow given up his pleasure and pastime.once again well done mark. I agree its a real shame & thanks foxnet, although the way Les's gear is shifting the offer might be too late :blink: Must have been a hard decision to make Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I had a problem present itself when i asked for my ticket to be opened. Because i had lost my only piece of land that was cleared for my deer calibre (.257)on a closed condition, my FLO did not open it but changed my field and expanding ammo conditions to target only. Had i not been a member of a target rifle club i would have had to surrender the rifle untill i either got a new permission or joined a club. I will reccommend everyone who has land to shoot on and is not a member of a club to join one, that way if you loose your land you can always fall back on the target shooting condition and not loose your guns. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 My local rifle club that i belong to charge £85 for a years membership which i keep upto date with even though i have plenty of land, i still make 4 or 5 appearances a year just to get my name in the folder so it`s logged, they also run a scheme where you can pay for an out of town membership and even an out of country membership, personally speaking i would happily travel a hundred miles or so once every 2 or 3 months than risk losing my guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark@mbb Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 When i applied for a 243 my flo had me book a days stalking to get the 243 onto my fac and did the same when i wanted cw and muntys they were very helpful as they said if everything is ok when you are due for renewal the fac becomes an open certificate and them the onus is on you to show you are a responsably person and all your shots have a safe backstop ATB Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 I'm not sure you can get FMJ HMR ammunition any more? It isn't a good enough reason to hold expanding ammo but at a push could save the rest of his guns (or all of them if in fact you can still get non expanding HMR?) FMJ HMR is still made by CCI and possibly others, it has never been that easy to find in the UK and there has never been a great demand for it. http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/detail.aspx?use=1&loadNo=0055 Redardless of this, there is NO requirement in Law to use FMJ for target shooting, Clubs may make rules to cover this, or allow Expanding ammo, but the mere fact that FMJ "may" not be available for any calibre is NOT a bar to target shooting with it. Bisley is happy to accept expanding ammo for day to day shooting, Competitions have their own rules attached! ATB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 FMJ HMR is still made by CCI and possibly others, it has never been that easy to find in the UK and there has never been a great demand for it. http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/detail.aspx?use=1&loadNo=0055 Redardless of this, there is NO requirement in Law to use FMJ for target shooting, Clubs may make rules to cover this, or allow Expanding ammo, but the mere fact that FMJ "may" not be available for any calibre is NOT a bar to target shooting with it. Bisley is happy to accept expanding ammo for day to day shooting, Competitions have their own rules attached! ATB! yeah but if you have lose your land and your field conditions you will also loose your condition to purchase expanding ammo. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 FMJ HMR is still made by CCI and possibly others, it has never been that easy to find in the UK and there has never been a great demand for it. http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/detail.aspx?use=1&loadNo=0055 Redardless of this, there is NO requirement in Law to use FMJ for target shooting, Clubs may make rules to cover this, or allow Expanding ammo, but the mere fact that FMJ "may" not be available for any calibre is NOT a bar to target shooting with it. Bisley is happy to accept expanding ammo for day to day shooting, Competitions have their own rules attached! ATB! yeah but if you have lose your land and your field conditions you will also loose your condition to purchase expanding ammo. Ian. It isn't that black and white, argue your case and you may keep them, if you cannot find FMJ for any calibre yet want to use if for target (and your club/ground allows expanding) then you have a valid case to keep the expanding condition. Regardless of this, Target shooting is a way to hang on to your guns until appropriate land can be found! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Dekers, Through a mistake, my FLO left the expanding ammo condition on my FAC for my 257 even though they made it a target shooting only condition. However my FLO will not grant expanding ammo condition unless i have a recorded piece of land to shoot over. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 If you lose the land that your rifles etc are attached to, then only when your licence is due for renewal, will you have to have other land to satisfy the 'good reason' clause. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lez325 Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 (edited) All my gear has been sold now- rifles, safe, cammo gear the whole shooting match- no pun intended I would like to thank all of the PW memebers who offered help- it really was appreciated guys Thank you My land was ideal - just across the road from my home- BUT as a Pheasant syndicate has take up residence along with a very young game keeper ( well Pheasant feeder really) they want to keep all aspects of shooting within that syndicate, hence my demise and the promise to the landowner by the syndicate to monitor and control all /any vermin as required + they PAID for shooting rights on the whole area-I cannot compete finacially with that and the game keeper just happends to be related in some way to the landowner Land in my part of the county is hard won - lots of shooters down here and little land to withstand the competion- everyone want land and I fought hard to keep mine for 4 years- sadly now its come to an end and I do feel slightly lost if Im honest I took it upon my self to sell all of my equipment and move onto a new hobby ( although it made me very very sad to see my rifles go :o ) Shooting was a part of my life for so many years and I made many friends during this period and had some terrific outing with fellow shooter, many from this very forum, you know who you are and thanks! I have purchased a new Digital SLR camera and a couple of lenses- gonna give GREENGRASS a run for his money lol Thanks again chaps- for all your kind PM's and posts Les Edited December 13, 2010 by Lez325 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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