Fatcatsplat Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 I have a very good friend in the US who's coming over here at the end of January. With luck he'll be here before the season ends and would like to take him out for a day on either game or pigeons. He has all the various US licenses for rifles, shotguns and handguns, but where does he stand when he comes to the UK? Anyone got any idea as to whether there is any kind of reciprocal agreement that a US license works over here? Obviously if we do clays, then we should be OK as it will be at Bisley or the like where he can go on the grounds license, but want to know how it stands "in the field". I would be looking to let him use one of my guns. Anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 (edited) No reciprocal agreement as such for US nationals. Shouldn't be a problem on a clay ground but letting him use your guns "in the field" is a bit more problematic, not a problem if you own the land as you can then allow supervised use of your own guns by a non certificate holder as the legal "occupier". "Occupier" is not well defined in law and it's unclear (even in police firearms licensing depts) whether it covers a non landowner with permission to shoot. I wouldn't fancy being the test case! A safer alternative, if you have time would be to apply for a visitors permit for your mate, covering your guns. He could even bring his own using this - details here: http://www.basc.org.uk/en/departments/firearms/basc-uk-visitors-permit-scheme.cfm Edited December 30, 2010 by Blunderbuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 Other useful BASC leaflets on this subject: Borrowing rifles Borrowing shotguns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 I have moved this topic here, where it will get a larger audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 You can apply for a temp licence and sponsor him iirc and he could bring his own gun, may take a while to sort paperwork ( there is a document that explains it all) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil smith Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 Contact your local firearms dept, they will help you sponsor your friend while he is here, & get him a temporary cert, there was a £12 charge for this last time I did it, this will be easier if he is only borrowing your gun but its not much harder if he is bringing his own, of course it will require more hastle for him to travel with a gun by air & will usually incure a £50 security handling fee by the airlines, but it is straight forward if a little expensive, I have only done this for european shooters bringing their own guns but I know of others who have sponsored US travelers. You will need full name, address both at home & the one he will secure the gun at while here & also make model & serial number of any guns they intend to bring, give all that to your local dept & then forward the cert to your friend or meet him at the airport with it, time will be tight if he is arriving at the end of Jan so do it soon. N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albertan_J Posted December 30, 2010 Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 This must happen all the time with people travelling all over the world to shoot grouse?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted December 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2010 (edited) This must happen all the time with people travelling all over the world to shoot grouse?? Probably true - Think it's easier with a driven day as you'll be there with the shoot or land owner (so using a gun on their land within their sight as such), but it's the pigeon bit that concerns me (the fact that he/we would be in a hide unsupervised). Might have to compromise a little. Looks like he'll be here on 29th which is looking to be the most popular beater's day at the moment. Thanks for the input chaps - Any more suggestions gratefully received Edited December 30, 2010 by Fatcatsplat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 31, 2010 Report Share Posted December 31, 2010 (edited) http://www.merseyside.police.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=434&p=0 they recommend 8 weeks for the visitors permit but get on the phone to the FEO ASAP and get paperwork in that way if your friend has a permit (download and fill in the forms linked to with as much as you can) then they have all the same opportunities as a UK cert holder. If you are a CPSA/BASC member they can probably help speed it up a bit: http://www.cpsa.co.uk/application-for-visitor-s-shot-gun-permit Edited December 31, 2010 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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