Mightymariner Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Here's a little warning. I recently sent my gun for a repair at a gunshop some distance from home, and they arranged for a courier to pick it up. No problem there apart having to pack the gun well to ensure it didn't get damaged enroute. Yesterday I came home to find a card through the door from the same courier to say a parcel had been left with a neighbour, and it had - my shotgun. The neighbour had no idea what it was and it turned out the courier didn't as the gun case was in a cardboard box. The point is that my gun was left with a stranger and it would not have been insured as it was out of the courier's hands and not in my possession - apart from any legal ramfications from the situation. I raised it with the courier and they said even though it was picked up by them from a gunshop they had no way of knowing what it was, and it was the responsibility of the gunshop to state clearly on the delivery note that it should be only be delivered to and signed for by the person on the address. Luckily no damage was done, the neighbour was fine about it, and I got my gun back safely...but just a warning to you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) Years ago, when such things were legal I ordered a .38 revolver from a gunshop. I arrived home to find it sitting on my doorstep. Been there all day. I might not even have found it then because my normal practice was to lock my motorbike in the garage and go in via the back door. Why I went in the front way that day I'll never know. No harm done but.... Edited January 7, 2011 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Years ago, when such things were legal I ordered a .38 revolver from a gunshop. I arrived home to find it sitting on my doorstep. Been there all day. ******* hell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) Didn't know you could have guns couriered to and from home I thought the courier could only take them RFD to RFD? If you can courier it for repair (how did you prove you were licensed?) why cant you just mail order one? As opposed to going RFD to RFD? Edited January 7, 2011 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 About 15yrs ago I ordered a .22 BRNO from The Sportsman and came home to find it leaning against the door to my flat :o Things were different then weren't they :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 ...when I was a boy and my Dad was Secretary of a Rifle Club, I came home from school one day to find 5000 rounds of .22lr sitting on the front door step, left by the delivery firm...it was 'kin heavy I remember, for a little lad like me to get in the house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiff-TRG Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I would recommend removing this post, since both you and the RFD broke the law. Any firearm has to go RFD to RFD via a licensed courier (i.e. TNT or Parcel Force) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Didn't know you could have guns couriered to and from home I thought the courier could only take them RFD to RFD? If you can courier it for repair (how did you prove you were licensed?) why cant you just mail order one? As opposed to going RFD to RFD? I think perhaps you may be getting mixed up with gun sales. There is nothing to stop private individuals making arrangements with Gun Dealers/manufacturers/repairers/etc to ship FAC/SGC tools about. The biggest issue is likely to be finding a carrier who will/can take them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I would recommend removing this post, since both you and the RFD broke the law. Any firearm has to go RFD to RFD via a licensed courier (i.e. TNT or Parcel Force) You are a little confused, ONLY gun sales have to go through a RFD. Repairs etc can be handled direct, but most certainly an authorised carrier must be used! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 It does beg the question as to where else it has been on its journey - sat in a warehouse overnight for example? Sounds like a bit of fault of both RFD and courier there. You would think that if collecting from a gunshop, they might just ask the question - is it a gun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted January 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 It did go to a central warehouse on both journeys, before being delivered the next day. According to the courier firm, it shouldn't be marked as a firearm because clearly that draws attention to what is inside, and it is not classed as hazardous. It is the responsibility of the gunshop to make sure it is delivered only to the licence holder by instructing the courier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 It's not something I would contemplate to save what £30 local gun shop RFD fees, especially when the private delivery company is going to want £15 odd in any event [actual saving therefore being about £15]. It's the thought of having that conversation with the FEO about how you have lost your shotgun / rifle. One way or another it would hang round your neck and be deemed your problem / responsibilty. If something goes wonky whilst using a gun shop / RFD in the transfer process then it becomes their problem, and as a gun shop / RFD it would be a big problem for them and something they would try very hard to fix (for their sake if not yours). IMHO stuff like this comes under the heading "penny wise, pound foolish". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayman Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 Didn't know you could have guns couriered to and from home I thought the courier could only take them RFD to RFD? If you can courier it for repair (how did you prove you were licensed?) why cant you just mail order one? As opposed to going RFD to RFD? Its a common misconception that gun couriering needs to be RFD to RFD. In fact only one RFD is needed at the receiving end of each transport leg. It is correct that a gun cannot in current law be delivered to a person just holding a Sec 1 or 2 license, but there is no constraint on a gun being collected direct from the cert holder by with the receiving RFD arranging what is known as "carriage forward". There are restraints on which carrier service is engaged - and it is usual for RFDs to use either the Gun Trade Association's contract with TNT for secure gun carriage, or BASCs contract with Parcel Force. If a gun for transport is correctly booked through the appropriate contract the contents are declared, insured, and securely transported. Persons who personally arrange ad-hoc carriage outside the secure contract system have no comeback on loss or damage as all the carriers who have dangerous goods trained drivers allowed to carry guns, state in their general terms of carriage that weapons are prohibited UNLESS the sender is pre-approved under an account contract and the parcel contents declared. So, if you are sending a gun out, let the receiving RFD arrange collection direct from you and check they are using an approved and insured service. You will need a local to you RFD when the gun is returned as the law states a handover to a sec 1 or 2 holder must be f-2-f, so the return arrangement will be with your local RFD who will arrange the collection and return of the gun, and hand it over to you with completion of certificate details f-2-f. There is both carriage and admin for the arranging RFD, so expect to pay a fee for the services. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poacher Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 (edited) I would recommend removing this post, since both you and the RFD broke the law. Clayman is spot on ! Edited January 8, 2011 by Poacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 I still thought you had to show your cert for the RFD to enter the item/remove it from their register. Something went wrong, fortunate nothing more sinister happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayman Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 (edited) Certificate verification is still required for remote collections. RFDs simply work with their police departments to confirm the person to whom a gun is being sent ( another RFD) or collected from ( Sec 1 or 2) is currently authorised. As a certificate copy sent by scan or email could theoretically be doctored or a copy of a since revoked certificate, it is normal just to make a confirming call to ones FLD to have the national register checked and the validity confirmed. A certificate needs to be presented in the f-2-f hand-over of the returning or being delivered gun to a cert holder as the cert has to be completed by the RFD, but as guns are not marked on a certificate as being sold or temporarily removed, the cert does not need to be produced when a gun is sold or collected. The seller / owner does have a legal obligation to inform their FLD that the gun is no loner with them, but as the cert itself has nothing to complete on it the arranging RFD needs only be certain of the existence of the certificate and can use the remote checking methods to the national register for that purpose. This is all routine stuff inside the gun trade. Edited January 8, 2011 by clayman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 God,once upon a time you could buy shotguns from Catalogue companys like Freemans etc and i think we all know how reliable their deliverys are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 You are a little confused, ONLY gun sales have to go through a RFD. Repairs etc can be handled direct, but most certainly an authorised carrier must be used! +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 ******* hell! Slightly off topic... my father told me that when he was about 9 (early 1950's) a couple of his slightly older mates were mucking about with a .38 revolver out in the street! One of their fathers from the war that they'd come across. No ammo, thank heavens then! As my father put it, how things have changed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireshot Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 One of my local gun shops (which I dont go in now ,a long story) the parcel firm just leaves the boxes which have guns in leaning up against the door when the shop is shut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted January 9, 2011 Report Share Posted January 9, 2011 (edited) I would recommend removing this post, since both you and the RFD broke the law. Any firearm has to go RFD to RFD via a licensed courier (i.e. TNT or Parcel Force) There is nothing in the law that says you can't send a gun by courier. The law only says that purchases have to be made face to face, quite a different thing. Edited January 9, 2011 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted January 9, 2011 Report Share Posted January 9, 2011 God,once upon a time you could buy shotguns from Catalogue companys like Freemans etc and i think we all know how reliable their deliverys are! I bought two shotguns from my mums catalogue when I was a boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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