reasons for gun type on FAC

[kiffy]

hi folks, i know nothing at all about FAC's other than much fun can follow their approval, and to be honest getting one is not something that interests me at the moment but i do have one thing im really curious about...

 

i thought (maybe mistakingly) that when you asked for certain types or models of guns on your FAC that you had to have good reason for them? i recently bought a copy of what gun 2011-2012 and a very interesting read it is for a newbie to firearms trying to decide on a first shotgun if i get my SGC approved. but on looking though it i came to the firearms section and found the expected guns like the .22 rimfire's etc and can see their legitimate uses. but theres a whole host of what they class 'practical rifles' which to me are assault rifles.. colt m16's, H&K mp5's etc, theres even some with 50 round drum magazines. what would their legitimate use in relation to ownership on an FAC be in the uk? im guessing personal protection detail or joining the foreign legion may not go down well as a reason

[slarti54]

Assault rifles is an emotive term...

[kiffy]

perhaps not the best term, but one most of us non firearms people know them as.. appologies if the term offends.

Edited July 26, 2012 by kiffy

[MiLisCer]

I would assume from your descriptions, the firearms you refer to are in .22lr calibre. So will be used for target shooting and mini PR competitions, as well as those comps that involve move and fire courses. Although I do use my Sig 522 SWAT for bunny bashing too.

 

If you look harder you will see you will be able to get the AR15 and clones in 5.56/.223 and now once again in 7.62 - these are primarily used for PR http://www.practicalrifle.co.uk/index.htm

 

Although they are also used for other disciplines like Service rifle etc

[Scully]

Your 'good reason' for owning ANY rifle,regardless of what it looks like,would be pest control,target shooting,practical rifle and stalking.

Assault rifles by design,are capable of fully automatic fire,a mechanism of fire which is banned in this country.You could legitimately buy a rifle which looks like an assault rifle,but so long as it's only a semi-automatic mechanism in rimfire,or a straight pull(single shot)in centre-fire,and you can show 'good reason',then you're legit.Think that's about right...if it isn't someone will correct me.

[bedwards1966]

Scully has it right.

Every firearm (including moderators, which are classed as a firearm) has to be listed on your certificate, and to get that you must be able to show good reason for each one. Nothing like a shotgun certificate where you can buy anything you want in any quantity.

 

The 'assault' rifles you refer to are just copies. If I apply for a .22 for either target shooting or pest control, I can then go and buy one that looks any way I want. That can be the 'proper' sort, or a copy of an actual assault rifle - but I don't have to get permission for it to look like one, the police don't need to know. Magazine capacity is also not something you have to tell the police.

.22's can be semi automatic, which is the closest thing you can get to an assault rifle, any other caliber has to be single shot (i.e with a manually operated bolt).

People buy that kind of gun for practical target shooting (I think - I struggle to understand why anyone would want one!)

[Breastman]

Calling a .22lr 'black rifle' an assault rifle is like calling this a real Ferrari!

[njc110381]

All these guns are either limited to .22 rimfire or are not self loading. In .22lr form they're good fun - a lot of people like to do fast fire target shooting which is fair enough.

 

I'm not a fan of black guns and don't have any. To me they just make me look more worrying to the public but then most of my shooting is pest control and I see a lot of people whilst out and about so like to look respectable. It's simply personal preference though and I've got nothing against others using them. Whatever floats your boat and all that.