Anonymouslemming Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 My wife and I had our first lesson at Essex Shooting ground today. They had a 20 o/u for my wife and a 12 o/u for me. Thoroughly enjoyable experience but it's clear that a few more lessons are required to work out where we're missing and more importantly, how to tell. At least that gives us something to do while we wait for the certificate to come through... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimmie Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Good on ya mate, this is it now you've had your first lesson your hooked !! nice one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Good on ya mate, this is it now you've had your first lesson your hooked !! nice one. Hooked might be understating the situation slightly ... Just a pity I still have around 3 - 5 weeks to go before the cert is issued or I'd be out shopping this weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del T Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Me and my wife have had 6 hours worth of lessons so far.Really enjoying it. We are waiting for an appointment with the feo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Me and my wife have had 6 hours worth of lessons so far.Really enjoying it. We are waiting for an appointment with the feo! My appointment happened about 5 weeks ago now I think... Apparently it's waiting to be signed off by the person above my FEO and then for the office staff to print the certificate and have it signed. The FEO has said that this is just a formality at this point, but I'm still holding off on buying the cabinet until he has it in his hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVE_B Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hi, Welcome to the forum and the sport. My wife and I are not much further along. We are 6 lessons and 6000 cartridges in and loving every minute of what has become an obsession! The wait for you Certificate is agonising but gives you a chance to look at options and visit a few gun shops to look at what you want and more especially what fits. Be aware though that this sport can right off your weekends so doing it together is the key. The key is to enjoy every moment and don't beat yourselves up when you miss!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 My wife and I had our first lesson at Essex Shooting ground today. They had a 20 o/u for my wife and a 12 o/u for me. Thoroughly enjoyable experience but it's clear that a few more lessons are required to work out where we're missing and more importantly, how to tell. At least that gives us something to do while we wait for the certificate to come through... Did you have your lesson with Michael Alldiss or Mike Booth? both very good Coaches and a lovely ground to learn to shoot . Enjoy the sport. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zulu Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hi, Welcome to the forum and the sport. My wife and I are not much further along. We are 6 lessons and 6000 cartridges in and loving every minute of what has become an obsession! The wait for you Certificate is agonising but gives you a chance to look at options and visit a few gun shops to look at what you want and more especially what fits. Be aware though that this sport can right off your weekends so doing it together is the key. The key is to enjoy every moment and don't beat yourselves up when you miss!! Just interested how mant cartridges each lesson comprises with you saying 6000 , is that so many per lesson each + private practice ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVE_B Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 As I said we are now obsessed! Each lesson ranges between 50 and a 100 each, the first few lesson were nearer 50 as you tend to shoot single barrel. We also do a fare bit of practice either caddied rounds or at a ground that offers play and pay (normally for us Sporting Targets over near Bedford) this can be anything from 100 to 300 each. And then of course there are the weekend shoots that are available throughout the country both open and registered (CPSA) that are typically 50 to 100 each. As you can see the cartridge total so far isn't difficult to achieve. As a raw beginner I believe and I hope the more experienced shots would agree that you need lessons and private practice to build on the lessons to progress. Remember you won't improve overnight and you can't improve without putting lead through your barrels! We are just booking a course of six lessons to take us into next year. Have Fun, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGB Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 My appointment happened about 5 weeks ago now I think... Apparently it's waiting to be signed off by the person above my FEO and then for the office staff to print the certificate and have it signed. The FEO has said that this is just a formality at this point, but I'm still holding off on buying the cabinet until he has it in his hands. I have also just had my first lesson with Dennis Kent in Takely , good bloke with agreat teaching style and good fun ,but I am certainly no natural ! However I really enjoyed it so I have got my next one on Saturday and am just about to apply for my SGC. Don't you have to have the cabinet in place fixed on the wall for the visitng officer to inspect before being issued with a certificate ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Did you have your lesson with Michael Alldiss or Mike Booth? both very good Coaches and a lovely ground to learn to shoot . Enjoy the sport. Terry It was Olly Searl I believe... Hi, Welcome to the forum and the sport. My wife and I are not much further along. We are 6 lessons and 6000 cartridges in and loving every minute of what has become an obsession! The wait for you Certificate is agonising but gives you a chance to look at options and visit a few gun shops to look at what you want and more especially what fits. Be aware though that this sport can right off your weekends so doing it together is the key. The key is to enjoy every moment and don't beat yourselves up when you miss!! Yeah, this is one of many hobbies that kills weekends, so it's a good thing we do them together From what we saw yesterday though, we really do wnat to get her a 20 gauge as the 12 was too heavy... so there go the costs already Just interested how mant cartridges each lesson comprises with you saying 6000 , is that so many per lesson each + private practice ? For us, it was 50 cartridges each. Total cost was £49 including carts and clays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Don't you have to have the cabinet in place fixed on the wall for the visitng officer to inspect before being issued with a certificate ? First visit is to check for suitability - that's happened. The next visit is to deliver your certificate and the cabinet needs to be fitted before this visit. Some people say it's safe to buy and fit the cabinet at this stage given what my FEO has intimated, but I'd still rather wait for him to have an issued certificate in his hand before I put any money down. This means that there will be a delay of around a week from when I _could_ have had my certificate to when I actually get it. But it's better than spending money and then finding it is declined late in the process. And I've waited around 16 weeks already, so another week at the end of this won't hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Therealchucknorris Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 First visit is to check for suitability - that's happened. The next visit is to deliver your certificate and the cabinet needs to be fitted before this visit. Hi, I wouldn't say this is the case for every force. I had my visit (opted to fit my cabinet before the FEO meeting), all went well and he was satisfied with everything so my cert was popped in the post within a couple of weeks. I haven't seen or heard from my FEO since the suitability conversation so not everyone will need to stock up on biscuits for two visits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hi, I wouldn't say this is the case for every force. I had my visit (opted to fit my cabinet before the FEO meeting), all went well and he was satisfied with everything so my cert was popped in the post within a couple of weeks. I haven't seen or heard from my FEO since the suitability conversation so not everyone will need to stock up on biscuits for two visits Ah, ok - I see what you mean... From what I understand from mine, if I had a cabinet when he came round, they could just post the certificate. But because I chose not to spend 200 quid before I know that the certificate will be granted, I put myself in the position of needing two visits. Once the certificate is ready, he says he'll be able to pop round in the following few days, but he's not the controlling factor in when it will be ready at this point apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hi and welcome, glad you have found our sport and are also enjoying it. Cant beat a bacon bap and a good shoot on a sunday morning with good friends and good banter ! As it happens Am about to start a long weekend of shooting related activity Great to hear of another female into the sport to but watch out, them girls do have a habbit of getting very good and beating us or at least keeping us on our toes ! ATB Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hi and welcome, glad you have found our sport and are also enjoying it. Cant beat a bacon bap and a good shoot on a sunday morning with good friends and good banter ! As it happens Am about to start a long weekend of shooting related activity Great to hear of another female into the sport to but watch out, them girls do have a habbit of getting very good and beating us or at least keeping us on our toes ! My wife already outshoots me with an air rifle rested and is getting to the point where she's pretty close on HFT, so I have no doubt that over time she'll beat me at clays too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Ah, ok - I see what you mean... From what I understand from mine, if I had a cabinet when he came round, they could just post the certificate. But because I chose not to spend 200 quid before I know that the certificate will be granted, I put myself in the position of needing two visits. Once the certificate is ready, he says he'll be able to pop round in the following few days, but he's not the controlling factor in when it will be ready at this point apparently. Gun cabinets, depending on what size you are after are a lot less then £200.00 on the sales section, have a look there before you buy. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerettaSV10 Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Welcome to the sport, it does get addictive as bakerboy says have a look on here to see if any cabs come up for sale. As you are looking at getting 2 guns (at least) if you can stretch to the extra worth getting some thing like a 5 gun cab, as more than likely you will end up with a extra gun or two in the future. Different areas have different polices on cabinate fixing some lik the cab fitted before they do the home visit so they can do the interview and cab checks at the same time, others do the interview then you fit the cab and come back to inspect it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Gun cabinets, depending on what size you are after are a lot less then £200.00 on the sales section, have a look there before you buy. I'm looking at an RL5+ to store the 2 air rifles in as well. I've seen cabinets for a lot less, but this is what I discussed with my firearms officer at the first visit, so I figure I better stick with it. It's budgeted for, so it's not the end of the world. Different areas have different polices on cabinate fixing some lik the cab fitted before they do the home visit so they can do the interview and cab checks at the same time, others do the interview then you fit the cab and come back to inspect it. What happens if you've bought and fitted it and are then declined ? That seems like a costly application to me ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVE_B Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 I have to agree with BerettaSV10, in my area Thames valley they seemed very reluctant to visit until the cabinet was fitted as they are kept very busy. I had the certificate in my hand within 10 days of the FEO visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 I have to agree with BerettaSV10, in my area Thames valley they seemed very reluctant to visit until the cabinet was fitted as they are kept very busy. I had the certificate in my hand within 10 days of the FEO visit. 10 days ? That's pretty quick - I'm at around 5 weeks since the visit, and when I lost spoke to him, was told it will be a few more weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeredup Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 when i applied for my SGC just over a year ago the FEO when he contacted me to arrange the interview aske if i had a cabinet and discussed with me where i planned to install it. he agreed with where i planned to install it over the phone and said to get it done before he came around to do my interview as it would save both his time and my hobnob reserves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anonymouslemming Posted November 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 when i applied for my SGC just over a year ago the FEO when he contacted me to arrange the interview aske if i had a cabinet and discussed with me where i planned to install it. he agreed with where i planned to install it over the phone and said to get it done before he came around to do my interview as it would save both his time and my hobnob reserves Maybe I had the wrong biscuits then ... He says it's down to a backlog in the office with regards to signing off, printing and signing certificates, but I'm more convinced the tea was too strong or I had the wrong biscuits. Fool, me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeredup Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 choccy hobnobs the Feo's biscuit of choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted November 16, 2012 Report Share Posted November 16, 2012 (edited) When I had mine, I had interview, discussed location and then fitted cabinet, once fitted he came back checked it, and then popped to his car and came back with cert, if I had my time again I would fit cabinet first! Oh and if sharing I would go bigger than an RL5+! I have an ST5 and with one air rifle and 2 **** guns there isn't enough room for another shooter! Edited November 16, 2012 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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