Axeman1984 Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 As some of you will know I recently applied for my firearms certificate, the whole process was massively more in depth than I ever imagined but I stuck with it and came home today to an envelope containing a swanky new shotgun cert and wait for it an OPEN!! Firearms cert, all in job done 4 weeks, I've got a big tree job on next week then with the cash from that I'm off rifle shopping... Cheers for the advice with applying for the cert guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zulu Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Thats a good result done in a reasonable timescale , what force area is that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay222 Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Nice one, what did you apply for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axeman1984 Posted May 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 I come under suffolk, I applied for .22 FAC air, .22lr and a .17HMR all with moderators, getting an open ticket from the off was a nice surprise tho... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Are you sure it's open? I got a lecture from one of Suffolks FEO's about how they don't give out open Certificates from new, and that they are very strict about following the Home offices three year holder guidelines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 I was with Suffolk lfor a year, he said they would consider opening it af your first renewal, nice and quick though, moved under Cambs now and equally as quick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axeman1984 Posted May 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Yep open ticket straight off! Ive held a shotgun certificate for donkeys years and have met the FAO several times before at renewal time, so i don't know if that had any bearing on the decision or not, I didn't even give him any permission slips for where I shoot just a couple of phone numbers, when my ticket came through today I rang both farmers who's land I shoot on and asked if he had been in touch to check me out and they both said they haven't herd a peep... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy130 Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 strange if they havn't checked on any of your permissions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Yep open ticket straight off! Ive held a shotgun certificate for donkeys years and have met the FAO several times before at renewal time, so i don't know if that had any bearing on the decision or not, I didn't even give him any permission slips for where I shoot just a couple of phone numbers, when my ticket came through today I rang both farmers who's land I shoot on and asked if he had been in touch to check me out and they both said they haven't herd a peep... Really pleased for you Axeman. I am surprised at the whole firearms bit though. You should have a primary location, cleared by the relevant force for the calibre of rifles you intend to use. You have to show good reason to possess any firearm, and apart from you possibly saying you want one and you're going to use it on "Jims" land, there appears to be no paperwork detail for your file The fact the FEO didn't even speak to the farmers and has given you an open cert on first application is incredible :o Don't get me wrong, I'm genuinely pleased for you, but feel something isn't quite right here. Anyway, happy shooting, get those toys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axeman1984 Posted May 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 I'm still getting my head round all this so ill try and answer your questions, firstly my good reason for wanting a firearms in the first place was pest control, I've got 7 acres that I own myself that is what the FAC air is for, the land I have permission on is one farm of 2500 acres which had already been surveyed and cleared for upto a .308 and another farm which is 400 acres and that was cleared for upto a .243, my reason for getting the slot for the .22lr was shooting ground vermin and the reason for the .17HMR was shooting ground vermin at greater range, so no I didn't just ring up and say "how yer gettin on my ol beauty I quite fancy a rimfire" and the FAO went "yeah no worrys" I had to go through the process as everyone does, anyway guys I can see where this is all going, so I'm gonna call it a night now, ill catch you all later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 (edited) Not having a go at you at all Axeman. I can see from your post you have good reason, the land cleared etc etc. Its just very odd( and fortunate for you) to have an open cert granted at first application, with no paperwork or land checks by your FEO. Most including me had to have proof of a primary piece of land with written permission and its a 5 year wait, usually, for it to be opened. You know the land you shoot over and what its cleared for, but proof of permission to shoot there is a normal requirement. Obviously, otherwise we could just name a few farms in the area. Different forces I guess and absolutely no continuity from county to county. Makes you wonder who makes the rules. Edited May 3, 2013 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Congrats Axeman, especially getting your Open FAC so quickly. I wish you luck but I have to agree with turbo33 that it is "a little unusual" to get a FAC without one written permission - Unless they have treated your own land as a main permission which could be seen in a different light! The important thing is that you applied and successfully got your FAC with the guns on it that you asked for, so once again, congratulations mate! Not having a go at you at all Axeman. I can see from your post you have good reason, the land cleared etc etc. Its just very odd( and fortunate for you) to have an open cert granted at first application, with no paperwork or land checks by your FEO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 (edited) Purely as a point of discussion, I and another member on here are both awaiting a 1-1 variation. In both cases, the relevant firearms dept are going through the whole land check procedure again before even a 1-1 will be granted which of course causes a delay. That's for an existing FAC holder. In my case, the farmer of my primary will be contacted to verify the permission details in my file are still in place. I have FAC air, 22lr and 17hmr. My file with the firearms dept has 3 permissions, all cleared for 243, permission details with detailed maps showing footpaths etc, the permission slips are signed off and open dated with no expiry. I have 4 or five other permissions at 20 odd acres a piece that aren't cleared, so use the sub 12 air rifle there. I had to declare a primary. Total land exceeds 3 thousand acres. I asked the fld recently about the procedure for an open certificate and was told it would be considered at renewal. I'm 54 and have held a shotgun cert since I was 17. Edited May 4, 2013 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Perhaps the fact that the OP is a land owner has some bearing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Perhaps the fact that the OP is a land owner has some bearing? I suspect that is the case and the land "might" have been checked during the home visit! If this is the case then it would answer a few of the replies on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axeman1984 Posted May 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 My own land had never been surveyed before, until now, he came round with a stack of ordinance survey maps with my other permissions already outlined in red and we then went for a walk round my land which he then outlined on the map, he recommended only FAC air on my plot which I totally agree with, my other permissions had already been surveyed by him some years ago and covered for much higher calibers, then when we went through the paperwork he wrote down the addresses of the farms I have permission on and I gave him there contact details, we had a chat he asked about my previous experience of firearms the whole thing took about 2 hours, 7 days later and the ticket was through my door, I rang the farmers one of which is my uncle to see if he had checked me out and both said they hadn't herd a peep, the conditions of my cert are to shoot ground vermin, other than all the paperwork the whole thing was fairly painless, I can only tell you guys my experience which I found to be a good one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 I never had to show any permission slip for my fac,which is lucky as I have never had one for any farm I shoot! just told them I want it to shoot bills farm and gave them a phone number and they were quite happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanl50 Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Well done, Suffolk are seriously switched on with FAC & SG certificates, and my FEO is really the nicest guy you could meet and the Firearm services unit are so helpfull. A farmer friend of mine having done a 1 for 1 variation then submitted another the week after he recieved the 1st one back to buy another HMR and that one only took a week and that included sending it back to him to add some missing detail on his application. That is good service. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Sounds like you guys in Suffolk have a sensible, no-nonsense and a very efficiently run firearms department. Axeman, there was no intention to make you justify yourself, so I hope you didn't feel that. I'm sure a lot of us on here would like our firearms dept's to operate half as well as yours does. It strikes me that a lot of the delays are caused by totally unnecessary paperwork. For my 1-1 variation, I had to pretty much fill out the whole firearms application form, including again, my primary farm, the reasons I wanted the same rifle, the amount of ammo I had in stock, height, etc,etc,etc,. As all of these details are on the original application, and that of the recent 1-1 variation I had on my FAC Air, I cannot for the life of me understand why we have to give them duplicate forms to add to the copies they have on file anyway when its only a make and serial number change from an already authorised firearm and calibre!! No wonder they are always so slow to process the whole thing. Poor Deputy Dog on here has been waiting 5 months for a 1-1 :o Anyway, get out there and enjoy your sport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazle Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 On a related note, is it normal for a rifle not to be mentioned in the "conditions" section ? I ask because I have a 22LR and HMR which are both mentioned as being for vermin and the "other wildlife" "estate management" bit, but my .308 isn't mentioned at all for any use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay222 Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 On a related note, is it normal for a rifle not to be mentioned in the "conditions" section ? I ask because I have a 22LR and HMR which are both mentioned as being for vermin and the "other wildlife" "estate management" bit, but my .308 isn't mentioned at all for any use. My .308 hasn't got any conditions at the moment it had deer and fox on previously but now no mention at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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