Nuke Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 (edited) Hi all! Me and my ms might be moving to England/Scotland in a year or so because of work, me in the energy/oil sector and she is a doctor/radiologist, she may get a research position (neuroradioligy, head and neck) and this is the reason for moving mainly. I'm willing to give it a go for her sakenand I don't think bringing our 2 labs will cause us any problems so the "important" question for me is of course if I can bring my guns along? 2 shotguns, 1 kombination (12x6,5x55), 3 rifles (22lr, 6,5x55 and 9,3x62). What kind of paperwork would be required? Will my swedish gun safe be alright? It looks like clay shooting will not be a problem, what about fireing ranges were I can use my rifles? And then finally, am I, as a EU-citizen, allowed to gain permissions? Sincerely /Markus Edited February 22, 2014 by Nuke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Hi Markus. If you are moving here as opposed to a short visit you will need to apply for UK licenses. We have two main types of license. A shotgun certificate which covers (obviously) shotguns! And a firearms certificate which covers rifles and your combination. The former is quite straightford but the process can take a while, depending where you live (lisensing is administered by local police forces - some are more efficient than others). A firearms certificate is more complex. You need to prove "good reason" such as target shooting, deer stalking etc. The police will want to see evidence of this, such as club membership, permission to shoot on land considered appropriate for the calibre, or bookings with hunting outfitters. The problem is, you need this BEFORE you apply, which might be difficult. Almost all shooting land in this country is privately owned, we don't have public hunting areas as many other countries do. Therefore you need to gain permission from the landowner, or pay for the shooting in some way such as leasing the shooting rights, as an individual or in a syndicate, or paying for each trip. Being an EU citizen is no bar to any of that, but getting free permission is very hard! Even for those who grew up here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Anyone can gain permission as it is from the landowner, there is no public hunting in the UK other than below the high water mark in Scotland for wildfowl and still much of that is controlled- live with the fact that this means renting the shooting by the year or day for an unknown / non national your chance of getting free shooting is very limited. You need "good reason" to have each individual gun in the uk ie a use for them but that use might well be for trips abroad (like back to Sweden?). I should just forget about talk of being an "EU citizen" if you come to the UK as the general public will not tend to like it. You can bring them on a European firearms pass but again I think you need still need good reason for the guns to come (other than storage) as a short term measure ( a few let days with proof?), My advice is to go through FACE or your national Swedish body who can maybe speak to our BASC / Countryside alliance etc. or perhaps they might speak directly to you as a potential membership recruit? Expect to have issues over the larger calibre stuff as we have little here to justify their uk ownership and it is frankly just the way our police think ( I have known this happen to a South African who came here wanting to bring a .416) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Only UK residents can apply for a UK Firearms Certificate or a Shotgun Certificate, therefore application cannot be made until you are living here. Once grant of your application has been made you would be able to take possession of your firearms. For instance, you could have them shipped over to the UK and entered on your certificate or bring them over yourself. The only stumbling block regarding application is that you must supply 2 references by UK residents who have known you for at least 2 years. Have a look at this, it will give you some Idea and perhaps you could phone them and have a chat..............http://content.met.police.uk/Site/firearmslicensing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Don't be put off, things can be done about most things. I once went through this in reverse and I found a contact in the Police in that country who was as it happens a keen deer stalker, there will be ways of sorting this I am sure. Just check it out first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartynGT4 Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Membership of http://www.fcsa.co.uk/ might help with the larger calibre stuff but only for target shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke Posted February 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Thank you for the replies, please keep them comming. The sensible way seams to be to transfer the ownership of my guns over to friends and family here in Sweden and then try to sort it out after arrival. It will not be a permanent move, the research grant is 2-5 years, so we will initially at least be looking to move back again when the ms is done. But if I understand it correctly a membership to a shooting club will be enough for me to be able to get a shotgun at least with little to no problems? What is mainly the largest rifle caliber used for deer in the UK? I use my 9,3 for everything from foxes to moose but judging from the replies it looks like a lost cause from the start. Would the 6,5x55 be total overkill? /Markus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moorvale55 Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 The 6.5x55 is used over here, the minimum calibre in England and Wales for Deer, (except Chinese Water Deer and Muntjack), is .24 the most used calibres are .243, .270, .308. Whichever round is used it must have at least 1700 Ft/Lbs energy. A 6.5x55 is ideal for anything from Foxes to Red Deer. Just a note.........Firearms Law in Scotland is different to England and Wales. I wish you well in your quest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Yes moving here first, sorting out somewhere to shoot then applying for licences would make sense. 6.5 x 55mm is a very popular deer calibre here, no problems there. There isn't an official "largest calibre", the Home Office do list some guidelines. There are minimum calibres/muzzle energies or muzzle velocities, but this varies by species and is different in England and Scotland .30 calibres such as .308, .30-06 etc are popular for Reds (our largest deer), and Fallow, .270, .243, 6.5 etc have their fans too. People tend to use .22 centrefires for foxes, .222, .223, .22-250 etc, but deer stalkers do use their deer rifles. I'm not sure the 9.3mm would be a total lost cause, I'm not that familiar with it to be honest. If you use it routinely for deer and can convince the police (who tend not to be very knowledgeable about ballistics etc), it is suitable, then you might be OK. You could also explain that you intend to go back to Sweden to hunt moose every now and then. There are lots of people here with all sorts of exotic calibres on their licences which have no hunting use here, because they take them on safari to Africa etc. Be prepared to reload for it though, it's not the sort of calibre a small country gun shop would routinely stock! Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPARKIE Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Also when applying for a firearm cert in the uk they contact your doctor and ask if there has been any record of mental illness or any justification why you should not have a firearm....could this be a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke Posted February 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 (edited) Besides from being swedish I think you or any doctor would find me mentally ok :-) I'll settle for training my dogs, clayshooting and by being a likable fellow at the range and in the local pub hopefully earn an invitation to some beating and retrieving for my dogs. Not a bad way to spend ones spare time I think. /Markus Edited February 22, 2014 by Nuke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 (edited) Best bet is contact BASC http://basc.org.uk/ Their firearms team will know the process and pitfalls. you will need need a referee who has known you personally for 2 years who is not family to apply for certificate here. http://basc.org.uk/firearms/visiting-the-uk-to-shoot/ has some info, bottom of the page for importing guns. A visitors permit can last up to a year depending on the force and circumstances Edited February 22, 2014 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Best bet is contact BASC http://basc.org.uk/ Their firearms team will know the process and pitfalls. you will need need a referee who has known you personally for 2 years who is not family to apply for certificate here. http://basc.org.uk/firearms/visiting-the-uk-to-shoot/ has some info, bottom of the page for importing guns. A visitors permit can last up to a year depending on the force and circumstances And who is a GB resident. A friend back in sweden doesn't count. For someone moving to the UK from abroad, that is usually the biggest hurdle. I was lucky when i moved in that our company is truly global and i made some friends that were here while i was still in the US. Markus, The correct procedure is to move here first and get your applications sorted. Bring the serial numbers and details of your guns with you. When you apply, include those details with your application and ask that they put those details straight onto your form as guns possessed. Then when you receive your certificates you can bring the guns in easily on your next trip home (airplane checked aggage). You have to declare them coming through customs and they will check the serials againt your certificates, but there should be no problems. I brought half a dozen guns with me from the US in this manner (three separate trips). Thanks, Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I think the issue with the 9.3mm is our "good reason" test. Our red deer are normally shot at longer range on the hill and we have no Moose and very limited access to Boar (all of which are descendants of escaped farm stock). UK holders of larger hunting rifles use travel outside the uk as "good reason" Normally a confirmed booking on an Africa trip at each renewal. You could try this but I am sure the response will be leave the gun in your native land then with a friend if it is for use on trips back home. In short FAC or not a UK resident needs to demonstrate "good reason" for every gun they keep other than the shotgun Its slightly different for you compared to an American as you can gain a European firearms pass and I think other leeway is given on full FAC applications? I am really not sure on this and you do need to take proper advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Besides from being swedish I think you or any doctor would find me mentally ok :-) I'll settle for training my dogs, clayshooting and by being a likable fellow at the range and in the local pub hopefully earn an invitation to some beating and retrieving for my dogs. Not a bad way to spend ones spare time I think. /Markus Ah, fraternity among sportsmen. Not as common here as it is there I am afraid and frankly ashamed to say. If you end up around the North West give us a shout though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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