DeepThought Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) Hi After a few weeks of waiting I have my FEO interview for my SGC grant soon. I wouldn't say I'm "bricking it" but similarly I'm just worried enough that I don't think it'd hurt to ask for any advice you may have. I've made all the appropriate preparations, my cabinet is firmly attached to the fabric of my house (perhaps a little prematurely), I think I know the basics of safe handling and shot fallout distance, I've got a small but noteworthy bit of experience handling a shotgun at the local clay bash and there's a fresh tin of family circle in the cupboard. Is there anything else I need to think about? Reading the forums I see more than a few stories from people ticking all the right boxes and then not getting their grant for something they hadn't considered such as lack of experience. I just feel a bit powerless, I've done everything right but now it all seems to come down to whether someone likes the look of me or not. Edited December 9, 2014 by DeepThought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Wildfowler Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) only answer the questions he asks you dont babble on and dont ask him daft questions in other words tell them nawt Edited December 9, 2014 by Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Don't stress about it, all they are really looking to see is if you are a reasonable and sensible individual. They are likely to ask you about who is in the house or who comes to visit just to make sure there is no risk there. Likewise they may ask about friends you have to make sure you are not a loner. They will also ask about security of keys, where will you keep a spare set. Where do you keep your own keys, again just to make sure that everything is secured. If you don't already have one, getting a little combination lock key safe is a good idea as you can say the spare set are hidden or in my office drawer, etc and the working keys i keep in the key safe. If you don't have one yet tell them that you will. Just be yourself and don't stress, it's just a chat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiffy Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 firstly chill out... sounds like unless youve legal or medical issues in your recent past you should be fine. i had a slight medical issue which could have had an impact but i flew through mine if they ask where you keep your keys do NOT tell him... although he is a firearms officer has has no more rights than anyone else to know where they are to be kept. like a gre a many on here get a key safe and hide it well. my feo advised a keysafe before he called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 It's fine, just some basic questions - if they're doing the visit then you've crossed all the background check bridges etc and this is the final once over so be cool brother, be cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsonicnat Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Just be Yourself, I used to rub my bottom lip and make funny noises, while he was having a cup of tea and a biccy. Hr had dealt with me before .lol. He just stopped coming in the end and I had a phone call and a quick chat.. They Just want to see if you FLIP in front of him, Just Be Your Self.. No Worries Mate. You will wonder what all the fuss was about when he has gone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rst1990 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Like what everyone else has said, don't worry about it. They just wanna make shore your not a nutter wanting a shotgun. All I was asked was what do you want it for? I said clay shooting and that was that. I don't think you will be asked many questions about it and how far shot travels etc if your just gonna use it for the clays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepThought Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) Post removed as it made me a bit too easily identifiable. Edited December 9, 2014 by DeepThought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan. Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Good to read this I'm having my visit very soon, is it true the back ground checks have been done by this point or is checks still going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepThought Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Good to read this I'm having my visit very soon, is it true the back ground checks have been done by this point or is checks still going on? I'm no expert but I would suggest the FEO wouldn't waste his time and yours coming to visit if there was something in your past that precluded you from having a certificate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Good to read this I'm having my visit very soon, is it true the back ground checks have been done by this point or is checks still going on? All done as I understand it Dan so the visiting feo can question you if relevant. Only if something came up at interview would they possibly revisit any other checks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aris Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Tidy up, make your house look secure, and hide the crack pipe He/she will check your safe, so make sure it is secure to the wall, and in an appropriate place. They will ask about your experience with firearms - just answer everything truthfully. They are basically sizing up you and your home face-to-face to make sure you are fit to own a firearm. My FEO was a keen shooter himself and we had a chat about hushpower 410's and foxes. He gave me his business card and said to call him if I had any questions. SGC popped in the post a week later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenwolf Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Don't worry about it, it is your right to have a shotgun certificate and a shotgun, therefore as long as the police don't have a good reason not to grant you a license you will get it. Nothing to do with experience or good reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenwolf Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Don't stress about it, all they are really looking to see is if you are a reasonable and sensible individual. They are likely to ask you about who is in the house or who comes to visit just to make sure there is no risk there. Likewise they may ask about friends you have to make sure you are not a loner. There is nothing wrong with being a loner. They will also ask about security of keys, where will you keep a spare set. Where do you keep your own keys, again just to make sure that everything is secured. You really shouldn't tell them where you keep your cabinet keys, that is one way to get your certificate revoked. If you don't already have one, getting a little combination lock key safe is a good idea as you can say the spare set are hidden or in my office drawer, etc and the working keys i keep in the key safe. If you don't have one yet tell them that you will. Just be yourself and don't stress, it's just a chat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69chris Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 family circle ?? mine wanted nothing less than jammy dodgers !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepThought Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 There is nothing wrong with being a loner. I'm glad you said that, I'm not a loner but between a wife, young children and a demanding career I'm not left with a lot of time for dinner parties any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 My last FEO asked me a lot of b@llocks about safety - mine and shoots I attend. He was ex-firearms so I pointed out we actually try very hard not to kill people and more often or not are successful whereas his lot do try to kill people and usually don't! He was persistant so i added i had never shot anyone so far and with 40 years of accident- free driving behind me i am probably about as safe as i will ever get. One little bit which had SWMBO laughing was: FEO - who gave you your first gun? Me - my dad 50 years ago FEO - did he give you a safety talk? Me - no he gave me a gun and told me not to kill myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adi786 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) I had my interview few months ago, just answer what FEO will ask no need to add anything extra, as most of the people have mentioned above. Good luck Some of the Q's i was asked: Why you applying for SGC?Any Experience? That is pretty much i was asked took around 10-15 minutes. Edited December 9, 2014 by adi786 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingo15 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I'm no expert but I would suggest the FEO wouldn't waste his time and yours coming to visit if there was something in your past that precluded you from having a certificate. Not true they have to attended every interview. I was in the same boat about the flapping. Mine asked where the cabinet was tried to move it. Asked me about my gun history. He was asking questions about my separation from my wife 18 months ago at that point. then he noticed my tripod in the corner of the room and then spent most of the time talking about photography. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan. Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Not true they have to attended every interview. I was in the same boat about the flapping. Mine asked where the cabinet was tried to move it. Asked me about my gun history. He was asking questions about my separation from my wife 18 months ago at that point. then he noticed my tripod in the corner of the room and then spent most of the time talking about photography. Do they I have spoken to people just flat out turned down without any interview Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepThought Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Do they I have spoken to people just flat out turned down without any interview I thought the done thing where there was no chance was to recommend they "withdraw their application"... But as previously stated I'm no expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Steppenwolf, I know there is nothing wrong with being a loner, but my feo made a point to me that was something they looked at. In their opinion people who have little or no social contact they see as being higher risk. Whether that is right or wrong I am not the person to debate that with. As for asking where i kept the keys it was a general question as at that time as my missus didn't have her ticket. I think he just wanted to hear that they were not left lying on the kitchen table, that kind of thing, more to make sure I had thought about it than anything else really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evo Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 BE HONEST AND BE YOURSELF,, simple really atb Evo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 They will also ask about security of keys, where will you keep a spare set. Where do you keep your own keys, again just to make sure that everything is secured. If they ask that, then refuse to tell them. If ANYONE apart from you knows where the keys are kept then your ticket can be revoked. The only case where this does not apply is if you share a cabinet - for example, my wife and myself both have SGC, so she knows where the key for that gun cabinet is. However, for my rifles, only I know where the keys are, as she does not have FAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Engineer Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I had my interview around 4 months ago and it was undertaken by a Clerk rather than an FAO. He was a nice enough guy, wanted to know about my home and family life, general hobbies, friends etc and asked who apart from me and the wife would come to stay and for how long. He asked what seems to be the usual about where do i keep my keys and what experience I had. After a while he was just giving me tips on safety and who to tell and not to tell about having a SGC. Before the interview he advised that my safe would need to be covered from view (i.e. in a wardrobe or hidden behind something)? which I sought advice on from BASC. He also told me not to let anyone see me putting a gun in the car boot and he advised doing that in the dark..... also told me to not put anything on facebook etc. Mixture of good and bad advice. As others have said; be yourself, dont tell him more than he asks for and make the poor bloke a brew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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