Applying for my first FAC - Advice on what calibre to start?

[HuskyRich]

now dotting the t's and crossing the i's on my FAC application and m just wondering how to proceed in requesting my first gun...

I have an interest in target shooting the old .30 calibre rifles like the lee enfields, mosin, mausers etc but was just wondering what the chances are on getting the go-ahead for a .30 calibre gun on my first application?
Would I be better off starting off with a lower calibre and working my way up to them?

[la bala]

Join a range club if target man, do your probation.

[robbiep]

For FAC, you must have 'good reason' to possess. So 'fancying shooting some older rifles' isn't going to cut it.

 

As la bala has said, you need to be a full member of a target rifle club. That means going through the probationary period, including a number of visits to ranges. Only then will you get to be a full member, and can then apply for your FAC.

 

Your rifles will be conditioned for target ONLY. So using them on anything other than approved ranges - which means those that have full insurance in place (private or military) would be a breach of your FAC conditions. Also, if you let your club membership lapse, your 'good reason' no longer exists, and the club will inform the police of this fact.

[hedge]

Spoke to my FEO this morning about the same thing.

 

Admittedly I intend to shoot vermin so I had an idea what I wanted, but he said to do that and/or join a local Club. He said that .22LR or .17HMR were the best to start on as they can be used for both disciplines, are popular and most likely to get granted.

 

Once to you have some gun time under your belt you can probably move into the more exotic stuff!

 

Good luck.

[kory1986]

join a full bore club the club should have rifles you can use and you will have to do somesort of rifle handling test and then there you go theres your experince and paper work to prove it it will take a couple of months though

[Rewulf]

join a full bore club the club should have rifles you can use and you will have to do somesort of rifle handling test and then there you go theres your experince and paper work to prove it it will take a couple of months though

 

6 months is the usual probationary period.

Full bore clubs are a lot rarer than small bore and usually harder to get into,due to the ranges involved.

Be aware also that shooting the bigger stuff usually involves a lot more expense..

[HuskyRich]

Fair doos.

yeah I'm 100% serious about wanting to take up rifle shooting, Its not some half ***** fad I'm setting out on.

Will give my nearest (only!) club a bell and see if they can set me up with a membership and get the process rolling.

 

I've shot a range of various rifles before so know what the score is with handling and shooting them - I spent a couple years out in the states so have shot most things you can think of plus have done a bit of shooting with my friends over here with 243's, 177's etc.

It's just the FAC application process is what I was unsure of how to approach.

Will have to sort something out with a club in a few months though, as am working 7 days a week currently
bloody work always getting in the way

[Dekers]

As already said you need a valid reason for all guns.

 

This will commonly take the form of target work, for which you will only get a grant if you are a member of an approved club, or field work.

 

For Field work quarry/location will dictate to a large extend what calibre you will be granted, it is VERY unlikely you would be granted old .30 calibre rifles like the lee enfields, mosin, mausers if your quarry was simply bunny!

 

[HuskyRich]

Oh yeah obviously it'll be strictly for target shooting.

Imagine the state of the place after going ham on a few bunnies with a 303 or such


I assume the only thing you'd be allowed to use a .30 on would be large deer?

[saddler]

Depends on the .30 cartridge

 

The .300 BlackOut/Whisper versions are a short range affair

The old 30-30 has a lot going for it & is very overlooked

The 308 is a classic deer cartridge

As is the 30-06

 

The .303 is less common for deer in the UK but still gets used for deer with the correct ammo

7.62x54R Mosin is not as common in the UK for deer, but there are suitable cartridges made for it with sporting soft point bullets (opposed to FMJ): & if you reload in due course you can use the available .303 soft-point bullets in it too.

 

Put in for what you want & prepare to argue your case

 

ALL of the above CAN be down-loaded with smaller pistol-type bullets & pistol powders to make them a flatter shooting short range option: though the .300BO/Wh - IS already a dedicated downloaded round in subsonic guise.

(i.e. 7,62x54R - a 70-gr .32ACP bullet with Bullseye or Red Dot = nice mild "gallery load")

 

There is also the option of lead cast bullets using lower powder charges - still potent up to 200-300m or so & good enough for vermin & the like.

Edited April 6, 2016 by saddler

[ShootingEgg]

I have had my FAC for two years now but have shot all manor of calibre and have used SA80 on ranges when I was thinking of going into forces. But have been told that of I want CF rifles then i have to take an awareness course. Im happy to do the course so am booked on for a few weeks time. As has been said you have to have very good reason to possess.

 

Good luck and happy shooting when you get the licence

[HuskyRich]

If I get a old rifle then I'm gonna try and keep it in original calibre. Yeah, I'm aware that cartridges can be expensive but I'd like to keep whatever rifle I get original for the full authentic classic experience.
Same goes for optics/sights. Good old original irons will do me just fine unless I can find a Mosin with an original PU on it

But yeah I'll give my local range a bell and see what they say.

[Rewulf]

 

 

 

 

Put in for what you want & prepare to argue your case

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just to be clear to the OP ,he cant put in for anything until he has joined a club,adhered to the attendance rule (usually 50%) passed probation (usually 6 months) and been accepted as a member.

Forget how it was in the US ,in the UK it can be a long painful process with nothing guaranteed.

Unless you can grab a permission from a farmer ect ,you are looking at the best part of a year before you will be bringing a gun home.

Its worth it in the end though