Conor O'Gorman Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 The failure of firearms licensing departments to prioritise resources is having a significant impact on the participation of shooting sports and the gun trade in England and Wales. Dozens of firearms licensing departments across the two countries are beset with significant delays and backlogs. We are aware of 18 police forces that are taking more than 100 days to turn around applications, with some accepting that it can take up to a year to process. One applicant was recently told a certificate would take two and a half years to be granted. Home Office statistics released annually have shown an eight per cent decrease in certificate holders in England and Wales over the past two years. The statistics showed that as of 31 March 2022, there were 539,212 people in England and Wales who held a firearms and/or a shotgun certificate. Down from 586,351 on 31 March 2020. A total reduction of 47,139 certificate holders. There are some departments that are correctly resourced and providing a satisfactory service, but this drop in the number of certificate holders is predominantly down to the failures of the rest. BASC is calling on the Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners of those forces to act immediately. We shall also be taking our concerns to the new Minister for Policing. More information here: https://basc.org.uk/firearms-licensing-failures-are-impeding-the-shooting-sector/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 Way to go, give ‘em all a stern talking to; you’ll have all those chiefs of police and commissioners quaking in their boots! 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN749 Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 British governments have never wanted the public to own guns,throughout decades they have tightened the laws,now it suits them to frustrate and delay all applications and renewals.It’s all part of the plan to stop us having guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samboy Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 5 minutes ago, TOPGUN749 said: British governments have never wanted the public to own guns,throughout decades they have tightened the laws,now it suits them to frustrate and delay all applications and renewals.It’s all part of the plan to stop us having guns. I've said this all along. But we must not give in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger687 Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 28 minutes ago, samboy said: I've said this all along. But we must not give in. Give in? It's too late, the damage was done decades ago when a formal licensing system was brought in. We don't have a right to own guns, it's considered a privilege, and as such can be revoked at any moment, for any reason. Short of major political and cultural upheaval the situation isn't going to improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 If the police/government announced tomorrow they were going to remove all guns from public ownership I don't think five hundred thousand ticket holders could do a lot to stop them, plus I think there would be a very high percentage of the public patting them on the back and of course we would have our very unbiased media putting their two penneth in. just look what happened with handguns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamch Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 Surely some sort of legal review/judicial review is needed by a robust and suitably experienced firm of barristers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 14 minutes ago, grahamch said: Surely some sort of legal review/judicial review is needed by a robust and suitably experienced firm of barristers? Quite. If our shooting orgs don’t have the funds then I don’t know who has. I would rejoin if they made such a move. 1 hour ago, old'un said: If the police/government announced tomorrow they were going to remove all guns from public ownership I don't think five hundred thousand ticket holders could do a lot to stop them, plus I think there would be a very high percentage of the public patting them on the back and of course we would have our very unbiased media putting their two penneth in. just look what happened with handguns. Just out of interest, if that happened, with ALL firearms being banned with no exceptions, would you comply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 1 hour ago, Scully said: Quite. If our shooting orgs don’t have the funds then I don’t know who has. I would rejoin if they made such a move. Just out of interest, if that happened, with ALL firearms being banned with no exceptions, would you comply? well I guess I would have to comply, bit to old now to think about a prison cell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSpredder Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 Some of those who follow PW forum might also be members of the Conservative Party, and entitled to vote in selection of the new Prime Minister. I wonder whether the BASC political affairs team have had much contact with the people hoping to replace Boris, and whether those candidates are known to hold strong opinions for or against gun ownership, agricultural pest control, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 25 minutes ago, old'un said: well I guess I would have to comply, bit to old now to think about a prison cell. 🙂 Fair enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 38 minutes ago, Scully said: 🙂 Fair enough. same question for you, what would you do, comply or prison cell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 5 minutes ago, old'un said: same question for you, what would you do, comply or prison cell? I have never been in a prison cell and I like my home comforts far to much to risk being locked up , I think we both know our best days are behind us both with with how long we have got left and the freedom we have had in the shooting world . What lies ahead ? , who knows , the species we have lost we will never get back , lead , we know it is only a matter of time before we are forced to use non toxic shot for Pigeons and game , s g c , it will soon be that hard to comply with all that is needed to get one now we are on borrowed time with medical notes ect , game shooting ? , with the continuing threat of bird flu , will we ever see the likes of the last few years ? , maybe not and it might even itself out for the better , We could go on and on like membership in wildfowling clues , on the up , or more likely on the down . One thing for certain is the ten bob license will never come back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 18 minutes ago, old'un said: same question for you, what would you do, comply or prison cell? It seriously crossed my mind when handguns were being banned, that if I’d been single with no dependants, I might have seriously considered non compliance. I’ve had a serious dislike and mistrust of authority in all its various guises all my life ( inherited from my Dad so I realised when growing up ) and consider bad, illogical and unjust law deserves to be ignored. I would have loved to have the guts to make a stand, simply to make a point, even if it meant just burying them somewhere or even totally destroying them instead of handing them in. The only redeeming factor of the entire farce was the fact I could still shoot something else; rifles, shotguns, carbines, BP pistols and indeed CF LBR were still available if I wanted to go down that route. If ALL firearms were to be banned, with no alternatives, then I’m not sure. My kids are grown and totally independent now, so who knows? Hopefully it’s not a decision I’ll ever be faced with. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas seal Posted July 13, 2022 Report Share Posted July 13, 2022 Each year a lot of certificate holders must cancel or not renew. Could be age or financial reasons. If certificate grants are delayed as well this would make a difference. I think the numbers certificate holders have been on the increase for a few years.I had the post office license it was to use a gun outside your property not to own one.. When l got my police certificate in 1968 l was informed that, I just had to apply for one, as said now it’s a privilege. Would anyone know when it became a privilege to own shotguns and firearms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted July 14, 2022 Report Share Posted July 14, 2022 Whilst it cannot be helping we also have an aging population as baby boomers work through Society. My sister in law was in touch this week to say she has fibromyalgia and her shooting days are over; her gun is up for sale. Another good pal similarly is well into his seventies does not shoot any longer and concentrates on working his dogs. He is not renewing and offered me one of his guns. I am sure a lot of you will know people who are in similar situations. Add cost of shooting, that it is a voluntary spend, in difficult times and it will get worse. at least BASC are speaking out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellside Posted July 14, 2022 Report Share Posted July 14, 2022 Most sports / activities have declining numbers of participants. It’s the same across the board. While of course there are exceptions - children and young adults appear to prefer ‘gaming’. The real world has less appeal…..?! Apparently one of the big pre Covid growth areas in shooting was women taking part - a most welcome change. Let’s hope the growth continues once the licence backlogs resolve. I do wonder if the 8% decline in licence holders is a real concern or a temporary blip, while the slow police forces eventually catch up. Good that BASC are applying some pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted July 14, 2022 Report Share Posted July 14, 2022 (edited) My angling club membership is declining, we used to have a 16 year waiting list, now anybody who wishes to join can do so immediately. Edited July 14, 2022 by Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted July 14, 2022 Report Share Posted July 14, 2022 19 hours ago, Scully said: It seriously crossed my mind when handguns were being banned, that if I’d been single with no dependants, I might have seriously considered non compliance. I’ve had a serious dislike and mistrust of authority in all its various guises all my life ( inherited from my Dad so I realised when growing up ) and consider bad, illogical and unjust law deserves to be ignored. I would have loved to have the guts to make a stand, simply to make a point, even if it meant just burying them somewhere or even totally destroying them instead of handing them in. The only redeeming factor of the entire farce was the fact I could still shoot something else; rifles, shotguns, carbines, BP pistols and indeed CF LBR were still available if I wanted to go down that route. If ALL firearms were to be banned, with no alternatives, then I’m not sure. My kids are grown and totally independent now, so who knows? Hopefully it’s not a decision I’ll ever be faced with. 🙂 You Rebel ….. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 14, 2022 Report Share Posted July 14, 2022 1 hour ago, old'un said: You Rebel ….. 🙂 Nah, not really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted July 14, 2022 Report Share Posted July 14, 2022 I dare say it would make a difference with the countryside shrinking on a daily basis , no doubt a lot of members can remember where they used to shoot , or where they started shooting is now a housing or industrial estate , I know where I started my Pigeon shooting is now, and have been for many years a industrial estate and the marshes where I still shoot is only seperated by a dyke , up the other end where I used to shoot on o s r is now a retail park , this must happen on a grand scale throughout the land and I have never known anyone to knock down a housing estate and put it back as farm land . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MirokuMK70 Posted July 15, 2022 Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 I'd say the cost of clay shooting and access to shooting land for live quarry is more of an issue when it comes to getting new blood into the sport. Therefore as existing shooters die/retire the numbers go down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellside Posted July 15, 2022 Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 16 minutes ago, MirokuMK70 said: I'd say the cost of clay shooting and access to shooting land for live quarry is more of an issue when it comes to getting new blood into the sport. Therefore as existing shooters die/retire the numbers go down. I would say that -8% figure and a Covid backlog is just too much of a coincidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harkom Posted July 16, 2022 Report Share Posted July 16, 2022 On 13/07/2022 at 16:08, Smudger687 said: it's considered a privilege, and as such can be revoked I recall that the first time I saw the above it was printed in a BSAC magazine article which condoned the introduction of further restrictions which were an impediment to those seeking to apply for a licence or renewal of existing licence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbie to this Posted July 16, 2022 Report Share Posted July 16, 2022 27 minutes ago, harkom said: I recall that the first time I saw the above it was printed in a BSAC magazine article which condoned the introduction of further restrictions which were an impediment to those seeking to apply for a licence or renewal of existing licence. Reminds me of the Judean People's Front - suicide squad. "That showed them!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.