mikee Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 sent my fac application off today with all the associated permission letters, so fingers crossed. When i rang the firearms licensing dept to get the full postal address the guy asked what caliber i was applying for, i told him .22lr and .243, he seemed shocked that a first time applicant wanted a .243 and said i would need to prove i have experience with center fire rifles, is this the case? i thought all i needed was permission to shoot on suitable land and a need for the rifle, which is deer and fox control, how is a newbie to ever prove he has the experience without ever having owned a rifle? mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 sent my fac application off today with all the associated permission letters, so fingers crossed. When i rang the firearms licensing dept to get the full postal address the guy asked what caliber i was applying for, i told him .22lr and .243, he seemed shocked that a first time applicant wanted a .243 and said i would need to prove i have experience with center fire rifles, is this the case? i thought all i needed was permission to shoot on suitable land and a need for the rifle, which is deer and fox control, how is a newbie to ever prove he has the experience without ever having owned a rifle? mikee Sorry, that's life. You won't get issued a CF without experiance, go out with a mate with a CF, pay someone to take you out, or do a saftey course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 bleeh, i have some experience with c/f rifles, done a fair bit of lamping in the past with various keepers although the only recent use was with Harnser using his .308, how much experience is needed to be shown though? mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 sent my fac application off today with all the associated permission letters, so fingers crossed. When i rang the firearms licensing dept to get the full postal address the guy asked what caliber i was applying for, i told him .22lr and .243, he seemed shocked that a first time applicant wanted a .243 and said i would need to prove i have experience with center fire rifles, is this the case? i thought all i needed was permission to shoot on suitable land and a need for the rifle, which is deer and fox control, how is a newbie to ever prove he has the experience without ever having owned a rifle? mike Welcome to the world of FAC. if you not a member join a shooting organisation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancs Lad Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Got mine through with no problems. but thats greater manchester for you...........4 weeks from posting it to getting it all back. .22 Rimmy and 223 for me.................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 i'm already a BASC member, ive just been through their web site looking for rifle training courses, but they are either at the other end of the country or fully booked, BDS don't appear to do any firearm awareness courses, i'll try the guys at rifle craft http://www.riflecraft.co.uk/sptmenu3.htm they advertise courses and they are 5 miles away, so hopefully ican get something sorted with them. mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 just got off the phone with Willian Heal BASC Regional Director, who said the police shouldnt ask for experience, as long as you can show a need and have suitable land that should be enough, mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 just got off the phone with Willian Heal BASC Regional Director, who said the police shouldnt ask for experience, as long as you can show a need and have suitable land that should be enough, mikee And quite right they are too, now you only need the firearms department to go along with this, and NOT there own set of rules. you have 2 choices, stick to what basc says or do as the firearms department say. most people will do as the FLD says, thats why they get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 (edited) "And quite right they are too, now you only need the firearms department to go along with this, and NOT there own set of rules. you have 2 choices, stick to what basc says or do as the firearms department say. most people will do as the FLD says, thats why they get away with it." well i'm not one to make waves so i guess i'll just have to get some more experience, however the guy i spoke to on the phone is not the guy who will do the interview, ive had several chats with him and he seems far more reasonable, perhaps i just got a jobs worth when i phoned up, my mate got his variation for .243 with only 3 months experience with a .22lr with no problem, and he's got the same FEO as me. mikee Edited June 2, 2009 by mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 "And quite right they are too, now you only need the firearms department to go along with this, and NOT there own set of rules. you have 2 choices, stick to what basc says or do as the firearms department say. most people will do as the FLD says, thats why they get away with it." well i'm not one to make waves so i guess i'll just have to get some more experience, however the guy i spoke to on the phone is not the guy who will do the interview, ive had several chats with him and he seems far more reasonable, perhaps i just got a jobs worth when i phoned up, my mate got his variation for .243 with only 3 months experience with a .22lr with no problem, and he's got the same FEO as me. mikee Nothing at all wrong with a bit of experience mate. would show you are willing to meet them half way at least. your feo sounds like a good one. others need you to at least slash your wrists. good luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 If you have been out & shot a c/f with a few keepers all the FLO will ask u that you get a letter from the keepers to say that in there opinion you are a safe shooter & see no reason that u have a C/F :blink: , put your self in the FLO"S boots would you give a new shooter with out any rifle experiance a .243 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross16689 Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Just thought I'd let you know I got a .270 and 17 HMR first time application very litlle hassle and I'm only 19! Didn't have to provide written proof of experience etc at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cole890 Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 what is the situation of firing a rifle if you do not have a FAC but you are with someone who has and you shoot there rifle?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniwizard Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 it has take me 10 years to get my cf,experiance has to in the uk!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy33 Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 I also have my fac application in, applying for 17 hmr, 22lr and 223 cf, what concerns me is this, i have permission to shoot fox so i'm applying for the right caliber to do the job, surely the feo will see this as common sense , the land im applying for has already been cleared for 243 so surely there should'nt be a problem. I have some experiance with 17 and 22 which is shooting with a friend but if 223 is not granted what should i do, risk attempting to shoot the fox with the wrong caliber i dont think thats right or safe. How else do we gat experiance ??. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Why is it that you’ll accept that to drive a vehicle (or at least I hope you do) you have to take and pass a test after presumably having some lessons, mentoring etc etc BUT when it comes to potentially deadly weapons you find that the same rule shouldnt apply? IMO it's all too easy to get a SGC/FAC granted without proof that you have the experience and can handle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancs Lad Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Good point Highlander. Think that it would be beneficial for some form of weapon handling skills test to be applied, or some formal type of instruction. I got .22 and .223 without any issues on my grant, however I detailed my military background as experience and laid out my reasons for requiring those cals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy33 Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Why is it that you’ll accept that to drive a vehicle (or at least I hope you do) you have to take and pass a test after presumably having some lessons, mentoring etc etc BUT when it comes to potentially deadly weapons you find that the same rule shouldnt apply? IMO it's all too easy to get a SGC/FAC granted without proof that you have the experience and can handle it. unbelievable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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