National firearms licensing times

[Born Hunter 17,629]

A few months ago someone asked what lincs was like for firearms licensing and I said shite.

Anyway this table was printed in this months BASC mag.

Blow the image up to view it fully.

[Stavross 13,714]

There’s a few there that don’t seem to be preforming well at all, luckily for me I’m in Cleveland who have always been on the ball, my last variation took 48 hours, my mate falls into North Yorkshire and they are very slow

[Born Hunter 17,629]

41 minutes ago, Stavross said:

There’s a few there that don’t seem to be preforming well at all, luckily for me I’m in Cleveland who have always been on the ball, my last variation took 48 hours, my mate falls into North Yorkshire and they are very slow

I think it needs more depth too though. There needs to be a factor that ranks how likely a person is to be granted too imo. Different forces seem to have different levels of comfort in granting. For instance some forces are very reluctant to grant first time FAC applicant CF, or some forces are reluctant to grant 6-6.5mm CF for fox.

[Cliff Ray 185]

Also, how are the waiting times for renewals measured? If I put my application in 90 days before the expiry date., I get a call and visit, but the new license only arrives 4 days before my old one expires. Have I waited 84 days, nothing at all or even -4 days?

 

 

[Stavross 13,714]

Yes, I remember when I went in for FAC and was told ( off the record ) they wanted to see rimfire first and a bit of rifle experience, also I know a few people that don’t have open tickets and also restricted tickets you never see this information, I know someone who went for a 6.5 creedmoor as a general rifle and when he said he would be shooting fox with it they weren’t to happy about that and recommend he used his .243

[walshie 2,804]

1 hour ago, Born Hunter said:

I think it needs more depth too though. There needs to be a factor that ranks how likely a person is to be granted too imo. Different forces seem to have different levels of comfort in granting. For instance some forces are very reluctant to grant first time FAC applicant CF, or some forces are reluctant to grant 6-6.5mm CF for fox.

I think they should all be singing from the same song sheet, but they aren't.  You couldn't really put up the info you mention as that area might be full of people chancing their arm whereas another might be full of legit farmers.

1 hour ago, Stavross said:

Yes, I remember when I went in for FAC and was told ( off the record ) they wanted to see rimfire first and a bit of rifle experience, also I know a few people that don’t have open tickets and also restricted tickets you never see this information, I know someone who went for a 6.5 creedmoor as a general rifle and when he said he would be shooting fox with it they weren’t to happy about that and recommend he used his .243

If he already has a 243, I couldn't really fault them for not granting a 6.5 for fox.

We always moan when the cops don't follow the H.O guidance, and here they are (6.5 isn't considered a fox calibre by the H.O). My force is pretty liberal when it comes to calibres, but I don't think they'd grant a 6.5 purely for fox. AOLQ, yes. 

[Stavross 13,714]

14 minutes ago, walshie said:

I think they should all be singing from the same song sheet, but they aren't.  You couldn't really put up the info you mention as that area might be full of people chancing their arm whereas another might be full of legit farmers.

If he already has a 243, I couldn't really fault them for not granting a 6.5 for fox.

We always moan when the cops don't follow the H.O guidance, and here they are (6.5 isn't considered a fox calibre by the H.O). My force is pretty liberal when it comes to calibres, but I don't think they'd grant a 6.5 purely for fox. AOLQ, yes. 

He was still granted it but was advised not for fox, a lot of forces have the opinion that the 17hmr is not a suitable fox round but my FAO is not of this opinion if it’s used in the correct situation, he still says the hornet is more suited and you can’t argue with that

[Born Hunter 17,629]

26 minutes ago, walshie said:

I think they should all be singing from the same song sheet, but they aren't.  You couldn't really put up the info you mention as that area might be full of people chancing their arm whereas another might be full of legit farmers.

There are plenty of ways of correcting for such.

26 minutes ago, walshie said:

We always moan when the cops don't follow the H.O guidance, and here they are (6.5 isn't considered a fox calibre by the H.O). My force is pretty liberal when it comes to calibres, but I don't think they'd grant a 6.5 purely for fox. AOLQ, yes. 

Was last time I checked the guidance. I'll check again, hang on.

[Born Hunter 17,629]

13.25 Although not set out in legislation, common rifle cartridges considered suitable for
the shooting of foxes range from .17 Remington, and .22 Hornet to .22 -250 and .220
Swift, though there is a wide range of suitable similar calibres commercially available.
In windy areas, where heavier bullets aid accurate shooting, or if applicants wish to use
one rifle for shooting both deer and foxes, they may choose a rifle in 6mm (.243/.244) or
6.5mm (.264) calibre. 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/518193/Guidance_on_Firearms_Licensing_Law_April_2016_v20.pdf

[walshie 2,804]

Deer AND foxes is a different thing though as any deer calibre will most likely be conditioned AOLQ.

As far as fox only, it's not on the list. 

[Born Hunter 17,629]

2 minutes ago, walshie said:

Deer AND foxes is a different thing though as any deer calibre will most likely be conditioned AOLQ.

As far as fox only, it's not on the list. 

Mate, in the guidance it is listed under the Fox section and specifically says "In windy areas, where heavier bullets aid accurate shooting, or if applicants wish to use one rifle for shooting both deer and foxes...". The HO allow 6.5 for certain fox only circumstances. Besides Stav's example said as a general purpose rifle, which to me implied more than just fox. Also in my example I only really used it as an arbitrary example. I could have used a multitude of others, like some forces not allowing 243 for fox.

[walshie 2,804]

O.K. 

[Stavross 13,714]

This is very interesting for me, there should be set guidelines that all forces stick to, when I was after my first CF I was looking at .223 predominantly for fox with the odd deer, I was advised that .243 was a better option, as .223 was not a suitable deer round, I didn’t know this at the time, I was not aware that some forces don’t consider this to be a fox round, for me a fox shot with a 58g .243 at range goes nowhere 

Edited July 6, 2018 by Stavross

[si brown 8,486]

im in north Yorkshire and I applied for mine 6 weeks ago this Sunday at the northern shooting show.. its a fast track kind of application!

you make sure you've got all your stuff in place and take it along and it cuts the wait down, they came round two weeks after the application to check the cabinet and sort out

a few questions, I called them on Monday to check how it was going as I need it and they said it was due to be finalised yesterday.. so hopefully it'll be in the post

think it would of been quicker but the fao who signs off on them has been on holiday. 

 

I got knocked at the initial meeting for hmr and .243 but on the second visit I explained why stuff had been crossed out an he said put back in for them once you've got it,

ive got plenty of land to go at and good reason for needing them but its not a good idea arguing at an application meet!

 

[.357shooter 993]

here in glos 8 weeks so far for my renewal.one more week and it runs out