New Member from the UK

[Dirk.Diggler]

Hi
Just as a way of introduction, i've just this year started centre fire and rim fire, and gaining as much experience as possible before i apply for my firearms licence here in the UK. I've been shooting air rifles for years, but have got the bug for longer range target shooting.
Hoping to pick your brains for advice etc
Cheers
Dirk

 

[Robert]

Welcome! You can learn so much on this forum. How difficult is it to obtain the firearm license in the UK?

 

[Dirk.Diggler]

Hi
It's quite a long process, as you need to have a justifiable reason why you want to own guns. Then it's a doctors letter, 2 referees and police visit to ensure they have correct storage etc. Some police forces are quicker in this process than others some it can be 4 -6 weeks other 12 months +

 

[demarpaint]

Welcome from L.I.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Welcome from Tampa Bay, FL! We are, of course, all interested in how things work (or don't) in the UK. What does it take to develop an "inventory" of weapons and how big can it grow?

 

[Ronws]

Welcome to the forum. You will learn to say "I lost my firearms in a terrible boating accident.

In Henderson, Nebraska (west of Lincoln.)

 

[Robert]

Hi
It's quite a long process, as you need to have a justifiable reason why you want to own guns. Then it's a doctors letter, 2 referees and police visit to ensure they have correct storage etc. Some police forces are quicker in this process than others some it can be 4 -6 weeks other 12 months +

Interesting, I had heard it was quite the process.

 

[jja600]

Welcome to the forum from Colorado.

 

[popsbengo]

Interesting, I had heard it was quite the process.

Shotguns are reasonably easy to get permission for but there are some restrictions like barrel length and magazine capacity. Rifled barrel firearms are more stringently controlled. No semiautomatic rifles over .22LR, no handguns. For rifles, if you're a target shooter you have to join a bonafide club and do a probation period of 3 months minimum before applying for a firearms certificate. If you wish to shoot deer it's normally required for you to have a deer stalking certificate and land to shoot (or permissions). If you shoot vermin (fox, rabbit etc) then you need formal permission for the land owner and have the land cleared for safe shooting by the police firearms dept. All sounds a bit of a pain in the ass but it's not really that difficult. Forget it if you've done time or have mental health challenges.