Gloucestershire suspend all certificate applications

[Skeetstar]

Warks police did my renewal in less than 48 hours, and that included time in the post from them to me.. I hand delivered the docs to them. My view is that Warks take an eminently sensible view on shotgun licensing, and are adequately resourced. And warks is one of the smaller forces.

 

[SteveN]

BASC are getting stuck into this:

https://0ld.basc.org.uk/?wysija-page=1&controller=email&action=view&email_id=1749

 

[wildoliver]

Truth be told the system could be improved enormously by dumping the section 1/2 split, when you really think about it, it's a nonsense. A firearms certificate to hold any legal firearm would make more sense. I don't even see the sense in slots, variations or getting land approved. You should have a gun limit according to storage and some limit based on common sense and security of property, but that's about it. Why an fac air rifle is treated as more dangerous than a shotgun by the licence requirements makes zero sense. Someone suitable to hold a shotgun should be just as suitable to hold a .223. Tie calibers in to compulsory courses if you must. Get your certificate then pass a course at a gun club/range/stalking school to hold a 12b/fac air/rimfire/centre fire etc.

Why is my judgement trusted about shooting a shotgun on land that's not pre approved but not if shooting fac. I appreciate a bullet can carry far further than shot, but a poor choice with a shotgun can have the same devastating consequences as with a rifle.

They should simplify and apply common sense, but also sanction hard those acting irresponsibly.

 

[PeeJay]

Truth be told the system could be improved enormously by dumping the section 1/2 split, when you really think about it, it's a nonsense. A firearms certificate to hold any legal firearm would make more sense. I don't even see the sense in slots, variations or getting land approved. You should have a gun limit according to storage and some limit based on common sense and security of property, but that's about it. Why an fac air rifle is treated as more dangerous than a shotgun by the licence requirements makes zero sense. Someone suitable to hold a shotgun should be just as suitable to hold a .223. Tie calibers in to compulsory courses if you must. Get your certificate then pass a course at a gun club/range/stalking school to hold a 12b/fac air/rimfire/centre fire etc.

Why is my judgement trusted about shooting a shotgun on land that's not pre approved but not if shooting fac. I appreciate a bullet can carry far further than shot, but a poor choice with a shotgun can have the same devastating consequences as with a rifle.

They should simplify and apply common sense, but also sanction hard those acting irresponsibly.

The FO explained it to me about the potential for harm over distance. A shotgun needs to be relatively close (I was surprised just how close it can be) whereas a rifle can kill from a long way away.

 

[wildoliver]

The FO explained it to me about the potential for harm over distance. A shotgun needs to be relatively close (I was surprised just how close it can be) whereas a rifle can kill from a long way away.

I do appreciate that, but think it's fairly fanciful that we have a queue of people lining up to play at being sniper murderers. If we are looking at worst case scenarios there is most likely more chance of a nutter going tonto in a town centre.

 

[FESkent]

careful what you wish for the section 1 / 2 split has benefits, especially for section 2 if the Police had their way all guns would be section 1. With each gun being justified, just think how many shotguns that would remove from owners.

 

[RJD]

The authorities are definately in a mode of trying to cut down on people with sgc and FAC, and the number of ‘weapons’ (when will they stop calling them that). I am a reference for a number of friends with renewal this year and the questions have been the same - are you friends or do you shoot together, when was the last time you shot with them, how often, do you have any concerns about them… etc

 

[MartynB]

In all this doom and gloom , I’ll just say that I’m happy with 10 weeks from using the new West Yorks online only renewal process , 4 weeks ahead of expiry . What was refreshing was to receive system emails at a couple of points during the process to let me know the application had progressed to the next step . West Yorkshire are now one of the forces using the Titanium screening.

 

[PeeJay]

In all this doom and gloom , I’ll just say that I’m happy with 10 weeks from using the new West Yorks online only renewal process , 4 weeks ahead of expiry . What was refreshing was to receive system emails at a couple of points during the process to let me know the application had progressed to the next step . West Yorkshire are now one of the forces using the Titanium screening.

I was really pleased with West Yorks early last year when I got my SGC. It took the Doctor 5 weeks to do the form, but only a few weeks to complete the police side, including the interview and approval.

There’s definitely no national approach or process.

 

[Bebo]

I do appreciate that, but think it's fairly fanciful that we have a queue of people lining up to play at being sniper murderers. If we are looking at worst case scenarios there is most likely more chance of a nutter going tonto in a town centre.

Ineptitude is a bigger risk than malice. There is a story told in the local pub of someone in the village having a 22 bullet go through the rear windows of their car quite a few years back - in one side, out the other - while they were driving along the main road that bypasses the village. It was one of the local farmers out foxing with no regard at all for there being an appropriate backstop for his shot. Missed the fox over the top, shot skimmed the top of the bank behind it and went across the road. Driver was a good friend of the farmer, quiet word resulted in the elderly farmer selling all of his rifles and paying for the windows to be replaced. He got away lightly, could have been much much worse for everyone involved.

 

[MartynB]

I still find it amazing that , you can’t own a .22RF Olympic pistol , due to ‘ conceal-ability ( is that a word ? ) , but you can own a .44 magnum revolver with a long barrel and a length of counterweight welded onto the grip . Likewise said Olympic Target pistol = No , 10 shot shotgun and solid slug for ‘ practical shooting ‘ yes . One thing I will say for the guys who do the FEO in my area is that they all seem to be retired cops from Firearms teams , and I doubt a Walter Mitty would get an iffy section 1 application past them .

 

[Martinj]

The authorities are definately in a mode of trying to cut down on people with sgc and FAC, and the number of ‘weapons’ (when will they stop calling them that). I am a reference for a number of friends with renewal this year and the questions have been the same - are you friends or do you shoot together, when was the last time you shot with them, how often, do you have any concerns about them… etc

"Weapon" has negative connotations i.e. something (such as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy.
I own some "guns" which are not intended to injure, defeat, or destroy anything apart from some clay pigeons and they don't always do that very well

 

[MartynB]

I think they are already adequately described. A shotgun certificate is what it says on the tin , a Section 1 Firearms certificate covers firearms on that schedule . Of all guns and rifles held in the U.K. , like it or not hundreds of thousands of them are used to kill things big and small so I’d not get hung up on them being called weapons.

 

[Martinj]

Yes but the term "weapon" implies use against people with all the negative vibes the term gives off. Call them guns, shotguns, rifles but not weapons

 

[SteveN]

Just had an email from BASC to say Gloucestershire Police have announced that they will resume processing new shotgun and firearm licensing grant applications from Monday 2 December 2024. They are also recruiting more staff to process applications. Good for them and for BASC that lobbied for this.

 

[MartynB]

Is the A5 sized certificate a new adoption , or has it been going for some years , I appreciate it’s smaller size , but that’s my natty £40 quid leather certificate wallet pretty much redundant ..

 

[Westward]

Good for them and for BASC that lobbied for this.

Not just BASC but local Labour MP Matt Bishop campaigned and finally all 3 local MPs, even to the extent of raising it in parliament.