United Kingdom General 6.0 Final Gamma Release

(0)---Contents---
Control + F to the section that is appropriate to you.
(0)Contents
(1)Preamble
-(1a) What is this Guide for?
-(1b) Why Would I get Separate Licenses?
-(1c) What about Northern Ireland and other parts off of the mainland?
(2)Purpose
(3)Prerequisites To Applying for a FAC/SGC
-(3a) "A Good Reason" Reasons to own a Firearm (Applies to Section 1 Only)
-(3b) The Referees
-(3c) Criminal Record
-(3d) The Peaceful Sound of a Sound Mind
-(3e) Safe Places are Safe Spaces (For Guns)
-(3f) The Visit
-(3g) A Pretty Picture
(4) Types of Licenses and Their Costs
-(4a) What Can I Own with a Firearms Certificate/Shotgun Certificate
(5) The Application
-(5a) The Application Forms
-(5b) Application Submission
-(5c) How Long will the Application Take to Process?
-(5d) Congratulations
(6) How to Buy a Gun
-(6a) Section 1 Purchases
-(6b) Section 2 Purchases
(7) Additional Resources
-(7a) YouTube Channels
-(7b) Local Club Finder
-(7c) Recommended Places from Anons
-(7d) Recommended Guns
-(7e) Online Dealers


(1)---Preamble---
(1a) What is this Guide for?

This guide is for obtaining firearms legally within the mainland of Great Britain with a primary focus on how to acquire a Coterminous Certificate which consists of an Firearms Certificate and a Shotgun Certificate allowing access to Section 1 and Section 2 Firearms respectively, with a secondary focus on how to attain each license separately.

(1b) Why Would I get Separate Licenses?

As to why a person wishes to get each certificate separately varies from person to person, however, if you are desperate to get yourself or others into the world of shooting a shotgun license is the simplest way to go as it does not require a good reason/a shooting club membership only that you will go shooting in the future.

(1c) What about Northern Ireland and other parts off of the mainland?
Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands while not a primary focus, will not be completely excluded in this guide.
However as it is not priority only resources will only be provided where appropriate.

(2)---Purpose---
To Promote the discussion of and Encouragement of legally owning firearms in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

(3)---Prerequisites To Applying for a FAC/SGC---
Before one even applies for a Firearms Certificate License there are certain Prerequisites that need to be met in this order to own a firearm.
1.Reason for owning a firearm - (Applies to Section 1 Only)
2.You have Two Referees that will support your application
3.Do Not have a criminal record that does not bar you from owning a firearm
4.Ensure that you are of sound mind (Will not harm yourself or others) - This should not be a concern by this point.
5.A Secure Place to Store a Firearm.
6.A Passport sized Picture of You

(3a) "A Good Reason" Reasons to own a Firearm (Applies to Section 1 Only)
Firstly that you have a reason for owning a firearm, to which there are three main ones on the mainland.
1.Hunting
2.Vermin Control
3.Sports Shooting <-Pick this one
4.Self Defense (Northern Ireland Only and Must be Proven)
For this guide we are going with the third option as you will only be limited to what your club can handle however you can skirt around this limitation by stating honestly that you are in the process of joining another club with greater capabilities for that specified firearm, this also gives you a larger amount of calibres to choose from over being de facto limited to .22lr or 12g shells as you would be with Hunting and/or Vermin Control, as you will not need a .338 Lapua rifle for shooting rabbits into red mist.
For the Sports Shooting reason to be valid in the eyes of the police you will need to join a local firearms club, to which full membership is required before applying for your FAC/SGC.

Most Local Clubs will be listed here.
https://nra.org.uk/nra-affiliated-clubs/

(3b) The Referees
Before going into how many Referees are needed for each license we must first know what a Referee is
Quoting from Form 201 the law's definition of who can act as a referee goes as follows

The referee(s) who have agreed to act for you must have known you personally for at least two years and must be resident in Great Britain.  Referees must not be a member of your family, a registered firearms dealer, a serving police officer or police employee.  Referees must be of good character and references must be given freely and not on payment.

With that said, when applying under the Reason of Sports Shooting one of your two Referees will be a senior member of the club you have joined to which will more than likely be a guaranteed yes after you have become a full member of your local club, essentially leaving you with needing one other referee to choose.

The number of referees needed differ for a shotgun certificate, You should have gained the permission of one person to act as a referee for you. YOU must complete Part F with their details.

For the grant or renewal of a firearms certificate, the Firearms Acts require an applicant to supply the details of two people who have agreed to act as referees on Part F & G of the application form.

When applying for Coterminous certificates a total of two referees are still required. However, due to changes in the application forms, the requirement for a counter-signatory has been replaced with the request for one referee. When applying for a Shotgun Certificate you must provide details of one person who has agreed to act as a referee in part F of the form.

(3c) Criminal Record
One the main questions on the FAC/SGC asks whether you have ever been convicted of any offense at any time.
Do NOT be tempted to "forget" even the most trivial offense, no matter how long ago it was.
This is including speeding offenses), bind-overs, formal written cautions and convictions in and outside of Great Britain, and (by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975) convictions which are spent under the 1974 Act.  A conditional discharge and an absolute discharge both count as convictions for this purpose. Details of parking offences and fixed penalty notices do not need to be declared.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does NOT apply when applying for an FAC and the police DO check thoroughly. Previous convictions do not always necessarily mean refusal to grant an FAC, but if you do not declare an offense and it is revealed by the police checks, then you will certainly be refused and will also be looking at a prosecution for having made a false declaration to obtain an FAC.

(3d) The Peaceful sound of a Sound Mind
To avoid the massacres of Dunblane and Hungerford again, You must disclose any relevant physical or mental health conditions that you have been diagnosed with or treated for in the past as this may affect your ability to safely possess and use a firearm or shotgun.
The Relevant medical conditions which must be disclosed are

- Acute Stress Reaction or an acute reaction to the stress caused by a trauma
- Suicidal thoughts or self harm
- Depression or anxiety
- Dementia
- Mania, bipolar disorder or a psychotic illness
- A personality disorder
- A neurological condition: for example, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s diseases, or epilepsy
- Alcohol or drug abuse (Eddie)
- Any other mental or physical condition which might affect your safe possession of a firearm or shotgun

If in doubt, consult your GP or contact the police firearms licensing department.

Remember All applications are looked at on their own merit when making a decision. A note from your GP to clarify why a certain medication is/was prescribed to you and how it affects you will aid in your application, with the main priority of these checks are ensuring that you pose no harm to yourself or others.

If you have disclosed a relevant medical condition the police may ask you to obtain a medical report from your GP/specialist. You are expected to meet the cost if a fee is charged for this. If further information is required the police may request and pay for a further report.

Where no relevant medical conditions are disclosed the police will contact your GP asking if they are aware of any relevant medical conditions or have any concerns about the grant of the firearm or shotgun certificate. Depending on the reply, the police may ask you to obtain a medical report from your GP/specialist.  You are expected to meet the cost if a fee is charged for this. If further information is required the police may request and pay for a further report.

After which the police will ask your GP to place an encoded reminder on your patient record to indicate that you have been issued with a firearm or shotgun certificate.  The GP is asked to notify the police if, following issue of the certificate, you are diagnosed with or treated for a relevant medical condition previous noted, or if the GP has other concerns about your possession of a certificate that might affect your safe possession of firearms following contact from your GP there may be a need for a medical report to be obtained to assist with assessment of your continued suitability to possess a firearm or shotgun certificate. The police will pay if a medical report is required.

(2e) Safe Places are Safe Spaces (For Guns)
Firearms Storage is an odd matter for a very bureaucratic like ours where what is required for firearm storage is not laid out in law with the legislation merely stating that the firearms "must be stored securely at all times so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, access to the guns by unauthorized persons".

Quoting the Marple and Rifle Pistol Club
In practice, a steel cabinet constructed and certified to comply with BS 7558 and Rawlbolted to a solid wall is the norm. The vast majority of commercially available gun and rifle cabinets meet the necessary standards. If your premises have shared access, for example if you live in a block of flats, the requirements may be more stringent. In all cases the requirement to prevent access to the firearms by "unauthorised persons", means anyone who doesn't personally hold a FAC. This means that even members of your family must not have keys to the cabinet or even know where you keep them.

For Additional Information Consult the Police or the Home Office's 2005 Firearms Security Guide
Found Here
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117794/security_leaflet.pdf

Note THROW OUT THE FOAM AND MARKERS STATING HOW MANY GUNS YOUR SAFE CAN STORE this will allow for you to put more slots on your Firearm Certificate within reasonable means.

(3f) The Visit
(Placeholder) The FEO visit is a fairly quick inspection of the house, ensuring your house is in good shape in terms of storage for your firearms and in general, you will have a chat with them confirming why you need the firearm among other topics as well as having a possible a shit test asking you to show where your keys are or to hand them to the officer, which if you do not know already
 do not do this refuse to tell them where your keys are and refuse to give them to the officer.

(3g) A Pretty Picture
For the application process you require a digital photograph for your license, it must be used for online applications.
Paper applications must be accompanied by one photograph. Ordinary passport-style photographs (45mm high x 35mm wide) are suitable for this purpose.
Photographs must be of a professional standard against a plain cream or grey background and without other objects or people in the background and (if printed) must be on good quality gloss or matt paper.
The photograph must be a true likeness and full face without a head covering (unless it is worn for religious or medical reasons). In your photograph you must be looking straight at the camera, have a neutral expression, with your eyes open and mouth closed. You must not wear sunglasses or tinted glasses, and the photographs must not have any ‘red eye.’

(4)---Types of Licenses and Their Costs---
The costs of Applying for a license excluding the cost of the local club membership goes as follows

Firearm Certificates (FAC) (valid for 5 years)
Grant of firearm certificate - £88.00
Renewal of firearm certificate - £62.00
Variation of a firearm certificate (other than when it is renewed at the same time) so as to increase the number or type of firearms or quantity of ammunition to which the certificate relates. - £20.00
Replacement of a firearm certificate which has been lost or destroyed. - £ 4.00

Shotgun Certificates (SGC) (valid for 5 years)
Grant of Shotgun Certificate - £79.50
Renewal of Shotgun Certificate - £49.00
Replacement of Shotgun Certificate which has been lost or destroyed - £ 4.00

Coterminous Certificate for both Firearms and Shotguns (valid for 5 years)
Grant of Coterminous certificate. - £90.00
Renewal of Conterminous Certificate for both Firearms and Shotguns (valid for 5 years) - £ 65.00
Explosives Certificates (necessary for Black-powder shooting, but not needed if using Pyrodex)
To acquire and keep (valid for up to 5 years) - Free

It is highly recommended that if all previous prerequisites have been met this is the way to go if you want both sorts of gun, as it is much cheaper than having separate certificates expiring at different times.

(4a) What Can I Own with a Firearms Certificate/Shotgun Certificate?

In the mainland what has been considered Section 1 has been restricted quite a bit with the banning of Centre-fire semi-automatics after Hungerford as well as the banning of handguns in the mainland after Dunblane there are still quite a lot that can be legally owned to which goes as follows

Under Section 1 - Firearm Certificates
Semi-Automatic Rifles (up to 22lr)
Lever Action Rifles
Straight Pull Rifles - 50cal May be Banned under Offensive Weapons Bill of 2017/2019
Bolt Action Rifles - 50cal May be Banned under Offensive Weapons Bill of 2017/2019
Manually Actuated Release System (M.A.R.S Rifles) - May be banned under the Offensive Weapons Bill of 2017/2019
Shotguns over 2+1 shells in total capacity (24" Barrel 40" in total length)
Shotguns that have a 2+1 shell Capacity (Barrel under 24")

Under Section 2 - Shotgun Certificates
Shotguns with a maximum capacity of 2+1 (2 in the magazine 1 in the Chamber
These shotguns can be in pump action, lever action, break action and semi automatic, you can also buy as many Section 2 shotguns as you have capacity for

Under Section 7.3
Pistols manufactured before 1919 - However it must be clarified whether it is for the purposes of collection or shooting.
Weapons with Historic Significance.

Under Section 58 (2) (No License required)
Antique/Obsolete Calibre Weapons

Under Section 5 - Restricted weapons need to be a dealer.
Semi-automatics over 22lr (Legal in Jersey)
Fully-automatics
Handguns (Allowed in NI, Jersey etc anywhere off the mainland)
Most Explosives
Rocket launchers
Torpedoes

(5)---The Application---
(5a) The Application Forms
To Apply for a Shotgun or Firearms Certificate fill out the following Form 201 found on the Government's website here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firearms-application-forms
To Apply for a Firearms Certificate in Northern Ireland
https://www.psni.police.uk/advice_information/firearms/forms

(5b) Application Submission
The receipt for electronic applications, where these are available, will be automatically generated by the system. For hard copy applications, unless advised otherwise by the police, you should post or take the completed form together with the fee and photograph to the police firearms licensing department.

In the case of an application for renewal, a signed and dated recent copy of the certificate to be renewed should be sent  to police when you submit your application.  If an application is being made for a variation the certificate to be varied must
be included with your application.  (You may wish to keep a copy of the certificate.)

(5c) How Long will the Application Take to Process?
This Largely depends on where you live and is quite bluntly a postcode lottery on how quickly your local constabulary will process and approve/renew your license. To find out how long it will take you approximately linked below are the Government's own findings for years 2014/2015 as well as BASC's League Table for years 2016/2017

BASC's Firearms Licensing League Table 2016 / 2017
https://basc.org.uk/firearms/firearms-licensing-where-does-your-force-rank/
Table Alone
https://imgur.com/a/8fu5N2O

Government 2014/2015 Statistics
https://i.imgur.com/eapjAnr.png
Source: HMIC: An Inspection of the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Firearms Licensing in Police forces in England and Wales (Page 29) found here:
https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/wp-content/uploads/firearms-licensing-targeting-the-risk.pdf

(6)---How to Buy a Gun---
Depending upon the certificate(s) you receive buying a gun is a fairly simple process.

(6a) Section 1 Purchases
At your local RFD whatever calibre slot is available on your license you can purchase there and then, if you find a gun you want however do not have a slot on your license for make a Variation with the 201V form found here.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/667451/Form_201V_-_21_Nov_2017_-_PDF.pdf

(6b) Section 2 Purchases
See a shotgun that holds 2+1? Do you Like it? Yes? Well simply purchase it and mention to the police that you have done within 1 week of purchase Email notifications are allowed.

(7)---Additional Resources---
(7a) YouTube Channels
https://www.youtube.com/user/EnglishShooting - Dead Channel, Government Threatened to revoke his FAC and SGC licenses for politics, Info still useful
https://www.youtube.com/user/srspower

(7b) Local Club Finder
https://nra.org.uk/nra-affiliated-clubs/

(7c) Recommended Places from Anons
General Rule of thumb is to contact your local club and ask if it would be possible to come down and meet an experienced shooter or coach for a bit of 1 to 1 shooting. Do not go on one of the party-style shooting events. You will hit nothing and pay way too much money - experienced shooters will be able to offer you advice and stance changes that will have you hitting the target more times than not on your first trip.

GB

NI
Kommandobooks Recommends the Thatch Clay Target Club.
-For about £10 they will have a 1 to 1 session on the small range to get you used to the firearms and hitting the target repeatedly, from a world class coach. Also contact NTSA to inquire about going to an event to try it out.

(7d) Gun Recommendations
22lr Guide - https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/amagicalplace/images/2/2c/5A_-_.22_rifles.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130624204947

(7e) Online Dealers
- New Guns
https://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/

-Surplus/Classic Weapons
https://www.highwoodclassicarms.co.uk/index.htm

-Used Guns
https://www.gunstar.co.uk/
https://www.guntrader.uk/


##Changelog
24/08/2018
Corrected Spelling and Grammar Mistakes
Removed /Brit/ Graduation Section
Added How to Buy a Gun (How was that even missing)

18/08/2018
Added a lot
Removed 5.57