Any UK gun owners

hi im from the UK and im looking into getting my gun liscence for rifles,
not for any disturbing reason i simply would like to get into target shooting as a hobby

are there any UK owners who could advise the best cheap starter rifle and what liscences i would need to own one

A rifle? Wasn't sure we still allowed rifles. I just thought it was shotguns we were allowed, unless you use it in a professional capacity.

Here is a good Wiki artcle:

Wiki

not sure about rifles, but i think you would be best getting a shotgun licence first and progressing. easier to get, plus you need to ensure you have a secure storage unit for your firearm which has to be check by the old bill.

you don't need a shotgun licence to fire a shotgun, just be with someone who has when using one.

the best people to speak to would either be at your local police station or even you local army cadets unit.

Despite what the UK government and all of the PC brigade would like you to think, UK citizens can still own rifles and shotguns, you can even still own a hand gun - so long as the overall length is 24ins or more.

To do this you would need to become a member of a shooting club, you need to be a full member, usually for at least six months before you can apply for a section one fire-arms certificate, the police will check that you have been a member of that club.
The application is a form that you get from the police station, you need to fill it out as specified and then you need to get two character references, and a couple of signed photos. You also need to list all of the fire-arms that you wish to own and the amount of ammo that you want to store, so you have to think about what you are likely to want/afford in the next five years (before you need to re-new your licence); if you don’t buy the guns on your list the next time you need to re-new the police may remove them from your ticket – if you want to buy something not on your list you have to have what’s called a ‘variation’ – and this cost more money. You also need to buy and install a Police/Home Office approved gun safe in your home before you are approved by the police (so that they can check it as part of your application - you still may not be approved even if you have gone to the expense of getting one installed...)

You must also visit and shoot at your chosen club o a regular basis.

Stuff you can own on a FAC:
.22 rim fire rifle, bolt action or semi-auto, you can even have box mag’s (25round plus)
Lever action carbines - .38, .357magnum, .44magnum most have 9 shot tube mags
Double barrel shotguns (over-under or side-by-side)
You can also get a semi-auto shot gun on a section one ticket, SPAS-12 or other shot guns with magazine capacity around 10 shots (but you may need to also join a club that supports 'practical shot-gun', bit like combat against mock targets)

Some clubs can also apply for something called section 7 (I think) this allows the club to own a proper hand gun that was made before 1915 (so the Colt M1911 .45 is allowd - IF they can find one to buy)

Pistols – must be over 24ins in total lenth, so they either have a massive barrel or say a 12ins barrel with a wire frame stock at the rear to make up the length. (you may have to also become a member of another club that Specialises in pistol's before you are allowd to own one)

To get most of the interesting stuff you may need to belong to several clubs all at the same time, and thats not cheap.

Best thing to do is to look in your telephone directory and look for a local shooting club, you can usually go and visit and talk to the guys (and gals!) there, most clubs will welcome you and there should be plenty of information, much more than I can give you here.

Good luck

Karl



[edit on 8-10-2006 by karlwb]