The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi All,

I've got to move out of my current flat, and the new place I've got lined up is going to be extremely tricky to drill into the wall to mount a safe (lots of plasterboard spacers even on the supporting walls, and no ability to go hacking into them and causing a lot of damage there). It's just not going to be feasible to store them there, I fear. I'm not going to be there forever, but probably a few months at least.

So;

1) is it possible to leave my guns with an RFD or the club (probably paying storage fees) and still retain my FAC/SGC? After all - I would technically not be in permanent possession of them, and in actual fact, someone else (the RFD) would have access to them, right?
2) am I able to store them at another address, if by some miracle I'm able to convince my (rather anti-gun) parents to let me mount my cabinet at their house?

Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated - I'm feeling rather down about the prospect of possibly having to give-up my license due to my living situation.

No space in the loft?

1, Yes, easy enough to store short term.
2, A question only your local firearms licensing unit can answer.

We have guns stored here going on 5 years now, not a problem as long as your FEO knows.

Contact your FEO, he/she will be able to advise you as all forces are different.

BamBam wrote:No space in the loft?

Sadly no loft - it's just a (rather nice) flat in a new(ish) block. A friend who owns the place offered me a very, very good deal on rent, so I'd be mad to say no, but my guns are a bit of a sticking point. She's not adverse to them, but I don't want to/can't go smashing the plasterboard up.

christel wrote:We have guns stored here going on 5 years now, not a problem as long as your FEO knows.

Contact your FEO, he/she will be able to advise you as all forces are different.

Cheers - I'll get in touch. I'm just hoping Avon & Somerset have someone to answer the phones now. Last few times I rang, it was just an automated message saying "we're very busy, please email us"!

Our local club has permanent member gun storage, ask at your local club - they may have the same.

It is not a problem to keep your FAC/SGC if you can't store your guns at home.

RFD or a club are strong options, not sure about your parent's place as you do not live there.

Anyway ask your FEO.

Do you have a friend with spare capacity? You could get them on his SGC and then get them back when needed.

Or

What about a lay flat cabinet screwed down to the floor underneath the bed.

I stored my guns at my parents house for years after I moved out and got married, (to lazy to install a new safe). Talk to your FEO, you will need to have your FAC amended with the new storage address.

Sabertooth wrote:I stored my guns at my parents house for years after I moved out and got married, (to lazy to install a new safe). Talk to your FEO, you will need to have your FAC amended with the new storage address.

I've done the same, I moved out of my house last Jan then stayed with my parents for 3 months between houses. Installed my cabinets at their place and notified my current force, I have previously lived there with my firearms so I essentially just reinstalled my cabinets.

Moved to a new house (incidentally a new police force too), within a week the new force had popped round, I explained that I wanted to keep my firearms at my parents as I wasn't happy with the security in the new property (new doors etc needed and locks to be changed etc) and we were having lots of tradesmen coming in and out that I felt it was safer that they were retained at my parents place. My new force (north yorks for reference) were fully supportive of this (I'd previously mentioned on the phone this was my plan).

So best just to chat to them about it.

One member of my club has his firearms stored in a garage of another shooter, in their own cabinets next to the house owner's cabinets.

It is doable, if it is at a non-RFD address then you should talk to your FEO and get them to advise but if it is at an RFD's then they could just add it to their register as a storage item.

A Bratton laid on it's back, and carriage screwed into the floor (easy if it's a wooden floor). Slab of foam rubber and a chintzy cover and pretend it's an ottoman............(not a Turk, a blanket box)
Opening the lid will build a bit of bicep, too.............I did this when I started, and FEO was impressed. It was in the loft, though........

Pete