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

Plumose wrote:I am currently just shooting air rifles at the moment, but in future will probably move on to live fire and this thread has put me to thinking as currently I go to the range after work having left the air rifle out of sight in the boot of the car.
Would ever be considered reasonable to have left a firearm in the boot of a locked car most of the day, if so what precautions should be taken?

Personally I wouldn't leave a rifle in the boot of my car most of the day, others may think differently.I will call into a shop or garage if I have rifles etc in the car, out of sight, but only as long as I can see the car and only if it isn't for long.

When I first acquired my firearms my first rifle was a 308 for stalking (and still is) I requested to have foxing as a condition on my 308, the FEO said no can do, to big a caliber for fox !!
My reply was ' so your happy for me to go stalking leaving my foxing rifle in the unattended car, return at the end of my stalk, swap rifles then go out foxing leaving my stalking rifle in my car unattended in the dark on remote lanes which is ideal to be broken into unseen'
Yep that's right, OK said I, I'll have a 22-250 for foxing as well then
No problem
To this day some, 15 yrs later, I still can not get round the logic back then, thank god for ALQ conditions nowadays
So I believe the police are quite happy that locked in a car is secure, well at least back then, or at least until tested in court !!!

Duey

I think this thread from the start had the potential to mudsling against our fellow FAC holders, and it hasn't disappointed.

The moment we sell the older generation down the river, those people who enjoy a sociable get together after their weekly target shooting practice, we then make an irreparable void in shooting.

I'm a little bit embarrassed just reading this thread due to the jobsworth one up man ship that I hoped wouldn't affect shooting.

Used to help the then girlfriend run a pub years ago and when a few of the local shooters stopped off for a pint on the way home we let them bring the rifles into the pub in their gunslips and keep them at the side of the table
No one batted an eyebrow in the pub, probably have firearms response team turn up these days

Duey

DL. wrote:I think this thread from the start had the potential to mudsling against our fellow FAC holders, and it hasn't disappointed.

The moment we sell the older generation down the river, those people who enjoy a sociable get together after their weekly target shooting practice, we then make an irreparable void in shooting.

I'm a little bit embarrassed just reading this thread due to the jobsworth one up man ship that I hoped wouldn't affect shooting.

Wheres the mudslinging and jobsworth one-upmanship???.

I remember going rough shooting with mates , just walking a couple of miles, shoot and walk home. the best pub was a mile from home so we would go in for a few pints and the landlord would put our slipped guns behind the counter, 3-4 pints later toddle off home, wouldnt dare these days!!!

Maggot wrote:Well we all leave rifles in cars dotted about at Bisley......

As above... and if you're staying overnight at Bisley, either in a tent or a hut, what do you do with your guns..??

Daryll wrote:

Maggot wrote:Well we all leave rifles in cars dotted about at Bisley......

As above... and if you're staying overnight at Bisley, either in a tent or a hut, what do you do with your guns..??

Well all shooters of my acquaintance do something similar to what I mentioned earlier or have arrangements to lodge their guns in an armoury. It's what many of us have been doing for a good many years. Few responsible shooters will simply throw their guns in the boot of the car or just cover them over with an old coat if its an estate car or van.

The cost of a decent security cord and good padlock isn't that great, and combined with removing an essential part of the gun such as a rifle bolt should satisfy any court that you have shown due diligence.

Which reminds me of the good old days when we had revolvers and would remove the cylinder which fitted nicely in your pocket. We convinced a fellow club member that failing to mark the cylinder location when removed would affect the timing. He wasn't sure if we were winding him up so got up early to consult one or two of the trade stands.

I leave my .22RF in the back of the car during the day whilst I'm work (if i'm going shooting in the evening) but the bolt and my ticket are in a bag by my desk. If i stop off anywhere on the way home (even if its just for petrol) then the bolt stays with me the whole time.

DL. wrote:I think this thread from the start had the potential to mudsling against our fellow FAC holders, and it hasn't disappointed.

The moment we sell the older generation down the river, those people who enjoy a sociable get together after their weekly target shooting practice, we then make an irreparable void in shooting.

I'm a little bit embarrassed just reading this thread due to the jobsworth one up man ship that I hoped wouldn't affect shooting.

Well I will apologise if my post comes across that way.... I meant no harm.

Personally I will never drive to a pub. If I want a pint then I walk down the avenue to the local Weatherspoons. If I am going out with colleagues or friends straight from work then I will get the train home. I am not a regular pub-goer and given my dangerous profession I never want to be going into work with senses dulled by alcohol.

As regards the social side of things, with two of the clubs I shoot with, we have a great time socialising in the club room discussing as wide a range of topics as you would in a pub setting... Plenty of fun and banter without any alcohol. Saturdays we typically have cakes, biscuits, chocolate bars, sweets and coffee etc....... In fact some members bring guns, but get so engrossed in socialising that they go home without having shot that evening.