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Moving antique/obsoletes on and off an fac
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 8:52 am
by poll007
Recently I've been looking further into purchasing a few antique fireams to bolster my collection , un fortunately I don't have enough space in my gun safe for many firearms.
Now previously I've talked to rfds and a few shooters who just take their obsolete calibre firearm to an RFD and have it put on their fac, and then later if they want it back to being a display piece the RFD will take it "destroy it" on paper and hand it back so it once again needs no licence.
Having read the other recent post about rfds destroying firearms I was wondering others opinions on transferring older firearms on and off a fac in this manner

in advance
Re: Moving antique/obsoletes on and off an fac
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 10:25 am
by 450 Martini
I have put several antiques on my certificate (mainly martini's), the procedure in Staffordshire is quite simple;
Firstly I get the correct variation for the rifle I want, I then pick the rifle I want to shoot. Then I add the rifle to my certificate I then put it in the safe. When I send in my notification I put in a covering letter explaining the situation. I then go and shoot my new old rifle.
I have never required the use of a RFD
The procedure sometimes differs from force to force it's best to contact your local firearms department for advice.
Re: Moving antique/obsoletes on and off an fac
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 10:42 am
by FredB
Most of my shooting is with obsolete calibers. I see something interesting, buy it and then start researching loading data, brass and dies, (if dies are needed). I usually end up modifying a lot of donor brass.
I then put in the required variation, explaining that the gun is already in my position as an antique / curio. Thus is often the end of the story, but I have had guns that i have never been able to develop really accurate loads for. The last example was a .320 Rook Rifle which i got to group at 25m but was never happy with its 50m performance. This lay in wait till I needed another variation for the next project----I submitted a "one for one" variation to take it off ticket and it now hangs on the gun room wall with its antique / curio status restored.
Over the last 15 years or so, I have done this many times, sometimes selling an antique that I have lost interest in to replace it with a new challenge and sometimes keeping it as a collectors item. The thing to remember is that there is no such thing as "antique / obsolete" ammunition. You must not hold even a single round for a gun held off-ticket as a collectors item.
Fred