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Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 9:27 am
by Mauserbill
Hello
Can any RFDs advise on this question, I am interested in purchasing a rifle that I have seen for sale my problems are as follows.
1) Its located remotely from me and I cannot complete a F2F tansaction, this would not usually be a problem if I could send my FAC.
2) My FAC expired early December due to the delays in renewal, but I have been sent a letter authorising my license extention untill end of January.
would this be acceptable for the puchase under the present renewal cicumstances. I will obviously check with my FEO but wanted to get an RFDs view on the situation

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 9:59 am
by Christel
In a word, No.

There is no certificate to sign the rifle onto.

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:54 am
by 20series
I had the same problem 10years ago when my renewal was delayed and I was issued a section7. Your only hope is that the seller will keep hold until your FAC is back

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 2:35 pm
by hitchphil
Cant you do a deal with a tame & more local RFD, that they acquire it on your behalf, you cover the costs of doing that & pay a storage fee till you can collect it with reissued FAC?

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 2:55 pm
by Christel
That is breaking the law. No slot, no gun.

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 3:19 pm
by Pete
Only if you pay a deposit up front.......the RFD might be acquiring it for his own stock.

Of course, you'd have to be good mates... teanews

Pete

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 3:34 pm
by Chapuis
Mauserbill wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 9:27 am Hello
Can any RFDs advise on this question, I am interested in purchasing a rifle that I have seen for sale my problems are as follows.
1) Its located remotely from me and I cannot complete a F2F tansaction, this would not usually be a problem if I could send my FAC.
2) My FAC expired early December due to the delays in renewal, but I have been sent a letter authorising my license extention untill end of January.
would this be acceptable for the puchase under the present renewal cicumstances. I will obviously check with my FEO but wanted to get an RFDs view on the situation
An interesting situation that most of us have probably never encountered before until the fairly recent changes to automatically extend the duration of a FAC if the renewal is applied for at least 8 weeks before expiry date.
The question has to be is the FAC really extended or has it reverted to the status of something similar to a temporary permit?

Just thinking aloud here but I presume you can still purchase ammunition using your "extended FAC" along with the letter confirming its 8 week extension, after all it is still a valid FAC.
If that's possible what's to prevent you from purchasing a firearm using the same FAC provided you have the necessary slot on the certificate for it. The extended FAC is either valid or its not.
More to the point what does the selling RFD think of the situation and would he be prepared to accept your FAC as valid?

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 3:40 pm
by Mattnall
Technically if the local RFD buys it and just happens to keep it by for a few months you could buy it from them later when your FAC comes back.

You buying it and storing it at the RFD is not legal, technically, as you don't have a spare slot in which to possess it, and owning it confers some sort of possession in law.

Like so much of the firearms law it is a shambles and not fit for purpose.

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 3:43 pm
by Mattnall
Chapuis wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 3:34 pm
Just thinking aloud here but I presume you can still purchase ammunition using your "extended FAC" along with the letter confirming its 8 week extension, after all it is still a valid FAC.
If that's possible what's to prevent you from purchasing a firearm using the same FAC provided you have the necessary slot on the certificate for it. The extended FAC is either valid or its not.
More to the point what does the selling RFD think of the situation and would he be prepared to accept your FAC as valid?
This is an interesting point and provided you still have the 'current' extended FAC (you shouldn't have to send it back on renewal) it might be possible.

I'll try and ask the questions next week when the workers are back in the office, assuming I can get one of them to answer their phone.

Re: Firearm acquisition without a FAC upto date renewal

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:37 pm
by Sim G
I read it as, your certificate is still valid. Hence acquisition is, providing you have an available open variation, still available to you and lawful.

1968 Act, s28B

“The certificate continues in force by virtue of this subsection until whichever of the following events occurs first—

(a)the chief officer determines whether or not to grant the application;

(b)the extension period ends.”