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

On 5 April this year I put in for my renewal of my coterminus certs due 31 Aug. I thought I would get all the paperwork done, envisaging problems stemming from austerity cuts.

The man came out, looked us over and went away happy.

I'm still waiting. :G

I'm reliably informed that it was posted out 21 Sept after a wee bit of reminding on 19th and 20th. The delay due to the cuts, staff shortages, holidays... :P

Allegedly, it was sent to me second class and The Police Firearms Licencing Dept says The Royal Mail is taking up to ten days to deliver their certs. I could probably hit the Police HQ with a spud from my garden. (Now there's a thought! )

Plenty of apols, no s7 letter, and told verbally not to shoot outside my Police Authority boundary.

I cannot shoot at two of my three clubs...one of which was named in my s1 cert. Arguably, I cannot hold let alone shoot my guns/ammo legally.

I cannot buy or sell ammo, expanding bullets, primers or guns.

I cannot shoot crows in Dale with my club sec.

:|

So RM still have 4 days to deliver?

I must admit if it was me I would be thinking it has gotten lost, you know put on top of that pile of letters and parcels RM have no intention of delivering.

Also it puzzles me a firearms licensing department uses second class.

No good shouting at the firearms licensing department though.

I have a very good dialogue with my Firearms Lic Dept...they are as good as gold. All female, besides the guys that visit.

It's just the cuts. Been great on turn around for 40+ years.

What worries me the most is my de jure illegal holding and using of my guns. And it can only get worse, given that the staff cuts have not long happened. I hope to God my requested variations have gone thru ok...the guy that visited us is the guy that has left.

If anything had happened I wonder what would be the case with me standing in the dock without a current cert??? Would the Firearms Dept come to my rescue??? How would a copper in an area car deal with me and my guns with no valid cert???

In addition, isn't there something about due process?

They'll probably be thru tomorrow or next week...something to look forward to.

:|

In all honesty I don't think there would be a problem "IF" stopped.......

I have spoken to a few shooters this year that have been in exactly the same situation and all were effectively in self imposed exile from the ranges/land for a period whilst waiting for FAC's to arrive

can you not ask for a temporary certificate? I was under the impression that this eventuality was one of the reasons they exist? as to the second class mail, all my correspondence with my local Police have come back 2nd class, even the one with a "urgent prompt reply" envelope in it :)

This is the best reason why fee's should not go up.I know theres been talk of increases for years,but its just not realistic with such shoddy service like this.You'd never accept this kinda service from a garage.

Sim G wrote:In all honesty I don't think there would be a problem "IF" stopped.......

Well Sim G my Police Force have told me not to shoot outside my area...wonder why? She said that our Police force have instructions on how to deal with it and I note from elsewhere that the police car would return that my cert not current.

I hear what you say, but there will be a much bigger chance of getting stopped without a cert when the cuts really bite.

I was advised last week that they had just started processing those due 1 Aug...FFS...imagine the delay if they hadn't sent the little man out to check security etc???

Sooner or later someone will allege armed tresspass and I can see people without certs having a night in the cell...or perhaps a weekend.

The country is going down the tubes.

:|

kennyc wrote:can you not ask for a temporary certificate? I was under the impression that this eventuality was one of the reasons they exist? as to the second class mail, all my correspondence with my local Police have come back 2nd class, even the one with a "urgent prompt reply" envelope in it :)

In my contact with them last week I did mention s7 letter.

Not too many of those have been issued, as far as I'm aware.

In 2002, I renewed my tickets in plenty of time - or so I thought - alas they didn't get their act together - I bought a new house and moved police force area - that didn't go down well - They made me surrender my weapons to a RFD! when I told them of the move - only got their bums in gear after a call from BASC and my Chief Supt' (Who was not in either of the 2 force areas involved!!)

Mike