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

Dark Skies wrote: I seem to recall the local FEO was Peter Laidler - yes, that, one, the authority on Lee Enfields.

I know Peter lives in Abingdon these days, but obviously is no longer in the Army.

Dark Skies wrote: My renewal took three months in 2015. Variations take around six weeks on average.

My recent (Mar 2018) variation application to the Met took less than a week, from posting form to cert landing back on my door mat

I will moving to TVP though by end of this year most likely, so dreading have to adapt to TVP waits/lead times for FAC stuff.

BASC keeps a league table on its website:

https://basc.org.uk/firearms/firearms-l ... orce-rank/

It looks like the BASC table hasn't been updated for over a year, so may not be that accurate;
"*All figures reflect an average taken from a 12 month window between early 2016 and early 2017. As such, performance figures and rankings may not be up to date at the time of reading."

*Update*
Thames Valley North.

1 month(after posting) until a text message to confirm that application was in progress.
1 month untill text message confirming Firearms officer visit.
2 weeks wait before he arrived.
1 week for referee check
2 days wait after confirmation text message that application has been approved and certificate in 2nd class post


Total....129 days
If you knock off the weekends and holidays......90 days.

The text message system at least lets you know that the process is progressing.

Gloucestershire. First grant took 14 weeks which I know is a lot better than many. I put a variation in on Monday this week (because I was a numpty, underestimated how much centre fire ammo I was going to get through and also want to shoot some different disciplines) and not heard anything yet.

I have just been told that West Yorkshire is now 26 weeks for first grant