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

Gh0st wrote:

Rarms wrote:Which club have you joined?

Guessing Springview, Luton area IIRC?

Bingo

Les wrote:

Beena wrote:So you’re saying that you do have to have a valid reason for having more than one and that having a collection of different makes isn’t good enough?

Yes, you definitely need a reason, and buying guns just because you want them isn't usually a valid reason.

Target shooting, on the other hand, is ....... and you can have several guns of the same caliber. 2 x .22 single shot target rifles, 1 x pump action and 1 x underlever gallery rifles, 1 or 2 x semi-auto, a couple of bolt actions for sporting rifle etc etc. The heading of 'target shooting' can be used to explain the want er, sorry, the need to have so many.

Thanks that’s really helpful.

Beena wrote:So you’re saying that you do have to have a valid reason for having more than one and that having a collection of different makes isn’t good enough?

Yes, as mentioned above target shooting is a valid reason, as is hunting, pest control, collecting, etc.

The thing to ask is - Why do you want each one?
The answer to that question will be your reason and you will have to make the FEO see that it is valid.
Don't go in with the idea of owning loads of firearms and no idea why you want them.
Find the need and there you go, as many .22LRs (other calibres are available) as you need.

Also bear in mind that you actually have to use each rifle (unless you have a collecting condition on your ticket), the current requirement is at least three times a year. If you've got lots of rifles that can be surprisingly difficult to do!

Thanks for the input everyone. Like I said - it was more of a hypothetical question as I have no plans to hoard massive amounts of guns for the sake of it. I was thinking in terms of if I couldn’t choose between a few rifles and was in the position to own them all, would that be possible. For instance - I like the look of the Browning T Bolt, the Lithgow LA101 and the Sako Quad. They all do the same thing pretty much (well, aside from the T Bolt), but they look and feel different and would be nice to own. I won’t have th option to use one for varmitting so I’d have to justify them another way I guess.

It’s all pie in the sky anyway as I can only afford one and that is a long way off :)

I have multiple slots for two of the calibres I shoot. The first time I attempted to justify why i needed another rifle but after that I just put down on the form "target shooting at Staveley Rife Club" and no more questions were asked.

Most of our new club members put in for 3 x .22 rifles on first grant and tend to get them. Easy to justify 3 for target shooting.

Just as an aside - the usage of each firearm 3 times a year as a minimum is not a legal requirement in any way. It is contained in the Home Office Guide on Firearms Licensing 2016 as below. Our outgoing FEO swore blindly it was a legal requirement at an AGM he attended and he is clearly incorrect ! It is clearly good practise to try and show as much use as possible - but if we have a Club day on a Range - how would the Police ever know what was actually used ?

13.53
Target shooters MAY be expected to use their firearms fairly regularly, say three or more
times a year. The police should consider on renewal whether “good reason” continues in
respect of all firearms held for this purpose. However, failure to shoot in a year should be
regarded as grounds for further enquiries to be made, rather than the automatic partial
revocation of the certificate for lack of “good reason”. For example, there may be personal
circumstances such as illness, working away (where this is not to be repeated regularly),
or practice for a particular competition that may preclude the use of all the firearms
concerned. In some cases, competitions for unusual or older arms may be few each year.
Owners, and especially collectors, may also not want to regularly shoot old, historic, and
valuable firearms, thus avoiding excessive wear and tear

How would they know if you didn’t shoot them though?

Beena wrote:How would they know if you didn’t shoot them though?

Most clubs should maintain a record of what you shoot and when. Not sure if this is required of them legally.

We have an electronic system at the club. Although there could be an argument for maintaining your own records to prove should you be questioned by plod.