Gun storage - exceptions to general rules

[moriraaca]

Hello everyone. I was thinking recently about gun storage. I understand the basis, the "ideal scenario" I'd call it: I have a gun safe (or similar setup) at my home. All my guns never leave the safe, unless I'm out shooting them. That obviously makes total sense, but then life gets in a way with a lot of potential situations where this is not possible/feasible.

I've come up with a bunch of scenarios which are "tricky" - at least to me. My goal isn't to get answer to each one of them, but to better understand the reasoning/logic behind this, so not only I'll know answers to the following scenarios, but I'll be able come up with answers to future scenarios myself. Any reading material you'd recommend on this topic is also highly appreciated!

1. I store guns at a club. I take some of them on my non-shooting day home. I do some kind of maintenance, and put them back on the same day.
2. I store guns at a club. I want to visit a range that is far away, I need to leave very early, when the club is not yet open. I take my guns home the afternoon before, I leave them overnight with me (I'm not leaving home, so I can constantly keep an eye on them). The next day I visit the range, come back and put guns back at my club.
3. I store guns at home. There's one or two however that I almost always shoot at a particular range. I want to rent a storage locker on that range and keep most of my guns at home, but a few of them in the locker at the range.
4. I'm doing a multi-day competition, far from home, I don't come back for the night. I need to do something with my guns when I'm not shooting them - in the evening, and during the night.
5. I'm going on holidays. There's a couple of ranges I'd like to visit while I'm away, but for other days I have other, non-shooting plans. The guns needs to be stored for the whole time of course.
6. I store guns at home. I'm moving homes. It's unlikely I'd be able to dismount the safe, move the safe with all the guns to the new place, and mount the safe at the new place - all during one day. But that means there exist a period of time I don't have a proper safe to keep my guns in.

Again, these are just some scenarios that popped in my head - the list is definitely not exhaustive, and I don't need a specific answer to each of those questions, I'd prefer to learn how to think to come up with answers myself if that makes sense.

[dromia]

Your FAC condition charges you with taking "reasonable" precautions to secure your firearms in any scenario.

In a court of law that is what the judge would look at in the event of a loss of a firearm for example.

If it was taken from your car say, then was it out of sight, was it covered and locked in the boot or was it just lying in the back seat for all to see.

I would do a thorough search of these forums as this has been covered many many times and you will find your answers.

[Mattnall]

I have done all of these scenarios except the moving house one (No6).

As mentioned above, as long as you take reasonable precautions to stop unauthorised access to your firearms then there isn't (shouldn't be) an issue. You will need to plan in advance when going on trips outside of the ordinary or regular ones where you won't know the lie of the land, so to speak.
Holidays can be an issue as some places won't allow firearms in the building and maybe taking the firearms isn't prudent - as an example 10 days on the beach or climbing in Wales with one morning at the local range may be a bit too much, leave the rifle at home and make a special trip later could be the better option.

[Polchraine]

REASONABLE & SENSIBLE PRECAUTIONS

For example: Away visiting relatives for a few days with a shotgun. Take the stock and action into the house, leave the barrels in the car with a padlocked wire running though. Or store both parts in totally separate, had to access locations. Keep the forend with you at all times - even when shopping.

Moving home: Find a friend that can "borrow any shotguns" or lodge rifles with an RFD - there is no easy alternative and te cost will be minor when compare dto your expenditure.

[hitchphil]

Hello everyone. I was thinking recently about gun storage. I understand the basis, the "ideal scenario" I'd call it: I have a gun safe (or similar setup) at my home. All my guns never leave the safe, unless I'm out shooting them. That obviously makes total sense, but then life gets in a way with a lot of potential situations where this is not possible/feasible.

I've come up with a bunch of scenarios which are "tricky" - at least to me. My goal isn't to get answer to each one of them, but to better understand the reasoning/logic behind this, so not only I'll know answers to the following scenarios, but I'll be able come up with answers to future scenarios myself. Any reading material you'd recommend on this topic is also highly appreciated!

1. I store guns at a club. I take some of them on my non-shooting day home. I do some kind of maintenance, and put them back on the same day. - quite normal i do this all the time & with club guns i just take them home & store alongside my own
2. I store guns at a club. I want to visit a range that is far away, I need to leave very early, when the club is not yet open. I take my guns home the afternoon before, I leave them overnight with me (I'm not leaving home, so I can constantly keep an eye on them). The next day I visit the range, come back and put guns back at my club. Same quite normal -take home & store as per others at home - if no gun safe? separate ammo & bolt & hide the action etc as best you can.
3. I store guns at home. There's one or two however that I almost always shoot at a particular range. I want to rent a storage locker on that range and keep most of my guns at home, but a few of them in the locker at the range. Normal - I do this
4. I'm doing a multi-day competition, far from home, I don't come back for the night. I need to do something with my guns when I'm not shooting them - in the evening, and during the night. Best reasonably practicable precautions - separate action & bolt, ammo, keep bolt on you, lock ammo in a cash box chain it to the car inside. Gun in case, maybe a long hoop padlock thru the action or a trigger lock, again hidden & if poss chained to the inside - out of sight in the boot, car parked in the best place (under lights next to tent, near CCTV).
5. I'm going on holidays. There's a couple of ranges I'd like to visit while I'm away, but for other days I have other, non-shooting plans. The guns needs to be stored for the whole time of course. As above in a car or if possible you affiliate to the club you are visiting & deposit the gun in their armoury for a little fee.
6. I store guns at home. I'm moving homes. It's unlikely I'd be able to dismount the safe, move the safe with all the guns to the new place, and mount the safe at the new place - all during one day. But that means there exist a period of time I don't have a proper safe to keep my guns in. deposit in a club armoury or RFD for a few days

Again, these are just some scenarios that popped in my head - the list is definitely not exhaustive, and I don't need a specific answer to each of those questions, I'd prefer to learn how to think to come up with answers myself if that makes sense.

Read up - https://www.gov.uk/government/publicat ... ccessible

[Lever357]

I don't think you are able to store guns at 2 locations - ie some at your house and some at your club. The police really want to know where those guns are. I say this because a friend and I were refused permission to have a revolver on both our tickets so either one of us could take it home. Probably depends on your force and their interpretation of the guidelines

[Blackstuff]

Hello everyone. I was thinking recently about gun storage. I understand the basis, the "ideal scenario" I'd call it: I have a gun safe (or similar setup) at my home. All my guns never leave the safe, unless I'm out shooting them. That obviously makes total sense, but then life gets in a way with a lot of potential situations where this is not possible/feasible.

I've come up with a bunch of scenarios which are "tricky" - at least to me. My goal isn't to get answer to each one of them, but to better understand the reasoning/logic behind this, so not only I'll know answers to the following scenarios, but I'll be able come up with answers to future scenarios myself. Any reading material you'd recommend on this topic is also highly appreciated!

1. I store guns at a club. I take some of them on my non-shooting day home. I do some kind of maintenance, and put them back on the same day. If you don't have a cabinet at home in this scenario I can't imagine the club would let you take them away from the premises, or at least for anything other than a one off. As you say, life could get in the way and you might not be able to return it
2. I store guns at a club. I want to visit a range that is far away, I need to leave very early, when the club is not yet open. I take my guns home the afternoon before, I leave them overnight with me (I'm not leaving home, so I can constantly keep an eye on them). The next day I visit the range, come back and put guns back at my club.Unless you have a cabinet/safe at home I don't think this would be permitted/a good idea
3. I store guns at home. There's one or two however that I almost always shoot at a particular range. I want to rent a storage locker on that range and keep most of my guns at home, but a few of them in the locker at the range.I've never been to a range where you can do this so can't comment
4. I'm doing a multi-day competition, far from home, I don't come back for the night. I need to do something with my guns when I'm not shooting them - in the evening, and during the night.As Dromia has said, this has been covered numerous times on here already. Take every precaution you can so that a thief couldn't make off with a whole/working gun and/or ammo
5. I'm going on holidays. There's a couple of ranges I'd like to visit while I'm away, but for other days I have other, non-shooting plans. The guns needs to be stored for the whole time of course.As above, but if they're being left for significant lengths of time its probably not a good idea. I'd certainly want to be present any time the housekeeping staff were in the room/make sure the guns weren't there at the time, unless its a 'shooting friendly' place that provides a cabinet in the room for you to use. You're probably better off hiring/borrowing a gun at the venue if its possible
6. I store guns at home. I'm moving homes. It's unlikely I'd be able to dismount the safe, move the safe with all the guns to the new place, and mount the safe at the new place - all during one day. But that means there exist a period of time I don't have a proper safe to keep my guns in.I moved just under a decade ago and easily managed to do this, the key was prepping the new location before the cabinet move day and that being my only priority for that day

Again, these are just some scenarios that popped in my head - the list is definitely not exhaustive, and I don't need a specific answer to each of those questions, I'd prefer to learn how to think to come up with answers myself if that makes sense.

[Mattnall]

I don't think you are able to store guns at 2 locations - ie some at your house and some at your club. The police really want to know where those guns are. I say this because a friend and I were refused permission to have a revolver on both our tickets so either one of us could take it home. Probably depends on your force and their interpretation of the guidelines

I had a rifle on another FAC holder's ticket as well as mine and one rifle in the past was on 3 or 4 FACs at once. Either of us could have taken it home and stored it. Over the years it has been removed from most if not all but one of the FACs and replace with different rifles.

A firearm can be on more than one FAC if each holder wants possession and use of it, and suitable slots are available, it is also how firearms can be 'lent' to another in the long term. But to ask for it to be on a second FAC just for storage may be a different story altogether.

[MistAgain]

I store guns at a club. I take some of them on my non-shooting day home. I do some kind of maintenance, and put them back on the same day. - quite normal i do this all the time & with club guns i just take them home & store alongside my own

Now that is interesting .
This is actual fact : Member leaves Taurus LBR at club , locked up with club guns .
Police visit club and find Taurus while checking club guns .
Police opinion was that it should have been stored with the RFD's guns and listed on their register .
FAC was revoked .

[Rarms]

I store guns at a club. I take some of them on my non-shooting day home. I do some kind of maintenance, and put them back on the same day. - quite normal i do this all the time & with club guns i just take them home & store alongside my own

Now that is interesting .
This is actual fact : Member leaves Taurus LBR at club , locked up with club guns .
Police visit club and find Taurus while checking club guns .
Police opinion was that it should have been stored with the RFD's guns and listed on their register .
FAC was revoked .

I would agree with the police. Anyone with access to the club guns should not have access to an individuals LBR