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I would suggest if you are going to do it in the future anyway, just get the hassle of the cabinet out the way now. You will soon want to have them at home.
As for what to apply for, only you can answer that. What do you want to shoot?...
Ammo will be your next concern, apply for the amount you will shoot in a year for each calibre +20% to allow some overlap when you buy a new batch. I have 1200 .22LR and 300 .308 at the moment.
As was suggested to me above a couple of years ago, put on a slot for moderators for every calibre so that you can use them for variations down the road.

The only other thing is when you will buy the guns. All FEO's will tell you different stories on this. Mine asked if I would be buying everything I have requested within the first year. But I have heard stories of as little as 6 weeks. Apply for everything you want and see what they say, but just be aware that they might knock you back if you don't plan to buy them within their dreamt up timeline.

Personally I'd apply for more firearms than that. Four or five is reasonable for a first application.
I don't know what they shoot in your club, but perhaps a LBP or LBR. You could get a 357 LBR to go alongside your lever-gun. Add on another .22 RF, then you can have one each for hunting/mini-rifle/target. Perhaps a S1 12g if you would like to try target shotgun. Or a .223 rifle for CSR. Or something for longer range like a 6.5 or .284. And don't forget a .303 Lee Enfield, every home should have one.

Also don't forget to add moderators for each rifle.

The advantage of getting more is that's it's easy to change one slot for something else if you change your mind, even changing a slot for a moderator for another rifle.

Finally, don't forget to apply for a co-terminous Shotgun Certificate at the same time even if you have got one already. It only costs £2 more but brings your FAC and SGC into alignment, so you don't have to pay for separate renewals.

Triffid

etonwick wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:17 pm Any other calibres that might be sensible to add initially?

This is something you should answer for yourself. Everyone else's opinion will be right for them but not necessarily for you. You know your experience and you know what you like to shoot. When you get the question "why that calibre/cartridge?" and you say "because someone on the forum said it was a good idea" doesn't look good. If you cannot justify it yourself now then you possibly don't need it now.
What I will say, though, is get as many slots as you can safely store and you'll be able to vary them later if you need.

When should I apply for my FAC?
I am currently a probationary member of two clubs.
Club 1 probation ends on January 4th.
Club 2 probation ends on March 4th.

Would it be worthwhile hanging on until my second probation is nearly completed, or just put it in now and trust that the back log here in Nottinghamshire will carry me along?

I should add, that barring the S1 shotgun I would like, each of the different calibres can be used at either club/range.

Forgot to add, that I had read horror stories of how long some applicants had had to wait for their GP letters, so I put mine in last month and have had that signed and returned.
All I have got to do is pay the fee for the coterminous application and put it all in the post.

lovemunkey187 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 5:59 am When should I apply for my FAC?

As soon as you are a full member of a club.

lovemunkey187 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 5:59 am When should I apply for my FAC?
I am currently a probationary member of two clubs.
Club 1 probation ends on January 4th.
Club 2 probation ends on March 4th.

Would it be worthwhile hanging on until my second probation is nearly completed, or just put it in now and trust that the back log here in Nottinghamshire will carry me along?

I should add, that barring the S1 shotgun I would like, each of the different calibres can be used at either club/range.

Forgot to add, that I had read horror stories of how long some applicants had had to wait for their GP letters, so I put mine in last month and have had that signed and returned.
All I have got to do is pay the fee for the coterminous application and put it all in the post.

get it in as soon as you can. you can always elect the other club to be your main club later down the line if you like. my main club on my licence aren't even based at a range

Mattnall wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:00 pm As soon as you are a full member of a club.

bradaz11 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:49 pm get it in as soon as you can. you can always elect the other club to be your main club later down the line if you like. my main club on my licence aren't even based at a range

Thank you.

Will get everything ready to go, recorded delivery next week.

lovemunkey187 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 10:43 pm

Mattnall wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:00 pm As soon as you are a full member of a club.

bradaz11 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:49 pm get it in as soon as you can. you can always elect the other club to be your main club later down the line if you like. my main club on my licence aren't even based at a range

Thank you.

Will get everything ready to go, recorded delivery next week.

You can do it online it only takes ten minutes.

Alpha1 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 12:18 am You can do it online it only takes ten minutes.

It's all printed out and signed, plus I haven't got access to a scanner to enable me to copy the GPs forms into a digital format.

lovemunkey187 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 12:53 am

Alpha1 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 12:18 am You can do it online it only takes ten minutes.

It's all printed out and signed, plus I haven't got access to a scanner to enable me to copy the GPs forms into a digital format.

I see posting it should be OK. Personally I just can not be doing with filling forms in etc in this day and age. I do everything electronically. My Licencing office didn't ask for a letter from my GP they did that for me as part of the renewal. Well I assume they did. I got one phone call from them with a query and if I remember rightly the whole thing took less than two weeks.