Applying for a Shotgun Certificate
I meet new shooters at the club who seem phased about getting their licence. It's not meant to be 'difficult' process. In a nutshell you need to search for your local police force's firearms licensing department and follow the application instructions.
After about a month (give or take a month!) you will get a phone call from your local firearms licensing officer who will want to come to your house to interview you and inspect where and how you propose to store your shotgun(s). In my experience this was a friendly chat about my how far pellets travel, using non-toxic shot for wild-fowling and where I was going to put my cabinet.
Over the last few years, I have found my local firearms licensing department nothing but helpful. Above all don't be afraid to contact them with any problems or questions.
After about a month (give or take a month!) you will get a phone call from your local firearms licensing officer who will want to come to your house to interview you and inspect where and how you propose to store your shotgun(s). In my experience this was a friendly chat about my how far pellets travel, using non-toxic shot for wild-fowling and where I was going to put my cabinet.
Over the last few years, I have found my local firearms licensing department nothing but helpful. Above all don't be afraid to contact them with any problems or questions.
Buying and Installing your Gun Cabinet
When the police come to interview you, it can speed up the process if a cabinet is already fitted. If you are approved, they will post you your SGC and you are free to go and buy your first shotgun. However…
If you install a cabinet and they’re not happy, then you won’t get the licence until the problem is fixed. Worse still, you may be stuck with a cabinet you can’t use. It’s better to talk with them about security. In my case they came back a couple of weeks later with my SGC to inspect the cabinet.
Points about cabinets:
I got my cabinet from http://www.guncabinetsdirect.co.uk/
If you install a cabinet and they’re not happy, then you won’t get the licence until the problem is fixed. Worse still, you may be stuck with a cabinet you can’t use. It’s better to talk with them about security. In my case they came back a couple of weeks later with my SGC to inspect the cabinet.
Points about cabinets:
- Buy a multi gun cabinet. No one only buys one gun…
- Buy a cabinet sold especially for gun storage.
- It should be installed to a solid wall that is part of the fabric of your house (ie not a partition wall) that is in a discrete location. Corners inside built in wardrobes likely to be a good place, but check with you licensing officer.
- Make sure it is flush to the wall, even if this means cutting out skirting board. If you can get your fingers behind it, you can get a crowbar behind it.
I got my cabinet from http://www.guncabinetsdirect.co.uk/
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