My FAC "Journey"

[Lead-Fouling]

I'm a SGC holder who has recently gotten into practical shotgun and have been "forced" therefore to confront the faff of a FAC! Something I looked forward to avoiding with my SGC/ clay pigeon interest. I am taking next year out of work, a full 12 months, to pursue shooting I've always felt I could be a decent competitor and want to test my theory, it was simply impossible to get any regular time off work (hard work to save enough to support me for 12 months with limited earning) to get decent practice in regularly or to compete properly. So I have 12 months to make my mind up! Make or break, whether it will be a profession or just a hobby.

I saw another similar thread and though it sounds like an excellent record for future applicants in similar situations and myself for asking questions.

Currently my only interest is practical and I'm happy to continue my stalking as a paying visitor using estate rifles and clay pigeons and real pigeons less so.

I figure since I'm only applying for shotgun slots my application can be a bit more extensive for a first application, this sensible?

Check list:
Gun safe : Done - Previously checked for my SGC
Ammunition safe: Partial - Ordered, need to upgrade my one to one which will take 300 slugs. Current one is far too small.
Referees: Done
GP medical: Done - Only new complaint is some dandruff shouldn't be a problem?
Cheque:Done .
Fill out form 201: Partial.
Join UKPSA: Done
Join PSA club: Partial - Probationary and LOVING it.
Decide on slots: This one is hard!
Photos: Done.
Silly cartridge belt to make me look like a Practical shotgunner: Done!

What slots I want, I figure I will need at least 2-3 one for manual and one for semi and maybe an "open". These will be large magazine capacity shotgun.
300 slugs to hold, allows me to buy 250 lots. In-line with UKPSA guidance and Essex police guidance( as detailed here http://www.ukpsa.co.uk/PSGV6Police.pdf).

Questions:
Can I request "up to 12 gauge"? Or "12 or 20 gauge"? Or should I stick to just "12 gauge"? (Difficulty is also allowing for slug storage as they are of course calibre dependant). 20 and 12 are the only ones allowed in competition AFAIK but I could always practice with a .410 I see no harm in that?

Can I request usage as "Practical shotgun, Clay pigeon shooting and Pest and Vermin control"? I figure once I have a Section 1 shotgun I should be allowed to make use of it as I could my other Section 2 shotguns? Or would I be better to put only Practical shotgun to make clear really that’s all I'm interested in?

The space for each firearm good reason is tiny!

BTW I'm at the mercy of the Met. if that makes a difference!

Once I've got my form in I'm tempted to upload a scan with details anonymized as a "example" form as I think that would have helped me greatly.

[Lead-Fouling]

What do you guys think of something like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Wireless- ... 35ea75fd52

Cheap alarm but seems like it'd be useful to secure a single room and safe?

[dromia]

"GP medical: Done "

What does this mean?

[Lead-Fouling]

Should be Gp/medical as in I'm registered and luckily am entirely healthy other than the dandruff :)

[ovenpaa]

Head and Shoulders

[Blackstuff]

I'm a SGC holder who has recently gotten into practical shotgun and have been "forced" therefore to confront the faff of a FAC! Something I looked forward to avoiding with my SGC/ clay pigeon interest. I am taking next year out of work, a full 12 months, to pursue shooting I've always felt I could be a decent competitor and want to test my theory, it was simply impossible to get any regular time off work (hard work to save enough to support me for 12 months with limited earning) to get decent practice in regularly or to compete properly. So I have 12 months to make my mind up! Make or break, whether it will be a profession or just a hobby.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you won't make a career out of PSG in this country. If you are exceptional and have connections you might get a sponsorship and get free ammo/clothing etc but thats as far as i've ever seen anyone go

I saw another similar thread and though it sounds like an excellent record for future applicants in similar situations and myself for asking questions.

Currently my only interest is practical and I'm happy to continue my stalking as a paying visitor using estate rifles and clay pigeons and real pigeons less so.

I figure since I'm only applying for shotgun slots my application can be a bit more extensive for a first application, this sensible?

It depends on the force and i'm not aware of the mets position on S1 shotguns, but the norm is quite the opposite, many forces actively dislike people applying for non-restricted shotguns and go out of their way to make things awkward. However, once you have shot a number of competitions and can present evidence of regular use then theres every chance you could get several S1 shotgun slots. I know of someone who has 6 but he's been shooting PSG at an international level for several years

Check list:
Gun safe : Done - Previously checked for my SGC
Ammunition safe: Partial - Ordered, need to upgrade my one to one which will take 300 slugs. Current one is far too small.
Referees: Done
GP medical: Done - Only new complaint is some dandruff shouldn't be a problem?
Cheque:Done .
Fill out form 201: Partial.
Join UKPSA: Done
Join PSA club: Partial - Probationary and LOVING it.
Decide on slots: This one is hard!
Photos: Done.
Silly cartridge belt to make me look like a Practical shotgunner: Done!

What slots I want, I figure I will need at least 2-3 one for manual and one for semi and maybe an "open". These will be large magazine capacity shotgun.

One for each division is entirely feasible

300 slugs to hold, allows me to buy 250 lots. In-line with UKPSA guidance and Essex police guidance( as detailed here http://www.ukpsa.co.uk/PSGV6Police.pdf).

250 to buy, 300 to possess used to be the standard for PSG use, however since the buy allowance is no longer relevant, this may have dropped to 250, but ask for 300 anyway

Questions:
Can I request "up to 12 gauge"? Or "12 or 20 gauge"? Or should I stick to just "12 gauge"? (Difficulty is also allowing for slug storage as they are of course calibre dependant). 20 and 12 are the only ones allowed in competition AFAIK but I could always practice with a .410 I see no harm in that?

I've never heard of someone getting that, the most 'open' slot i've seen (and had) is 12bore multi-shot shotgun, which effectively meant i could buy any ACTION-TYPE, but only in 12bore

Can I request usage as "Practical shotgun, Clay pigeon shooting and Pest and Vermin control"? I figure once I have a Section 1 shotgun I should be allowed to make use of it as I could my other Section 2 shotguns? Or would I be better to put only Practical shotgun to make clear really that’s all I'm interested in?

Apply for the gun(s) primarily for PSG/TSG but ask for the clay pigeon condition/use as well. You'd only be permitted pest/vermin if you can prove you have land to shoot over.

The space for each firearm good reason is tiny!

BTW I'm at the mercy of the Met. if that makes a difference!

Once I've got my form in I'm tempted to upload a scan with details anonymized as a "example" form as I think that would have helped me greatly.

Best of luck

[Lead-Fouling]

Head and Shoulders

I tell you what with the recoil on the loads some of the practical shooters use I was probably showering the range with it
36g #6 1500+fps wool rounds "I want to make SURE that steel plate goes down"


give a few years and I'll be the same I'm sure!

[zanes]

Blackstuff, have we discussed this before with restricted action types?

You should just apply for "12 bore shotgun" as a slot.

300 slug is standard.

Clay pigeon should be (as per the HO guidance) an automatic condition for FAC shotguns, but I would (and did) put a note on the application that I would be expecting this condition as per the guidance.

[Lead-Fouling]

Clay pigeon should be (as per the HO guidance) an automatic condition for FAC shotguns, but I would (and did) put a note on the application that I would be expecting this condition as per the guidance.

This must be a silly question but do I put Practical Shooting in the reason section and later on in the continuation sheet write.
"The shotguns to which the applications relates should also be available for use clay pigeon shooting". Or something to that effect? (This is why I want to upload my application once I have my FAC half my questions are silly ones like this)

[Blackstuff]

Blackstuff, have we discussed this before with restricted action types?

You should just apply for "12 bore shotgun" as a slot.

Tell Durham that I have four times They did it on my last S1 shotgun variation after the matter had been discussed at the FELWG meeting.

However, if you're asking for more than one FAC shotgun and your 'good reason' is to compete in different PSG divisions i'd expect that the action-type would be specified.