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In the case of old and rare guns, can the proof house not issue a proof exemption certificate? One of my Type 99 Arisaka rifles was submitted for proof by the dealer before I could take possession of it. The dealer said the proof house did not have any 7.7x58mm proof rounds at the time, so they stamped the rifle with a mark to say that it had been examined by the proof house but not proofed and a proof exemption certificate issued. My other 7.7x58mm rifles were all proofed, or is it proved, though. I just went to look for the proof exemption certificate and it wasn't where I thought it was. I will have to look until I find it now.
Regards
Peter.

PeterN wrote:In the case of old and rare guns, can the proof house not issue a proof exemption certificate? One of my Type 99 Arisaka rifles was submitted for proof by the dealer before I could take possession of it. The dealer said the proof house did not have any 7.7x58mm proof rounds at the time, so they stamped the rifle with a mark to say that it had been examined by the proof house but not proofed and a proof exemption certificate issued. My other 7.7x58mm rifles were all proofed, or is it proved, though. I just went to look for the proof exemption certificate and it wasn't where I thought it was. I will have to look until I find it now.
Regards
Peter.

In a similar vein I have a very unique 1917 Remington M91 Mosin that is all factory original etc and it was very discreetly proof marked under the hand guard and a certificate of proof was also issued.It cost extra for the discreet proofs and the certificate but it did mean that the barrel shank was left pristine as it left the factory…….I just wish I had gone down that route with my 1915 New England Westinghouse M91.

Why the hell should you have to pay extra to have the proof marks put where you want them?

"Proof house" old Anglo Saxon for thieving bastards.

dromia wrote:Why the hell should you have to pay extra to have the proof marks put where you want them?

"Proof house" old Anglo Saxon for thieving bastards.

I agree, we shouldn’t have to but that’s the way it is unfortunately

dromia wrote:Why the hell should you have to pay extra to have the proof marks put where you want them?

"Proof house" old Anglo Saxon for thieving bastards.

They will probably tell you that it was to cover the extra work involved in disassembly and reassembly of your rifle in order to bury their proof mark beneath the woodwork.

I really don't understand though how they can "proof" a firearm simply by issuing an exemption certificate because they can't be bothered to get the right tool, in this case the correct proof cartridge, to do the job. They seem to have the ability to make up or interpret the proof laws to suit themselves.

I have seen a rifle come back from the proof house that couldn’t possibly have been proof fired as there was a portion of a broken case lodged in the chamber that had been in there for decades that would have prevented a proof round from chambering, yet it had newly applied proof marks!.

I only send the barrelled action and bolt to proof, they are too irresponsible to be trusted with wood.

I recently finished my Baker Rifle which I had a slot for. My Licensing Department said they would not recognise it until it had been proofed and that they would prefer it went via a RFD who could sign it onto my ticket. I posted this on these forums before and was told that was a scam/incorrect so tried to challenge it but was told by the Police that is how it had to be. Having then found out that my club needs all firearms proofed for insurance, I didn't feel so bad about having to pay the £80-90 for it.

I sent it up with instruction to post it back to my RFD so they could sign it over but then the proof house closed due to Covid...

When they opened again, there was an understandable long delay due to catching up and to my surprise, I got a call asking 'how do you want it proofed'. Having never had a barrel/gun proofed before, my response was 'it is a .62 calibre rifle/barrel, the service charge for a Baker Rifle was/is ~95gr, or 4 drams at the time they were made with old powders'.

My RFD was closed at the time it was proofed due to Covid, so my FEO allowed me to receive it back to my house, provide evidence it had been proofed with the receipt/certificate and then sign it on myself.

The barrel is now stamped denoting it was proofed with .62 @ 95gr but what I don't know is if that means they ONLY put 95gr of BP in it, or if they put it under stress with higher pressures...

Either way, they applied some wonderful grease to the threads on the plug. Now I just need to work out a way to stop the breech plug spinning out.

I can’t begin to comprehend how wrong just about everything you were told by the Firearms Dept was!

If those charged with administering the legislation and guidance can’t get it right, how do they expect the lay person with casual knowledge to?

I’m really not one for telling anyone how they should do their own jobs, but FFS...

Sim G wrote:I can’t begin to comprehend how wrong just about everything you were told by the Firearms Dept was!

If those charged with administering the legislation and guidance can’t get it right, how do they expect the lay person with casual knowledge to?

I’m really not one for telling anyone how they should do their own jobs, but FFS...

Totally in agreement with you that's wrong all ways.

Aside from the club requirement it didn't need to be proofed unless you intended offering it for sale, and there was no reason why you couldn't sign it onto the ticket yourself.