FAC CLASSIFICATIONS

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Shaung

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Hi please could someone clarify the FAC laws.
If one applies and is successful in being granted a FAC are you restricted to using the FAC rifle at one and only one location, I.e. peace of land or club/ range. Or can you be granted an open licence where you can use said FAC rifle at any club or land permission of your choice as long as you adhere to the law and safety when using an FAC rifle.
Thank you
 
I’m guessing this would be your first application, so it is quite likely that you may have land restrictions imposed by your FEO. That said, forces vary, and it can depend on what you are applying for (calibre) and why (ie .22 rimfire for vermin control). If it is target shooting it may well be tied to the club you have become a member of or other appropriate licensed clubs (to allow for competitions etc). If a restriction is in place, most reasonable FEOs will review that on renewal. If a rifle is to be purely for target use, it may well be restricted to official club ranges only (ie not zeroing in a farmer’s field).
 
Hi, if this is your 1st grant it will be extremely unlikely that North Yorkshire will issue you with an "open ticket", so you will indeed be restricted to the permission/s that you indicated on your application.
With regards to ranges (apart from your club) you will be permitted to shoot at other clubs as a guest, provided that they are suitable for the calibre of rifle/s that you use, and you have adequate insurances in place in the unfortunate event that you may need it.
 
I'd say it depends on your personal situation.
I was given an open ticket at grant
 
This will all be explained in the conditions on you FAC.

As far as target shooting goes, you will have to be a full member of a Home Office Approved club to get the condition in the first place, and as such a member you are allowed to shoot at any other HOA club, subject to their approval etc.

As a club probationer you now have to go through an approved training regime as part of the HOA club conditions, and this should be covered in that course. If not I would question who approved the course.

As far as hunting goes, it's mostly covered above, but the conditions will again state where you can shoot, and these will be as a result of yhe negotiation between you and the FEO. They can be changed later by a free variation, subject to your personal circumstances.
 
Sarge said:
This will all be explained in the conditions on you FAC.

As far as target shooting goes, you will have to be a full member of a Home Office Approved club to get the condition in the first place, and as such a member you are allowed to shoot at any other HOA club, subject to their approval etc.
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Almost, but not quite. Once you're a member of a Home Office Approved club (which is required for you to have 'good reason' to shoot targets) you can shoot your rifle(s) on "ranges suitable for the safe use of that class of firearm". Not all ranges are owned by clubs and providing they are safe and there's something in place to meet the "adequate financial arrangements" part of the condition then you can shoot on any range. The Home Office does not approve ranges but they do approve clubs.
 
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Depends on your licensing to some extent, a know a few first time FAC 'Air only' ticket holders who were granted open tickets on first grant..

But they were all for vermin control as good reason, if you are applying for target only with no current permission then I doubt you would be given an open ticket immediately

But of course you could use it at any appropriate range
 
Up here at one time almost all first grants were open tickets for almost all calibres but they have changed it .
A lot of shooters up here were surprised when a new shooter was given a closed ticket other than FAC air.

Some never get an open ticket according to my FEO , they stay on a closed one for reasons he did not reveal.
 
Sarge said:
As far as target shooting goes, you will have to be a full member of a Home Office Approved club to get the condition in the first place, and as such a member you are allowed to shoot at any other HOA club, subject to their approval etc.
DRZ said:
Almost, but not quite. Once you're a member of a Home Office Approved club (which is required for you to have 'good reason' to shoot targets) you can shoot your rifle(s) on "ranges suitable for the safe use of that class of firearm". Not all ranges are owned by clubs and providing they are safe and there's something in place to meet the "adequate financial arrangements" part of the condition then you can shoot on any range. The Home Office does not approve ranges but they do approve clubs.
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I meant the approval of the club committee (or whoever would approve you coming along), not the range approval. Having built a LVCF range over lockdown I have gone through the whole "who approves it?" thing, the answer is; the Range Operating Authority approves it, and that can be anyone willing to take on the responsibility.

Poor choice of words, but yes, you've better explained exactly what I was getting at, the "etc" included the "adequate financial arrangements" part and everything else that's needed.
 
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Shaung said:
Hi please could someone clarify the FAC laws.
If one applies and is successful in being granted a FAC are you restricted to using the FAC rifle at one and only one location, I.e. peace of land or club/ range. Or can you be granted an open licence where you can use said FAC rifle at any club or land permission of your choice as long as you adhere to the law and safety when using an FAC rifle.
Thank you
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I've not heard of anyone having restrictions on their license for deer and ALQ , everyone I know has an open ticket and have had from their license being issued . With one exception , his was conditioned for target shooting as part of a club , as soon as he had permission for deer , fox , etc his license was opened up without issue .

There's a long wait for new grants , apply ASAP .
 
Bighit said:
Up here at one time almost all first grants were open tickets for almost all calibres but they have changed it .
A lot of shooters up here were surprised when a new shooter was given a closed ticket other than FAC air.

Some never get an open ticket according to my FEO , they stay on a closed one for reasons he did not reveal.
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Must be very new change my wife got hers 12 months ago open for .243 and .22

A mate in Cheshire only got granted .22LR on his ticket for foxing 😂 he asked for .22WMR and .22-250 and had very good ground with plenty of good backstops And he has plenty of experience with evidence from multiple people
 
Shaung said:
Hi please could someone clarify the FAC laws.
If one applies and is successful in being granted a FAC are you restricted to using the FAC rifle at one and only one location, I.e. peace of land or club/ range. Or can you be granted an open licence where you can use said FAC rifle at any club or land permission of your choice as long as you adhere to the law and safety when using an FAC rifle.
Thank you
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Thing is many constabulary's make extra additions of where you can and cannot go or do etc etc . Some FEOs want to inspect the land Which is rather stupid as there is no safe land only safe or unsafe shooters .
FAC air at modest levels are usually fairly simple to grant, Dangerous game rifles are treated very much more rigorously before grant.
You wont get an FAC at a gun club today as you cannot be a member of one now until you have been on probation . Then you cannot use that on rabbits / fox / deer etc without suitable land to shoot on
There is differences force to force
 
Shaung said:
Hi please could someone clarify the FAC laws.
If one applies and is successful in being granted a FAC are you restricted to using the FAC rifle at one and only one location, I.e. peace of land or club/ range. Or can you be granted an open licence where you can use said FAC rifle at any club or land permission of your choice as long as you adhere to the law and safety when using an FAC rifle.
Thank you
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When you apply if you are shooting as a member of a club state and "other authorised ranges". This allows you to shoot on any other range as a guest.
If you don't you will be restricted to the club you are a member of.
Put down more guns than you need. This will allow you to do a one-for-one variation at a later date without paying for it.
Where I am an FAC has to be held for at least 5 years before they will let you have it as open.
 
cookseyjames said:
Must be very new change my wife got hers 12 months ago open for .243 and .22

A mate in Cheshire only got granted .22LR on his ticket for foxing 😂 he asked for .22WMR and .22-250 and had very good ground with plenty of good backstops And he has plenty of experience with evidence from multiple people
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I got mine in 2012 and it was closed yet my mate got his at the same time and his was open.
I only had .22lr and .17hmr on mine. He had them both also plus a .223 .

Same FEO and Licensing office .

As I said most first time applicant's in Scotland got an open ticket at first grant and people did not understand how some were getting closed tickets .

I had to wait till my renewal to have my ticket opened .
 
I got an open ticket first go for fac air, I had been shooting on the farm for 5 years sub 12 though!
 
2506sendero said:
Hi, if this is your 1st grant it will be extremely unlikely that North Yorkshire will issue you with an "open ticket", so you will indeed be restricted to the permission/s that you indicated on your application.
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They restrict that tightly in Yorkshire rather than the more normal closed approach of needing both permission + land clearance?
 
FarmRats said:
They restrict that tightly in Yorkshire rather than the more normal closed approach of needing both permission + land clearance?
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North Yorkshire have been historically been fine on grants in my experience over many years ( l actually live right on the boundary of North Yorkshire but in Lancs ) . Not had a newb up for a good while though, admittedly , though i have had applicants come over for some experience . Cops just rung me then granted the Candidates , no letters to draft just a chat to confirm
Has things changed ? New shooters in N Yorks got opened tickets, regards for any invites .
 
Bowland Blades said:
North Yorkshire have been historically been fine on grants in my experience over many years ( l actually live right on the boundary of North Yorkshire but in Lancs ) . Not had a newb up for a good while though, admittedly , though i have had applicants come over for some experience . Cops just rung me then granted the Candidates , no letters to draft just a chat to confirm
Has things changed ? New shooters in N Yorks got opened tickets, regards for any invites .
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