In reviewing my progress so far in stocking my fantasy gunroom with fine guns I have never owned, I note that I have made an important omission: I have not yet nominated a British-made “best” gun. And note that I say British rather than English, because I am tempted to include a Scottish gun – maybe a…
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Firearms licensing in the Thames Valley
“What we know from experience is that widespread use of these [Section 7 permits] places an additional administrative demand on the Licensing Department which far from resolving the problem for our licence holders ultimately exacerbates it.” That’s from a letter sent to me by Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Andy Taylor, writing with the advice of the licensing manager Zoey Evans, in February…
Annual Woodcock Club dinner announced for 2017
The magnificent house at Crowcombe Court was built in the 1730s in the English regional baroque style by Thomas Parker and the interior features plasterwork by Grinling Gibbons. It was described by Sir Nikolas Pevsner as: “The finest house of its date in Somerset south of the Bath area”. The…
Charity clay shoot raises £63,000 for St. Richard’s Hospice and Child Bereavement UK
The clay shoot was attended by some 120 shooters plus 30 guests all of whom were provided with lunch sponsored by Luke Johnson of Pizza Express fame and Patisserie Valerie through Penyard House of Ross-on-Wye. Shooting was arranged by Alan Bewlay of the Throckmorton Gun Club and his team. An…
Should you always buy a gun from a dealer rather than privately?
A: I always think it is a good idea to buy a gun from a dealer rather than from a friend or private person’s advert. Admittedly you will be paying for the dealer’s profit, but this does at least give you the security of buying a gun whose state has been properly assessed and described. Also, if anything…
Lords pass “very helpful” changes to firearms laws
Shooting organisations have welcomed two improvements to firearms law passed last week by the House of Lords and adopted by the Government as amendments to the Policing and Crime Bill. The first of these changes permits an eight-week extension to the life of a firearms certificate so long as renewal documents were submitted eight weeks ahead of its expiry date.…
Firearms licensing – still waiting for a certificate
I read with particular interest David Frost’s article about the terrible state of the UK firearms licensing process. I am unfortunate enough to fall under the catchment of the Essex firearms team, despite being a stone’s throw from Suffolk (which appears to be delivering reasonable standards). You may find it interesting to know that service standards have further deteriorated.…
Key improvements to firearms law passed by the House of Lords today
The Government has amended the Bill to address firearm certificate renewals and expanding ammunition. The changes mean that expanding ammunition of the kind used for deer stalking moves back to Section 1; and if a renewal has been submitted in a timely fashion and the police have failed to determine…
Is a rimfire safer?
A: The conventional hollow point lead bullet fired by the .22 rifle has stood the test of time and is still immensely popular. However, it is known to have a tendency to ricochet if it hits a flint or stone. The .17 HMR, on the other hand, fires a lighter, polycarbonate-tipped bullet at a considerably higher velocity.…
Shooting ground wins rural sporting business award
The Rural Business Awards aims to give recognition to businesses operating right across the rural sector with the Sporting Business Award celebrating a company that is successful not only in terms of the contribution it makes to the rural economy and people, but one that is also entrenched in the rural way…
Countryside Alliance welcomes improvements to Firearms Act
The Countryside Alliance (CA) has welcomed two amendments to the Firearms Act, describing them as “significant improvements”. The changes to firearms licensing, which the CA called for in March, have now been tabled as Government amendments to the Policing and Crime Bill. The CA has joined partnership organisations in welcoming…
Knee-jerk legislation dropped from EU Firearms Directive
A revised set of amendments to the EU Firearms Directive has been drafted, removing some of those proposals that had been criticised as unnecessary restrictions on lawful gun owners. Following the terrorist attacks in Paris last year, the European Commission brought forward plans to tighten gun laws, including a ban on semi-automatic .22 rimfires and new age limitations, despite a…
Open letter from Vicky Ford MEP on the Firearms Directive
“Following last week’s vote in the European Parliament IMCO committee I thought it would be helpful to provide further clarification as I appreciate there are remaining concerns amongst the law abiding shooting community. The EU Commission’s initial proposal to change the EU firearms directive was extremely badly worded and…
The charm of walked-up grouse shooting
Tramping across heather is mesmeric. One step, another; one step, another. Horizons and granite grab the gaze and it’s hard to focus on the small, be it a flutter of brown as a meadow pipit rises or the red of carnivorous sundews awaiting the next midge to err from the safety of the nearby crusted peat. And then…
BASC: The case for ten year shotgun and firearms certificates
The renewal process can be one of the most frustrating times in a certificate holder’s life. All too often we hear of delays, temporary permits being issued, guns having to be lodged and – even worse – people being left in illegal possession of firearms. That is one reason BASC, in September last year, published a White Paper calling…
A year of change for laws on licensing firearms
First, in September 2015, came the report by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) for England and Wales into the efficiency of the licensing system. It will come as no surprise to readers who have the misfortune to live in Essex, Gloucestershire, Thames Valley or Hampshire that HMIC found much to be desired in the way the police…
Airgun owners in Scotland can apply for a licence from today, 1 July 2016
Anyone wishing to keep one or more air weapons will have to apply for a licence under the new law, introduced in the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015. The new rules tightening access to air weapons come into effect from 31 December 2016. Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Michael…
How to introduce a puppy to water retrieves
With the arrival of warmer weather, it has been a good opportunity to introduce the young spaniels to a bit of water work and introduce water retrieves. Though the puppies are the same age, it is surprising how different they dealt with this new aspect of their training. Logan, the black-and-white…
Shooting groups welcome tagging of medical records
A new “encoded reminder” system will make it easier for GPs to inform the police if they believe a firearms or shotgun certificate holder should not be in possession of a gun, following a change in legislation this month. As of 1 April, the application and renewal forms for firearms…