Applying for My FAC Checklist and Progression

[Outsider]

With less than a month to go before I get full club membership and be eligible to apply for my FAC, it's time to get my house in order, metaphorically and literally, and start preparing for application. So instead of making dozens of threads for each problem that turns up, I'm making a single thread to keep everything in order as I blunder through the process.

Things to do:

Get registered at local GP: Done. Should I ask for a full checkup before applying as its been a while since I last went to a GP? Or is it fine if they just have my records? I don't have any physical or mental health issues.
Get My Referees In Order: Not Done. A bit harder for me as I've had to move many times, but I have some old tutors at university I can try and some friends I believe I can ask if they all fall through. Should be alright though. Would it be best to ask them, then prepare the forms, put them in an envelope (with a stamp and another envelope to make things easy for them) and let them get on with it?
Buy a gunsafe and an ammo safe: Not Done. I plan to put it up in my loft, harder to access, but A: that's the only real place I have for it and B: it has that added layer of security of having to get a step ladder to access the guns. My only worry is whether the Firearms Officer will allow it to be secured up there so I'll have to have the FEO inspect it before I put money down.
Decide what to apply for and the justified reason: Not Done. I've decided on the basics: 12 bore pump for Practical Shotgun/Target Shotgun, .22lr semiautomatic for Minirifle/Target Shooting, .357 LBR for target shooting, practical shooting and gallery shooting. That leaves me with two slots to decide! Considering .31 percussion for some blackpowder fun and a .223 MARS or something similar in the last slot (it's my least priority as I can only currently shoot rifle fullbore up at Bisley). For ammunition, I'm thinking an initial allowance of 1000 .22lr, 300 .357 and 300 .38 Special plus 300 .223 should be enough.

I'm going to be under the auspices of the Metropolitan Police for this FAC application, so any advice in dealing with them in particular would be appreciated as well.

Thanks!

[safetyfirst]

Wow sounds like you've got it pretty organised!

The only things that stand out to me are the loft : it's less convenient for you to secure your guns as soon as you get home, so you're less likely to. My FEO said this to me when I suggested the loft.

Your ammunition looks a little high for a first application but provided you can give good reason (known batches of target ammo bought) you should be ok.

It's a lot of stuff for a first ticket so its up to the whim of the licensing manager but keep yourself as well organised as you clearly are, provide solid references and you'll be fine.

Some might say you're asking for a lot of guns for a first application but they can only say no so why not....

Good luck!

[Demonic69]

If you've not decided what to ask for you can always ask for moderators.
I agree with SF, the loft might not be ideal as you are less likely to drag your guns back up there after a long day's shooting, apparently anyways!
I think your ammo looks fine, I got similar allowances on my grant.
Your GP and referee plans seem fine too, good luck!

[Blackstuff]

If the loft is the only suitable place for it thats where it'll have to go! Just make sure you make it look easy to get up and in when you show the FEO where the cabinet will be. Might be an idea not to fully fix the cabinet(s) before your visit (but ring your FEO to discuss this and play things down as it might not be an issue for them).

With regard to references, don't worry if your referees (or whatever they're called these days) don't live near you/in the same county, one of mine lives in Kent and the other in Lanarkshire, no issues and thats with Durham!

[daman]

Recieved my FAC from the Met earlier this month, so here goes:

The process changed recently, your referees no longer have to send the reference back. You just fill in their details (with their permission) and send the form back yourself. You need to know a bit of detail about them to do this (I had to ask a friend of 18 years his birthplace for example) The Met will then contact them by phone around the time of your visit.

It should be fine just to be registered with your GP, they seem to only contact them if you point out a medical condition on the application (I did).

Gun safe, if possible I'd avoid the loft. As safetyfirst says, it can be seen as a risk that you'll not go to the bother of going up there. Also, do you realise how heavy a gun safe is? It won't be easy getting it up there, and you might need structural support to prevent it crashing through the ceiling.

As for the guns, I was told by my FEO that the Met does not usually grant more than four on a first application, so be prepared for some negotiation. Ask for moderators, better to have the slots and not use them than need a variation afterwards. The ammo allowances should be fine.

I got .22lr, .223, .303 and .308 with 1000, 300, 300, 300 rounds respectively.

Hope this helps

Good luck

daman

[Outsider]

Thanks for the advice!

I might just drop the fullbore rifle as it really would be the only thing I wouldn't use that often and the other four would be ones I actually would shoot a fair bit. Good advice on the moderators, I'll ask for one for the shotgun and the .22lr at the very least, just so I have the permissions!

As for the loft, it is the worry, but it is, again, really the only place I can put it. I can get up there easily with a step-ladder even with heavy boxes and such in my arms (lots of stuff is stored up there) and I'm in my early 20s, so hopefully I can convince the police that I'm responsible and fit enough to take two minutes to get the guns up there. If not, there's one or two spaces I can try but they'll be a lot more pain. And the loft is very sturdy, so no worries of being woken up in the middle of the night by my safe crashing down on top of me!

I do shoot a fair bit of .22lr so I can probably convince them that I need the stuff but I'm fine with it being a bit lower. 500 would be a fair compromise if I can't get the full 1000 rounds.

Now, just have to get down the range a few more times to put my time in and wait for next month!

[zanes]

1000 rounds of .22LR is absolutely fine and well within the HO guidance for regular target shooters. I'd probably even go a little higher, say 1200 so you can buy another batch before you run out.

If you go for a second .22LR (bolt action) you've also got to consider that the two rifles may/almost certainly will like/require different ammunition.

Centrefire allowances also look a little low, especially if you're going to be reloading.

I wouldn't put the safe in the loft unless I absolutely have to; too much of a worry about condensation.

As for the guns, I was told by my FEO that the Met does not usually grant more than four on a first application

That will lead to a good court case at some point; but of course they know they can get away with it as new shooters do not like to rock the boat too much! Probably worth joining BASC (now) and asking for their advice as/when this issue becomes a problem.

[Demonic69]

Can you bolt it to the chimney in the loft? That's what I've done, though my loft is somewhat converted/boarded.
I've got 1200 .22, I'd recommend that for the same reason as Zanes and it was actually my FLO who advised me to increase it on his visit. Good luck with it :-)

[zanes]

Also bear in mind that you will need an ammunition allowance for 12G Slug if you want to shoot that (target shotgun and some practical stages are shot with slug IIRC?)

[Gaz]

I applied for 800 .22 on my grant (Met) and got 1200. Then again, I applied for 600 in my fullbore calibres and got 400. It's a postcode lottery; if you're in NW London you're likely to get the poo-covered end of the stick. Since moving away from NW London I've had no problems with them.