meles meles wrote:A simple phone call to the Home Office Firearms Licencing Unit (contact details used to be in Guidance) to inform them that your local police are overstepping the mark, possibly with a comment to your local MP, is all that is required. The police need never know who made the complaint.
In theory fine...then see how long it takes your next variation to come through.
You are of course 100% right, licensing is by calibre, but try telling that to a seller or an RFD that does not want to risk all by testing just how far they can push it.
My lot are a prime example. Because the boss still thinks that .308 is a deer round, they baulk at giving it to you for a target rifle.
They would only give me 7.62x51 and not 7.62x51/308 or 308.
The excuse was "That's what we always give them for target rifles"....so I pointed out that there probably has not been a new rifle in that chambering for decades and .308 was usually the default (it is in F/TR anyways).
It took the fact that my RFD had suggested I made a complaint because it was a silly statement and I had every reason to own.
This was awkward as the complaints system would cause a lot of delays, and is pretty unpleasant for all involved, and bloody unnecessary, particularly between colleagues.
They shifted eventually, and I have had no issues since (although I think that is more down to the FEO being a colleague and knowing I am no hassle).
My point being that it was all pointless and a waste of time and effort (the had to re issue me a new FAC...what a waste of time).
And I still have not gone crazy ape batshit and taken out a shopping mall full of innocents....funny that.
I really think that there are many, many ways in which the various forces could ease their loads just by sticking to statute end not re-inventing the wheel/guidance.
My CC is the ACPO Lead. I would love an hour in a room with him for a coffee, or better still take him to an open day/just shooting and let him see just what a friendly, law abiding bunch we are party2
The law even makes that neigh on impossible in a low key way.
Dave, for what its worth...on post, I would have it in a blink if I had the cash/slot