The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

There IS a requirement to produce it for inspection by a constable if they find you in possession of a firearm.

The constable can sieze your firearm/s if you fail to produce.

So if your ticket is in for a variation etc then plod will lock you up?
I cant see it in this day and age with them fantastic computer databases of info on tap at any minute of the day
Once your identity is determined they will just check up on their radio device. That is unless...........your issuing department turned the computer off when they went home in which case your nicked son!

Gazza wrote:So if your ticket is in for a variation etc then plod will lock you up?
I cant see it in this day and age with them fantastic computer databases of info on tap at any minute of the day
Once your identity is determined they will just check up on their radio device. That is unless...........your issuing department turned the computer off when they went home in which case your nicked son!

No.

But.......if you have p*** off the officer or he/she happens to be anti-firearms, he/she can seize your firearms until you can produce your FAC. And although as you rightfully say, this would be unfair seeing as checks can be done via radio, you would have no grounds for complaint as the officer would be acting well within the Firearms Act - it just has not been updated to reflect modern technology.

Its NOT an offence to forget to carry your FAC - it just gives the Police the power to take possession of them without warrant. No arresting.

So would plod be holding unlicenced firearms after he/she took them off you?

Anyway, the chances of plod knowing the legislation are slim to start with.

Persons in the service of the Crown and police

6.6 Section 54 of the 1968 Act is a general provision relating to all Crown servants and to
persons who are members of a police force or civilian officers (police staff employed by,
or under the direction and control of, a chief officer of police). The Anti-social Behaviour,
Crime and Policing Act 2014 gives the British Transport Police the same general provisions
as specified within section 54 of the 1968 Act.

6.7 The effect of the section is that Crown servants, and police officers and staff who possess
firearms and ammunition in their official capacity do not require firearm certificates or
authority of the Secretary of State to possess prohibited weapons. In addition, Customs
Officers do not require written authority to detain, seize or otherwise possess firearms they
encounter in carrying out their official duties. This is because statute law does not bind the
Crown or its servants unless specifically stated in the Act of Parliament concerned. Thus
soldiers would be exempt if they possess a service firearm in, or for the purpose of, the
performance of their duty, but not if they possess other firearms for other purposes, for
example if they possess a rifle or shotgun for their own private purposes.

Chances of plod not knowing hey...

Constable MAY demand..., failure to produce or otherwise show entitlement, Constable MAY then seize and require the person to state their name and address. s.48 offence to either fail to give it or provide false details.

From memory, this forms part of the Firearms component of every plod in training.

A police officer may possess any firearm or ammunition in the execution of their duty.

Sigh...

Gazza wrote:So if your ticket is in for a variation etc then plod will lock you up?
I cant see it in this day and age with them fantastic computer databases of info on tap at any minute of the day
Once your identity is determined they will just check up on their radio device. That is unless...........your issuing department turned the computer off when they went home in which case your nicked son!

No because you keep the original FAC & send in an application form for a variation / renewal & if necessary send a signed copy of the FAC. The original FAC is the only actual document that gives you authority to possess. So keep it & carry it .... I have a copy on web mail i can get at anywhere in the world in case of need.

BooBoo wrote:Chances of plod not knowing hey...

Constable MAY demand..., failure to produce or otherwise show entitlement, Constable MAY then seize and require the person to state their name and address. s.48 offence to either fail to give it or provide false details.

From memory, this forms part of the Firearms component of every plod in training.

A police officer may possess any firearm or ammunition in the execution of their duty.

Sigh...

Are you saying that plod knows all legislation for any particular situation?

Iv'e just asked a member of the family (plod) about this by text and she didn't know.

In all fairness to the Police they will have little to do with firearms in their day to day duties AND have all sorts of other stuff they do have to know and use every day so, like a lot of little used legislation, the details tend to fade away. It's not helped by lawyers coming up with more and more legislation and rules. When I started as a Customs Officer we had ONE Caution to remember and might have to use daily if in the Green Channel and about once a year if you worked in VAT. When I left there were FOUR different Cautions and about another half dozen statements that had to be made. A small personal use cannabis job went from 2 officers for 30 to 45 minutes = £50 fine and confiscation. To 3 if not 4 officers for 2 to 3 hours for the same job.

Something I came up against today was the selling of a firearm from one license holder to another using RFD's at either end.
In the past I have agreed price, received funds from the buyer and then taken the rifle to my RFD who fills out my firearms cert. gives me paperwork to send to the police etc. He then sends it to the buyers RFD who fills out the buyers firearm cert. job done.
This is no longer the case as I have been told that the buyer must first send his certificate direct to the seller (me) who fills out the relevant boxes etc. then posts certificate back to buyer who can then collect the rifle from their RFD once it has been sent.
So when I receive certificate and fill it out I am no longer the registered keeper the buyer is but I still have it as I've not yet sent it and I have to take it to the RFD to post it!! So where do I stand legally if I'm caught with it.
Seem a long winded way of performing what was in the past a simple procedure