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

If an RFD sells a shotgun "on behalf of a customer" is the onus for the shotgun to still be in proof on the RFD or the owner?

If its not down to the RFD how can I satisfy myself that the gun is safe and legal?

It is illegal to sell a gun out of proof - so the RFD should so check that the gun IS safe...irrespective of the origin of the gun.

Thanks, thats what I would have assumed to be the case however many dealers seem to add "selling on behalf of a client" as a way of sidestepping their responsibilities.

Proof only means that it survived proof and was in proof at that time, it is no guarantee that a gun is safe.

You know what I mean though.

They can add whatever they want - doesn't change the law of the land - rightly or wrongly...
(I view lack of a proof mark as one thing if the gun is obviously safe, but a gun so worn out it rattles like the old Pegasus Bridge with an LGV driving over it = very bad due to the risk of the thing coming apart on firing)

Surely the RFD only gets involved (in the sense of responsibility) if the gun gets transfered to them, i.e. off the sellers ticket?

It's quite common for people to sell through RFDs just to avoid having strangers come to their houses (and knowing they have guns), but the guns themselves never come off the owners certificate until the sale is made.

Blackstuff wrote:Surely the RFD only gets involved (in the sense of responsibility) if the gun gets transfered to them, i.e. off the sellers ticket?

It's quite common for people to sell through RFDs just to avoid having strangers come to their houses (and knowing they have guns), but the guns themselves never come off the owners certificate until the sale is made.

...sort of see the viewpoint, but WHO is then signing the gun onto the new SGC - the original seller or the RFD?
I've never yet seen it happen that the sale is agreed & Joe Bloggs the seller is called out of work/bed to come down to the RFD's to fill in the buyers paperwork.

I've just done a quick Google (that i have should have done before..) and there are cases of shotguns being RFD'd and the dealer refusing to hand them over because they are out of proof.

saddler wrote:
...sort of see the viewpoint, but WHO is then signing the gun onto the new SGC - the original seller or the RFD?
I've never yet seen it happen that the sale is agreed & Joe Bloggs the seller is called out of work/bed to come down to the RFD's to fill in the buyers paperwork.

I've done that at BRadfords and it happens quite regularly at the Mayfair too. But obviously if the seller signs it off to the RFD and then the RFD is the person signing it onto the buyers certificate then they're in the mix too