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Hi All

I'm new to the forum (first post) and new to shooting.

I'm coming up to the end of my 6 month probationary period at home club (Mayfair in Sunderland), the club is a 25m range that mainly shoots Rimfire.

Ideally I would like to work my way up to centrefire rifles - my question is when I apply for my FAC, if I wanted to have centrefire rifles granted on my initial FAC would I need to prove that I am a member of a club that allows me to shoot them? (it kind of makes sense that I would but you never know).

It may sound like a daft question but I would like to get everything on the FAC that I want and slowly build up without having to apply for variations.

Thanks for any advice!

Yes, you will need a place to shoot the full-bore rifles. If your club is NRA affiliated then you already have access to Bisley and everything that entails. Your club secretry could book a target for you to go and shoot at as long as you have an SSC (safe shooter cert) issued by your club chairman.

Hi Craig, and Welcome...

Yes, you're correct... your local Firearms Licencing team will know of your club, and what is allowed on the range, so will only grant you permission to own suitable firearms for that club.

You say "mainly rimfire"... does that mean they shoot bigger stuff..? I don't know your Club, but they may shoot pistol calibre Gallery Rifles, in which case you'd be fine to also apply for those.

If you do want to progress up to bigger bangs, the only option is to join another club with access to centrefire ranges.

I hope this helps.

Daryll.

Thanks for the replies - Yes, club does allow .38 and .45 (downloaded), you can get a club gun .38/.45 lever action and I have also seen people using what I think are .357 LBR.

Looks like I will have to alter my plans slightly and join a fullbore club first, there is a one that shoots on the MOD ranges in Newcastle, I was just hoping to spend money on Rimfire Rifles first before paying membership for a second club - hey ho, I didn't really expect this to be cheap!

Cheers

Craig

CraigH wrote:Thanks for the replies - Yes, club does allow .38 and .45 (downloaded), you can get a club gun .38/.45 lever action and I have also seen people using what I think are .357 LBR.

Looks like I will have to alter my plans slightly and join a fullbore club first, there is a one that shoots on the MOD ranges in Newcastle, I was just hoping to spend money on Rimfire Rifles first before paying membership for a second club - hey ho, I didn't really expect this to be cheap!

Cheers

Craig

Three Counties shoot near you at Ponteland and Otterburn. I have found that the extra range distance gives a whole new aspect to target shooting.

Craig,

Have a word with Jonathan, who now owns the Mayfair and also runs Tyne Valley club. I don't know if Mayfair members can shoot as guests with them or not.

As mentioned there are a few other options to Tyne Valley that have a similar shooting arrangement on MOD ranges (3 Counties, St Georges etc)

Thanks Mark (I think you may have done my initial training?), I'll have a word with Jonathan next time I'm in

Dahonis wrote:
Three Counties shoot near you at Ponteland and Otterburn. I have found that the extra range distance gives a whole new aspect to target shooting.

Cheers, I'll have a Google, I was aware of Tyne Valley - but hadn't heard of Three Counties

Daryll wrote:
Yes, you're correct... your local Firearms Licencing team will know of your club, and what is allowed on the range, so will only grant you permission to own suitable firearms for that club.

Not quite true. If your club is NRA affiliated you have access to Bisley so you have a place suitable for full-bore and the reason as well.

One club I am the treasurer of only has direct access to a 25m indoor RFCA small-bore range, however, many of our FAC holders who are only a member of our club have full-bore rifles to shoot at Bisley (as our club is NRA affiliated) and at other clubs on their guest or competition days.

Mattnall wrote:

Daryll wrote:
Yes, you're correct... your local Firearms Licencing team will know of your club, and what is allowed on the range, so will only grant you permission to own suitable firearms for that club.

Not quite true. If your club is NRA affiliated you have access to Bisley so you have a place suitable for full-bore and the reason as well.

One club I am the treasurer of only has direct access to a 25m indoor RFCA small-bore range, however, many of our FAC holders who are only a member of our club have full-bore rifles to shoot at Bisley (as our club is NRA affiliated) and at other clubs on their guest or competition days.

Had a quick check on the NRA website and my club isn't listed - but could I flip this on it's head, join the NRA as a member and then technically I have access to Bisley?


Also looking at the Three Counties website, the club looks like it accepts non-members with a FAC, so could I say I wish to shoot on one their days as a non member (something which I probably would do) and that would be a good enough reason to add Fullbore rifles to FAC?

Appreciate all the replies so far!