Home Office approved clubs - New members with an FAC

[Individual]

When someone with a valid FAC applies to join a home office approved club, does the club have to wait for police approval/background check before that person can become a probationary member?

All advice gratefully received

[davidh195]

No.

David

[Mattnall]

No, and if the club is happy they can become a full member straight away.

[Graham M]

If the person has a FAC already, then he has already been approved by the police. Even so some clubs may feel it is a good idea to treat them as probationers for a couple of months or so.
I joined a fullbore a couple of years back to shoot black powder and despite being a FAC holder for over 50 years they still put me through a probationers course and made me show that I knew how to make a rifle safe etc.
Thing was, I was told that if I wanted to go to the range at anytime during the week, all I had to do was turn up, open the range and shoot by myself, something which is absolutely unheard of in any of the clubs I have been a member of.
When I asked about what would happen if I had an accident or shot myself, the answer was ......................."Make sure you don't do it".

So there you are, you can pass all the probationary courses you want, but the rules can still be bloody dangerous if you already have a long-term knowledge about shooting etiquette.

[moriraaca]

It seems it's purely up to the club. I don't even have FAC, but I did finish NRA probationary course, and have SSC. I've recently applied for membership in 3 clubs. One wants me to do full probationary membership procedure. In second I'm a probationary member but the rules are more relaxed. In third I'm a full member thanks to NRA training and SSC ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Perhaps one reason is that the first club has it's own range, and I don't know all the rules there. The other two shoot at Bisely where I did my NRA courses, so I guess I know the rules there.

[20series]

Minimum 3 months is the home office rule for anyone joining a club no matter what their experience, Some clubs insist on 6.

Oundle work it that you have to do 6 visits in a maximum of 6 months, if after three months you have done 6 visits then your file is passed around the committee for approval to be offered full membership at the next committee meeting

Alan

[Individual]

Thanks for your responses so far. All useful.

[Mattnall]

Minimum 3 months is the home office rule for anyone joining a club no matter what their experience, Some clubs insist on 6.

Not quite true. The probationary period can be waived in a few instances although many clubs will require some sort of probationary period or maybe an acceptance period for new member even if the exception could apply.

T. the probationary period may be waived, at the club’s discretion, for someone who is already a full member of another club which has been approved by the Secretary of State or Scottish Government in respect of the same type or types of firearm; or holds a firearm certificate; or has handled firearms in the course of his/her duty in the police or the armed services, and has a statement from his/her existing or former senior/commanding officer saying that he/she is fully trained in handling the type of firearms in respect of which the club has obtained approval and is able to use them safely without supervision;

[20series]

Oh well, every day is a school day