Before an FAC is granted the police will need to be satisfied that an applicant has "good reason" to possess a firearm, and the two commonest routes to establishing "good reason" are:

a) having shooting rights over land, or  

b) full membership of a target shooting club such as Bradford Central Rifle Club

Note that FACs and SGCs are NEVER granted for the purposes of self-defence or the defence of property.

 

Given that Bradford Central Rifle Club is a target shooting club the rest of this section assumes that the reader is an applicant who wishes to hold an FAC solely for the purpose of target shooting.



 On first joining Bradford Central Rifle Club you will have to sign a declaration that you are not legally debarred from handling firearms by virtue of any previous prison sentences. An application form must then be completed giving your personal details and the names and addresses of two referees who have known you personally for at least two years. The Club will also require two passport size photographs of you, plus the probationary member joining fee. You will then serve a probationary period of six months, during the course of which you must have your card signed by the Range Officer on each shooting visit to the range. When the six month probationary period has ended, and assuming the necessary number of shooting visits has been completed, at their next meeting, the Club Committee will consider whether you can be accepted for full membership. The Committee will take into account your conduct during the probationary period and, assuming nothing adverse has been reported, full membership will normally be granted at that time. It must be noted however that approval is not automatic at the end of the six months and the Club do reserve the right to refuse membership without having to give a reason. Assuming that full membership is granted, you will then be in a position to apply for an FAC. (The police will not entertain applications for an FAC under any circumstances while you are still a probationary member).

 When completing the FAC application there are a couple of sections which are particularly worthy of note.  One of these asks whether you have ever been convicted of any offence at any time.  Do NOT be tempted to "forget" even the most trivial offence, no matter how long ago it was.  The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does NOT apply when applying for an FAC and the police DO check thoroughly. Previous convictions do not always necessarily mean refusal to grant an FAC, but if you do not declare an offence and it is revealed by the police checks, then you will certainly be refused and will also be looking at a prosecution for having made a false declaration to obtain an FAC.

 The second section which needs careful attention is that relating to the two referees who will support your application.  These people will be required to complete a questionnaire about you and return it direct to the police, without you seeing what they have written. Members of your family are not permitted to act as referees, nor are serving police officers, nor a Registered Firearms Dealer.  Since the application relates to target shooting, one of the referees must be an official of an approved target shooting club

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 When the FAC application is received by the police along with the necessary fee, they will make an appointment with you to come and inspect your home and your security arrangements for storing the firearms and ammunition. When applying for the FAC, it is sensible to specify the number of firearms for which you can demonstrate "good reason" and intend buying during the lifetime of the certificate. This is better than specifying just the one you intend to purchase initially, but if the police believe that you are inflating the number simply to avoid the charges for future variations, they are likely to refuse you. There is no statutory limit on the number of firearms or the quantity of ammunition you can ask for, but the more you want, the more security the police may insist on before granting the FAC. Seek advice from established Club members on this point, as most issues likely to arise will almost certainly have occurred before and will have been resolved. Re-inventing the wheel is seldom necessary.

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