How long does it take to get a variation -boasting time

[Richardd]

I was always told that getting a variation can take weeks or months but I've applied twice and the first was done overnight and the next .... well, read on.

I wanted a 38/357 underlever and was persuaded to get a variation for that and an LBR at the same time. This meant that I needed to join a Club to give me a 'good reason' as I was unlikely to get the slot simply for shooting the LBR over my own land. I was introduced to the Club by an old friend on the Thursday evening and as an existing FAC holder and deemed to be a good enough prospect to be given immediate full membership (rather than 6 months probation) I decided to complete the variation form on the Friday morning.

Police Scotland are customers of mine and, by coincidence, I had a wee delivery to make to their new offices in Glasgow. I trotted off with delivery, £20 note, fac and variation form in hand to French St and went to the Firearms counter where I made my application. I expected to be told to either come back in a few weeks (they are inundated with airgun enquiries) or be told it would be posted out to me in due course but the very pleasant woman at the counter read through everything (double ammo holding of everything, add in the underlever and LBR) and said " that looks fine, if you're not in a rush I can do it for you right now." Nice!

5 minutes later and she's calling me over, "I don't have you registered with a Club", I explained how I had joined the evening before, she smiled and said she would phone the Club Chairman and double check. Another 5 minutes and she called me over again and handed me my updated FAC and ran through the changes. I pointed out a few errors including it being printed upside down and that I'd asked for a 38/357 holding of 500 rounds and she explained that she could only give me the minimum. I mentioned reloading and she looked at me, rolled her eyes a little and said "you'll be back in a fortnight asking for an increase. Okay, I'm reprinting anyway so I'll just make it 500 rounds"

In total it took 18 minutes, 10 minutes less than it took to drive there and included an discussion on the relaxing of the conditions on the licence ("we either trust you to be responsible or we don't. If we don't, the you shouldn't have the licence").

Is this a record?

[Gazoo]

I thought you had to be a probationary member 6 months any way or is that just for HO approved clubs. ?
No offense and welcome, by the way, but I would have thought that clubs would want to know that you can conduct yourself in a safe manner on a range before giving full membership. Just having an FAC or SGC doesn't necessarily prove that as most of us will be able to attest to. The lone , home shotgunner or vermin rifle shot is not always the person you want next to you on the range. Some have flawless etiquette but should still be observed IMHO .

[Richardd]

The rules of the Club allow for the committee to make someone a full member in less than 6 months once they've assessed their suitability. I was introduced by a member of 25 years+ standing who's known me for 40+ years and then they had me at the firing line a few time assessing me. They seemed to think I was safe enough but I was happy to go with their rules had they wanted me back a few times to make sure.

Frankly, there are people of my acquaintance who have 20+ years shooting experience I wouldn't trust to look at a firearm never mind be near me with one!

[CDM5]

I thought you had to be a probationary member 6 months any way or is that just for HO approved clubs. ?
No offense and welcome, by the way, but I would have thought that clubs would want to know that you can conduct yourself in a safe manner on a range before giving full membership. Just having an FAC or SGC doesn't necessarily prove that as most of us will be able to attest to. The lone , home shotgunner or vermin rifle shot is not always the person you want next to you on the range. Some have flawless etiquette but should still be observed IMHO .

I was under the impression that it was a minimum of 3 months and 6 being the norm.
Just found this

"Before becoming a full member, individuals must serve a probationary period of at least three (3) months, during which time they must attend and shoot regularly. The probationary member must be given a course in the safe handling and use of firearms on a one to one basis by someone who is either a full member of that club or who is a coach with a qualification recognised by the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation and governing bodies.

Until a probationary member has satisfactorily completed a course in the safe handling and use of firearms, he/she must be supervised at all times when in possession of firearms or ammunition, by either the range officer or a full member of that club, or someone who is a coach with a qualification recognised by the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation and/ or governing bodies.

The probationary period may be waived, at the club's discretion, for someone who is already a full member of another club approved for the type of weapons, or has handled firearms in the course of duty in the police or armed services, and has a statement from his/her existing or former senior officer stating that they are fully trained in handling weapons for which the club is approved, and is able to use them safely without supervision."

Taken from https://www.durham.police.uk/Informatio ... roval.aspx

[Richardd]

Ah, the difference between guidelines and laws, maybe even Scotland & England. The fact remains that my Club's constitution allows for the probationary period to be reduced or set aside if there is 'good reason' e.g. member of another Club, have demonstrated they are suitable to forego the usual probationary period. The Club has been around since God was a boy so they must be doing something right.

There are many things that the SNP have been quietly and actively cocking up, or threatening to but Firearms seems to be settling down mainly due to the unintended consequences of introducing licensing of airguns which is going to be a 5 star, ocean going, copper bottomed, gold plated, f*** up.

[Richardd]

:) I should add that when I went for my variation the Police Firearms office were fine with my immediate full membership and that, surely, is all that matters.

10 days later, my mate Muz, who also wanted to buy a Taurus 357 LBR, took under 5 minutes to get his variation .....

Scotland is a good place to live despite the government with totalitarian ambitions. :) :)

[dromia]

From my experience and those of others I deal with in Scotland your experiences are an exception and not the rule across the country.

I would indeed be worried about the anti gun regime in power currently mismanaging the country, I was always planning on moving back home but with the current lot of incompetents in Holyrood (and Westminster) no sane parson would relocate a firearms business to Scotland.

Scotland is like the rest of the UK, not the country it was and the change isn't for the better.

[Richardd]

From my experience and those of others I deal with in Scotland your experiences are an exception and not the rule across the country.

I would indeed be worried about the anti gun regime in power currently mismanaging the country, I was always planning on moving back home but with the current lot of incompetents in Holyrood (and Westminster) no sane parson would relocate a firearms business to Scotland.

Scotland is like the rest of the UK, not the country it was and the change isn't for the better.

I agree whole heartedly with that.

I voted no to independence and suffered a whole lot of abuse from the SNP's less enlightened membership when I said so in public and now they prove their ignorance of the meaning of democracy by creating 'justification' for holding a second referendum. How short a generation is in the minds of the Nationalist.

I will be voting 'remain' for the same reasons - I have no faith in today's politicians to either negotiate the mess they've got us into nor to be any more effect or any less corrupt than the EU.

Back on topic, in the last 3 or 4 years my dealing with Firearms Licensing has been far smoother and easier than I had been led to expect. Treating them like the enemy will make them the enemy I suppose.

[dromia]

Treating them like the enemy will make them the enemy I suppose.

What prompted that?

[ovenpaa]

I have been a member of clubs that have taken me on as a full member on the spot, usually based on being an existing FAC holder and a 15 minute chat, in fact I can only think of one instance where I was a probationer in the last 10 years.

There a specific previously localish club I chose not to join as I was expected to start off at the very bottom, I had no issues with that side, the problem was the probationary process seemed incredibly onerous, long winded and not to my taste. They were bloody expensive as well...