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

I'm hoping to participate in various matches / shooting events that are usually shot on private land. What permission wording would you recommend I ask for that would cover this ? I don't plan on hunting and will only ever shoot on land approved for the use of the calibre I intend to use.

Any suggestions ?

who is organising the matches? and what would you be shooting with?

If it is not shooting on a certified or approved range then you will need the land named on the FAC, a semi-open ticket or a full open ticket.
Whatever you do you must comply with the conditions on your FAC whatever they are and however they are worded.

Also check your insurance, will your hunting/stalking insurance cover target shooting or will they think of it as extended zeroing?

Mattnall wrote:If it is not shooting on a certified or approved range then you will need the land named on the FAC, a semi-open ticket or a full open ticket.
Whatever you do you must comply with the conditions on your FAC whatever they are and however they are worded.

Also check your insurance, will your hunting/stalking insurance cover target shooting or will they think of it as extended zeroing?

Can you just clarify the red marked meaning for those that don't know the meaning

Is your current ticket based on target shooting or hunting/pest control? Target shooting is usually at Home Office approved clubs only. An open ticket for hunting/pest control would allow you to decide if the range you are shooting on is safe. I don't think you can get an open ticket till you have been hunting etc for a fair while.

bofor wrote:

Mattnall wrote:If it is not shooting on a certified or approved range then you will need the land named on the FAC, a semi-open ticket or a full open ticket.
Whatever you do you must comply with the conditions on your FAC whatever they are and however they are worded.

Also check your insurance, will your hunting/stalking insurance cover target shooting or will they think of it as extended zeroing?

Can you just clarify the red marked meaning for those that don't know the meaning

An open condition would read something like; "The firearms listed on this certificate shall be used for shooting vermin or any other lawful quarry and for zeroing on ranges or land over which the holder has lawful authority to shoot."

A semi-open condition would be similar but may restrict the holder to either one particular firearm, one particular quarry or one/more piece of land.

A closed condition will specify the land (or state that the land has to be cleared by the Chief Constable), firearm and quarry.

To the OP; BEFORE speaking with the police, talk to the other people, especially the match organisers about what their certificates say AND mention that it may be your intention to approach the police for a condition to be added to your FAC to cover you for the competition. I'm sure advice will be forthcoming

Holy thread resurrection, Bofor! that was 14 months ago.

Basically what Blackstuff said, difference between shooting legal quarry anywhere you think it is safe, and shooting what you've been told you can over named land. (Shooting includes zeroing, but competition use may be a bit trickier to explain away if anyone questions the use.)
Both cases you must have landowner's permission of course.

To get a purely target shooting condition your police force will most likely need to see full membership of a Home Office approved club. However that won't get you a condition to shoot on other land though.

didnt they change the wording a couple of years ago to allow folk to shoot on ranges where there is adequate insurance in place, so as to allow ranges to hold competitions that where open to non members (I am thinking of Orion and WMS )

Possibly, I have seen FACs from several different counties this year and the wording is nowhere near standard and often contradictory if taken literally.

One of my FACs says the firearms "...may only be used for target shooting, and whilst a member of a Home Office Approved Club, and on ranges suitable for that class of firearm and with adequate financial arrangements in place..."

So that nails it down tight

But then the next condition says "all firearms to which this FAC relates may be used for pest control, deer stalking and for zeroing on ranges or over land which the holder has permission to shoot with that class of firearm". No mention of financial arrangements and basically opens it up to cover anywhere not covered in the previous condition.

When I had all the pest control conditions on my FAC they were worded to be contradictory to the target shooting ones like that . I did get them changed after a while though.