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Following on from the whole YouTube debate. How do people have the ability to review firearms? I mean in the sense of being given a firearm to review?

The obvious answer is a RFD ticket? But if not do they have to have hat slot on their ticket?

We have a few RFDs as customers who only deal with testing and have been granted their RFD status accordingly. Typically they hold anywhere between 2 and 5 firearms at any one time. Doing it on an FAC is a bit of a non starter as you will need an RFD on board for shipping in and out and may have to wait weeks if not months for each 1:1 plus I am not sure you would have the opportunity to test as much if not an RFD.

I was guessing something along those lines.

I don’t know enough how the RFD ticket works? From memory to be an RFD you have to be a business to make money?

So a RFD ticket with special dispensation?

Yes an RFD for reviews appears to be acceptable to some forces, from memory your RFD is going to cost GBP200 (I think!) every three years and you will need separate storage for any RFD firearms that you have on site. You will be able to shoot them but only for test purposes and you will need a business plan or something to explain what you are going to do, why and for whom. Some supporting letters from prospective suppliers and some formal links with shooting magazines or web sites would go a long way as well however you could also look to being an independent writing for your own site. DO bear in mind that a fair and honest review may not be what the manufacturer/wholesaler was hoping for and my view is if someone is not writing an honest review then their work is worthless.

There is also a huge difference 'tween a thorough review and someone's opinion.

Indeed, i guess it depends what pretext you were to obtain said firearms on!