doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com pigeon shooting in Britain

I've always wanted to try this sport. I'm wondering about getting a visitors shotgun certificate. My son lives in Surrey, owns a house there. Could I use him as the sponsor and apply to his local police for a visitors permit? Otherwise I'll have to line up a guide before hand and do it thru him and that gets to be more of a hassle. You have to commit to dates, etc. If I already had the certificate that would give me much more flexibility. Thanks
Nial

Nial,

Each Police Force in Britain seems to interpret Firearms Law in a different way. Best to get your son to contact the Firearms Dept at the County Police HQ. If your son is a shooter and has a secure place (safe or gun cabinet) to safely store the shotgun when it is not in use, then there is likely to be little objection.

Temporary Firearms Certificates are available for rifle shooters visiting the UK so a shotgun permit (temporary) shouldn't be a great hardship. Note that Pump actions and semi-automatic shotguns are prohibited as are shotguns with barrels less than 24" in length.

Get on it now though, don't leave it until just before you arrive. Just in case there are questions you have to answer to satisfy the authorities. I don't know if there are any charges, but for a temporary permit they shouldn't be much at all.

Sadly, you are going to be at the wrong end of the country for top class Wood Pigeon shooting. Northumberland is the place to go but it's 300 miles away from Surrey. It's a great sport and the meat (breasts)make very good eating.

Have fun.

Harry

nialmac, would it not be easier to borrow a gun over there?
Mike

You've still got to have a visitors permit even if you borrow. If you're going to be shooting a gun you've got to have the license.

Destry

Thanks Harry, I don't intend to shoot in Surrey. I'll figure that out later. Will my son need to get a gun safe? After all I would just be bringing my gun with me and taking it with me when I left the UK. How do people traveling to shooting locations and staying overnight or a few days handle the gun safe issue?

Mike, I know nothing about borrowing a gun in the UK. Is it legal? How many pigeon guides have an extra gun to loan out? That might limit my choices.

You've still got to have a visitors permit even if you borrow. If you're going to be shooting a gun you've got to have the license.

If you want to get some good shooting I'd hire a guide at least for the first trip. I shot them with a friend on his far down in Southern England. It was just strickly luck that he happened to have birds while I was there.

Destry

AFAIK, both are not banned.Only the licensing procedure is different.Upto three shots,both can be on a regular Shotgun Certificate.More than three rounds capacity requires a Firearms Certificate which many do have.

Pigeon shooting is great fun and it is not hard to get.Plenty people offer a day's wood pigeon shooting for about $55-60. You can even borrow the estate's gun.You do not need to have a shotgun certificate provided one of the estate guys is with you.Not difficult and not expensive.I think there are a few opportunities right there in Surrey.

Best-
Vikram

I missed that line, vikram is obviously absolutely correct. I don't know where people ever got the idea that anything but a double was illegal in the UK.

DLH

I thought they made everyone give up any gun holding more than 2 rounds. If its 3 rounds how do they make sure they can't load to capacity in a pump? Do you have to weld up the magazine to limit the capacity like they made them weld up the rifle barrels on drillings?

You're thinking of Australia I believe, they have some law like that if memory serves.

The plug has to be made to where it can't be removed.