Given the British reputation both on and off line as a nation where guns are incredibly tightly controlled, I'm genuinely surprised nobody has noded this in the 25 years this place has been active. And yes, I've checked under shotgun certificate and firearms certificate and similar as well. In fact it is one of the few nations in the entire world where the police are not routinely armed, which made the attendees of the George Floyd protests in London in 2020 chanting "hands up don't shoot" somewhat confusing, but that's a whole other node. For the record, I support gun control generally, but I do think that our gun control has suffered from the modern legislative malaise of Something Must be Done, This Is Something which I'll discuss briefly at the end.
The UK has one of the lowest rates of mass shootings, or indeed shooting deaths generally, in the Western world. Though not the lowest murder/homicide rates, though; our ne'er do wells prefer stabbing (and that is resolutely on the up especially in London.) Part of the reason for this is that guns are very, very tightly controlled. Now that doesn't mean that they're impossible to obtain legitimately, because they totally are. I suspect that I know people personally who could know other people that could get me a gun illegitimately if I asked around. Like drugs, banning them doesn't mean they don't exist. However, if you want a gun legitimately, there are still legal avenues by which you can get one. And in this node, I'm going to explain how and give a bit of historical context as to this.
Basically, it all goes back to the Firearms Act 1968 and its various amendments. This Act classifies guns as one of three types: shotguns, firearms, and prohibited weapons. There's also a separate regime for explosives so you can't get away with grenade firing crossbows or anything hilarious like that. A gun is defined as any item with a barrel and which launches a projectile with more than a given amount of muzzle energy. It does not matter how the projectile is launched, whether it is by a chemical propellant, black powder, compressed air or gas, or even electromagnetics so you can't get around it by building a coilgun. A railgun though may not be caught by the act because it doesn't necessarily have a barrel. A crossbow is also not caught by the act because it has a groove. If it falls into this definition, then it is regulated.
1. Shotguns
A shotgun is any gun with a smooth bore and which propels three or more projectiles with each round and has a maximum number of rounds between reloads of three. Therefore, you can have a break action double-barrel (be it side by side, if you're all the gear and no idea, or an over and under, if you're a sensible person), or a pump gun or a semi-automatic shotgun so long as it has a maximum load of 2+1 rounds. There is no limit on the mass of the rounds that are fired, merely the number and type. This is to prevent people from getting around the stricter firearms certificate régime by using solid shot to have a rifle by the back door. Also it keeps exotic weapons like the Pancor Jackhammer right out. The licencing régime for a shotgun is known as the shotgun certificate. The main difference between this and the stricter firearms certificate is that whereas with a FAC you have to show a valid reason for your ownership of a firearm, with a shotgun you do not. You can have one for any reason or no reason, and it is for your local Police to give valid reasons why you should not be allowed one upon your making of an application for same. That being said, saying "to shoot burglars" on your application will generally get it rejected in short order and also probably you put on a watch list.
The process varies by local Police area. In my area, though, generally, the process is something like this. You put in your application and with it you have to have a form downloaded from your local Police's website which you have given to your GP which asks questions about your mental and physical health as well as if you are on any medication which may be behaviour altering. It is not a total impediment that you cannot have a SGC if you are on medication or currently suffer from or have ever suffered from the black dog or schizophrenia but this must be taken into account. If you're taking your medication and your GP is satisfied that it's under control, it's generally not a problem. You also have to answer the same about other people who live with you. Once that is done, after an inordinately long waiting period because this is considered back of the queue Police work (although it is arguable that since justice delayed is justice denied if they sit on it unduly that's likely litigable), an appointment will be made with the Firearms Enquiry Office, a PC whose job it is to specifically follow up this thing, in person, at your premises where you intend to keep the shotgun, to interview you.
Usually the interview consists of reviewing your security arrangements, considering who else lives with you, checking you know the fundamentals of gun safety ("never ever let your gun pointed be at anyone" as the poem goes), and also a general "sniff test" to see if you're a fit and proper person to be allowed to have something that can kill people if misused or mishandled. Also there is a criminal records check and some forces do an enhanced CRB check as well. Basically, if you're a professional person in your mid thirties in full time employment and a proper approved gun cabinet in which only you store the keys and know where they are and store your ammunition separately, and you and nobody in your home has any sort of criminal record, you're more likely to get it than if you have a load of markers for violent offences and are known to be addicted to drugs or alcohol. It is claimed that since Jake Davison went on his shooting rampage in Plymouth in 2021 that Police officers are scrutinising your social media, so it may be worth changing your name on Faceache, Instacrap, and X, formerly Twitter, and possibly even deleting them altogether, but you are not required to actually disclose all your online postings. FEOs also don't like evidence of people behaving recklessly with guns, so if there's a video of you at a wedding in the Middle East engaging in celebratory full auto, you might want to not post that. In terms of security arrangements, you need to have a proper locked cabinet bolted to a load-bearing wall or concrete floor of an approved type and to keep the keys elsewhere. Code pad locks are permitted also. If you can't do this you may be able to arrange for your gun to be stored at an approved gun range or licenced firearms dealer but this will cost you. It's also a pain in the arse. However given that guns are attractive items for criminals to steal either to sell on the black market or to use in further criminal activity, there's understandably a big deal made about securing your guns.
You also need to provide character references from one (1) person who is a person of standing and has known you 2+ years and isn't a family member.
Assuming everything is all good, you'll likely get your shotgun certificate within a number of weeks thereafter. This will last for 5 years, after which it will be renewed. During this period, if you are suspected of or charged with one of a whole laundry list of offences, your certificate can be called in for a review. You are also required to notify the Police if you change address (if you move to another force area you can carry over your SGC to them, you don't have to reapply or suchlike), if your GP thinks you have a medical condition which might affect your suitability to have guns, and also if people move in with you. If your certificate is reviewed you can be required to hand in all your guns until the review is concluded, which is not something they tend to rush to doing. However a shotgun certificate allows you I believe up to seven (7) shotguns. Though if you can have one for every day of the week and an heirloom Purdy for Sunday best, you clearly have a surfeit of disposable income and no doubt Rachel Reeves will be coming shortly to tax you more.
(Saying that you think HMRC are a terrorist organisation, while accurate, also doesn't endear you to FEOs.)
Anyhow. Moving on.
2. Firearms
A firearm is any gun with a muzzle energy over the lower limit and which has any of the following: a rifled barrel, fires one projectile per round, has more than three rounds between reloads, and similar. These are more tightly controlled than shotguns but a pump shotgun or a semi-auto shotgun with a longer tube magazine than 2+1, will be under this régime. A chap I sometimes shoot clays with has a plastic fantastic automatic which was originally a 5+1 but which he had to have his gun dealer crimp down to 2+1 to be compliant. I don't know why he brings that one when he has a perfectly good Browning over and under because it's always jamming. But I digress. Also a firearm under this regime is a particularly powerful air rifle, a shotgun which is firing solid shot (basically you can have the shotgun under an SGC but the solid slug cartridges require a FAC) and even a captive bolt pistol for use in an abattoir. All these attract the more strict régime to have known as the firearms certificate.
The firearms certificate or FAC requires you to pass through all of the above for a SGC but also requires you to have two rather than one character references. You also have to show a valid reason to have a firearm, and the default position is, whereas for a SGC it is for the Police to show why you shouldn't have one, for this it is for you to show why you should have one. So, if you are into target shooting with a rifle, for instance, you need to show club membership and suchlike. If you're pest controlling or hunting deer, you need to show you have permission to do shoot over which land, membership of a hunting club, links with proper game dealers, etc. It is a lot more tightly controlled. You may ask why. The reason seems to be both cultural and technical. Firstly, a rifle or suchlike can kill someone at a far longer range than a shotgun. Now shotguns aren't as short range as vidya would have you believe; you can dust a clay at 70 metres if you middle it and even at that range you can seriously maim or kill someone hitting them centre of mass. But a rifle, even a small little .22 centre fire, that can kill someone at almost a mile. They are also far more penetrative. Contrary to Hollywood cinema, car doors are not good cover. A rifle bullet will go through one side of most cars and out the other unless they hit the engine block. The cultural angle is because shooting in the UK is generally game (pheasants, grouse, etc.) and clays. Target shooting with a rifle and hunting ground game such as deer is less of A Thing here.
(Incidentally I still have a life goal of going on Come Dine With Me and when they ask whether I made the duck curry all by myself from scratch, to tell them that it was quacking around the estuary just that morning.)
So, with a firearms certificate, it's clearly much more restrictive. The certificate is also limited to that very specific type of firearm, so, a bolt action rifle for target shooting or hunting, or similar. You will have a very hard time convincing the FEO you need an AR-15 with telescopic sight and snail-drum magazine.
3. Prohibited Guns
This is anything that is a gun that isn't a shotgun or a firearm. They include but are not limited to:
- Handguns, which is defined as any firearm without a stock and a barrel under a certain length. These have been banned since 1996. Even when London hosted the Olympics in 2012 they had to pass special regulations in Parliament to allow for the pistol shooting event to take place. Even Team GB's pistol shooting team have to go to Switzerland to train. However I've seen for sale handguns at one shooting range with a bit of metal welded to the grip to fulfil the whole stock thing and given that this was the National Shooting Centre at Bisley (i.e. the premier clay and rifle range in the UK) I'm pretty sure this is legal.
- Sawn off shotguns, because any shotgun or firearm with a barrel under a certain length is banned. And rightly so. Why do you need a sawnoff other than to commit an armed blag anyhow.
- Full automatic rifles or burst fire rifles. Banned since 1987. Full auto is a meme anyhow. RATATATATATATATATATATATATATA and most of it misses. You aren't in a war zone and you aren't forcing people to keep their heads down.
- Rifles bigger than .22 rimfire of a pump action or self loading nature. 5.56 NATO? How about 5.56 NA-NO!
- Bump stocks. Banned since 2017 I think.
- Any projectile which explodes or gives off a noxious or toxic gas. No grenade launchers or rocket launchers for you.
Possession of these is an offence, as is possession of a shotgun or firearm without the appropriate licence. There's also licencing of dealers, clay ranges and shooting ranges, and so forth. Interestingly, you don't have to have an SGC or FAC to possess ammunition but you do need to have it to purchase it in the first place.
Now, what do I think about all this? Like I said, I'm generally supportive of gun control and I think the regime we have strikes a balance between allowing the legal and legitimate uses of guns while taking steps to impede getting them into the hands of ne'er do wells and maniacs. Now I am well aware that it will never be possible to completely stamp out all illegal firearm possession, but the regime does provide a serious roadblock to bad actors seeking to get their hands on firearms. A measure of the success is this. When there are mass shootings in the UK, they are incredibly rare, and often use legally held firearms. Firearms offences are something that our police take incredibly seriously as well. However, because of their rarity, it does lead to gun control suffering from that modern malaise of Western legislatures that is the idea that Something Must Be Done, and This Is Something:
- In 1987, Michael Ryan shot up Hungerford. His motive will never be known, but there were clearly mental health issues to the point at which his final words were "Hungerford must be a bit of a mess. I wish I had stayed in bed." The Hungerford massacre led to the banning of semi-automatic rifles above .22 rimfire and of pump or auto shotguns higher than 2+1 magazine capacity. However the fact remains that people had concerns about his trustworthiness to legally hold the guns he used in the massacre but which were not acted on. This will be a pattern as you will see. Something Must be Done, This is Something.
- In 1996, Thomas Hamilton, a suspected paedophile, with legally held handguns, shot up a school in Dunblane. The aftermath of that saw the banning of all handguns UK wide. Once again, people had concerns about his trustworthiness to legally hold guns, but which were not acted on even when reported to Police. There is also a theory that he was rather chummy with a senior Police officer in his area of Scotland which led to said concerns being memory holed, but the point is, the Police were asleep at the switch. Something Must be Done, This is Something.
- In 2021, Jake Davison, a morbidly obese terminally online incel, took his legally held shotgun and shot up his area of Plymouth. Although his online postings weren't known about before the fact, he was suffering from depression and undergoing therapy via the NHS. They knew, or should have known, that he had a shotgun certificate and should have reported their concerns which they said they had. Moreover he had his SGC reviewed and his guns confiscated in 2020 over an allegation of assault, but they were subsequently returned. In short, someone was asleep at the switch. However it then became policy or guidance after that for all SGC / FAC applicants to have their social media scrutinised, and some forces, including Devon & Cornwall Police, were reported to be systematically working through existing applicants to check their online activity. Something Must Be Done, This Is Something.
There is also in my view a somewhat knee-jerk disgust in the UK towards guns in current year. I suspect it is because of the depressing regularity with which American mass shootings make the news here. Yes, we know they can kill people. That is why they're kept locked up and unloaded and separate from the ammunition and gun safety is practiced at all times, so much so that there's a poem about it that most clay shooters and game shooters in the UK learn by heart. Amongst shooters, people cocking about with guns online is viewed with great disgust because it really is neither big nor clever. But, if they are kept securely stored and locked up and unloaded and people practice proper gun safety, your chances of being shot are very low indeed compared to the States. I like clay shooting. I find it satisfying to middle a simultaneous pair and besides it gets me out and touching grass. I don't feel the need to own a wall full of wild and wonderful weaponry. I have never really been an ammosexual as the term is. Yet sometimes I have found that disclosing this gets me looked at funny in certain circles. I also suspect class hatred as well. You like shooting, you must be some sort of countryside toff. Nope. You meet all sorts shooting. It isn't the preserve of the landed gentry any more and hasn't been since the 1980s. Even the side-eye you might get going to a game shoot with an over and under (formerly seen as declassé compared to a side by side and used to be nicknamed things like a "Essex fencepost" or a "bank job special") is no longer a thing. But especially amongst urbanites, they still think this. Or that you're Farmer Palmer from Viz and feed beefburgers to swans.
Anyhow. That's all I've got here. This writeup is of necessity incomplete because there's some quite intricate rules concerning antique firearms and muzzle loaders as well, but I think I've covered most of the bases here. And of course, nothing in this is intended as a substitute for legal advice. If you have applied for and been refused a SGC or FAC and/or had your existing one removed or placed under review, go and get independent legal advice rather than googling for what to do.
(IN24/17)