Author Archives: dorsetsmallbore

It may be of interest to other Dorset FAC holders to see the progress of this writer’s application for renewal of his FAC, which expires in September 2022.

13th May 2022 – FAC renewal reminder letter received from Dorset Police, about 4 months in advance of the expiry date. Very helpful, thanks.

15th May 2022 – On-line application form submitted. The on-line form was well structured and easy to complete – but be aware that you cannot save it and come back to it another time. Take note of the list of things they say you need and have them available before starting!

16th May 2022 – GP letter pro-forma (downloaded from the police website) taken to local GP surgery. £20 Fee paid. The surgery has clearly had such requests before, and took it in their stride.

20th May 2022 – Completed form collected from GP surgery. A scanned copy then e-mailed to the Firearms Licensing dept.

21st May 2022 – The attached standard letter was received. It illustrates the current scale of the delays that the Firearms Licensing dept have in processing applications. On the positive side, at least they are being up-front about it and are managing expections.

Now we wait…. nothing more expected for 2-3 months at the earliest.

26th July 2022 – Almost exactly 2 months after the application was submitted, the below letter was received. It states that the FAC will not be renewed by it’s expiry date, and confirming that it has been extended by 2 months. Fair enough! Let’s see whether it is actually renewed before the extended expiry date.

27th October 2022 – Five and a half months in, and today a temporary permit was received. It is valid for a further 6 months, which takes us nicely to the (1st) anniversary of the application.
As a temporary permit, it only covers the rifles already held and does not allow the acquisition of any new ones. Not a problem, as it happens.

11th January 2023 – visit from a very friendly and helpful officer, who was most apologetic for the state of firearms licensing in Dorset. After all the usual questions, and several corrections to the police records, a positive outcome was assured.

1st February 2023 – Eight and a half months after submitting the renewal, a shiny new FAC appeared, correct in every detail. Not sure I’d trust the bloke in the photo though – looks pretty sinister to me.

We have all either heard the horror stories, or have direct experience of the problems that the shooting community have been experiencing with Dorset Firearms Licensing. Now, those of us who have been in contact with the licensing service all have a chance to have our say – but act quickly as responses must be submitted by Wednesday 1st June

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FIREARMLICENCE

As your Police and Crime Commissioner I am constantly seeking ways in which to improve the service that the residents and communities of Dorset receive and as service users,  I would very much like to have your feedback and opinion of the Dorset firearms licensing service.

David Sidwick
Police and Crime Commissioner

Please note that the attached Newsletter has recently been published by Dorset Firearms Licensing. Note! to be sure to see the most up-to-date licensing news, follow the link to Dorset Firearms Licensing’s website .
For general news from Dorset Police, there is also a link to the Dorset Police Twitter feed at the very bottom of this page.

Toddy sadly passed away on 13th December 2019. 

An active shooter for many years, often competing in the past at Bisley meetings; from April 1985 onwards, he took on the role of Secretary to the County Association, and he became the heart and soul of small-bore shooting in Dorset. His contribution to the sport has been immense, and in his own inimitable way he has organised and run so much and so many of the activities we have enjoyed.

In addition to fulfilling the formal role of Secretary, completing affiliation forms with the NSRA and generally attending to the necessary administrative tasks, he has organised many of the County’s league and individual competitions – summer and winter – teams of 3 and teams of 5 – 50 and 100 yards in the summer – and has been instrumental in encouraging entries from teams outside of Dorset to swell the competitions. He also arranged three outdoor shoots each year at Piddlehinton, dealing with entries, often doing much of the scoring and the posting of results.

Each year he organised the Annual General Meeting and Prize-giving, gently and tactfully keeping Chairmen in their place but on the right tracks. He has kept us in touch with changes in rules and regulations pertaining to the sport, most recently of course having to deal with all the GDPR requirements.

In addition to his County responsibilities he also acted as Secretary to Witchampton Rifle Club, of which he was a long-standing member. There, and in many other places, he will be remembered with fondness for his sheer humanity, and also for the way in which he would happily give time to helping and encouraging everyone, particularly those new to the sport.

It should be remembered that behind every great man there is an even greater woman!! Paula has been a tremendous support to Toddy over the years,  sorting out refreshments at Piddlehinton, organising until recently the “spread” we had at the AGM, and no doubt being prepared to put up with all the time he devoted to his beloved sport.

In the last couple of months we were able to arrange a long service award from the NSRA, and Toddy received this at the final dinner he attended with his friends of the “Saturday Night Club” – all those who were involved each time in setting up the range for the meetings at Piddlehinton.

Toddy will be missed greatly by the whole shooting fraternity, in Dorset and beyond.

Tony Coulson Alan Motson
Chairman Secretary

Clubs should be aware that the Home Office have now published the long-awaited new fee structure relating to museum firearm licences, club approval and section 5 authorisations.

The document is attached below. For most clubs, the key information is that renewal of club approval rises to £372.