Question on UK fiream laws for collectors

[Peter Laidler]

Before you go down the strong room or safe room route I'd get advice from the cops. My friend used to store his shotguns together with the family silver in his wine vault in the cellar of his large house out in the country. No window, underground and a xxxxing great steel door with several bolts etc etc............... you know the sort of thing. Not after a couple of years ago as the policeman doing his licence renewal told him that he had to fit a gun cabinet - into the strong room or the licence would be refused, pretty well forthwith!

He was a bit, er........, miffed and told the officer, in writing, that he had no intention of doing anything else and he'd expect the refusal in the post in the next few days. Can you believe the idiocy of the people who are there to enforce and interpret some of these rules?

[Beerhunter]

Would really like to hear what it takes to build a "safe room". Would someone PLEASE describe what must be done ie. construction, materials etc.

Thanks

The 'official' guidance is in the Security Handbook.

When I moved house, the FEO looked at my gun safes, criticised one of them based on no evidence whatsoever and failed to notice that he was actually in a hardened room. (Exterior grade door and jamb, five lever lock and hinge bolts.) Then he demanded that I install an intruder alarm, having failed to spot that I already had one. He didn't even check the rest of the property, which is very well protected. Finally, he made no comment on the amount of noise that my dogs were making trying to get at him.

It's a funny old world.

[bouletbill]

In the UK , the police and FEOs are just gov'ment aparachniks whos ultimate remit is to delete private possession of guns . They have been given the legal right to interpret the law as it suits them . There is no argument for logic or common sense , they can enforce whatever they want . So When your local FEO comes to inspect your security ... if it is non standard albeit obviously (to you) OTT, you should explain the details to him BEFORE he looks at it , to help the poor chap to comprehend what he is looking at . Otherwise , if he does not notice the blindingly-obvious then he will make his own dictat and you have no appeal (ie; safe into strong room) , so if you want to keep your guns , It's best to explain and co-operate . A cup of tea and a smile wouldn't do any harm !

[enfield303t]

Hi

Have a look at this 2005 'Firearms Handbook' guide via this link:

[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Firearms Security Handbook 2005 | Home Office

Regards

Mike

Thanks Mike, read many pages and IMHO it possibly might be easier to build a space ship than a gun room that would make the authorities happy. Obviously written by a anti gun beaurocrat who hopes to drive everyone NUTS to the point of frustration in trying to own a gun??

[enfield303t]

Before you go down the strong room or safe room route I'd get advice from the cops. My friend used to store his shotguns together with the family silver in his wine vault in the cellar of his large house out in the country. No window, underground and a xxxxing great steel door with several bolts etc etc............... you know the sort of thing. Not after a couple of years ago as the policeman doing his licence renewal told him that he had to fit a gun cabinet - into the strong room or the licence would be refused, pretty well forthwith!

He was a bit, er........, miffed and told the officer, in writing, that he had no intention of doing anything else and he'd expect the refusal in the post in the next few days. Can you believe the idiocy of the people who are there to enforce and interpret some of these rules?

Peter... you just can't count on someone having greater inteligence then a Ameba. Boy the laws here are stupid, but your laws set a new standard.