Can I apply for a variation to my Firearms Certificate?

Shooting UK is your complete shooting resource. From gun reviews to shotgun licence and firearms certificate information, to clay pigeon shooting, game shooting, shooting lessons and gundog training.

| Next

Can I apply for a variation to my Firearms Certificate?

Calibre is the diameter of the bore before the rifling is cut and that dimension may or may not appear in the name of the cartridge.

By George Wallace

Friday, 10 July 2009

I would like a variation to my Firearms Certificate to possess a .308 or .30-06. I think I would like a double rifle but maybe a conventional bolt action rifle might be best?

As it stands at the moment I’m not sure what type of rifle I’d like. What is the best way of filling out the form so that I have the option between the two after the certificate is granted? Or is it the calibre that is sanctioned irrespective of the action?

Deer stalking expert
GEORGE WALLACE
You are correct in thinking that you apply for a rifle by calibre and not by action type, so if are granted authority to acquire a .308 or a .30-06 you can buy whichever action type you decide upon.

Which brings us rather neatly to the differences between calibre bullet diameter and cartridge designation.

Calibre is the diameter of the bore before the rifling is cut and that dimension may or may not appear in the name of the cartridge.

Thus, the .308 Winchester is not a calibre, it is a cartridge; .308 is the bullet diameter, because jacketed bullets are made to the size of the bore after it is rifled, and the calibre is .30 or .300.

Similarly, .30-06 is not a calibre, it is a cartridge whose calibre is .30 or .300.

All this pedantry, however, gets us absolutely nowhere when dealing with bureaucracy.

We must be a bit flexible.

The Firearms Acts talk about calibre and that is the word used on the application form for your certificate but if you treat it literally the police don’t know whether you want a .30-30 or a .30- 378 Weatherby Magnum.

Likewise, the dealer from whom you want to buy ammunition will not be certain he can sell you what you ask for if your certificate simply allows 200 rounds of .30 calibre.

You can’t expect politicians to get it right which means that we and the police have to sort it out between us!