Brown Bess FAC or Shotgun

[terry johnson]

I will be applying for a variation on my licence and was thinking of including a space for a Muzzle loading rifle like a Brown Bess, I just want to confirm that this is indeed considered a firearm and not a shot gun.

[harricook]

Hi Terry

Its smoothbore & round ball - so can be shot on a Shotgun Ticket (but don't forget if you are using Black Powder - you need an explosives ticket & a RCA document too)

Cheers

Roy

[terry johnson]

So I would have to apply for a contemporaneous shot gun licence to shoot a black powder muzzle loader, and would not be able to add it as a variation to my existing FAC?

[robinghewitt]

Coterminous is a convenience not a requirement.

It is indeed a shotgun, putting a repro Bess on FAC would severely limit where you could shoot it and could make for problems if you ever wanted to sell it. Given that, the plod might well let you do it

[RichardH]

Its also worth remembering it wont fit in most gun cabinets

[harricook]

Its also worth remembering it wont fit in most gun cabinets

My second cabinet has a 2" dia hole in the top - the Bess goes in a gun sock & pokes out of the hole !

.

[Bean can]

Shotgun certificate , for Brown Bess , but firing a ball is a grey area, I have a muzzle loader , but would only put shot through it , just be careful there are allways some busy bodies trying to catch us shooters out . also the Brown Bess was never a Rifle , allways a Musket, it is about 10 bore or . 75 calibre