FAC to non FAC

[mikexxx]

Hi guys, been a while since i have posted.
I have a question. I'm getting back into the sport after aquiring a permission local to me.

How hard and is it possible to even put an FAC rifle back to standard. Seen some really nice FAC ones out there a lot cheaper. Are they cheaper as once they are rated and used as FAC you cant change them back or its a lot of work and not worth the bother?

Thanks

[bhodge]

Hi mate, it's really easy to reduce power to less than 12ftlbs, BUT even if you do that the rifle will remain an FAC registered rifle. Once an FAC, always an FAC. There's no way around it I'm afraid.

[Doxbox]

As far as I know once an airgun is registered as FAC thats it. A few people used to put new outer shrouds ( with different or no serial nos.) on Career 707's and sell them on as non FAC. I assume they must have officially scrapped the FAC version though.

[Rob Edge]

Interpretation varies from force to force. A few will allow it but most won't.

[clueless]

Interpretation varies from force to force. A few will allow it but most won't.

Lancashire are fine with this, I have recently bought a FAC Rapid and had it taken off ticket at B.A.R now sub 12 no problem

Andy

[snock]

Hi mate, it's really easy to reduce power to less than 12ftlbs, BUT even if you do that the rifle will remain an FAC registered rifle. Once an FAC, always an FAC. There's no way around it I'm afraid.

As far as I know once an airgun is registered as FAC thats it. A few people used to put new outer shrouds ( with different or no serial nos.) on Career 707's and sell them on as non FAC. I assume they must have officially scrapped the FAC version though.

It is possible; several forces allow it.

Therein lies the issue. It's not impossible because it can't be done; it's difficult because the forces make it difficult.

[angrybear]

Hi guys, been a while since i have posted.
I have a question. I'm getting back into the sport after aquiring a permission local to me.

How hard and is it possible to even put an FAC rifle back to standard. Seen some really nice FAC ones out there a lot cheaper. Are they cheaper as once they are rated and used as FAC you cant change them back or its a lot of work and not worth the bother?

Thanks

As said depends on the police in your area,
But
Your main issue will be actually buying the rifle without holding the FAC that allows you to do so

one option might be to find a dealer who will do the conversion & buy the rifle and have it shipped direct to them, but then you have the cost of shipping to add to the cost of the conversion, which will probably put the price up level with buying a sub 12 to start with.

[mikexxx]

Thanks for the input guys. The ones i have seen are at dealers so i was going to purchase it from them providing they can downgrade the power. But this of course would come at a cost perhaps and depending on that cost how effective it would be to just buy a standard sub 12 in the first place.

I think i might contact the local firearms chap and see what he has to say about this too.

Thanks again.

[rhyslightnin]

Thanks for the input guys. The ones i have seen are at dealers so i was going to purchase it from them providing they can downgrade the power. But this of course would come at a cost perhaps and depending on that cost how effective it would be to just buy a standard sub 12 in the first place.

I think i might contact the local firearms chap and see what he has to say about this too.

Thanks again.

Let us know how you get on I have one burning question here also.... If I (from bath) walk into an rfd (let's say B.A.R) and ask to buy an fac rifle that I want them to reduce the power and take off fac.... Is that still ok? Obviously it will have to be a shop/police force that are prepared to do it, but might this be an issue when I take it back to bath?? (Assuming bath police say that it's not ok to do in there District)....
Tis interesting a... Could mean you just need to shop in the right place
Rhys

[airwolf1]

Let us know how you get on I have one burning question here also.... If I (from bath) walk into an rfd (let's say B.A.R) and ask to buy an fac rifle that I want them to reduce the power and take off fac.... Is that still ok? Obviously it will have to be a shop/police force that are prepared to do it, but might this be an issue when I take it back to bath?? (Assuming bath police say that it's not ok to do in there District)....
Tis interesting a... Could mean you just need to shop in the right place
Rhys

I would assume that providing the gun was classed as none FAC at the point you left BAR it would not matter where you went with it. As people have said it depends on the police force, it would need to be derated by an RFD if the police allowed it. I am under Thames Valley and my FEO advised me that they don't allow it.

[rancidtom]

I am an RFD licensed for modifying Section 1 (FAC) air guns. If a gun is ordered and shipped to me as a Section 1 firearm I can replace the FAC parts with parts to allow the gun to be used as a sub12 gun. This requires that any serial numbered parts that were Section 1 be replaced with sub 12 parts. I can keep the parts for use on Section 1 guns (with the relevant FAC) or I can legally scrap the Sec 1 parts, thus removing the FAC gun from the Section 1 register. I will charge the labour, parts and shipping fees if there are any incurred to me.
The gun is then classified as a sub12 and as such requires no license, just the relevant conditions of age, mental capacity, sobriety etc to be fulfilled before it is transferred to the new owner as a sub12 gun. If the gun is then shipped to another RFD all that is required is the relevant transfer fee. If the gun is collected from me all I need is proof of identity for my firearms register as it is now a sub12, the new owner has his/her legal responsibility for the ownership of a sub12. If collected from me you can take the gun anywhere you please (legally) as a sub12, it is your responsibility when it leaves my door.
Usually the serial numbered parts will be the barrel or the action block. These may be expensive to replace, along with the labour and shipping costs it may make it too expensive to consider.

[angrybear]

Let us know how you get on I have one burning question here also.... If I (from bath) walk into an rfd (let's say B.A.R) and ask to buy an fac rifle that I want them to reduce the power and take off fac.... Is that still ok? Obviously it will have to be a shop/police force that are prepared to do it, but might this be an issue when I take it back to bath?? (Assuming bath police say that it's not ok to do in there District)....
Tis interesting a... Could mean you just need to shop in the right place
Rhys

That was the whole point of my post above about finding a dealer who will do the downgrade,
once the rifle is downgraded & removed from the firearms register it can be sold as per any other sub 12 so your police in Bath would know nothing about it's existence.

Theoben used to offer a national service for their own rifles.

[bootneckbob]

I had a Ripley which was FAC but taken off ticket so I could buy it whereupon I later got my FAC and had it put back on ticket. I later sold it at a total loss.

[Thegreg]

Lancashire are fine with this, I have recently bought a FAC Rapid and had it taken off ticket at B.A.R now sub 12 no problem

Andy

That is VERY interesting to hear. I always assumed it'd be a "no" so I never bothered looking into this.

Cheers
Greg

[MartynB]

That is VERY interesting to hear. I always assumed it'd be a "no" so I never bothered looking into this.

Cheers
Greg

Ask your local FLO as I guess it would be down to them