Can the police remove your rifles without good reason?

[Dunk1302]

Only if they have reason to believe they will be used for criminal intent.

And that's the problem I have with all this conversation...... the word "believe" - how is that proved (or disproved)????

"I thought you were about to go on a rampage"
"I thought you had an over-powered airgun"

Short of asking the basis for their "belief", do we really have a way of refusing in a real-world scenario? Or do we ask them nicely to come back when they have a warrant? and if you're an FAC holder like me, isn't that likely to prejudice your renewal? I know it probably SHOULDN'T, but I'm not that naive.

Dunk

[oldgeezer]

This is what happened to me some time ago when renewing a firearms certificate that I had held for many years.
The person from the firearms dept arrived at my house at the arranged time. I invited her in and her first words were "do you mind if I just ask you some questions first before I see the guns".I said O.K. She then started to ask questions which were already covered in the renewal application.The questions then drifted off into areas which I thought had little relevance to the application.I asked what this had to do with the renewal.Her reply was "well I did ask if you would mind answering some questions and you said O.K.
So my advice if ever asked "would you mind just answering a few questions" is to ask what they are in connection with and if they drift off into other areas ask what that has to do with the original request.

[fitzcarraldo]

Asking this due to an incident I heard recentlly and wondered how I stand in this situation.

I sometimes plink with my air pistol in the back garden, adequate back stop and shoot from 10 feet inside my kitchen to ensure noise is low as possible and the pistol is not actually outside.

Dunno about your kitchen layout but shooting through a standard doorway I would think is not good practice as someone could walk into it, a neighbor, family member just as you fire.

So unless you have good all-round visibility I would have thought shooting outside would be preferable rather than risk sending someone to hospital to a have a small hole somewhere on their person being patched up.

[angrybear]

Without a warrant NEVER invite the law into your house EVER! If you invite them in the law states they can exercise the same powers as having a warrant because you allowed them to do so.

I don't think that is true of the police, if you invite them in then you can ask them to leave at any time, & they cannot search, however if they have seen something illegal/suspect out in the open while inside then they can act on what they have seen.
(never invite a bailiff in as that gives them the right to re-enter at any time)


You simply need to ask what grounds they have to think xyz driving unusually slowly at 2am, as above, points towards possible drink driving which is understandable grounds to stop you, but saying "I thought xyz" politely ask "why/on what grounds did they think that ?"

I find being polite & helpful works wonders and I speak as someone who has a neighbour making repeated false accusations against me, often to do with me shooting on my own land it is their job to investigate when someone makes a complaint.

[JohnBam]

Dunno about your kitchen layout but shooting through a standard doorway I would think is not good practice as someone could walk into it, a neighbor, family member just as you fire.

So unless you have good all-round visibility I would have thought shooting outside would be preferable rather than risk sending someone to hospital to a have a small hole somewhere on their person being patched up.

I dont know about your kitchen layout either mate, but mine has double glass doors and I have a locked gate at the bottom of my garden that makes a racket when its opened

[leeben]

I don't think that is true of the police, if you invite them in then you can ask them to leave at any time, & they cannot search, however if they have seen something illegal/suspect out in the open while inside then they can act on what they have seen.
(never invite a bailiff in as that gives them the right to re-enter at any time)


You simply need to ask what grounds they have to think xyz driving unusually slowly at 2am, as above, points towards possible drink driving which is understandable grounds to stop you, but saying "I thought xyz" politely ask "why/on what grounds did they think that ?"

I find being polite & helpful works wonders and I speak as someone who has a neighbour making repeated false accusations against me, often to do with me shooting on my own land it is their job to investigate when someone makes a complaint.

Look it up bud it's there if you look for it.

[nimrod177]

I don't think that is true of the police, if you invite them in then you can ask them to leave at any time, & they cannot search, however if they have seen something illegal/suspect out in the open while inside then they can act on what they have seen.
(never invite a bailiff in as that gives them the right to re-enter at any time)


You simply need to ask what grounds they have to think xyz driving unusually slowly at 2am, as above, points towards possible drink driving which is understandable grounds to stop you, but saying "I thought xyz" politely ask "why/on what grounds did they think that ?"

I find being polite & helpful works wonders and I speak as someone who has a neighbour making repeated false accusations against me, often to do with me shooting on my own land it is their job to investigate when someone makes a complaint.

Be careful on this point as it is dependent on what authority a bailiff is working under. And you do not have to invite one in, all he has to do is gain access peacefully.