Category Archives: Club News

Phoenix Shooters Association club news.

Deactivated Firearms Guidance

Club News, General News, Public, , ,

The latest (last!?) EU legislation on deactivated firearms is complex and confusing, but the Deactivated Weapons Association (DWA) has put together a guide to what should be notified and when – see the tables at the bottom of this page.)

We may be officially “out” of the EU, but we’re still in the transition period sat the moment (18/2/20) and this particular law was enacted before we left.

You’ll note that the “who” to notify hasn’t been included, but now that’s been made (nearly) clear at – Deactivatedfirearmsnotifications@homeoffice.gov.uk

You should use the forms provided at – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0102019-firearms-regulations-2019-and-the-firearms-amendment-no2-rules-2019

What possible way this can enhance public safety is – to say the least – questionable, but it prevents the UK having to pay a massive fine to the EU if they haven’t “done something” to comply.
This is the very least they could do to comply with the legislation and still avoid that fine.

Possession
Type of Deactivation? Notify? When to Notify?
UK legacy specifications deactivated prior to 7th April 2016 No N/A
2010 UK Specification (for firearms outside the scope of the EU Regulation – mortars, flare pistols, launchers, etc.) deactivated from 8th April 2016 No N/A
EU Regulation 2015/2403 (EU Spec 1) deactivated from 8th April 2016 to 27th June 2018 Yes BUT Not before March 14th 2021
EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 28th June 2018 to 13th September 2018 Yes March 14th 2021 if taken into your possession by 13/09/18 or from now if taken into your possession on or after 14/09/18
EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 14th September 2018 Yes Now
Transfer (for more than 14 days)
Type of Deactivation? Notify? When to Notify?
UK legacy specifications deactivated prior to 7th April 2016 No N/A
2010 UK Specification (for firearms outside the scope of the EU Regulation – mortars, flare pistols, launchers, etc.) deactivated from 8th April 2016 No N/A
EU Regulation 2015/2403 (EU Spec 1) deactivated from 8th April 2016 to 27th June 2018 No N/A
EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 28th June 2018 to 13th September 2018 Yes From now upon sale/transfer
EU Regulation 2018/337 (EU Spec 2) deactivated from 14th September 2018 Yes From now upon sale/transfer

“Lever Release” and “Bump Stock” rifles

Club News, General News, Public

On our behalf, the British Shooting Sports Council [BSSC] has been looking into the status of the hand-in and compensation scheme for these rifles which were prohibited under the Offensive Weapons Act 2019.

The BSSC were originally told that this scheme would be announced towards the end of 2019 and would become active in February/March 2020.

The Home Office have told the BSSC that further legislation is required before the scheme can come into effect. Consequently, they cannot be more precise at the moment.

However they hope to be able to launch the scheme ‘in the Spring’ [no mention of which year !] and will provide more detail in due course.

When we hear anything we’ll post it here.

Salute to Ron Stoll

Club News, General News, Members' Special Events,

On Saturday 18th January we stopped all activity at Sealand in order to fire a five-volley salute to our (sadly missed) friend Ron Stoll.

Quite a number of members turned up specifically to pay their respects to Ron, but as we were limited to firing numbers by MoD rules, we had a squad of five – selected by lottery.

Ron, our friend

You can view the video below –

Ron Stoll Salute2Download
Please Note !

Have you got any de-activated firearms?

Club News, General News, Public

If so, you’ll need to look at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0102019-firearms-regulations-2019-and-the-firearms-amendment-no2-rules-2019

Because of the EU law ( Directive (EU) 2017/853 ) which we have already accepted, we are now subjected to the ridiculous system of recording items which were not controlled or registered – until now.

Below are some edited extracts from the circular, but note that they are NOT the law – you will need to look at the whole thing.

(Firearms which were deactivated prior to 8 April 2016 are not covered by these provisions. )

The notification of the transfer of a deactivated firearm only applies to those acquired since 14 September 2018.

A person commits an offence if they are in possession of a deactivated firearm unless they have given notice to the appropriate authority or the transfer has already been notified by the person who previously possessed it.

In practice this means that details of deactivated firearms acquired between 8 April 2016 (the date the EU technical specifications came into effect) and 14 September 2018, and which have remained unaltered ever since do not need to be notified to the appropriate national authority until 14 March 2021. If at any time before that date they transfer the deactivated firearm then they will need to notify the Home Office of the transfer.

It is an offence if a person transfers a deactivated firearm to another and does not give notice to the appropriate national authority (Home Office). A person guilty of an offence is liable to a fine of up to £200.

What was all that about?

Club News

We have received this today from the NRA.

[The MoD] have just confirmed that as long as the civilian firearm does not exceed the ME limit for the range , which for Sealand is 4500J, and that restrictions in range orders are followed ( no firing beyond the 300M Firing Point )  calibres like .303 are permitted. The onus is on the RCO to make sure that no one is using a firearm and ammunition that exceeds 4500J on the range.

We are still waiting for confirmation that the restriction on Black Powder has been lifted….

Since we have not been able to use High Muzzle Energy (HME) firearms at Sealand for over 20 years, it makes little or no difference to us now. The Muzzle-Loading bit is probably because they don’t know if any of them can exceed the HME limit……

As for ” no firing beyond the 300M Firing Point ” that’s interesting; the MoD have just spent (wasted?) a fair bit of time, energy and money to provide a 400 Metre firing point on B range, as well as re-writing range orders and installing barriers and extra safety procedures to allow this. Well, if this firing point is now to be abandoned, at least we had a chance to use it once.

AntiSocial media

Club News

Can we once again make a plea to any member who posts on social media? PLEASE – DO NOT POST ANYTHING RELATING TO YOUR SHOOTING ACTIVITIES WITH THE CLUB. If you bring a guest along – please acquaint them with this.

It’s not that people who post such stuff act maliciously, it’s just that the police, criminals and those opposed to our sport can use your information in ways that wasn’t intended by the poster.

Light-hearted comments meant as a joke are often seen differently from the original intent: Just try telling an airport security officer that you have bombs in both shoes and that you’re employed by Al-Qaeda. You may not see the funny side when the rubber gloves are being pulled on…..

The Police DO monitor Facebook, Whatsapp, Youtube etc, and use that information when looking at the grant, renewal or variation of YOUR firearm and/or shotgun certificates.

AND….. it’s not just what you post: a BASC member had his certificates revoked because of “criminal associates.” These turned out to be Facebook “friends” – of whom he had hundreds, and he had no idea that among them were criminals. (BASC got his certs back later)

Think about that a moment.

Your Facebook pages, for example:
Showing you shooting
Showing you drinking in different pubs and clubs
Showing you out of the country on holiday
Showing your latest car/motorbike
Showing you outside your home
Hearing that you are depressed about your football team’s performance
Seeing you tagged with others who you don’t know

….. and that’s just criminals looking. The Police can see this as well, and have greater powers and technology to dig even deeper. They can – and do – use such posts as supporting evidence for prosecutions and certificate revocations.

At Phoenix we keep rules and regulations to the absolute minimum – enough to cover the law, safety , sportsmanship and good manners.
It is coming to the point where we may have to say in the future that NO photographs can be taken at our shoots.

PLEASE – THINK about the above before you post anything on social media.



The “calibre” ban at Sealand Ranges.

Club News, ,

What we DO know –

This is what the NRA circulated, having received a two-line e-mail from MoD Wales and West – explaining little else .

Clubs licenced to use MoD ranges in Wales and the West Midlands should be aware that a temporary restriction on all firearms that exceed 7.62mm calibre is now in place. The restriction includes muzzle loading firearms and High Muzzle Energy firearms.  A review of ME and MV limits for all ranges is under way.   Please ensure that all shoots comply with the new restriction.  More details to follow as they become available.

What we DON’T know

  1. Why this temporary ban has been imposed
  2. What risk or danger this is intended to address
  3. Why it only refers to Wales and West Midlands MoD ranges
  4. If it this means ALL muzzle-loading firearms are prohibited
  5. Exactly what “exceeding 7.62mm” means.

What we believe to be true:

  1. The NRA have taken the matter up at national level, and will be having a meeting with senior MoD officers on 21st October.
  2. That some in the MoD believe that it is the measurement of calibre – the actual, physical bore of the firearm – is what is being used as a yardstick
  3. 7.62 Nato bullets are 7.82mm – thus exceeding the ban limit if 2. is true.
  4. To date, no formal MoD safety notice has yet been issued as far as we know.
  5. There appears to be considerable confusion within the MoD.
  6. The Muzzle-Loaders Association of Great Britain are also taking the matter up.
  7. BASC, the NRA and MLAGB are aware of the situation.
  8. That we MUST (somehow) comply with this nebulous and confusing order.

Clay dates at Phil’s place

Club News

These are the provisional dates we have for the winter clay shoots –

All Saturdays

9th November 2019 Sorry, this date is NOT available.

14th December 2019 Sorry, this date is NOT available.

28th December 2019

8th  February 2020

29th  February 2020

28th  March 2020

However, since the MoD have proved so difficult with our Sealand bookings this year, we MAY have to exchange some of these dates in order to use them for Sealand – or vice-versa!