Anyone purchasing a gun must make sure they’re familiar with the relevant security laws or they could find themselves hit with a big fine or up to six months in prison (or both).
Under the Firearms Rules 1998, all firearm and shotgun certificates come with a prescribed safekeeping condition attached, and non-compliance is an offence.
All guns and section one ammunition have to be stored securely so as to prevent, as far as is practical, any unauthorised personnel (anyone without a firearm or shotgun certificate) from taking or using them.
When the gun or ammunition in question is in use or the holder has the gun with him for some purpose to do with sale, transfer or use, all reasonable precautions have to be taken for the safe custody of the items.
The regulations do not set out how firearms must be stored securely but the Home Office recommends that they are kept in a locked gun cabinet or something else just as secure.
So what could happen if you fail to comply in this regard? According to the Press and Journal, 69-year-old John Buchan, who has owned a gun for 30 years, has now had to surrender his rifle and his ammunition because he breached the conditions of his certificate by failing to store said gun and ammunition securely.
Mr Buchan apparently used the rifle for vermin control but forgot to lock the gun cabinet in his new property after moving home in a moment of absentmindedness. He was given a £200 fine and forced to forfeit all his firearms and other items.
When deciding whether or not security and storage arrangements are sufficient, the police will consider the circumstances of every individual case and your overall security arrangements, which will include the security of your premises as well.
When you need to apply for the grant or renewal of your certificate or certificates, the police will come to visit you to advise you on your security arrangements. Generally speaking, the preferred method for the majority of gun owners is a firearm cabinet, which are widely available and easy to source. That being said, make sure that you check to make sure the cabinet you like complies with the British standard for gun cabinets (BS 7558).
When transporting your firearms, make sure that you take all reasonable precautions to ensure that your items are kept safe. If you don’t move them very often, you shouldn’t need to have a security device fitted in the vehicle you’re using. If leaving your car unattended at any point, remove an essential part of the firearm such as the fore-end of your shotgun or the bolt from your rifle.
Check out this government security leaflet for further advice.