Shotguns

[growler]

Will be moving to France later this year how do I take my two shotguns have UK certificate

[Catalpa]

Scarily easy. Well, it was a year ago.

Apply to your UK licence issuing authority for an Export Licence. This was free of charge. When loading the car, make sure the shotguns are accessible. With hindsight, we decided that locked in their steel cabinet under a folded double matress with boxes of books on top wasn't the smartest piece of packing.

If travelling by ferry, declare your shotguns, ammo etc, on arrival at the check-in kiosk. Check-in give you a special windscreen sticker which is supposedly to alert port security that they need to pull you over. Staff also radio port security to expect you.

You *must* go into port security and they'll take your guns and possibly ammo (depends on quantity) and transport them to the boat. If port security ignore you and wave you on, drive in anyway as they reckon it's your responsibility to go to them. The ferry company holds the items until arrival in France. On board, you may have to visit the purser's office to sign a receipt or similar.

In France after disembarkation, go to the ferry port passenger terminal, notify the ferry company reps why you're there and await the guns which will be carried casually through the building and handed back to you.

In France, notify your local Gendarmerie - we tried notifying the Maire too but he wasn't interested. The local Gendarmerie may be interested... or they may not as (in southern Manche) they seem to view shotguns as about as exciting as a catapult.

Return your UK shotgun licence to the issuing authority. You don't need a licence for the shotguns in France; you may need a licence to hunt live quarry which usually necessitates sitting an exam.

This is how it worked on P&O and Brittany Ferries crossings to Normandy. I don't know how the other ferry companies or Eurotunnel manage the process. Ask for any rules and regulations when you book with whomever you book as things may have changed.

[Afy]

I would like a clarification...

Are you saying that you dont need any license in france for Shotguns? Or you do not need a license since you have a UK permit.

What about rifles and hand guns?

 

[troll]

Hello

No you don't need a licence in France for a shotgun. For a handgun you need a detention des ares from the prefecture. To get this you need to be a member of a shooting club and have suitable security. To own a full bore rifle of a non military calibre you need to be a member of a shooting club or have a hunting permit, you also have to declare it to the police/gendarmerie. There are no security requirements for hunting rifles or shotguns you can have as many as you like and hang them all on the wall if you like. I think Quillan posted a good deal of info on this subject a little while ago. If you would like more info on shooting in France pm me.

Regards

Albert

[Quillan]

Have a look at http://forums.livingfrance.com/shwmessage.aspx?forumid=291&messageid=114480#bm114392 which I posted a while back which I in turn copied from a French site. It explains all the licences required for each type of gun.

[Afy]

So let me get this straight....

I can pretty much go out and buy say a brace of Black Powder 44 Magnum Revolvers and not require any paperwork?

Some of the cross bows on the market can be down right dangerous. Ah well more wierdness...

[Quillan]

You best go back and read it again. Only if they are replicas. To get the real thing you need POI and authorization from your prefecture (2 copies).

[troll]

Hello

To be sold without authorisation a black powder weapon must first of all be a replica (for example a Remington 1860 revolver) must be muzzle loader without a metalic cartridge. You can have has many as you like and buy them without authorisation. I buy all mine on line from www.tecmagex.com who can give advice on all aspects of shooting and hunting in english.

Regards

Albert