30-Jul-2026
Buying your first gun in the UK is nothing like the process you may have seen on American television, and nothing like buying anything else online either. It’s a path with clear stages: decide what you want to shoot, get the right certificate, find the right gun, and complete the purchase properly. None of it is complicated once you understand the order of things, but plenty of newcomers stall because nobody has laid the whole journey out in one place. This is that guide, from first idea to first gun in the cabinet.
Step 1: Decide what kind of shooting you want to do
Everything else flows from this. The certificate you need, the gun you buy and the money you spend all depend on the answer.
If you’re drawn to clay pigeon shooting or game days, you want a shotgun, and the good news is that shotguns sit under the more straightforward of the two certificate regimes. If you’re interested in deer stalking, target shooting or serious pest control, you’re looking at a rifle, which involves the firearm certificate process. And if you want to start shooting this month with no certificate at all, a sub-12 ft·lb air rifle is legal for adults to buy and own in England, Scotland and Wales without any licence, which is why airgunning is the traditional starting point for so many British shooters. (Scotland requires an air weapon certificate; Northern Ireland has its own rules.)
Try before you decide. Most clay grounds offer have-a-go lessons with guns provided, and an hour’s instruction will teach you more about what suits you than a month of reading.
Step 2: Get the right certificate
For a shotgun, you apply to your local police force for a shotgun certificate (SGC). The process involves an application, a referee, a check of your medical history, a home visit and an inspection of your security, normally a bolted-down cabinet. Unlike a firearm certificate, you don’t need to demonstrate a specific “good reason” to be granted an SGC; the presumption leans towards grant unless there’s cause for refusal.
For a rifle, you apply for a firearm certificate (FAC), where you do need good reason for each rifle, land to shoot over, club membership or booked stalking. Our guide to Section 1 firearms explains what falls under this regime and why.
For a standard air rifle in England and Wales, no certificate is needed; you simply must be 18 or over to buy. Read our air rifle law guide before you buy, because ownership still comes with legal responsibilities around storage and where you can shoot.
Certificate applications take time, often several months, so apply early and use the waiting period to research your first gun properly.
Step 3: Set a realistic budget
A common first-timer mistake is spending everything on the gun and nothing on what surrounds it. Budget for the cabinet (a legal requirement for certificated guns), ear and eye protection, a slip or case, cleaning kit, and, most valuable of all, lessons.
On the gun itself, the used market is your friend. Quality shotguns and rifles are engineered to last decades, and a well-maintained second-hand gun from a reputable seller delivers far more quality per pound than the same money spent new. A used Beretta or Browning over-under that has already done ten seasons will happily do thirty more.
Step 4: Find the right gun
Now the enjoyable part. With your certificate in hand (or on the way), you can start looking seriously.
Browse widely before you buy. A dedicated marketplace like Rightgun.uk lets you see what’s available across the whole country, organised by make and model, so you can compare examples and prices of the same gun rather than settling for whatever your nearest shop has in the rack. Whether it’s shotguns for sale, rifles or air rifles, seeing the national market gives you a feel for fair pricing very quickly.
For shotguns especially, fit matters more than brand. A gun that mounts naturally to your shoulder and eye will break more clays than a more expensive one that doesn’t. If you can, handle before buying, or buy from sellers who describe honestly and welcome inspection. Our guide to buying your first shotgun goes deeper on choosing well.
Step 5: Complete the purchase properly
Once you’ve agreed a deal, the transfer is completed through the proper channels; this is where UK gun buying differs most from buying anything else online. Certificated guns are entered onto your certificate as part of the transfer, and both parties have obligations to notify the police of the change. Buying from or through a registered dealer keeps this simple, and our good practice guide to buying from an RFD walks through what to expect on the day.
Take your time at handover. Check the gun matches the description, check proof marks and serial numbers against the paperwork, and don’t be embarrassed to inspect thoroughly; good sellers expect it.
Step 6: Store it, insure it, learn it
Home with your first gun, three things remain. Store it securely in your cabinet, with certificated guns stored as your certificate conditions require. Consider insurance; specialist shooting policies are inexpensive. And book lessons: a couple of hours with a qualified instructor at the start of your shooting life pays dividends for decades.
Frequently asked questions
How do you buy a gun in the UK? Choose your discipline, obtain the relevant certificate from your local police (shotgun certificate for shotguns, firearm certificate for rifles, no certificate needed for sub-12 ft·lb air rifles in England and Wales), find the gun, then complete the transfer properly with the paperwork updated. The whole journey typically takes a few months, most of it certificate processing.
Can you buy a gun in the UK without a licence? Adults in England and Wales can buy sub-12 ft·lb air rifles without a certificate. All shotguns and rifles require the appropriate certificate first. There is no legal route to buying a certificated gun without one.
How much does it cost to get into shooting in the UK? Beyond the gun itself, allow for the certificate fee, a security cabinet, hearing protection and some instruction. Starting with a quality used gun keeps the total surprisingly reasonable; many shooters begin well-equipped for less than the price of a decent road bike.
Is it better to buy a new or second-hand gun first? For most new shooters, second-hand. Guns depreciate like cars, but last far longer, so the used market offers exceptional value, and if you later change discipline, a well-bought used gun loses little on resale.
Start looking today
Your certificate may take months, but your research can start now. Browse thousands of new and used guns for sale on Rightgun.uk, shotguns, rifles and air rifles from sellers across the UK, all on a marketplace built for the British shooting community.
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