Farmers and rural residents are being encouraged to take action ahead of a forthcoming government consultation that could significantly restrict shotgun ownership.
The Countryside Alliance has launched an e-lobby to rally support for its campaign to protect the future of shooting, which it calls a "vital part" of rural life and the economy.
The government is preparing to consult on aligning parts of firearms licensing law, potentially tightening rules around Section 2 shotgun ownership to bring them closer in line with those for more powerful Section 1 firearms.
But rural campaigners warn that such changes would place an administrative burden on police firearms licensing teams and a financial and logistical strain on certificate holders—without improving public safety.
“This would damage some of the most marginal communities in rural Britain,” the Countryside Alliance stated, highlighting the potential fallout for the farming community and the wider rural economy.
Although licensing already requires rigorous background, character, and medical checks for both shotgun and firearm certificates, the group argues that alignment would only add unnecessary bureaucracy.
"Sadly, the primary factor in many instances where legally held guns have been misused is a failure of the licensing authorities, not the law," it said.
Instead of legal reform, the alliance is calling for a digitised, centralised licensing system, similar to the DVLA, to replace the current patchwork of 43 different licensing authorities across Britain.
Such a system would improve safety, create consistency for applicants, and free police to focus on enforcement rather than administration.
Roger Seddon, a spokesman for the Countryside Alliance, said: “There are 540,000 shotgun owners in Great Britain which means that about one in every 50 households contains a certificate holder.
"Many MPs, even some of those in rural constituencies, however, have little understanding of the scale of gun ownership or its importance to society and the economy.
“We need you and anybody you know that supports shooting to take part in our quick and easy e-lobby. MPs must understand the strength of feeling among our community ahead of this consultation.”
The e-lobby is open to residents of England, Wales, and Scotland. It does not apply to Northern Ireland, which operates under a separate firearms licensing framework.
