Whats needed for new Clay Pigeon Shooting Facility?

The Villain

I'm interested in setting up a new clay pigeon and air-rifle shoot facility in the south munster area. I intend starting small with a view to expanding, if the need for it arises.

I am currently purchasing some new traps and guns for the facility. I would like ideas from your good selves as to what you would put put into a facility if you were starting up your own shoot. Suggestions on how many traps, types of shotgun etc would be much appreciated

Also, if you could suggest any potential pitfalls that I may encounter, and possible ways around them, they would all be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

mosulli4

Villain,

I assume this would be a commercial venture so here is my opinion...

Cork is fairly poorly served in terms of clay pigeon layouts. I know there is DTL in Belgooly, Skeet in Waterfall, and thats about it.

DTL is popular, so a DTL layout would draw some crowds. I personally find it repetitive and boring, so I prefer some variery with Sporting.

If you want to offer some form of sporting, and you are short of space, I would love to see a 5 stand Compaq sporting layout, that might need 6 or 7 traps to make it interesting.

Of course a full sporting layout, over maybe 10 stands would require a lot of space, and up to 20 traps. Very expensive.

You should pop up to the range in Knocklong Limerick, which is run by Lazy Dog for a look to see the various options, or if you have the time go and have a look at Courtlough in Balbriggan...

mosulli4

alan123

I would rate Mourne shooting grounds in Monahan as one of the best for eccomomy of space and variation.

A tower is madetory!!! The higher the better.

A big plus is coverd stands for the bad weather.

Time delay butons so you can shoot alone.

I presume you have planning? Otherwise forget it! ALL the neighbours will object (offer them free membership).

The Villain

Thanks for the advice. I'm looking at using an old quarry, the sides of which are built up, so the sound shouldn't be travelling far...up more than out. The ground is also up and down, so this would suffice for a tower.

The newer traps seem to accomodate for a wide variety of disciplines, so I'm going to look at starting with 2-3 and expanding as the need arisies.

I'll have to leave the covered stands until I'm sure that the investment will be successful.

The Villain

mosulli4 wrote:

Villain,

I assume this would be a commercial venture so here is my opinion...

Cork is fairly poorly served in terms of clay pigeon layouts. I know there is DTL in Belgooly, Skeet in Waterfall, and thats about it.

DTL is popular, so a DTL layout would draw some crowds. I personally find it repetitive and boring, so I prefer some variery with Sporting.

If you want to offer some form of sporting, and you are short of space, I would love to see a 5 stand Compaq sporting layout, that might need 6 or 7 traps to make it interesting.

Of course a full sporting layout, over maybe 10 stands would require a lot of space, and up to 20 traps. Very expensive.

You should pop up to the range in Knocklong Limerick, which is run by Lazy Dog for a look to see the various options, or if you have the time go and have a look at Courtlough in Balbriggan...

mosulli4

Thanks for the advice. I'll give lazy dog a pm and arrange a visit.

The Villain.

thelurcher

Keep us updated on this The Villain - I'd be interested in a few rounds when you're up and running.

The Villain

After several meetings with the authorities, my CPO who originally said that it was a good idea, and that the quarry was out of the way, is now telling me that the ballistics section of Pheonix Park are considering that the CP shoot would be a range and would need to be inspected and authorised prior to operation.

IS THIS CORRECT???????????


Surely, a rifle / pistol range would require far more stringent controls to ensure safety, as the distance that bullets travel far exceed that of cartridges? I feel that this is WAY OTT.

Any comments or knowledge that you might have would be greatlt appreciated.

TV.

FLAG

The Villain wrote:

After several meetings with the authorities, my CPO who originally said that it was a good idea, and that the quarry was out of the way, is now telling me that the ballistics section of Pheonix Park are considering that the CP shoot would be a range and would need to be inspected and authorised prior to operation.

IS THIS CORRECT???????????


Surely, a rifle / pistol range would require far more stringent controls to ensure safety, as the distance that bullets travel far exceed that of cartridges? I feel that this is WAY OTT.

Any comments or knowledge that you might have would be greatlt appreciated.

TV.

With respect to Authorisation either under the current or incoming firearms legislation a clay pigeon shooting facility does not need it.

In the 2006 Firearms Acts the need for range inspection and authorisation is specifically restricted to rifle and pistol ranges.

With respect to the use of air rifles, I would consider the best way to go would be to apply for an authorisation under the present section of the act that covers fair grounds, authorisation can be issued, there will be no segment of the incoming range inspections that will apply to air rifle use as far as I can determine.

Any furhter help e-mail flagireland@eircom.net

Sparks

The Villain wrote:

After several meetings with the authorities, my CPO who originally said that it was a good idea, and that the quarry was out of the way, is now telling me that the ballistics section of Pheonix Park are considering that the CP shoot would be a range and would need to be inspected and authorised prior to operation.

IS THIS CORRECT???????????

Well, that depends.
Technically, no. The section of the law which requires inspections and range licences has not yet been enacted and the head range inspector has only just been appointed and no range standards have yet been published, and we have the ex-Minister for Justice stating categorically that clay pigeon shooting is not target shooting and as such, clay pigeon ranges do not require range licences.

Practically, do what the gardai say unless you think you'd rather sink time and money into high court cases than into your new range. I mean, even if you take them to court and win and get your costs back and come out having broken even financially and you don't mind the loss of time and energy; that section of the law is going to be enacted sooner or later and then that's another court case; and even if you don't mind that, there's the small point that without the authorisation for the range, you can't have club firearms and noone can swap firearms to try a new model or whatever, because you're not covered under section 2(4)(d) of the firearms acts:

(d) the possession, use or carriage of a firearm or ammunition during a competition or target practice at a club, shooting range or any other place that stands authorised under this section or section 4A of this Act,

Plus, it's only a matter of time before you get an insurance drop thanks to passing the authorisation.

As to fairground legislation, technically you can do that, but practically it's a bad idea as if you do it that way, your day to day existance as a range is purely down to the whim of the local superintendent. If you're trying to do an end run around his wish to inspect the range by appealing to him to exercise a whim to let you do that end run around his authority... well, it's not terribly likely to be an optimal long-term solution really, is it?

Surely, a rifle / pistol range would require far more stringent controls to ensure safety, as the distance that bullets travel far exceed that of cartridges?

I dunno - if I was unfortunate enough to be the first person injured at a target shooting match in 170 years in this country, I'd feel more confidant of my chances at recovery if it were a .22 or an air rifle than if it was a 12-gauge. Shotgun shot doesn't travel as far as a rifle round, but there's a hell of a lot more energy in your standard 12-gauge than there is in smallbore rifles or even in many of the lower-calibre fullbores.

I feel that this is WAY OTT.

The above comment notwithstanding, you're right - the Gardai are using standards designed by the MoD in the UK for small arms ranges - meaning everything from pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles and machine guns right up to AT-7 antitank weapons. Slightly overkill for a 10m air rifle range, we thought.

RRPC can give you a lot of data on how the Rathdrum .22 indoor range got through it's overly onerous inspection; WTSC's air rifle range was already mostly up to code (because airguns are a lot less difficult to cope with thanks to the low muzzle energy) and it was mostly cladding of lights and other potential 180 degree ricochet surfaces there, and mostly redundant as well. RRPC's efforts were somewhat more costly and difficult!

Sparks

Also, make it a priority to contact the ICPSA (the clay pigeon NGB this time, not the kitten-protecting lads ) at icpsa@eircom.net
See here for more contact details:
http://www.icpsa.ie/MenuItems/ContactICPSA.html

The Villain

Sparks / FLAG,

Thanks for the replies. Some good points contained in them. I'll meet with the CPO again and ask for his exact demands / requirements. Hopefully common sense will prevail, and I can get this sorted out. My application for the use of club guns on the shoot, stemmed the whole thing off. Thanks again for your time in replying.

TV.

maglite

Villan could you give a more acurate location, even if its only to the nearest big town

The Villain

maglite wrote:

Villan could you give a more acurate location, even if its only to the nearest big town

Maglite,
I'll be setting up outside Castlemartyr.


TV.

emer connolly

Hi Alan123,

I have also been to Mourne Shooting Grounds in Monaghan and it is spectular. The facilities are top class. The owners and staff are the most professional and frendly people i have ever met. This shooting range is a must see . Went i went there i thought it was only shooting but it has a variety of everything just visit the web site to get full datails.

PS THE RANGE HAS FULL PLANNING PERMISSION AND IS RUNNING VERY WELL :):)

Grizzly 45

One other idea,a few more Skeet facilities would be nice around this "great little country" of ours.:rolleyes:

Sikamick

Flag, please advice who is (flagireland@eircom.net) and who do they represent.


Sikamick

IRLConor

Sikamick wrote: »

Flag, please advice who is (flagireland@eircom.net) and who do they represent.


Sikamick

This thread is very, very old and FLAG is long since banned.

EDIT: Locked to prevent other people being caught out by the dates in the thread.