shooting at home...

Laoiser

Hi Folks, although not new to firearms, having spent some time in the army, I am quite new to actually owning my own!

I saw a post recently by a farmer who had been "plinking away" with his new rifle, and it got me wondering... What are the 'rules' about shooting at home?

I have around 1.5 acres out the back and measuring today reckon I could nearly stetch to a 100 Yard practice range, 75 Yards easy.

I'm not aware of too many other ranges in my neck of the woods (the name is a give-away!) and am quite keen to keep honing my skills...

I have a cz .22lr at the moment so we're not talking anything too 'heavy'.

If the considered opinion is that I could "plink away" myself at home any advice on how to go about setting it up and where to buy the equipment?

Thanks in advance!

jaycee

Depends on what you include in your neck of the woods ...
The Midlands range is outside Tullamore ... not too far surely ?

Be aware that under the new legislation , ad hoc home ranges may need inspection and licencing . (

Tribunius

What is the other side of your land? You are probably going to have to build a backstop. Assuming of course that you can even get away with doing this.

stevoman

im a laois man myself, i dont use my rifle much at all but if i am setting it i just find a nice back drop on the bog and print down my targets from the internet and attach them to a piece of plywood. its good for practice, a back drop is always safe and thers plenty of bog in laois to choose from. just an idea for ya

Sparks

Problem is that ad hoc ranges are pretty much outlawed by the new Firearms Act. There is a bit of gray wiggle room in that the last Minister said that (a) Clay Pigeon ranges didn't qualify as target shooting ranges and didn't need to be inspected and certified; and (b) that hunters zeroing their rifles before hunting were not target shooting and thus their ad hoc ranges didn't need inspection and certification. But if you're setting up an at-home target shooting range for rifle or pistol, it looks like that's not something the Act will permit. And they've created the post of Range Inspector with the same powers of entry and inspection as Customs officials to enforce it, meaning that they can enter without notice wherever they wish to, merely on the suspicion that target shooting is taking place.

Does that mean that I can zero and practice with my CZ, which is used for pest control.

But can't use my 2602 except in DURC or wherever?

Laoiser

Thanks for this lads, there's nothing but fields behind in the direction I was intending to set it up.

I *suppose* I could set up something temporary and never be quite happy with the zeroing and have to keep trying...;)

In fact, it has been a while since I've used a 22 bolt action so once I've satisfied myself that I'm still proficient and that actually it really IS zeroed I reckon I'd be happy to take it out into the field with me anyway (didn't really want to find out the dealer did a bad job of zeroing while out in the field...) so now more range required... Ok, I *think* I've justified it!!!!:D

Its a bit of a fudge though, and wouldn't want to do anything to rile the powers that be, it seems they don't need too many more excuses...

Can you let me know where do you print your targets from?

Laoiser

You're right, the Midlands Range wouldn't be too far away at all, any idea where I can find more information about it?

Rovi

Laoiser wrote: »

Can you let me know where do you print your targets from?

Here's a couple of good places to start-
http://www.mytargets.com/
http://www.targetz.com/

Laoiser wrote: »

You're right, the Midlands Range wouldn't be too far away at all, any idea where I can find more information about it?

http://www.nrai.ie/

Laoiser

Thanks Rovi, All great!

Sparks

Deleted User wrote: »

Does that mean that I can zero and practice with my CZ, which is used for pest control.
But can't use my 2602 except in DURC or wherever?

Yup. Can't use your Izzy indoors either.

How does a RIKA / SCATT machine fit into all this then?

The gun doesn't fire, so there is no target shooting..

kerryman12

this one may be of interest owing to your military past
http://www.estephan.net/eds/shooting/targets/targets.htm