Indoor Range in Mayo Galway or nearby

Oldtree

Could anyone let me know if there is an indoor range in Mayo/Galway/Roscommon? I used to shoot in a 25 yard indoor range for a number of years in england with .22's (prone) and enjoyed it very much and would like to start again.

I would be grateful for any info. Thanks

rrpc

Afraid not Oldtree. The only one I know of that does .22 prone is Rathdrum. There are a number of clubs talking about building indoor ranges, but as far as I know (outside of Northern Ireland) there's Rathdrum, Hilltop (don't think they do prone .22 there) and Trinity College (you have to be a student or alumni).

thehair

Oldtree wrote: »

Could anyone let me know if there is an indoor range in Mayo/Galway/Roscommon? I used to shoot in a 25 yard indoor range for a number of years in england with .22's (prone) and enjoyed it very much and would like to start again.

I would be grateful for any info. Thanks

hi i live in mayo only shooting .22LF rimfire are you thinking of buying
a rifle and if you are what type. steve
i dont no of any ranges in mayo sorry and welcome to shooting:D

Oldtree

Ah well, i suppose it was too much to hope for.
Had a look at the rathdrum website last night.
Is there anything stopping me building a one man 25 yard indoor range on a bit of farmland, once I have a licence?

I would like to get a Anschutz 1913 barrel with a 2213 alu stock and a 7020/20 sight set, If I could.

I used to shoot with old martinis, Probably dating back to the last great war.... but it was great fun and a good disipline. I got my first 100 with one in may '92 a proud day. My average was about 98, but that was a while back.

IRLConor

Oldtree wrote: »

Is there anything stopping me building a one man 25 yard indoor range on a bit of farmland, once I have a licence?

Well, you'll need planning permission for the structure. You'd need an authorisation from your local super for the range. After that, I don't think there's much else to it apart from building it.

rrpc here knows a decent bit about speccing a building for a range. It's not rocket science, but if you have a decent plan the Gardai should take any application for an authorisation more seriously.

I'd try and get together a bunch of people within driving distance of you first. As much as I'd love my own personal range, I wouldn't relish the thought of having to do all the work myself. :eek:

Oldtree wrote: »

I would like to get a Anschutz 1913 barrel with a 2213 alu stock and a 7020/20 sight set, If I could.

Rifles like that pop up for sale every now and again. If you find an wooden stock Anschutz and want to convert it to aluminium then have a look on http://www.intershoot.co.uk/, you can get stocks and other gear from there. The guy who runs that is a target shooter and he posts here as demonloop.

Oldtree wrote: »

I used to shoot with old martinis, Probably dating back to the last great war.... but it was great fun and a good disipline. I got my first 100 with one in may '92 a proud day. My average was about 98, but that was a while back.

Cool. It's always nice to hear about new prospective competitors. Another range would be brilliant too. If you find a place to shoot, be sure to enter a few postal shoots. That way you can get some competitions done without having to go all the way to Rathdrum or the north and it's a good thing to keep you on your toes through the winter.

It's like riding a bike, you should be back shooting 10s in no time.

thehair

sorry oldtree i thought you had a rifle i need to read the post more:)

fat-tony

IRLConor wrote: »

Well, you'll need planning permission for the structure. You'd need an authorisation from your local super for the range.

Well, I wonder if you would need the authorisation from the super It's not a public range...You're not holding competitions ...If you had sufficient land, it might be considered ok for zeroing;)

It wasn't me!

You would need the authorisation alright. It's for any kind of target shooting really bar clays. Shouldn't really be too bad though. It might be an idea to build it in a decent sized building so that at some point you could open it up to extended membership.

IRLConor

fat-tony wrote: »

Well, I wonder if you would need the authorisation from the super It's not a public range...You're not holding competitions ...If you had sufficient land, it might be considered ok for zeroing;)

I don't think the range has to be open to the public to count as a range.

I can't remember if Section 4A of the Firearms Act (the bit put in by the CJA 2006) has been commenced yet. That would require you to get an authorisation:

Firearms Act Section 4A (Parts elided for clarity) wrote:

1. [An] owner or operator of a rifle or pistol shooting range shall not allow any firearm or ammunition to be used ... at the ... shooting range in connection with target shooting unless an authorisation under this section to do so is in force.

And to get an authorisation, you would also need a range certificate (provided Section 4B of the Firearms Act has been commenced).

Vegeta

I really, really, really, really hope the FCP squeeze a definition of a range out of the DoJ

Until then its hard to say if a one target practice lane is considered a range or not

IRLConor

Vegeta wrote: »

I really, really, really, really hope the FCP squeeze a definition of a range out of the DoJ

Until then its hard to say if a one target practice lane is considered a range or not

Yeah, at the moment a range is:

"shooting range" does not include a range or shooting gallery referred to in section 2(4)(e) of this Act

So a range is anything that a judge decides is a range except a shooting gallery in a funfair. :rolleyes:

FOS

the following doesnt meet your indoor needs but depending on your location in mayo.... may be of interest
Lough bo rifle and pistol range authorised near riverstown in co sligo

they are on google maps and wikimapia if you want to see location and contact details
Can call Gerry on 086 8262654 (i think he doesnt answer privates)

thehair

hi oldtree try lough bo shooting centre they have a outdoor pistol range
mob 086.8262654 ger conlon
addrest riverstown co sligo;)

thehair

FOS wrote: »

the following doesnt meet your indoor needs but depending on your location in mayo.... may be of interest
Lough bo rifle and pistol range authorised near riverstown in co sligo

they are on google maps and wikimapia if you want to see location and contact details
Can call Gerry on 086 8262654 (i think he doesnt answer privates)

fos you beat me to it:D

IRLConor

Here's a link to a map.

fat-tony

IRLConor wrote: »

Yeah, at the moment a range is:



So a range is anything that a judge decides is a range except a shooting gallery in a funfair. :rolleyes:

So explain this to me - a landowner can give me permission to shoot (say) bunnies on his/her land. This (presumably) does not need the landowner to register his/her land as a range - ok? Extrapolate this argument a bit.... I do some 50m zeroing on this land - it's still not a range... or is it? Answers on a postcard etc....

IRLConor

fat-tony wrote: »

So explain this to me - a landowner can give me permission to shoot (say) bunnies on his/her land. This (presumably) does not need the landowner to register his/her land as a range - ok? Extrapolate this argument a bit.... I do some 50m zeroing on this land - it's still not a range... or is it? Answers on a postcard etc....

Yeah, it's hard to know what's what. It's even harder to remember which bits of the law have been commenced!

In your example above it's impossible to know whether a judge would consider that a range. In theory (and to the best of my non-legally-trained knowledge) they could define that as a range if they wanted to. Doesn't seem likely to me, but stranger things have happened.

rrpc

IRLConor wrote: »

Yeah, it's hard to know what's what. It's even harder to remember which bits of the law have been commenced!

In your example above it's impossible to know whether a judge would consider that a range. In theory (and to the best of my non-legally-trained knowledge) they could define that as a range if they wanted to. Doesn't seem likely to me, but stranger things have happened.

One for the firearms miscellaneous bill methinks:

*Definition of a range.*

Vegeta

IRLConor wrote: »

So a range is anything that a judge decides is a range

That's a good way of putting it

Gunter Mauser

Definition of what is a range.This will have to be considered a potential new & looming gray front. A gray area on the horizon that could spell rain clouds for vermin shooters & stalkers in all 26 counties.Will they need authorization or is it better to put up with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and wait for a judge to decide,that is the question. Pleanty of 300m+ ranges might fill this vacuum when ever this law gets commenced.

IRLConor

Gunter Mauser wrote: »

Definition of what is a range.This will have to be considered a potential new & looming gray front. A gray area on the horizon that could spell rain clouds for vermin shooters & stalkers in all 26 counties.Will they need authorization or is it better to put up with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and wait for a judge to decide,that is the question.

Well, it's not a grey area if the owner decides it's a range and gets an authorisation for it.

The only time there's trouble is when someone decides that it's not a range and then a judge subsequently disagrees with them.

In most cases, the safe route is to apply for an authorisation. Unfortunately that's no help to hunters who want to zero their rifles on a convenient piece of land near to them.

Gunter Mauser wrote: »

Pleanty of 300m+ ranges might fill this vacuum when ever this law gets commenced.

If a rigid definition of "range" and "target shooting" is applied by the Gardai then all ranges should try to help out their local hunters. Certainly the 300m+ ranges have their place helping out large calibre hunters but I'm sure any range with 100yds would be useful for people out after rabbits. Possibly foxes too, I don't know what distance fox shooters zero to.

Sparks

Gunter Mauser wrote: »

Definition of what is a range.This will have to be considered a potential new & looming gray front.

No, because it's neither potential (it's actual and it was brought to the attention of the previous Minister) nor is it new (it was spotted the day Section 4A got published).

It wasn't me!

Fox shooters with .223's would often be zeroing at 180-200 yards, so they'd need more ground.

Gunter Mauser

Is what you are both saying is, when this section of the bill finally gets put into opperation only then will the likes of Deer Stalker / Vermin shooter finally know with certainty what they can or cannot do as regards to zeroing / start of season practice.If the FCP does a good job putting the case for a practical common sense approach to what the definition of a range is then this will be a very good days work done indeed.

Vegeta

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Fox shooters with .223's would often be zeroing at 180-200 yards, so they'd need more ground.

Or they can zero high at 100

Saying that nothing gets you used to your rifle like shooting at long range. It exagerates every mistake and gives you a better feel for the interaction between wind and your round. Makes you a better marksman all round really.

IRLConor

Gunter Mauser wrote: »

Is what you are both saying is, when this section of the bill finally gets put into opperation only then will the likes of Deer Stalker / Vermin shooter finally know with certainty what they can or cannot do as regards to zeroing / start of season practice.

When it comes into operation no-one will be any clearer as to what the law says. It could just as easily go like this:

Hunter: Can I use this field for zeroing my deer rifle?
DoJ: Sure, go ahead, the Minister said in the Dail a while back that it was OK.
Garda A: Sure, go ahead, I know you're not up to anything dodgy.
The hunter then goes and shoots.
Garda B: What are you doing in that field?! Unauthorised target shooting! Down the station with you!
Judge: You were target shooting on an unauthorised range. Guilty.

That's a worst case scenario, but unless the law is changed to be explicit about the definitions of "range" and "target shooting" there will always be some risk.

Gunter Mauser wrote: »

If the FCP does a good job putting the case for a practical common sense approach to what the definition of a range is then this will be a very good days work done indeed.

If it is within their remit, it would be a good thing for the FCP to suggest for repair in upcoming legislation.

Oldtree

Ask a simple question...........:eek:

This clearly demands further thought. Should a 25 yard indoor range be built, maby along the lines of 5 to a detail, in south mayo, would there be enough interest to make it commercially viable (not necessarly profit making, just sustainable) from surrounding counties?

IRLConor

Oldtree wrote: »

Ask a simple question...........:eek:

You must be new here. Welcome.

Oldtree wrote: »

This clearly demands further thought. Should a 25 yard indoor range be built, maby along the lines of 5 to a detail, in south mayo, would there be enough interest to make it commercially viable (not necessarly profit making, just sustainable) from surrounding counties?

Perhaps someone from Rathdrum could give you (by PM if they're sensitive) a rough idea of the costs involved in running an indoor 25yd range. I know the numbers roughly for DURC but we're not really comparable since we're a university club.

Rathdrum is close to plenty of other ranges but they still manage to attract enough shooters. If there aren't many ranges in your neck of the woods it should be possible to get enough people together.

Gunter Mauser

Quote IRLConnor "If it is within their remit, it would be a good thing for the FCP to suggest for repair in upcoming legislation." Very shortly the present minister for justice may very well be replaced, if this does happen and a new minister not sympathetic to reason might very well stick to a strict definition of what target shooting and what exactly defines a range .This opens the possibility that if the hunter cannot afford to get his/her informal place (used for zeroing / start of the season practice) authorized, the prospect of deerstalkers not properly zeroed or practiced for the start of the stalking season will result eventually in the rise of woulded quarry.
If this does become the reality then a need have proper range felicities available around the country becomes essential. If humane dispatch of animals is paramount to all concerned this reality needs clarifation.

IRLConor

Gunter Mauser wrote: »

IRLConor wrote:

If it is within their remit, it would be a good thing for the FCP to suggest for repair in upcoming legislation.

Very shortly the present minister for justice may very well be replaced, if this does happen and a new minister not sympathetic to reason might very well stick to a strict definition of what target shooting and what exactly defines a range.This opens the possibility that if the hunter cannot afford to get his/her informal place (used for zeroing / start of the season practice) authorized, the prospect of deerstalkers not properly zeroed or practiced for the start of the stalking season will result eventually in the rise of woulded quarry. If this does become the reality then a need have proper range felicities available around the country becomes essential. If humane dispatch of animals is paramount to all concerned this reality needs clarifation.

I can't see Lenihan being moved from his current post. You never know though.

I agree though, the need for hunters to be sure that their rifle is correctly zeroed is vital for humane hunting. The private target shooting on private land is also a concern for target shooters. It's a long drive for many shooters to get to a range and it can be hard to get in the training.

Gunter Mauser

If the stalker does not in the future practice in any way, only does a quick zero for fear of being accused of target shooting, can the carless stalker who blows off the stags jaw now claim to the park ranger,sorry about that but its all the fault of the new regulations not me.:rolleyes: This would make an ass of this new bill from its inception if it gets implemented severely.Could you find one department of government taking some other department to court over bad law.:eek:

Will this become an ethical Question for the Green party and its
leader the minister?