Pistols

heyjay14

Hey just wondering what are the requirments for getting a pistol licence in the republic im looking at possibly a 9mm bereta.Im only 16 and not sure if i can get one, i want it for target shooting a local club.

bunny shooter

Have a look at this recent thread

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055309978

It will cost you in the region of €2000 for security and range fees alone.

Bananaman

I'm actually not sure what the requirements are with regard to age - I'm sure the sages will advise you on that shortly.

It would be better to learn to shoot with a smaller calibre i.e. .22 so that you do not have to contend with the noise and kick from a larger calibre such as 9mm while learning how to act on a range and how to handle a firearm.

I have seen many people who had "learned" to shoot with larger calibres and by the time I saw them they needed to be brought back to a smaller calibre to "learn" again as they were unable to manage the larger one properly.

B'Man

Sparks

16 is legally old enough. Practically, it's not hugely likely - most superintendents if asked to sign off on a 16-year-old's first firearm being a fullbore pistol would baulk at the idea. There's also the afore-mentioned problem of cost. And more to the sporting point is B-man's point about learning to shoot with a .22, though I'd go further and say learn with an air pistol. When you've learnt to put one pellet in the middle of the target reliably, then you could move up to .22 and worry about coping with recoil. And once you've learnt to shoot air and .22, you could move onto the fullbore stuff (though you'd probably move back when you realise that air and .22 are sooooooo much more challanging

Rovi

A young man of my acquaintance applied for a Firearm Certificate for a .22LR rifle the day after his 16th birthday, a secondary Cert on his father's gun.
He's a full member of a very well known target shooting club and has done their firearms safety course; my brother and I also supplied him with over 300 acres of 'farmer's permission', but his local Gardai were much more impressed with the club membership (and associated insurance) and safety course qualification.
He had his Cert in 7 weeks.

We plan, in due course, to get him licenced on my pistols, but we're going to hold off on that for a year or two until he has established a track record with the Gardai of safe and unremarkable firearms use/ownership.
While he could legally apply for Certs for everything in my safe (and anything he cares to purchase himself), I think that this sort of thing is best done in incremental steps, not giant leaps.
There's much more possibility of things going wrong/unforeseen results with giant leaps.

Sparks

Yup. The "incremental steps" approach is one we ought to try using an awful lot more often really!

heyjay14

Thanks for the replys lads i was just taiking to the local firearms guard and i got the imprection i should join a club first so thats exactly what im going to do, maybe use some of there guns and go on from there,again thanks for all the replys;)..............

Sparks

Definitely you should join a club first. That's usually the first advice we give out - we missed it this time unfortunately!

heyjay14

Can someone please tell me the address of my local club and maybe a contact phone number too i live in Bray Co.Wicklow. My friend told me there is a club in Bray i just dont know were it might be.

Sparks

There's a shotgun club in Bray, but I don't know of any pistol club there. Your nearest club that could handle pistols would probably be Rathdrum (Hilltop's physically closer, but Rathdrum's on the trainline, which I suspect makes it practically closer for you). They only handle .22, but they are set up for new members and would have club gear you could use. Contacting them would be a good start.

Bananaman

Hilltop : http://www.pcquad.com

You'll not be getting anywhere near a fullbore pistol for a while but you can work towards it.

I would recommend that you contact the club, explain to them that you are interested in Pistol Shooting and see what the deal is with membership/insurance etc.

I would recommend that you do your basic pistol proficiency course - as far as I know you do not have to be a member to do it - just put your name down for the next one. That is done with .22

If you seriously intend to do take up shooting then a club membership is a good investment. It will cut down your running costs (equipment and range charges) and it is necessary for you to get you license when you come to that point.

As Rovi pointed out it goes a long way towards indicating to your local FAO that you are not only learning from experienced people and their good habits but have been accepted as such.

B'Man

PS: We don't have any blow-darts.

bunny shooter

Rovi wrote: »

A young man of my acquaintance applied for a Firearm Certificate for a .22LR rifle the day after his 16th birthday, a secondary Cert on his father's gun.
He's a full member of a very well known target shooting club and has done their firearms safety course; my brother and I also supplied him with over 300 acres of 'farmer's permission', but his local Gardai were much more impressed with the club membership (and associated insurance) and safety course qualification.
He had his Cert in 7 weeks.

We plan, in due course, to get him licenced on my pistols, but we're going to hold off on that for a year or two until he has established a track record with the Gardai of safe and unremarkable firearms use/ownership.
While he could legally apply for Certs for everything in my safe (and anything he cares to purchase himself), I think that this sort of thing is best done in incremental steps, not giant leaps.
There's much more possibility of things going wrong/unforeseen results with giant leaps.

This is good advice

bunny shooter

Bananaman wrote: »

.......learning from experienced people and their good habits....

A questionable comment, there are very few out there who can claim to be experienced with pistols in this country not in the same way as shotguns and rifles. Most have only had access to pistols for a very short time and claiming they are proficient is stretching it.

IRLConor

bunny shooter wrote: »

A questionable comment, there are very few out there who can claim to be experienced with pistols in this country not in the same way as shotguns and rifles

True, unfortunately. Experience is relative though. Everyone who has seen or done more than you has something to offer.

Valter

Well done on your taking the correct steps by looking for advise, there's not too many 16 year olds who look for advise let alone take it. Happy shooting.

Bananaman

....learning from experienced people and their good habits.....

A questionable comment, there are very few out there who can claim to be experienced with pistols in this country not in the same way as shotguns and rifles. Most have only had access to pistols for a very short time and claiming they are proficient is stretching it

I take your point - most sports pistol shooters in Ireland have no more than 3-4 years direct experience. Their involvement in their various sports will have brought them into contact with a large number of people with far more, from whose experience they have benefited.

My point is that if it is a type of sport someone is interested in getting into they should seek the advice and help of those that have the most.

In my experience, as it is where I got mine, Hilltop would be a pretty good place to start

As I said, a basic proficiency course would be the best place to start as it does not assume anything and it provides a good grounding.

B'Man

bunny shooter

Glad you took my comment in the way it was meant

I agree better to get guidance from someone who has some knowledge than to attempt to "wing it" on your own. This goes for all firearms incidently.

I am a firm beleiver that you never finish learning and everyone can benefit from others experince and knowledge.