Starting out shooting - need help!

ProfanityURL

So I used to go shooting when I was younger with my dad and brother and I loved it but as Dad got older and less mobile we started going less and less and I fell out of it in my early teenage years before I really got a chance to get into it properly at all.

I'm now 24, qualified teacher but working as a phd researcher in University of Limerick, living on the outskirts of limerick city and I would love to take up shooting again. I've looked into the process of getting a license, but I have never had one before and don't know what my chances are like.

Apart from the actual process of applying for the license does anyone have any advice for me on how to get into the sport? I'd like to get a small rifle for rabbit shooting to start out ideally and would need to find a gunclub nearby but I'm not sure if there are any. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would really like to get into shooting but coming in from the outside as a total beginner seems difficult.

snipe49

ProfanityURL wrote: »

So I used to go shooting when I was younger with my dad and brother and I loved it but as Dad got older and less mobile we started going less and less and I fell out of it in my early teenage years before I really got a chance to get into it properly at all.

I'm now 24, qualified teacher but working as a phd researcher in University of Limerick, living on the outskirts of limerick city and I would love to take up shooting again. I've looked into the process of getting a license, but I have never had one before and don't know what my chances are like.

Apart from the actual process of applying for the license does anyone have any advice for me on how to get into the sport? I'd like to get a small rifle for rabbit shooting to start out ideally and would need to find a gunclub nearby but I'm not sure if there are any. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would really like to get into shooting but coming in from the outside as a total beginner seems difficult.

There must to some one on there that is in the same area as this lad. come on and and help him get started please and thank U, You won't beat a .22 for the rabbits pal.

German pointer

Give me a pm and ill have a chat with you if you want I'm in Limerick and do a evening course in UL on Thursday nights

everypenny

Hi, and welcome!

It'll be a good idea to join a gun club. Sometimes gun clubs lean towards the hunting of birds rather than anything else. But there should be a good few fellas in any club who shoot fox and rabbit as well. Joining a club will help with the firearms application and give you good advice and contacts down the line.

Google is the best friend for finding your closest gun clubs.

Start small. I started on a .22 rim fire. It was great for rabbit and good enough for fox in certain circumstances. Others might try a center fire rifle first time out. Either way, my advice would be to start small.

The amount of information on this forum and on others internationally is phenomenal. Generally, the contributors to the fora are just that - contributors to the sport through their experience and their knowledge. Lap it all up, find what works for you and use it. Adapt everything else to your needs.

Some people go into one of two different areas of shooting - hunting and long range. My advice would be to do both. Hitting targets with a .22 rimfire at 200 yards (consistently) takes the same knowledge of the sport as hitting steel plate with a 308 at 800. Its much cheaper to learn these skills, safer to get the experience needed and easier to find areas where you can shoot safely with a small caliber.

Make sure that you never, ever breach safety. Always know whether your weapon is loaded or not and the position of your safety catch. Never put your finger on the trigger until you're going to fire. Always know where your round will go if you miss or penetrate your target.

Shooting will give you hours of fun and can expand your life in many ways. It gets you closer to nature, it gets you out of the house and it brings you closer to your primal state. Its a skill set that you'll be able to pass on to your own kids.

Read all you can find about shooting and ask all you can't. Enjoy it.

German pointer

Give me a pm and ill have a chat with you if you want I'm in Limerick and do a evening course in UL on Thursday nights

allan450

fair play german pointer.

coolhandspan

Hi Op,
I have been shooting all my life but I don't know everything so here is my twopence worth
First, meet the local firearm s officer in your local station, not the fella covering for him etc. him and him only. ask him what's req for your application.
Second. get a shotgun, not a .22 Rifle. shotgun allows you to hunt duck pheasant rabbit[game] and most vermin species.
Rifles are mostly used for vermin control and rabbits. stationary targets.{ a.22 rifle should never be used on foxes imho] .22 hornet is lowest humane calibre imho.
Finally, yes join a gun club. like any sport you will only improve through participating with people more skilled and knowledgable than yourself.

ps you will eed a good gun dog if you get serious after a season or two. short haired german pointers or cross breeds[droppers of same ] are best dogs in my opinion.
pm for any specific firearms questions

allan450

swallow that like a hunting pill.you cant go wrong

Hunter456

from limerick myself best advice i can give you is to go for a shotgun starting off your more likely to get a license for a shotgun, then after your 3 years is up for renewing your license then apply for your desired rifle but keep your shotgun most versatile firearm you can get for vermin and game shooting cheap to maintain and ammo is cheap as chips now days.

German pointer

You should go for the firearm you want. Rifle and shotgun shooting are as different as apples and pears. Some people like to shoot one or the other and others like to use both. Me I have 3 rifles and no shotgun as I much prefer rifle shooting. A .22lr is as easy to get as a shotgun and it does not matter what type of firearm you get as your first one get the one you want and that you will be comfortable with. Being a member of a club could help but is not needed as long as you have permission from a landowner. I am not in any game clubs and yet as I said I have 3 hunting firearms and no shortage of places to use them.

FISMA

ProfanityURL wrote: »

I'm now 24, qualified teacher but working as a phd researcher in University of Limerick

No worries, we will not hold that against you! :rolleyes:

Seriously though, I would get a good fundamental gun, like a 12ga or 22lr. They'll cover a lot of bases and allow you to get in-to the sport.

Definitely consider joining a club. I love the Harbour House in Kildare, great craic and even better people.

When you get to a range you'll meet people and in many cases, be able to try before you buy.

What did you shoot as a young fella?

For bunny bashing and general fun, the Ruger 10/22 is the way to go. My bog standard 10/22 has more precision and accuracy than you'll ever need bunny bashing.

If you want to shoot birds, the 12ga is the way to go.

I would of course, suggest to buy both, and a 223 as well. But that's just my gun buying ocd kicking in!

ProfanityURL

I've got the landowner permission and competency cert sorted so I'm ordering the safe this week and hopefully selecting a rifle aswell, the question I have is whether to go for new or 2nd hand. Whats the benefit to a new rifle, any issues with second hand? Does the age of the rifle affect accuracy or is there any particular reason to choose one over the other?

clivej

If it's a 22lr rifle then you won't go wrong with a CZ, the American model is the one to go for. Good value in second hand can be had.

German pointer

As Clive said you can't really go wrong with a CZ.

If you want another chat drop me a line and we'll meet again

ProfanityURL

Thanks guys, I got sorted with a safe and paid a deposit on a new CZ 455 .22LR so I'm meeting the firearms officer on Monday and handing in the application.

In terms of storage, the best place for the safe is in the garage. Would this be suitable or would you think the house is better? It doesn't seem overly damp, but it does get very cold in there in the winter.

everypenny

You should be ok as its mainly humidity that will destroy weapons. The climate in Ireland doesn't really get cold enough for noticeable effects on firearms.


Head down to your local sports store and ask them for as many of the little packs of silica gel that they have from shoe boxes and stuff. Throw a few into the safe and into the box you store your ammo in to absorb any moisture in the air.


My only concern with the Garage is that it may be easier to break into. So be careful as someone could route around in that all day (including any kids you have) and you wouldn't know that they were there.

clivej

ProfanityURL wrote: »

Thanks guys, I got sorted with a safe and paid a deposit on a new CZ 455 .22LR so I'm meeting the firearms officer on Monday and handing in the application.

In terms of storage, the best place for the safe is in the garage. Would this be suitable or would you think the house is better? It doesn't seem overly damp, but it does get very cold in there in the winter.

House is the better option. It's warmer and you can keep an eye on things.
If the Crime Prevention Officer came to visit they will insist that the safe is in your house, out of sight and better if upstairs out of sight a the cupboard.

Nekarsulm

Just a thought, before you bolt the safe to the concrete floor, check where the heating pipes run......

allan450

dont put it near the garage it will be destroyed in surface rust in no time.

ProfanityURL

Thanks for all the tips, I was thinking of throwing in some silica gels packs alright. The issue with putting it in the house is that I'm in rented accommodation and don't really want to drill in the house if possible. Are there any sleeves or anything like that that might help keep moisture away while under storage.

Can I expect multiple visits from different gardai to inspect the safe/firearm from time to time or is it generally a once off during the license application?

allan450

put it in a hot press of something.a bit of filler and paint will have it sorted if you have to move out.dont put it in the garage take that advice on board mate.