Shooting on your own property

HQ2011

Hey all

I live in the country side on 1 acre of land. I am just wondering if it is legal for me to set up a small target range at the end of my garden and shoot a .17 HMR with silencer.

Is there any laws against this as long as I set up an effective backstop?

Thanks for reading

Sparks

HQ2011 wrote: »

Is there any laws against this as long as I set up an effective backstop?

Yes. Target shooting outside an authorised range is illegal under the firearms act.

Qualitymark

Aren't silencers illegal too?

HQ2011

Thanks for the advise, I haven't applied for a gun licence yet so i need to do a course and join a club, It was just a question i wanted answered quickly.

@Qualitymark I don't know if a silencer is legal or not, I guess all that will be explained to me when I do the gun safety course.

Sparks

Qualitymark wrote: »

Aren't silencers illegal too?

No, (licenced) silencers are perfectly legal here.

HQ2011

Thanks for the help guys! Its much appreciated!

adrian5765

yes silencers are legal but u must apply to have an S stamp on your license for any gun you wish to use a silencer on

arrowloopboy

Sparks wrote: »

Yes. Target shooting outside an authorised range is illegal under the firearms act.

Technically correct,but continues zeroing isn't illegal !
This so,is an uninforcable law,and hence shouldn't be a law at all,everything in this little country of ours seems to be illegal:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:.

Sparks

arrowloopboy wrote: »

Technically correct,but continues zeroing isn't illegal !

Sorry, no, it doesn't continue that way. Zeroing outside of a range is illegal under the Act. Even if it was as an oversight and even though the Minister when asked later said (I'm paraphrasing here) "Whoops", it's still the law.

This so,is an uninforcable law

I know of several cases where it's very much been enforced...

shouldn't be a law at all

Correct, but unfortunately it is. As such, please remember Rule 8 from the charter...

Snake_Doctor

Just as a matter of interest, would chronograph testing of ammo come under the same umbrella?
Ta S'Doc

Sparks

I'm not sure, but the definitions in the act are so wide that if it ever went so far as to go to a court, I wouldn't bet so much as a toenail clipping on the outcome of any case where that was the defence.

BattleCorp

Qualitymark wrote: »

Aren't silencers illegal too?

If you want a moderator (silencer), you must apply to the Gardai for one. They will either grant you permission for it or they won't. You usually have to write a letter to go with the application form stating why you need to have a moderator.

If you are granted permission, you will receive your gun licence with a letter "S" on it.

Without the letter "S" on your licence, you aren't allowed to possess a moderator and you will be prosecuted for illegal possession of one should you be caught.

If you apply for the moderator when you are applying for your firearm licence, you pay €80 total for the moderator and the firearm licence should they both be granted.

If you apply for the moderator separately to your firearm licence, you have to pay €80 for the moderator and €80 for the firearm licence should they both be granted.

tac foley

Snake_Doctor wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest, would chronograph testing of ammo come under the same umbrella?
Ta S'Doc

You are actually testing ammunition by shooting it. To do that, you need to be on a range. All the previous comments about where and how you can do this apply.

tac

deerhunter1

Sparks wrote: »

No, (licenced) silencers are perfectly legal here.

Suppressors:rolleyes:

Vegeta

deerhunter1 wrote: »

Suppressors:rolleyes:

Legislation and application forms call them silencers, so is it incorrect to use that term when discussing their legality and how to apply for one?

Cass

It also refers to firearms as weapons. Doesn't make it right either.

I never call them a silencer. If for no other reason than its not an appropriate description of it's function. It does not silence the shot, it reduces or suppresses the heard report of the shot. You cannot suppress or silence a supersonic round. Even subsonic rounds make a noise and while it's possible to reduce to a level that you believe is silent, it never is. Plus have you seen a subsonic version of a supersonic round. Take the .308 in 150gr. Usually has a MV of 2700 or more. Drop between 100 and 200 yards can be from 0.5" to 2". In subsonic form that drop goes to as high as 30" over the same 100 yard increase in distance.

So what good is a suppressor or silencer when you need a degree in advanced ballistics to work out your drop.

BattleCorp

Cass wrote: »

It also refers to firearms as weapons. Doesn't make it right either.

The section on the form referring to sights is also incorrect. It should be renamed "nightvision/thermal sights".

Grizzly 45

Unfortuneatly,technically and historically the term "silencer" is actually correct when talking about any device that reduces shot noise. Hiriam Maxim's original patent describes them as a "silencer"
"Suppressors" and the like is/was just a US military thing to possibly rename everything in the army as somthing different to cause or prevent more confusion in the supply depot.The trem then drifted off into common day usage to describe silencers along with" sound modifiers".

Cass

• Silencer - Device used to reduce noise.
• Silence or To Silence - Means the absence of sound, silent, without noise.

The meaning of the word silencer does not keep with the meaning of the word silence or to silence something. A suppressor does not silence a firearm, and just because something has been used for a long time does not mean it's right it just means it's been wrong for longer.

ligertigon

Just to add more confusion.

What about a rifle where the model contains a built in suppressor from the factory.

Does one need an additional licence for this?

Cass

If it has a suppressor at all you need authorisation. Doesn't matter about how it's fitted or whether it's factory fitted or not. Which rifle are you thinking of that has it built in?

ligertigon

Many air rifles come with factory fitted suppressors.
In fact, the manufacturers state NOT to fire with these removed.
While others are fused to the barrel

What then?

Cass

AS above.

If it has a suppressor it needs authorisation

bravestar

ligertigon wrote: »

Many air rifles come with factory fitted suppressors.
In fact, the manufacturers state NOT to fire with these removed.
While others are fused to the barrel

What then?

Then you apply for the "s" outlining your reasons and make sure you get it. Otherwise you don't take possession of the firearm.

robertpatterson

If the problem is youre not allowed to shoot at a target, if you took a dead rabbit and started taking shots at it at say 100 yards would that be illegal in itself cos you wouldn't be shooting at a 'target'

tac foley

Sir, you are splitting 'hares' here. If you are shooting at an object, no matter what is is, then it is a target.

tac

HQ2011

If it is illegal to shoot outside a target range then how come as part of a gun club you are allowed to shoot on farm land with permission?

Cass

robertpatterson wrote: »

If the problem is youre not allowed to shoot at a target, if you took a dead rabbit and started taking shots at it at say 100 yards would that be illegal in itself cos you wouldn't be shooting at a 'target'

Seriously?

/sigh

If you shoot a rabbit then you're hunting. if you shoot it repeatedly then you either have anger issues or are now using the rabbit carcass as a target and hence are target shooting. The word target has an unbelievably long list of items which are classed as targets. The definition of target shooting is purposely vague to non existent to allow any person dealing with a situation the ability to enforce it or give leeway.

HQ2011 wrote: »

If it is illegal to shoot outside a target range then how come as part of a gun club you are allowed to shoot on farm land with permission?

Target shoot outside a range. NOT shoot.

BattleCorp

HQ2011 wrote: »

If it is illegal to shoot outside a target range then how come as part of a gun club you are allowed to shoot on farm land with permission?

It's only illegal to do target shooting outside of an official range, not hunting or vermin control.

So, just to be clear, if you have permission then it's ok to hunt or to shoot vermin on farm land.

But if you stick up a target, bottle, stick, balloon, or whatever, outside of an official range, pop off a shot at it, then you are target shooting and breaking the law.

cheapskate

Hi, Im also interested in this topic albeit slightly different!

I also live in the country surrounded by fields with only one road boundary, I live on a 6 acre holding which I own.
My question is, as a first time licence applicant am I likely to get approved for licence for vermin shooting on my own land, I dont at present want to join a club and my local club is not accepting new members anyway!
Also I was planning on buying a double barrell shotgun for rabbits but the gun shop recommended me to purchase a rifle instead actually suggested both!! Am I better to get a rifle, .17 or .22 Or a barking iron?

Thanks for your views...
Cheapskate

BattleCorp

cheapskate wrote: »

I also live in the country surrounded by fields with only one road boundary, I live on a 6 acre holding which I own.
My question is, as a first time licence applicant am I likely to get approved for licence for vermin shooting on my own land, I dont at present want to join a club and my local club is not accepting new members anyway!
Also I was planning on buying a double barrell shotgun for rabbits but the gun shop recommended me to purchase a rifle instead actually suggested both!! Am I better to get a rifle, .17 or .22 Or a barking iron?

Thanks for your views...
Cheapskate

You don't have to own land or join a club to get a licence for vermin control or hunting. You just need permission from two landowners. Local farmers that you get on well with would probably give you permission. That said, I suppose shooting on your own land probably would count as an acceptable reason to the Gardai. I'd get other permissions too before submitting my application.

I'd recommend a .22lr for shooting rabbits. Much greater range than a shotgun. Another reason to go for a .22lr as it's cheaper to run than a shotgun or a .17. The .17 ammo is a good bit more expensive than .22lr although it is better for the long range shots.

Personally, I'd go for the .22lr.