Starting out

tootyflutty

Hi there,
Apologies if this is the incorrect use of this forum, just looking for some info!

My partner and I were out in Courtlough recently and did one of their clay and rifle packages, and came away hooked!
We have a background in target archery, but are interested in making the switch probably to target rifle or possibly benchrest rifle. I've been attempting to research clubs and a few different websites, but came up with very little other than come and try sessions. Can anyone please tell me do clubs run beginner courses, how long do they last, or how do we get involved?

We are based in Meath at the moment, but are willing to travel within a reasonable distance. We are aware of how to go about buying our own equipment and there is a shop near us that has a good range of second hand bits, but if anyone has any links to sites to browse, we would be extremely grateful! Obviously no intention of purchasing until after we have a bit more time under our belts, but we'd like to start putting aside some money for possible future purchases.
Thanks in advance!

Cass

Welcome to the forum.

tootyflutty wrote: »

My partner and I were out in Courtlough recently and did one of their clay and rifle packages, and came away hooked!

Ha, ha. Suckers. Thats how they get you. A little taste and then you want more.

I've been attempting to research clubs and a few different websites, but came up with very little other than come and try sessions. Can anyone please tell me do clubs run beginner courses,

Firstly here is a list of all ranges (rifle ones) in the country. Have a check and see what they offer and if anything looks like something you'd be interested in. If you look under my posts you'll see a host of links to online dealers, shops, ranges, and some other info to. Might be useful.

how long do they last,

Most every range has courses for beginners. They give course, supervision, tuition, advice and practical courses (being actual firing a gun).

Each range will have it's own course and some last fro an hour, others an entire day. You want something that gives you the full range of firearms and not just one or two types. Look for ranges with centrefire ratings. This means they can shoot larger calibers firearms. Some ranges are only certified fro rimfire rifles and as such you don't get to experience the full range of firearms you can own and shoot, not to mention are limited to the specific sports for rimfire shooting.

or how do we get involved?

Some ranges can cater for people on a course/teaching basis, but most need you to be a member as day membership is illegal.

So check out the link to ranges i gave above and see which suits you from a cost, travel and facilities/disciplines point of view. Once you have a few picked out go and visit them and decide which you might like to join. You will, unless you are hunting (land permissions), need to be a member of a range if you want to apply for a firearm anyway.

but if anyone has any links to sites to browse, we would be extremely grateful! !

I won't bother to link them all in this opst as they are under my post, but you'll see all the links there to shops, ranges, clay ranges, online stores, etc. Take some time and have a read.

tootyflutty

Cass wrote: »

Most every range has courses for beginners. They give course, supervision, tuition, advice and practical courses (being actual firing a gun).

Each range will have it's own course and some last fro an hour, others an entire day. You want something that gives you the full range of firearms and not just one or two types. Look for ranges with centrefire ratings. This means they can shoot larger calibers firearms. Some ranges are only certified fro rimfire rifles and as such you don't get to experience the full range of firearms you can own and shoot, not to mention are limited to the specific sports for rimfire shooting.

Some ranges can cater for people on a course/teaching basis, but most need you to be a member as day membership is illegal.

Bit different from the archery in that, all beginners must complete a 6 week beginner course before being allowed to join the national organisation.

All your information has been brilliant, we'll start researching. We're both extremely competitive, so want to try as many different disciplines as possible before choosing, thanks for the tip about the centrefire rating, I hadn't even been aware of that before!

Time to get googling ðŸ˜

Cass

tootyflutty wrote: »

Bit different from the archery in that, all beginners must complete a 6 week beginner course before being allowed to join the national organisation.

Not sure on how archery works but with shooting, target shooting, you have an alphabet soup of groups, associations and organisations.

now you're completely free to join a range and shoot away at any type you want, but if you want to compete in your given discipline you'll need a range that is suitable, one that caters to your discipline, and one that will allow you to compete for national and international team selection.

Just a few disciplines:

• Long range (includes match, FTR, F-Open, Benchrest, Palma)
• Rimfire Benchrest
• Olympic (ISSF)
• Pistol
• Gallery
• Shotgun (Clays, Embassey)
• Sporting Rifle
• Bullseye
• Silhouette

Because there are so many types of shooting and ll of them are so different to the other it's almost impossible for a range to provide a complete and comprehensive course to teach you all of them.

What happens instead is they provide basic firearm handling and safety courses. They guide and advise you on your firearm choice and then steer you to the appropriate association that will help further your training in your given discipline/sport.

All your information has been brilliant, we'll start researching.

Shooting is a brilliant sport and i'd never see myself not doing it in some format. However there are so many variations and with the licensing system, waiting times, etc. it's something you should bee sure of , which way you want to go, before applying as it's along wait to get a new firearm to try another new sport.

Only up side is most ranges would welcome you and happily show you around. On the weekends most ranges are open to the public (whereas mid week would be appointment or members only).

Try take some time and drop around to a few. Even if they are a bit of a distance away it's no harm to drive down and check them out.

We're both extremely competitive, so want to try as many different disciplines as possible before choosing,

Absolutely. as said above it's the only way to be sure. Where possible try shoot a few and see if it's for you. Ask about cost, as some can be quite expensive to take part in never mind compete in, and be 100% before settling on one.

thanks for the tip about the centrefire rating, I hadn't even been aware of that before!

There are only a handful of centrefire rated ranges in the country. The Midlands (MNSCI), An Roicht, Harbour house, and i know i'm forgetting others but someone will remind of the them. If all else fails the list of ranges i have in my sig should show what each range caters for.

If you fancy a trip down to Tullamore some day give me a shout and i'll happily introduce you and get you shown around. The Midlands has pistol shooting, clays, rimfire, centrefire and the longest range in the country (1,200 yards). it'll give you a taste of the many disciplines available and then you can try other ranges to see if they suit better.

tootyflutty

Cass wrote: »

now you're completely free to join a range and shoot away at any type you want, but if you want to compete in your given discipline you'll need a range that is suitable, one that caters to your discipline, and one that will allow you to compete for national and international team selection.

Just a few disciplines:

• Long range (includes match, FTR, F-Open, Benchrest, Palma)
• Rimfire Benchrest
• Olympic (ISSF)
• Pistol
• Gallery
• Shotgun (Clays, Embassey)
• Sporting Rifle
• Bullseye
• Silhouette

So much food for thought, seriously thank you!

One other question, of the disciplines listed above which gives you the most opportunity to compete both nationally and internationally? I know it varies between men and women (bit ridiculous no?) but competing is something we love doing, so would like to continue to do so in a new sport.

Obviously we are both at the utter beginner stage, but as we have both shot internationally in archery (Olympic style), it is something we would look towards (attempting) doing waaaaaaaaaay off in the future.

Tullamore is actually closer to me than Courtlough, albeit cross country. That may have to be the next club we check out!

Cass

tootyflutty wrote: »

One other question, of the disciplines listed above which gives you the most opportunity to compete both nationally and internationally? I know it varies between men and women (bit ridiculous no?) but competing is something we love doing, so would like to continue to do so in a new sport.

If i'm wrong here someone will correct me, but afaik ISSF (Olympic stuff) and Clays are pretty much the only two that segregates men and women. All other disciplines are gender blind. Men and Women compete on the same level with the same scoring on the same firing line.

Obviously we are both at the utter beginner stage, but as we have both shot internationally in archery (Olympic style), it is something we would look towards (attempting) doing waaaaaaaaaay off in the future.

I cannot stress enough to try as many as possible. You are not limited to one. During my haydays i was competing in Long Range, Rimfire Benchrest, Clays and pistol shooting. Took it's toll but great fun.

However there are also any number of non ranking shoots. In fact you'll find more shoots that are classed as "fun shoots" than national or ranking shoots. They are a great way to test different disciplines and i guarantee if you start into shooting you will over time develop an "itch" for other disciplines and end up with more than a few firearms.

Tullamore is actually closer to me than Courtlough, albeit cross country. That may have to be the next club we check out!

Check out the Calendar of Shoots thread stickied at the top of the target forum. It has a list of shoots on in the MNSCI. If you can time your visit to one of them you'll get a better look at the various firearms and a taste fo some of the shoots available.

Baker.22

Hi,
Rimfire Benchrest is very addictive and competitive. There are many National competitions every year and the National squad does well internationally, travelling this year to Slovenia for the European Championship and World Cup. There is a National comp this weekend in the Midlands club. The comps have no age or gender discrimination, all shoot together. We use rifles similar to those used in the Olympics. The NRBAI is the governing body,

PM me if you have any more interest in it and I can give you a call or arrange a meeting to explain more !!

tootyflutty

Baker.22 wrote: »

Hi,
Rimfire Benchrest is very addictive and competitive. There are many National competitions every year and the National squad does well internationally, travelling this year to Slovenia for the European Championship and World Cup. There is a National comp this weekend in the Midlands club. The comps have no age or gender discrimination, all shoot together. We use rifles similar to those used in the Olympics. The NRBAI is the governing body,

PM me if you have any more interest in it and I can give you a call or arrange a meeting to explain more !!

The more I research the more I like the sound benchrest all right. We're busy this weekend, but plan on making a trip to one of the upcoming competitions to check it all out

homerhop

tootyflutty wrote: »

The more I research the more I like the sound benchrest all right. We're busy this weekend, but plan on making a trip to one of the upcoming competitions to check it all out

If you let me know in advance I can let you use my br rifle at an upcoming comp to let you in the deep end.

LB6

Hi Tootyflutty and partner.

Everyone here knows who I am, so let me introduce myself. My name is Sharon and I'm secretary of the NRBAI (National Rimfire Benchrest Association Of Ireland). We're the NGB (National Governing Body) of Benchrest shooting in Ireland.

We try to hold a competition every month and each January have our calendar printed out so that you can work it into your schedule. Our competitions are not gender based and everyone shoots from the same point at the same target. However, we do have 4 different types of discipline to cater for. There is no ranking levels in BR as there is in GR or GP eg X Class, AA Class etc. However there is a table where everyone is the same and points are awarded based on where you placed up to 10th place. These are tallied at the end of the year and the best 6 of the 9 competitions are awarded then we know who tops the table. But all that is down the road. I need to get you and your partner on the line first :-) So a little more information.

Our disciplines are Factory Sporter (eg. CZ 10/22) This is not an international discipline, however it is a national discipline and a perfect way for people to get into the sport of BR shooting without the expense of getting a larger rifle first off.

The following 3 categories are used in International competitions and shot here also. International Sporter, Light Varmint and Heavy Varmint. Competitions are normally 20 mins per card, 2 cards and 25 scoring targets, one shot per target with a max of 500, 50x (yet to be done btw - you could be the first!)

Anyway, that's the basics of it. We run training sessions during the year or as requested we will slot people in.

Harbour House in Nurney is a great range (I'm a bit biased - I shoot there, well everywhere, but that's my home range), it has Benchrest, GP/GP, Clays, Archery and a new 100m range. Great reception will be given to you by the O'Briens, Toby, Tommy and Dee. They have 2 sporting goods supplies on site. A secure lock up. Safety prep area. And a class room for training purposes.
PS - the food is fab as well.

Hilltop in Roundwood Wicklow has BR, GP/GP, and clays also.

BRC (Bohernabreena Rifle Club) in Dublin Mountains also caters to BR, Sills, sporting rifle etc.

As Cass has mentioned already, Midlands has a wide variety of disciplines also.

BTW - see HOMERHOP up there - I'd take him up on the offer - he's got a fab rifle - you'd get a great kick out of it!

If you have any questions or queries, please don't hesistate to get in touch with me at secretary.nrbai@gmail.com. Have a squint at the links for us below and we look forward to seeing you on the BR line soon.

Sharon.


PPS - NRBAI have competition on Saturday coming 8th April at Midlands if you want to pop over for a look see. :-)

https://www.facebook.com/NRBAI
http://nrbai.yolasite.com/

clivej

Sharon who's Sharon ;)

Also if you make it down to harbour House Sports Club the members there will take you through all the different shooting that we do there. AND get you out on the shooting line to try out what we shoot. Saturday is the best day to go as that when most members are chewing the rag, mainly about how they messed up in the last competition, and trying to do better

tootyflutty

Literally gonna have to print out all this info! You're a great bunch of people, and seriously can't thank you all enough for the pure bucketloads of info.
I know a fair amount of people who do archery down in HH, and it's only about an hour away from me.
I'm busy this weekend, and was half thinking of doing the Courtlough Women's Clay shoot the 23rd (just to see if my first attempt was a lucky fluke, or if I have a knack!), so we may take a trip down to HH the weekend of 15th. I'll get him to check his diary haha