Air rifle questions

chiefwiggum

Hi everyone
I have a few questions I hope you dont mind me asking and have probably been asked loads of times already.
I'm thinking of getting an air rifle for pest control. Think I will go with a 22 calibre. My questions are..
1 can I get my licence before the gun.. I will be buying from a licenced dealer. So he will need the number for my licence or does my licence application need the serial number of the gun?
2 do I need a gun safe for storage the same as a rifle or shotgun?
3 any recommendations for a good spring loaded air rifle?
Thanks for any help given

TheW1zard

Ive a bsa mercury mk2, love the old springers!

chiefwiggum

Also do I have to be a member of a club/range or can I get landowners permission instead?

alanmc

You go to a dealer and choose a gun. Pay a deposit and get a bill of sale. Complete FCA1 form (loads of information in the forum on how to complete it). Submit FCA1 form with Bill Of Sale to the Garda at the front desk. And then the wait begins.

In the event you're granted a license, you'll receive a Grant Letter in the post. You go to the Post Office with the Grant Letter and use it to pay tour €80 for a 3 year license. A week later(ish) your license will arrive in the post and you can collect your rifle from the dealer.

You'll need a safe secured to a brick wall/floor *before* submitting your FCA1 as you need to complete a section affirming you have the requisite secure storage in place. During the application processing, you may get a visit from the Crime Prevention officer to inspect your secure storage, so it needs to be in place.

alanmc

chiefwiggum wrote: »

Also do I have to be a member of a club/range or can I get landowners permission instead?

Depends what you're reason for having the rifle is. If it is for target use, you need to be a member of an authorised range/club. If for vermin control, you need to show land permissions. Then again, you can apply for both.

There is a sectijn on the FCA1 where you outline the intended use and supply the details of either the range/club and land permissions.

chiefwiggum

alanmc wrote: »

Depends what you're reason for having the rifle is. If it is for target use, you need to be a member of an authorised range/club. If for vermin control, you need to show land permissions. Then again, you can apply for both.

There is a sectijn on the FCA1 where you outline the intended use and supply the details of either the range/club and land permissions.

Alan very helpful ..thanks

slug gun

With regard to a good spring powered air rifle, it's hard to beat Weihrauch. I have owned and used HW's for 30 years and currently have 4. Look at the HW97 for an underlever and the HW95 as a break barrel. Lakeland Shooting Centre are the agents for Weihrauch.

chiefwiggum

slug gun wrote: »

With regard to a good spring powered air rifle, it's hard to beat Weihrauch. I have owned and used HW's for 30 years and currently have 4. Look at the HW97 for an underlever and the HW95 as a break barrel. Lakeland Shooting Centre are the agents for Weihrauch.

Thanks a million