Any muzzle-loading clubs/groups in Ireland?

hughes.90

Hi folks,
I haven't come across any Irish equivalent to something like the MLAGB in the UK. Are there any clubs/groups that support muzzle-loading here in Ireland? I'm a matchlock enthusiast myself and would love the chance to get in touch with like-minded people and find out the best way to go about licensing/shooting in this country. I tried asking around my current shooting club, but only got shrugs and "dunnos" (and in any case our target ranges don't support anything like this). I'm based in the northside Dublin area.

I've heard the licensing requirements for BP and substitutes (Pyrodex etc.) in this country are fairly stringent, so maybe muzzle-loading isn't a practical hobby here. Still though, I thought it was worth asking.

Thanks.

Grizzly 45

1 hours drive up the road for you to NI from Dublin.
Find muzzle loading aplenty up there.:)

Seriously, it's almost impossible to do down here as, you cant get black powder without some godawful amount of hoop-jumping and paperwork,as the Irish govt treats it as an extremely dangerous primary explosive.[Which it is] But have also put bP substitutes like Pydroex in the same category.

So their answer to this is "Sure you can do it here, its not illegal, so long as you have an approved explosives store, some legal method of getting it into the state, and a license for using your modern-day copy of that pre-1870 Hawken rifle!"
OR hop in the car and drive to NI,and have none of those problems and a thriving BP community who are only too happy to welcome folks from the south,with little or none of our problems in that shooting category.

hughes.90

Yes, I was worried that might be the state of affairs. What are the licensing requirements like for repro muzzle-loaders here? Would it be possible to get something on a shotgun license by virtue of it being smoothbore? Any caliber limits to that?

otmmyboy2

hughes.90 wrote: »

Yes, I was worried that might be the state of affairs. What are the licensing requirements like for repro muzzle-loaders here? Would it be possible to get something on a shotgun license by virtue of it being smoothbore? Any caliber limits to that?

Same as anything that can fire over a joule, needs a firearms licence.

Would likely be non restricted if as you say it is smoothbore, but the ammunition would be a non runner as Grizzly outlined.

So you could own it in the south, but only shoot it in the north.

Unless you could work out some accommodation with your super.
I know something exists for reenactors to possess powder down here for displays, so if that could be extended to allow for shot and usage then I think you'd have a runner.

But that is a massive if.

I know some reenactors in Cork had a black powder firing cannon at one point, so I would think something must be possible.

Grizzly 45

THEN licensing a replica here might give you another headache. if it is rifled and over.308 It is probably classified as a RESTRICTED firearm. Most are starting around 45 cal and upwards.

So you now have the hassle of getting the chief super to sign off on this, on a rifle you can t use in the Republic as you cant get the propellant for it. At that stage of things, if you did want o shoot BP,I'd be looking at something like a Sharps rifle that fires BP metallic cartridges,, which you can get, and are stupidly expensive,but could be used on a range here, and as long as the EU lead ban isnt enforced.:rolleyes: Another BIG problem on the way for the BP community.:(

hughes.90

My aim was to go for a matchlock smoothbore, below .70 caliber.

Don't know what my local gards would think if I showed up wanting a license for something like that, even if I was only to shoot it up north. And then of course there's the issue of finding someone in this country who could import a gun for me, since I haven't seen much in the way of repro arquebuses/muskets for sale locally.

jb88

I know someone to whom you can speak too,who will help you on this.
PM me.