My first firearms licence, is a pistol. Will it be approved?

anotherguy33

Hi lads,

Bit of background first. I've only been target shooting now for 3 months. I'm going for a rifle licence but I was thinking of submitting one for a pistol aswel. What are my chances of getting it? Should I hold off, get the rifle first and then get the pistol. I'm a member of a range/club.

Cass

Legally speaking there is no limit to the frequency with which you can apply for firearm(s) nor the number of firearms you can apply for/license.

Realistically speaking as each firearm application will be judged on its own merits you must provide good reason for needing it and any application for a firearm that does not meet this criteria will be refused.

If you're a member of a range and want the pistol to take part in target shooting on a range then you have fulfilled the good reason part and can apply for one. Assuming all other criteria are met then there is no reason you should not be granted the license.

Grizzly 45

Should be no problem.

dalalada

What about applying for a restricted firearm as a first license? have the TPB given it

Grizzly 45

I know of one case that happened,but it was pre 2008. The only way to find out is to try it.Its a lottery depending on your local chief and district.There is no consistency or reasoning on this across the 26 counties.

Cass

For a short firearm (pistols), not allowed/going to happen.

For a long firearm (rifle/shotgun), again no restrictions on what you can apply for so its possible. You need only justify why a restricted firearm is required over a non-restricted.

Munsterlad102

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119195366#Comment_119195366

Legally there's nothing wrong with it, but AGS have a habit of making their own rules up more often than you would think. Theoretically you shouldn't have any problems if you have a valid reason for acquiring the firearm and if you obey all the other rules, storage and whatnot. Then again, it'll probably depend on the applicant and the chief super.

dalalada

Wheres the legislation that says you cant have a pistol on a first application?

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196487#Comment_119196487

You can apply for a .22lr pistol as your first application as it's an unrestricted pistol, no problem there. What Cass was talking about is a restricted pistol. You won't be granted a licence for one of them. No new licences can be given out for them. And even if the Gardai did give you a licence, it wouldn't be valid.

Unrestricted pistol = ok.

Restricted pistol = no licence can be given.

dalalada

Cass did not specify anything other than "short barrel firearm" which a .22lr is

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196545#Comment_119196545

You mentioned applying for a restricted firearm in a thread about a pistol so I'd assume Cass assumed you were talking about a restricted pistol, which can't legally be granted.

A shortbarrelled pistol of .22lr calibre is not a restricted pistol.

If you want a pistol, you can only apply for a .22lr. You can't apply for a centrefire pistol.

You could of course apply for a restricted rifle, they can be granted.

It's a bit confusing. You can licence a restricted rifle but you can't licence a restricted pistol.

dalalada

I understand but I am specifically talking about the OP issue of it being a first time license and a restricted firearm

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196604#Comment_119196604

Do you want a pistol or a rifle?

There's no issue getting a restricted rifle as a first time applicant.

There's no issue getting an unrestricted pistol (.22lr) as a first time applicant.

You won't get a restricted pistol, the Gardai aren't allowed to give out new licences for them.

If you are going down the restricted rifle route, you will have to convince a chief super why you need a restricted rifle. You'll need to explain to them why an unrestricted rifle won't do the same job.

Cass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196487#Comment_119196487

For restricted pistols ONLY - Section 3(D) of the firearms act, amended:

3D.— (1) As and from the date of commencement of this section, no application for a firearm certificate in respect of a short firearm shall be considered by an issuing person other than for—

(a) a device capable of discharging blank ammunition and to be used as a starting gun or blank firing gun;

(b) a short firearm of a type specified at paragraph 4(2)(e) of the Fire-arms (Restricted Firearms and Ammunition) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 21 of 2008) and designed for use as so specified;

(c) a short firearm for which the applicant for the firearm certificate held a firearm certificate on or before 19 November 2008.

None for unrestricted pistols as they are permitted.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196545#Comment_119196545

I did not need to specify it as you did so in your now deleted post #4 (the content of which I received via e-mail) :

dalalada - What about applying for a restricted firearm as a first license? have the TPB given it

As the OP said they were already going for a rifle license and considering a pistol license it was a safe assumption that your question on a restricted license was for either a rifle or pistol so I answered both. So you specified the restricted license aspect to which my reply is perfectly suited:

Cass - For a short firearm (pistols), not allowed/going to happen.

For a long firearm (rifle/shotgun), again no restrictions on what you can apply for so its possible. You need only justify why a restricted firearm is required over a non-restricted.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196604#Comment_119196604

As said above if the restricted license aspect, that you introduced to this thread, is something the OP is interestd in then they can go for a restricted rifle or shotgun, but not a short firearm (otherwise known as a pistol). No new short firearm, restricted, licenses will be issued and those that might be, as Battlecorp said, stand moot under the Act. So regardless of whether it is a restricted 22lr or restricted centrefire, they are both "out" in terms of licensing.

Restricted does not mean more dangerous but does carry a stigma because of the name. A shotgun with a pistol grip is restricted but is no more dangerous than a shotgun without one. Its a result of poor legislation and the wild imaginatings of those that drafted the legislation having watched too much American TV.

By the way, the thread works better when you don't delete the question that you asked which intiially sparked this "restricted" debate. The answers you sought were already there.

JP22

You have received great advise and should have no problems unless you have a criminal record which may bar you from holding a firearms certificate.

My answer would be yes, no, maybe,

it all depend upon where you live and the attitude of the issuing super in your area (some go by the book, some go by their own book) basically it’s a lottery, BUT it shouldn’t be.

Best of luck.

smmember20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058249725/my-first-firearms-licence-is-a-pistol-will-it-be-approved

Should you receive a refusal, you have the option to appeal to the district court within 30 days of the refusal

As a member of a club you can easily justify the application on the basis of target shooting

There are no cases that I am aware recently where .22 pistols are being refused so quids in you will be fine.