advice for shooting in ireland?

lcboards2005

lived in dublin all my life and have had experience shooting here (shotguns, bb guns, airsoft) and abroad (semi-autos, autos, etc.) but want something more permanent w/expanding hobbies going into college (just done lc) i.e. smth where i can just take/store a gun/guns on-site and fire off for 1-2 hours in the evening

- ranges in the dublin area (preferably ones i can get to w/busses and trains from town)

- the road to acquiring firearms/what i can acquire here (18 in a month's time)

- stuff on hunting (where to do it, laws on it, etc.)

- the scene in colleges (no lifed the lc so will probably be going ucd/tcd)

- what guns are allowed here (sidearms? rifles? shotguns? etc.)

any other advice is v appreciated

TheEngineer1

What kind of shooting do you want to do?

If it's target shooting you have a couple of options

-Clay pigeon with a shotgun.

-Pistol shooting with a rimfire (small calibre) pistol. These are limited to 5 rounds.

-Rifle shooting with a semi auto or bolt action rimfire rifle

-Rifle shooting with a bolt action centerfire (large calibre) rifle.

There are other disciplines but these are what most beginners would start off with.

If it's hunting you have other options

- Game birds with a shotgun

- Small mammals (rabbits/ foxes) with a rimfire rifle or small calibre centerfire rifle

-Deer hunting with a large calibre centerfire rifle.

In any case, no matter what you want to do the first thing you need to do is a firearm handling course as the guards look for this for a first time application. The NARGC run these around the country so give them a Google to find out when the next one they're running close to you is on.

Once you have that done, decide if it's hunting or target shooting or both that you want to do. If you decide on target shooting you'll have to become a member of a range that caters for your chosen discipline.

I wouldn't have a clue about ranges in Dublin, I'm sure someone else here would have better info. But I do know one of the Dublin colleges has a rifle shooting club. I think it's UCD but I could be wrong. I'm just out of UCC myself but there's nothing there in terms of shooting clubs.

If it's hunting you want to do then the easiest way to join a hunting club. Again, the NARGC have clubs in every parish almost so shoot them an email to find out what your local club is.

Once you've your safety course done and your membership for your shooting or hunting club got, you need to get a gun safe and fix it to a solid wall in your dwelling.

Then you can go to a gun shop and pick a suitable firearm for your chosen quarry or shooting discipline.

My only advice would be to buy a quality second hand gun instead of a shiny new piece of shite for your first firearm. There are some truly awesome second hand guns on dealers shelves going for not a lot of money and they are far better than the cheaper stuff being peddled at the entry level price point. Most of them will have only fired a few rounds in their lifetime. As a general rule, if the stock and barrel are in good condition, then the gun has probably seen very little use.

Once you pick out a gun, pay for it and the dealer will give you a receipt with the serial number. Download an FCA1 form from the Garda website and apply for a firearm cert for that firearm. It should take between 1 and 3 months for the cert to be issued provided everything on your application is in order. The cops may want to visit your home to check out your security.

freddieot

I live in Dublin but as far as I'm aware there is no target range that you can really get to by bus or train. That said I've no clue about the Univ facilities if any for airguns.

Also, target shooting in the evening on ranges at least, does not really happen. Any range, club I've been in usually calls time around 5pm. Most might also only at the weekends.

You also need to consider where you would store a firearm and /or how you would transport it. Very few ranges have storage facilities.

That's the sad truth of the situation. It's not easy to get into, especially when you are young.

Of course you don't always need a range, hunting for example, but again you need to consider how you can make it work in practice.

The lack of a vehicle is what i suggest is your main obstacle. I don't know anyone that hunts or target shoots that does not have access to a car or part of a family that have one. It's quite impractical otherwise.

Anyone who knows different regarding any range or club where you can catch a bus to it from Dublin city area and is open in the evenings and also with storage facilities for firearms, please feel free to attach details for the OP.

garrettod

Hi,

I'm not 100% sure that I'm correct here, but I think that Bus Eireann Bus No. 101 (or maybe No. 101x) goes from Dublin, up the R132, and will take you approx ten mins walk from Courtlough.

Courtlough have storage facilities, and open late on Wednesday evenings, during the summer time. They are also open 6 days a week, only closing on Tuesdays.

Hope that helps (and that I'm correct about the bus)

Croohur1

Both UCD and Trinity have target rifle clubs. Air rifles only AFAIK. UCDs is on the Belfield campus, not sure about Trinity's.

alanmc

Back when I was in Trinity we had a .22lr 25m indoor range that backed onto Pearse Street. Not exactly sure what they used as a backstop.

Pretty sure it's gone now though.