Where to start

Phaetonman

I saw a bit about target shooting on Prime Time last night and I have to say it was a revelation.

I always wanted to do long range rifle shooting but I had assumed it was illegal in Ireland. Some of the shooting I saw on this program was really impressive.

Where do I start with this? Is the law about to change soon or is it still possible to do?

Sparks

Most of us saw it as a revelation as well. :rolleyes:

If you're interested Paheton, there's a boards wiki page here which outlines it. If you want to get into the long range stuff, you're going to have to join the midlands club however, there are only two or three ranges in the country that do that kind of shooting and they've got the best facilities at the moment so unless you're in Cork or Kerry, they're the place to go for a beginner. They'd start you off at short range on the .22 rifles and when you have the basics down, you could move up to the long range stuff.

Phaetonman

Thanks Sparks, Midlands isn't too bad.

So what could I expect to be shooting after a few years? Are military grade sniper rifles legal in Ireland?

What did you think about the show as well, did it represent shooting in Ireland?

Sparks

"military grade sniper rifles"?
Okay, firstly, there's no such thing as a civilian sniper rifle. Secondly, target shooting isn't sniping, it's not even in the same continent. Thirdly, you talk like that on a target shooting range and you're asking to be kicked out for being a Walter Mitty and worrying the Range Officer as to whether or not you can be trusted with a firearm.

Did the show represent us? It said we were only a matter of time away from walking into a schoolyard and shooting kids. Do you think that represents a group of people, all of whom have been signed off on by the Gardai as being safe, responsible people who pose no threat to public safety?

That show has already seen several formal complaints made to the BCC this morning alone, as well as letters of protest to RTE, the Irish Times, the Irish Independant, the Irish Examiner, the Sunday Times and the Evening Herald. It was a hatchet job from start to finish, set up to scaremonger people in order to sell airtime. There's a thread in here about it, take a quick read through to get a sense for it.

IRLConor

Phaetonman wrote: »

Are military grade sniper rifles legal in Ireland?

The notion of a "military grade sniper rifle" isn't a clear-cut one. There are hunting rifles that are more powerful than the ones used by many militaries around the world. Some rifles will be specifically designed for one task or the other but there's crossover which is hard to classify succinctly.

An example of the crossover in the fields would be the Remington 700 family of rifles. They've been around since the early 60s and started out as hunting rifles but were a good design so they were adopted as the basis for many police and military versions too. You couldn't realistically label a Remington 700 set up for hunting as a "sniper rifle" (unless you were scaremongering) but it could at the same time be as powerful and more accurate than its cousin in military service.

"Legal in Ireland" usually means:

• You are of good character and can be trusted to use the firearm safely.
• You have a good reason for using the firearm in question.
• You have somewhere to use it safely.
• You have somewhere to keep it safely.

Phaetonman wrote: »

What did you think about the show as well, did it represent shooting in Ireland?

Not really. If you just watched the bits by Des Crofton and muted the voice-over for the B-roll stuff it'd be closer to the truth.

Vegeta

Phaetonman wrote: »

Thanks Sparks, Midlands isn't too bad.

So what could I expect to be shooting after a few years? Are military grade sniper rifles legal in Ireland?

No-one likes civilain target shooting to be associated with the military (we shoot paper not people) and the term sniper is really a military or law enforcement term.

Saying that larger caliber rifles to shoot 1000 yards plus, are legal. They just cost a nice bit of money and it is a very tough discipline to be competitive at, just like most target shooting. It requires lots of practice which means lots of ammo, which is not cheap.

On of the guys here can shoot clay pigeons (stationary of course, not flying out of a trap ) at 1000 yards with a factory rifle i.e. an off the shelf model with very few modifications.

To be honest if money is no object to you and you can train/practice quite a lot then you could advance quite quickly.

What did you think about the show as well, did it represent shooting in Ireland?

There is a thread on the main shooting forum about this. Most people who shoot and saw this are very disappointed with the show as Tom Clonan was terrible on it. He was the security expert and was talking complete rubbish, the show was very poor considering how it could have been made. No interviews with the Gardai or the Department of Justice firearms department.

It wasn't me!

Heh, someone saw the show and now wants to get into target shooting? Awesome. Maybe it was better than we thought.

foxshooter243

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Heh, someone saw the show and now wants to get into target shooting? Awesome. Maybe it was better than we thought.

its an ill wind, that blows no good:D

Phaetonman

I've just seen the other forum now, you guys seem angry.

Sorry for military stuff but I am completly ignorant of guns. I'd just love to be able to shoot targets at massive distances, just I'm thinking of Halo etc.

I didn't see all the show but the bit I did see seemed pretty decemt with the a representative from a gun club and some huge booming rifles.

It wasn't me!

Yeah, and the guys make it look easy as well, but you'll probably find it frustratingly difficult at first. It really is a great sport to get into as well. It's not cheap, but there are some great people, it's great fun and extremely challenging. One of the nice things about it is also that as a rugby player, or a footballer, if you're still playing at even a local level by forty, you're ahead of the game, but you can shoot, and shoot competitively, well into your retirement, so the fun never really does end.

thehair

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Yeah, and the guys make it look easy as well, but you'll probably find it frustratingly difficult at first. It really is a great sport to get into as well. It's not cheap, but there are some great people, it's great fun and extremely challenging. One of the nice things about it is also that as a rugby player, or a footballer, if you're still playing at even a local level by forty, you're ahead of the game, but you can shoot, and shoot competitively, well into your retirement, so the fun never really does end.

+1 i am the big 40 and i have soon to get cz452 long rifle rinfire .22
fingers cross in buy friday 23/5/2008:DPhaetonman try www.shoot.ie
and hello and welcome:)look at the cz452 .22 rinfire steve

Bananaman

Phaetonman,

Welcome and I hope your interests are fulfilled.

If you wish to do rifle shooting with a view to progressing to F-Class - i.e. very large distances, then Midlands is your spot.

When you ask what grade you could reach in a few years. That will depend on you and your pocket. In a couple of years, if you have an aptitude for it and have spent many thousands and most of your free time on kit and practice you MAY be able to do what these guys can i.e. shoot a saucer at 1000 yards but it will not be easy and may never be within your grasp.

On the question of the type of firearms you may be able to use. It is unhelpful to ask about militaria - you can join the army if you wish to use military stuff. There is no other way to do that.

If, however, you have an aversion to hurting peope then it is best that you stay in Target Shooting where there is no military equipment and no chance of you or anyone else getting hurt.

Again, your ability and your pockets ability will decide what you can shoot.
To start with you will be shooting at 50 or 100 yards with a .22 rifle. How you do with that will decide what and when you can do next.

B'Man

Bananaman

The show was tabloid sensationalism.

thehair

Bananaman wrote: »

Phaetonman,







your ability and your pockets ability will decide what you can shoot.
To start with you will be shooting at 50 or 100 yards with a .22 rifle. How you do with that will decide what and when you can do next.

B'Man

+1 that is how i stared to shoot :cool:

clivej

After my son, 28, lost €1200 + chickens to fox's he decided to get a gun and that got me thinking of all the fun I, 56, used to have shooting when I was younger.
I now have a CZ style 22lr and the fun just keeps on coming. I’ve been to the Midlands many times both before getting my own gun and since. You can hire a 22lr there for €27 with 50 rounds for the day BUT phone first.
I’m looking to get something bigger but I will wait until I can shoot this little baby well first.
Cost:
CZ style 22lr = €450, SAK mod €50, License = €35, scope = €260, ammo = €25 - €40 the cheaper rounds at box of 500, cleaning rods, gun bag and extras = €150.

My son has a 223 a much bigger firing rifle but using the same size caliber but with more powder behind the bullet.

DO IT and start now you won’t regret it. We’ve shoot 2 rabbits, son 1 me 1, go bigger when you can afford it but start the thrill of shooting now.


Added as an afterthought:
I suppose all and any rifles are sniper rifles if you stop to think about it.
My 22lr is used to hunt rabbits and shoot a few crows if I get the chance.

Heckler

Sorry for military stuff but I am completly ignorant of guns. I'd just love to be able to shoot targets at massive distances, just I'm thinking of Halo etc.

Sorry now guys, I'm all for responsible people taking up shooting but "i'm just thinking of Halo" puts the ****s up me. Smacks of someone playing first person shooters and reckons they would like to try the real thing. Probably be devestated when they get to the range and realise they can't try out a Pulse Rifle with alien incapacitating grenade attachments.

I may be wrong but this reeks of wannabe. "massive distances" Read too many Bob the Nailer* books I reckon.

Apologies if I'm wrong.

*Bob the Nailer is a ficticious Stephen Hunter character based on a real life Vietnam sniper by the name of Carlos Hathcock

Phaetonman

Sorry now guys, I'm all for responsible people taking up shooting but "i'm just thinking of Halo" puts the ****s up me. Smacks of someone playing first person shooters and reckons they would like to try the real thing.

Its as valid as any reason for wanting to shoot. Don't be so precious about your little sport.

And you can go **** yourself, you've no idea how responsible I am. You sound like some pig ignorant fool that equates game playing to people going on murderous rampages.

Sparks

And that's enough of that I think. Phaeton, do two things please - firstly, read the first rule of the main forum charter, and secondly, remember that we all just got a hatchet job of a prime time show earlier this week and you're picking exactly the wrong time to sound like a troll, even if you're not trolling.
Heckler, valid concern, but IRLConor's response to the same concern was better. Even if Phaeton was a troll, you might find two or three real interested people who were simply too shy to ask but who read the responses to his query.