Legal or Illegal (sorry im sure this has been posted before)

b1ackr0se

Hi all,

As im sure most of you already know there is a certain airsoft gun shop open in the Blanchardstown area.

Target shooting and game shooting is something that i have been interested in now for a long time.

Obviously it must be legal if there is a shop open selling the weapons.

But how legal??

I would like to buy some rifles for shooting vermon and targets but just want to make sure that it is 100% legal before i do so.

If i do decide to buy the rifle can i just walk into my local forest with it and start shooting squirel and rats?

Also is it ok to have this in my vehicle traveling to where ever i plan to shoot?

Again im new to this so i would like to apologise in advance if i have opened a tired thread or asked any stupid questions.

Thanks in advance!!

foxhunter

b1ackr0se wrote: »

Hi all,

As im sure most of you already know there is a certain airsoft gun shop open in the Blanchardstown area.

Target shooting and game shooting is something that i have been interested in now for a long time.

Obviously it must be legal if there is a shop open selling the weapons.

But how legal??

I would like to buy some rifles for shooting vermon and targets but just want to make sure that it is 100% legal before i do so.

If i do decide to buy the rifle can i just walk into my local forest with it and start shooting squirel and rats?

Also is it ok to have this in my vehicle traveling to where ever i plan to shoot?

Again im new to this so i would like to apologise in advance if i have opened a tired thread or asked any stupid questions.

Thanks in advance!!

You cannot shoot any animal with an airsoft rifle or pistol .
These are toys and are no way related to real guns .
If you want to hunt squirell or rabbit or whatever you would have to buy a real shotgun or rifle from a firearms dealer .
before taking the gun out of the shop you would have to apply to your local garda station for a licence to use a gun .If you were approved to have a licence for a firearm then you can pick it up and start using it wherever you have permission to do so.

pullandbang

b1ackr0se wrote: »

Obviously it must be legal if there is a shop open selling the weapons.

But how legal??

It's just legal, no in between, just plain legal.

b1ackr0se wrote: »

I would like to buy some rifles for shooting vermon and targets but just want to make sure that it is 100% legal before i do so.

They wouldn't be suitable for shooting live animals.

b1ackr0se wrote: »

If i do decide to buy the rifle can i just walk into my local forest with it and start shooting squirel and rats?

Only if you have permission from the forest owner

b1ackr0se wrote: »

Also is it ok to have this in my vehicle traveling to where ever i plan to shoot?

As long as it's cased and in the boot.

b1ackr0se

Ah right. I was under the impression that i could shoot with these.
Thanks for the info.

I presume its allot of hard work to apply for a licence as they dont want any lunatic apllying for these licences. I have a good friend who is a farmer and has offered me shooting on his land so im sure this will help with my application

b1ackr0se

Thanks pullandbang!

Ok got to go to the local garda station so

Vegeta

OP there is a huge difference between an airsoft toy and a sporting firearm.

foxhunter sums it up pretty well.

You can buy an airsoft toy very easily as they do not need a license (1 joule energy limit) but cannot hunt with it

You can buy a real firearm and hunt with it, but you will need to get a license, which implies a valid reason (hunting is a valid reason btw) and have permission on some land

b1ackr0se

Its crazy that these things are defined as toys

But in comparison to a real gun, theres a huge difference.

Is there a long wait for licences? obviously they have to do background checks etc.

Vegeta

b1ackr0se wrote: »

I presume its allot of hard work to apply for a licence as they dont want any lunatic apllying for these licences

Yes there is a decent bit of work involved in getting the license but this is good as it deters non genuine people and time wasters.

I have a good friend who is a farmer and has offered me shooting on his land so im sure this will help with my application

That's a great start.

Vegeta

b1ackr0se wrote: »

Is there a long wait for licences? obviously they have to do background checks etc.

It is a very variable thing depending on your local gardai. Some go pretty quick, but it should be completed in under 3 months

b1ackr0se

yes i can imagine. The tougher the checks the better as the last thing you want is a lunatic with a licence!

Hopefully! Its something i have been interested in for a long time.
My only issue is keeping the firearm at the house. My friend has offere to keep it in his safe for me. I would just be afraid of the kid... soon to be kids getting curious or even a break in!

b1ackr0se

Thats not too bad considering the weight of the situation.
I will call my local Gardai tonight and arrange a meeting with them

Jonty

b1ackr0se wrote: »

Obviously it must be legal if there is a shop open selling the weapons.

Not being a smartar$e but we refer to rifles and shotguns around here as "sporting firearms", and airsoft firearms should be considered the same.

"Weapons" suggests something to be used against people.

b1ackr0se

sorry yeah i felt a little strange typing 'weapon' in this context of conversation.

wont happen again

jill_valentine

Jonty wrote: »

Not being a smartar$e but we refer to rifles and shotguns around here as "sporting firearms", and airsoft firearms should be considered the same.

"Weapons" suggests something to be used against people.

Good point. But airsoft pieces aren't "firearms" either...

Jonty

jill_valentine wrote: »

Good point. But airsoft pieces aren't "firearms" either...

Cheers for pointing that out.

b1ackr0se

Ok ive been in touch with the local garda station.

Was a bit sketchy on what i actually needed as he isn't the guard that normally deals with these applications.

The list i have is

writen permission from the farm/land owner
Birth Cert
Serial Number from the rifle

Can anyone else think of anything. just so i dont send everything off only for the app to come back because im missing a few things.

Thanks again!

Sparks

Don't need the birth cert. Here's the actual form and some instructions:
http://targetshootingireland.org/content/view/115/30/

You'll also need a gunsafe, and your local Crime Prevention Officer will want to inspect your house for security.

b1ackr0se

I have just been talking to my local gun shop getting prices etc.

I actually requested the safe aswell as i dont want it just hidden somewhere.

For a Marlen .22 and safe im looking at just under €800.

Will the safe need to be installed before the crime prevention officer arrives?

Trojan911

b1ackr0se wrote: »

sorry yeah i felt a little strange typing 'weapon' in this context of conversation.

wont happen again

Don't apologise, weapon is fine, each to their own. Good luck with your application. And yes the safe will have to be fitted i.e. bolted to a solid brick wall or floor or both, in your home prior to CPO inspection.

Don't forget the coffee & hobnobs

b1ackr0se

haha always coffee and hobnobs in my house!!!

oh.... my house is wooden frame and i was planning on putting the safe upstairs in the main bedroom wardrobe. wodden floors and wooden walls ... is this ok?

b1ackr0se

haha just thinking the missus is going to love this big metal safe in the wardrobe!!

Trojan911

b1ackr0se wrote: »

haha always coffee and hobnobs in my house!!!

oh.... my house is wooden frame and i was planning on putting the safe upstairs in the main bedroom wardrobe. wodden floors and wooden walls ... is this ok?

Not sure on that one, best ring your CPO and run it by him/her. I know they want it secure i.e. solid..... Maybe someone here has a similar house with a safe that can advise?

b1ackr0se

actually just thinking ..... downstairs in my house is concrete floors under the wooden floors. I could put the save under my stairs and and fix it to the floor there.

riflehunter77

b1ackr0se wrote: »

I have just been talking to my local gun shop getting prices etc.

I actually requested the safe aswell as i dont want it just hidden somewhere.

For a Marlen .22 and safe im looking at just under €800.

Will the safe need to be installed before the crime prevention officer arrives?

Have a look at the pictures threads above there is alot of .22lr, it will give you an idea of what you are looking for. I have a marlin in .17 HMR cal cant fault it if the .22lr is like them you should have no problem. You might want to look at cz 452 (brno) range in .22lr great rifles.
As with the safe it all depend on were you live and what the local gardai are like. Some might say to you to get the safe in straight away others might say wait and see is your application successfull.
Try and arrange a meeting with your firearms officer he will have all the info for you. It might be helpfull to join your local gun club to if possible.

b1ackr0se

Thanks i'll have a look.

Thanks for all the help with this lads!!

Really apreciated!!

Dr_Teeth

Not to be a party pooper, but seriously.. if you didn't know the difference between an airsoft a real firearm until you made this thread, you have nowhere near enough experience to "just walk into my local forest with it and start shooting squirel and rats" as you put it. I can't imagine why you'd want to do that anyway, you're not personally impacted by vermin as a farmer might be.

You need to join a target shooting club and learn about safe shooting and firearms in general before you apply for a licence yourself.. That's step one imo.

b1ackr0se

I never said that i didnt know the difference between a firearm and an Airsoft gun.
I though you could shoot vermin with an Airsoft gun. That is all.

Believe it or not for someone who is completely new to this im sure its not an obvious thing.

To all poster's who had something helpful to add, thank you once again for your help

Trojan911

Here is my old CZ 452 with moderator (silencer). Apply for a moderator while you are at it and you can get that out of the way as well (only if your rifle is threaded for one).

Dr Teeth has made a valid point re getting some knowledge on safety and firearms in. Try to hook up with a fellow shooter with experience if the club is a no go (cheaper to do it this way anyway). I don't mind showing you the ropes for a while if you are in the Cork area. It's a great hobby/sport/past time. Enjoy it safely.

jill_valentine

See, the thing is, airsoft is fairly new to this country, and airsofters are wary of it getting a bad reputation before it's had a chance to even develop. That's why they take great care not to refer to them as "weapons" or "firearms", we'd like as few articles in the Herald as possible.

b1ackr0se

Thanks Trojan.

I have every intention of trying to stay alive and not injure everyone else while doing this

The Farmer who owns the land is a regular shooter and has invited me to all his shoots to show me the ropes. So really looking forward to it!

J.R.

b1ackr0se wrote: »

Ok ive been in touch with the local garda station.

Was a bit sketchy on what i actually needed as he isn't the guard that normally deals with these applications.

The list i have is

writen permission from the farm/land owner
Birth Cert
Serial Number from the rifle

Can anyone else think of anything. just so i dont send everything off only for the app to come back because im missing a few things.

Thanks again!

It's a long time now since I've applied for a licence but I thought 2 landowners permissions were required.