The Irish Firearm Custody Order of August 1972

Cass

Have been following this thread for a while but not posted till now for a few reasons. From listening to my father and his brothers talking over the years i learnt that my grandfather had a webley pistol and .303 lee enfield. There was talk of grenades but honestly i don't know if it was true or if they were blowing smoke up my a**. Anyway a couple of things if you please.

I've learnt from the thread how to start the process (contact local station that guns were surrendered to). I've gotten the make, model and calibre of each of the guns. My problems start here after.
A) I don't have any receipts nor does my father or any member of the family. Lost over time i presume. None of them had or have an interest in getting the guns back. My father did/does and i definitely do now more than ever. Am i screwed without the receipts or is it a small bump in the road.
B)Do i submit my request in writing or should i go to the station in person. As luck would have it i now live 15 minutes from where my grandfather and father grew up, hence from their local station.
C)Next step after that? Do they contact the firearms unit/firearms storage in Dublin or should i do that myself.
D)Most importantly am i entitled to try recover the firearms or would my father have to go for them (him being my grandfathers son and all or will any relative do)

I already have the security requirements in place for the new guidelines. So storage will not be an issue. Licencing shouldn't be. I know i'm getting a bit ahead of myself but looking forward to the possibility of recovering one of the few pieces of my granfathers belongings that have not already been scavenged and sold. Even if i had to get them de-activated i could live with (last resort)

Any help is much appreciated.

Grizzly 45

A) I don't have any receipts nor does my father or any member of the family. Lost over time i presume. None of them had or have an interest in getting the guns back. My father did/does and i definitely do now more than ever. Am i screwed without the receipts or is it a small bump in the road.

Should be a small bump.If you know the station where they handed in,and you have grandads details,name,dob,etc.The records should be still with the Gardai/DOD.

B)Do i submit my request in writing or should i go to the station in person. As luck would have it i now live 15 minutes from where my grandfather and father grew up, hence from their local station.

Do both,writing makes it offical.Dropping in to discuss is being nice.:)

C)Next step after that? Do they contact the firearms unit/firearms storagand asking what,where is e in Dublin or should i do that myself

.

Thats the Gardai/Army job.Leave them to it.Although if you find out where they are stored,you should be able to view them and check their condition??

D)Most importantly am i entitled to try recover the firearms or would my father have to go for them (him being my grandfathers son and all or will any relative do)

Both of you should do it.:)

I already have the security requirements in place for the new guidelines. So storage will not be an issue. Licencing shouldn't be. I know i'm getting a bit ahead of myself but looking forward to the possibility of recovering one of the few pieces of my granfathers belongings that have not already been scavenged and sold. Even if i had to get them de-activated i could live with (last resort)

Proably have to Deact the Webly the way things are here now.:(
The rifle should be no trouble if you have "good reason" to use and posses.
Keep us informed on how you get on with it.:)

Cass

Thanks Grizzly. Was talking things over with the Father and he is now as anxious as me to recoup these firearms if possible. Appreciate the info, will put it to good use and keep an update of my progress as it happens. Thanks again.

david5624

david5624 wrote: »

I spoke with Garda HQ and they advised I write to the local Garda station where the firearms were taken into custody first with the details who will in turn forward their records to HQ who can attempt to locate the items in question. David

Just an update. Relevant Garda Station wrote back to advise that they had moved premises twice since 1972 and along the way the records had been destroyed and I should contact HQ again.

More anon.

David

fat-tony

david5624 wrote: »

Just an update. Relevant Garda Station wrote back to advise that they had moved premises twice since 1972 and along the way the records had been destroyed and I should contact HQ again.

More anon.

David

I posted earlier in this thread as I got my father's guns out of storage in the Park. I never contacted any Garda station at all - only dealt with the HQ in the Park in writing. The info I provided was my father's details and the address we were living at in 1972. They replied to me (after about 3 months) via my local Garda District Office detailing the two pistols they were holding in storage. I was able to make an appointment to view the guns at Garda HQ and check their condition. I subsequently obtained a licence for the air pistol and collected it once I proved who I was and supplied a death certificate etc. I had a firearms dealer collect and store the second firearm - a 9mm semi-auto, which was subsequently sold.

david5624

fat-tony wrote: »

I never contacted any Garda station at all - only dealt with the HQ in the Park in writing.

Appreciate that feedback. That was my next course of action. I have a lot of details which should be sufficient.

TIA

David

fat-tony

david5624 wrote: »

Appreciate that feedback. That was my next course of action. I have a lot of details which should be sufficient.

TIA

David

PM received and replied to.

david5624

Just thought I would provide a further update in case it can be of any use to anyone else.
I asked my local FO to take up the case on my behalf as I had not made any progress with the local Garda Station where the firearms had been handed in or from HQ. I provided all the information I had to her. She called back last week to say two of the three guns had been located in a DOD facility and they were attempting to locate the third. They achieved this despite the fact that my grandfathers name had been mis-spelt during transcription into their records. I hope to get a look at them and then determine best course of action.

David