Advice

Agricola

Hi all,

Ive been thinking of owning a rifle for long time but havent got the necessary knowledge to make an informed purchase. I think this is a good place to ask!

At the moment I own an Astra single barrel shotgun that was handed down to me by my uncle, which Ive licensed for the past few years. I use it sometimes for vermin, but occasionlly take it out for some target shooting. Im not into game shooting really. Apart from that Ive no real experience of rifles, except for taking afew shots with a rifle belonging to a friend of the family a few years back.

So as a beginner with the intention of using it for the occasional bit of target practise, where do I start / what would I be looking for?

Bananaman

What part of the country are you in?

If you plan to just do target shooting with the rifle then you should look to join a local club/range. (Mine is in Wicklow - I live in Kildare)

They will either have a Rifle handling and safety course or will recommend one for you to attend (e.g. my club runs these courses)

See if they have the facilities to suit what you plan to do - Depending on the types of shooting you wish to do (prone, benchrest, etc), the type of rifle you are looking at (air, .22, etc). (e.g. my club has a .22 benchrest rifle range)

Ideally you will get to have a look at what some of the other members have and what they have gotten rid of/didn't like and make an informed choice on what type of rifle you want to get and then talk your local friendly firearms dealer (mine also owns the range - handy) and see what your pocket can handle.

Then go talk to your local constabulary and see if they will allow you to own one.

B'Man

Cass

You should try this link covers most of the topics. http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055664933