Ouestions for Irish shooters

wilhelm

Hello all

I've just joined after lurking for a short while.

My wife is Irish and together we will be moving to Ireland some time next year so that she may spend a few years closer to her mother. I come from a country with a good firearms and shooting heritage, and was wondering if some of the folk on these boards would answer some questions I have.

Perhaps if I may ask a few basic questions first:

Is there a limit in Ireland to the amount of firearms one may possess?
Would one have to be gun club member to own a firearm, or is there dispensation made to people such as farmers?
If one did join a gun club, what period of time would one have to wait before going to purchase and licence a firearm?

I thank you all in advance for any answers you may have.

theirishguy

you do not need to be a member of a gun club to apply because i'm not a member of gun club and i got my rifle.
as far as i know if you where in a gun club it will still take the same amount of time for your application to be processed.
and i dont think that there is a limit on how many you can have i think its if you have a good enough reason for using them.
but i'm new to shooting and open to be corrected

Tackleberrywho

wilhelm wrote: »

Hello all

I've just joined after lurking for a short while.

My wife is Irish and together we will be moving to Ireland some time next year so that she may spend a few years closer to her mother. I come from a country with a good firearms and shooting heritage, and was wondering if some of the folk on these boards would answer some questions I have.

Perhaps if I may ask a few basic questions first:

Is there a limit in Ireland to the amount of firearms one may possess?
Would one have to be gun club member to own a firearm, or is there dispensation made to people such as farmers?
If one did join a gun club, what period of time would one have to wait before going to purchase and licence a firearm?

I thank you all in advance for any answers you may have.

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Firearms_and_Ammunition_FAQ

The above link is from Department of Justice and has all information that you will need.
Give them a call on anything you are unsure of.

Odysseus

wilhelm wrote: »

Hello all

I've just joined after lurking for a short while.

My wife is Irish and together we will be moving to Ireland some time next year so that she may spend a few years closer to her mother. I come from a country with a good firearms and shooting heritage, and was wondering if some of the folk on these boards would answer some questions I have.

Perhaps if I may ask a few basic questions first:

Is there a limit in Ireland to the amount of firearms one may possess?
Would one have to be gun club member to own a firearm, or is there dispensation made to people such as farmers?
If one did join a gun club, what period of time would one have to wait before going to purchase and licence a firearm?

I thank you all in advance for any answers you may have.

Firstly welcome, I only have my guns a little over a year now; so there are plently of more experienced guys here who can answer your questions.

I have 3 a CZ .17hrm, a 12g o/u Lanber and a .22 air rifle. Really what it comes down to is land to shoot on this can be through a club, or like myself permission from landowners to shoot on their land. You need two written permissions from land owners if you go down that road.

The second big issue is "good reason" to own a firearm. This could be target in that case you have to be a member of a range, or hunting. There can be a few hurdles to jump through, however, I had 3 licenses issued in about 18 months so its not that difficult either, once you have "good reason".

The more firearms you own the higher the security you have to have in place, but the linked posted above should give you that info. I hope that gives you a start, I'll leave the rest to those with more experience. However, I will say ask away here, I have found the posters here very helpful with all of my questions since I started posting here.

Anyway best of luck with your move.

Cass

wilhelm wrote: »

Hello all

I've just joined after lurking for a short while.

Welcome aboard, .

Is there a limit in Ireland to the amount of firearms one may possess?

No. There is no limit on the amount of firearms one may own. Under the new system anyone seeking to license a firearm must show "good reason" for wanting that particular firearm. The "good reason" may be viewed as many things, but the forsmost reason would be the primary use of the firearm. So you may have two .22lr rifles, one for hunting the other for target shooting. To provide good reason in these cases you would need to produce two land permissions for the hunting rifle and membership details for the target shooting rifle.

Would one have to be gun club member to own a firearm, or is there dispensation made to people such as farmers?

As mentioned above to own a firearm and giving target shooting as a reason you would need to produce membership details. For hunting you need a minimum of two permissions from land owners where you intend to shoot. There is a limited certificate for farmers to own a shotgun and shoot (solely i think) on their own land. However you would be better off going for the full firearms license as it affords slightly more freedom.

If one did join a gun club, what period of time would one have to wait before going to purchase and licence a firearm?

You can search around and put a deposit on any firearm you like. If its the hunting route then the permissions will be required prior to applying. Once the application is submitted it will take a maximum of 3 months to process and on a successful application you may collect and use your firearm immediately. Same applies to being a member of an authorised range. Your membership will provide the "good reason" required for the application and once you are granted your license you may collect the firearm and shoot immediately. A word of caution. No range appreciates people joining to use their membership to obtain a license yet never attend the range as a target shooter. So consider you choices before buying any firearm.

Tackleberrywho

ezridax wrote: »

Welcome aboard, .
There is a limited certificate for farmers to own a shotgun and shoot (solely i think) on their own land. My Father(Farmer) used to have one, now his licence says the same as mine except he has 100 cartridges on his licence

if you are buying land you can reasonably apply for a firearm to shoot on your own land, or your wifes Mother's land if she has any.

wilhelm

Thank you all for the responses, and kind welcome.

Before ploughing through that link, a couple more questions if I may.

Are there calibres that are not generally permitted? For example, if I wanted to shoot a 9mm pistol at the range, would this be something that is permissable? Is it a common thing to do in Ireland?

In line with the above, are there restrictions on magazine capacities? So would 9mm handgun shooting be limited to a smaller capacity magazine, with a "filler" taking the place of a certain amount of rounds?

If I was interested in rifle shooting in .223 calibre, .22 long rifle, and handgun shooting in 9mm, and possibly 12 guage shotgun, would these types be possible to acquire after I join a shooting club? These are what I currently shoot, so obviously I would need to belong to a club to indulge my sport, as I do now.

And lastly, are the "pellet gun" or air rifles as found in .177 considered a firearm? A friend told me he thought they were in Ireland. Would one need a licence for this? Is there a rule that states if it is larger than .177, then a licence is required, or does this apply across the board for all air rifles?
I have a .177 air rifle that is a bit of a family heirloom, and I need to know if this must also be left at home before I leave for Ireland. All shipping documentation I have read refers to firearms, and not air rifles.

Thank you for any further knowledge imparted, and I will now go and have a look at that link....

EDIT: A further query: Can anyone recommend a good firearm shop in the Dublin area? So that I may gain a fair idea of prices and products available... I have had a look at Duffy's on the net and they seem to be the best..

Tackleberrywho

wilhelm wrote: »

Thank you all for the responses, and kind welcome.

Before ploughing through that link, a couple more questions if I may.

Are there calibres that are not generally permitted? For example, if I wanted to shoot a 9mm pistol at the range, would this be something that is permissable? Is it a common thing to do in Ireland?(SI 2008/9 restrict over .22calibre in Pistols, Not ban but make restricted, 9mm is restricted. .22 cal pistols can only hold 5 rounds in the magazine.

In line with the above, are there restrictions on magazine capacities? So would 9mm handgun shooting be limited to a smaller capacity magazine, with a "filler" taking the place of a certain amount of rounds? 9mm is already restricted so a filler is not required in magazine as it still is a restricted calibre

If I was interested in rifle shooting in .223 calibre, .22 long rifle, and handgun shooting in 9mm, and possibly 12 guage shotgun, would these types be possible to acquire after I join a shooting club? These are what I currently shoot, so obviously I would need to belong to a club to indulge my sport, as I do now.The .223 .22lr and the 12g If you join MNSCI for example you can shoot all 3. The 9mm Calibre will cause you problems, you woul be better licencing a .22 Pistol and save hassle.

And lastly, are the "pellet gun" or air rifles as found in .177 considered a firearm? YES Same licence
A friend told me he thought they were in Ireland. Would one need a licence for this? Is there a rule that states if it is larger than .177, then a licence is required, or does this apply across the board for all air rifles? All Rifles require licences except airsoft.
I have a .177 air rifle that is a bit of a family heirloom, and I need to know if this must also be left at home before I leave for Ireland. All shipping documentation I have read refers to firearms, and not air rifles. The Air Rifle may be licenced €80 but you will need importation permits from DOJ as per my previous link.

Thank you for any further knowledge imparted, and I will now go and have a look at that link....

EDIT: A further query: Can anyone recommend a good firearm shop in the Dublin area? So that I may gain a fair idea of prices and products available...

shoot.ie would give an indication of prices and available calibres to some extent.(ignore pistols above .22 for an easier life)

Hope this helps!
In summation for non hunting, you require membership of an authorised range.
MNSCI would be one where you could shoot 12G, .223 at targets 100-1000 and .22lr at 50&100
Also they have a clay grounds
http://www.nationalshootingcentre.ie/

rrpc

wilhelm wrote: »

Thank you all for the responses, and kind welcome.

Before ploughing through that link, a couple more questions if I may.

Are there calibres that are not generally permitted? For example, if I wanted to shoot a 9mm pistol at the range, would this be something that is permissable? Is it a common thing to do in Ireland?

In line with the above, are there restrictions on magazine capacities? So would 9mm handgun shooting be limited to a smaller capacity magazine, with a "filler" taking the place of a certain amount of rounds?

No pistol over .22 calibre with a magazine capacity of greater than 5 rounds can be licensed in Ireland. Some people have these pistols licensed here, but they had to have held a license for them from before 19/11/2008 for them to keep them.

If I was interested in rifle shooting in .223 calibre, .22 long rifle, and handgun shooting in 9mm, and possibly 12 guage shotgun, would these types be possible to acquire after I join a shooting club? These are what I currently shoot, so obviously I would need to belong to a club to indulge my sport, as I do now.

In short yes (except the 9mm). The club must have an authorised range for the calibres you wish to use or else you must have permission to hunt on land with the .223, .22 or 12 gauge.

And lastly, are the "pellet gun" or air rifles as found in .177 considered a firearm? A friend told me he thought they were in Ireland. Would one need a licence for this? Is there a rule that states if it is larger than .177, then a licence is required, or does this apply across the board for all air rifles?
I have a .177 air rifle that is a bit of a family heirloom, and I need to know if this must also be left at home before I leave for Ireland. All shipping documentation I have read refers to firearms, and not air rifles.

All airguns over 1 joule in muzzle energy are considered firearms under Irish law and require a license.

EDIT: A further query: Can anyone recommend a good firearm shop in the Dublin area? So that I may gain a fair idea of prices and products available... I have had a look at Duffy's on the net and they seem to be the best..

There's a list of dealers in one of the important threads stickied at the top of this forum.

wilhelm

Wow! Thanks for the prompt and excellent replies.

If the responses on this thread are any indication, I feel that I'm going to thouroughly enjoy the shooting fraternity in Ireland.

I gather from the above that it is basically impossible to get any pistol calibre larger than .22 in Ireland? This covers revolver shooting as well, I take it? Are rifle magazines similarly governed? Say a .303 Lee Enfield that came out originally with a 10 round capacity. Are there any working firearms that do not require a licence, such as blackpowder or weapons over a certain age?

Once more, thank you for all the insight..

wilhelm

I've found the answer to the antique firearms question of mine. It seems the Garda Police define it as a pre-unitary cartirdge firarm, which is pretty specific. Muzzle loaders should be fine.

bunny shooter

wilhelm wrote: »

......If the responses on this thread are any indication, I feel that I'm going to thouroughly enjoy the shooting fraternity in Ireland...

Welcome

Oh you'll enjoy us alright but not as much as we will enjoy you :P

rrpc

wilhelm wrote: »

I've found the answer to the antique firearms question of mine. It seems the Garda Police define it as a pre-unitary cartirdge firarm, which is pretty specific. Muzzle loaders should be fine.

Smoothbore muzzle loaders are treated the same as shotguns under firearms law, rifled ones are considered as... rifles

Only problem is that currently you need an explosives permit to get black powder for muzzle loaders. A new explosives act is on the way, but currently that's the only mechanism for acquiring your propellant.

wilhelm

bunny shooter wrote: »

Welcome

Oh you'll enjoy us alright but not as much as we will enjoy you :P

I'm big, hairy and smelly. I'll leave it up to you......:P

Tackleberrywho, that link you provided had further links to the Garda with excellent information. Thank you. And thanks to all others, particulary rrpc for the clear advice.

It appears that any handgun is limited to 5 rounds and less. It also appears that a shotgun with a handgrip is frowned upon, and that generally speaking, 3 rounds is the maximum for shotgun magazine capacities. There appears to be also a governor on the magazine capacity on rifle magazines, even if bolt actioned. This seems to preclude something such as a Lee Enfield 303 with it's 10 round capacity.

Are semi auto rifles, with small magazine capacities allowed? Are firearms allowed to be correctly and safely stored at home, along with ammunition? It also appears that the price for a firearm licence is 1000 euros, unless I'm mistaken. Is this per firearm?

Tackleberrywho

wilhelm wrote: »

I'm big, hairy and smelly. I'll leave it up to you......:P

Tackleberrywho, that link you provided had further links to the Garda with excellent information. Thank you. And thanks to all others, particulary rrpc for the clear advice.

It appears that any handgun is limited to 5 rounds and less. It also appears that a shotgun with a handgrip is frowned upon, and that generally speaking, 3 rounds is the maximum for shotgun magazine capacities. There appears to be also a governor on the magazine capacity on rifle magazines, even if bolt actioned. This seems to preclude something such as a Lee Enfield 303 with it's 10 round capacity.

Are semi auto rifles, with small magazine capacities allowed?

in .22 calibre and Rimfire only. 10 rounds max for Rimfire semi auto

It wasn't me!

Firearm certs are €80 per firearm and last three years. Magazine capacity would not be an issue for the like of a Lee Enfield.

wilhelm

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

in .22 calibre and Rimfire only. 10 rounds max for Rimfire semi auto

Okay, so you can get a rifle in semi-auto, with a magazine up to 10 rounds, in .22 long rifle?

wilhelm

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Firearm certs are €80 per firearm and last three years. Magazine capacity would not be an issue for the like of a Lee Enfield.

Ahhhh. I was a bit worried about that 1000 Euro figure.:o

Would the Lee Enfield capacity be fine due to it's age? Would they easily grant such a licence for target shooting in Ireland, and is ammunition readily available in Ireland?

I would have a spouse's visa, being married to an Irish national, which would make me an Irish resident. This wouldn't be an obstacle, would it? All literature seems to refer to "Irish resident".

rrpc

wilhelm wrote: »

I'm big, hairy and smelly. I'll leave it up to you......:P

Tackleberrywho, that link you provided had further links to the Garda with excellent information. Thank you. And thanks to all others, particulary rrpc for the clear advice.

It appears that any handgun is limited to 5 rounds and less. It also appears that a shotgun with a handgrip is frowned upon, and that generally speaking, 3 rounds is the maximum for shotgun magazine capacities. There appears to be also a governor on the magazine capacity on rifle magazines, even if bolt actioned. This seems to preclude something such as a Lee Enfield 303 with it's 10 round capacity.

Are semi auto rifles, with small magazine capacities allowed? Are firearms allowed to be correctly and safely stored at home, along with ammunition? It also appears that the price for a firearm licence is 1000 euros, unless I'm mistaken. Is this per firearm?

Ok, you're now entering the twilight zone

Firearms in Ireland are divided into restricted and everything else. For a restricted firearm you have to go higher up the Garda chain of command to divisional level to get a license whereas everything else is dealt with at district level.

Strangely enough, .22 rifle calibres are restricted when they go above ten round capacity whereas larger calibres (up to .308") are not limited in that way. All centrefire semi-autos are also restricted.

The price for a licence is €80 per firearm and lasts for three years. What you were looking at was probably the resgistration fee for a club.

wilhelm

rrpc wrote: »

Ok, you're now entering the twilight zone

Firearms in Ireland are divided into restricted and everything else. For a restricted firearm you have to go higher up the Garda chain of command to divisional level to get a license whereas everything else is dealt with at district level.

Strangely enough, .22 rifle calibres are restricted when they go above ten round capacity whereas larger calibres (up to .308") are not limited in that way. All centrefire semi-autos are also restricted.

The price for a licence is €80 per firearm and lasts for three years. What you were looking at was probably the resgistration fee for a club.

Fascinating. I've learned quite a bit from you fellows.

So it appears that when I go to Ireland, I join a reputable gun club with the correct ranges corresponding to the firearms I'm interested in. Thereafter, I put a deposit down at a dealer, then go and seek the relevant licence from the Garda.

It appears I may, over time, get a shotgun, but not more than 3 round capacity, in either side-by-side, pump, or semi auto. I may also get a rifle, up to 308 calibre, all in bolt-action, excepting a .22 long rifle that can be in semi auto, but with a capacity of no more than 10 rounds. All handguns above .22 seem to be impossible, with the .22 pistols being allowed with 5 rounds capacity maximum. I may store these firarms at home, subject to me getting a safe and Garda approval. The licences for the firearms will cost about 80 Euros apiece.

Have I hit it on the head?

How hard is it to get a restricted firearm? Such as a semi-auto centrefire rifle? Does the licencing price differ much? What firearms are considered restricted?

Tackleberrywho

wilhelm wrote: »

Fascinating. I've learned quite a bit from you fellows.

So it appears that when I go to Ireland, I join a reputable gun club with the correct ranges corresponding to the firearms I'm interested in. Thereafter, I put a deposit down at a dealer, then go and seek the relevant licence from the Garda.

It appears I may, over time, get a shotgun, but not more than 3 round capacity, in either side-by-side, pump, or semi auto. I may also get a rifle, up to 308 calibre, all in bolt-action, excepting a .22 long rifle that can be in semi auto, but with a capacity of no more than 10 rounds. All handguns above .22 seem to be impossible, with the .22 pistols being allowed with 5 rounds capacity maximum. I may store these firarms at home, subject to me getting a safe and Garda approval. The licences for the firearms will cost about 80 Euros apiece.

Have I hit it on the head?

You have indeed Sir, You have indeed.
Cead Milé Failte, 100,000 Irish welcomes

It's not a great system but it's our system

juice1304

wilhelm wrote: »

Have I hit it on the head?

yes sir

wilhelm

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

You have indeed Sir, You have indeed.
Cead Milé Failte, 100,000 Irish welcomes

It's not a great system but it's our system

Thank you. I will no doubt be often on these boards from now on and particularly when after I arrive. We have much hard work ahead of us tying the loose threads together and packing up our lives. It's amazing the junk you accumulate in your house and garage after 12 years of marital collecting...

johngalway

Welcome aboard Wilhelm The lads have answered your questions already, it's nice to see someone come along with such a clear idea of what they're into and how best to ask for the required information. Good luck with your shooting when you arrive

wilhelm

johngalway wrote: »

Welcome aboard Wilhelm The lads have answered your questions already, it's nice to see someone come along with such a clear idea of what they're into and how best to ask for the required information. Good luck with your shooting when you arrive

Thanks John. I'm looking forward to it!:)

rrpc

wilhelm wrote: »

Thanks John. I'm looking forward to it!:)

What part of Ireland are you considering moving to? There aren't that many ranges here and some parts of the country have none at all.

To answer your previous question about what is restricted and what is not, here is a link to the relevant law: SI 21/2008 and SI 337/2009. Basically it lists what is not restricted.

Difficulty? That really depends on the division you are in, the type of firearm you're getting and the use you have for it. The majority of stuff people use for normal competition and hunting is not restricted so it's only the more exotic beasts that require the extra work. There's no difference in the cost of the licence, so that's not an issue but there are requirements for increased security depending on the number and type of firearms you have and this can be viewed here (SI 307/2009).

wilhelm

rrpc wrote: »

What part of Ireland are you considering moving to? There aren't that many ranges here and some parts of the country have none at all.

RRPC, We'll be moving to Dublin. I'm going to have a look at those links now. Thanks.

guns4fun

Welcome to Ireland and hope it goes well for you.
Y ou seem to have all the info alright,restriced firearms are harder to get as a lot of people have found since the new laws were enforced last year,you will probably get refuse and then its up to you to appeal in the local district court at huge expense so you would be better to go for the non restriced stuff.
I fyou have done any safety courses you would want to copy them and put them with your application because a new licence applicant has to prove competency in the use of firearms before being issued with a licence.
all else seems to be covered here,,best of luck whatever you decide to do.

rrpc

guns4fun wrote: »

Welcome to Ireland and hope it goes well for you.
Y ou seem to have all the info alright,restriced firearms are harder to get as a lot of people have found since the new laws were enforced last year,you will probably get refuse and then its up to you to appeal in the local district court at huge expense so you would be better to go for the non restriced stuff.

The vast majority of refusals have been for centrefire handguns. There are other firearms that are categorised as restricted and have been approved. Not all mind, but it's not an automatic visit to the district court with a restricted firearm.

rrpc

wilhelm wrote: »

RRPC, We'll be moving to Dublin. I'm going to have a look at those links now. Thanks.

To the best of my knowledge the nearest rifle range for fullbore rifle (anything over 22lr) is in Tullamore, County Offaly so if you plan to shoot targets with a .223 best bear that in mind.

It's about 90 minutes drive from Dublin.

Tackleberrywho

rrpc wrote: »

To the best of my knowledge the nearest rifle range for fullbore rifle (anything over 22lr) is in Tullamore, County Offaly so if you plan to shoot targets with a .223 best bear that in mind.

It's about 90 minutes drive from Dublin.

Wilhelm you would be very welcome to visit MNSCI
Please find contact details of club chairman
John Paul Craven - Chairman
Tel:+353 (0)86 8232641
Email: jpcraven@eircom.net

http://www.nationalshootingcentre.ie/gallery.html