Clay Pigeon Shooting Beginner

Worriedmind

Hi,

I'm looking to get into shooting and originally started with air rifles. Now though, the more I research it I think that Clay pigeon is the one for me. I've tried this a few times and absolutely love it, but I'm hoping someone could steer me in the right direction..my planned approach is as follows (bearing in mind - total beginner!)

1. Join Courtlough shooting club
2. Take their gun safety training course
3. Put deposit on shotgun
4. Apply for license in Tallaght garda stn. (Is this the right way to go about it, ie deposit first? Also what are the chances of a license being refused (no criminal records/permanently employed 31yr old guy/will leave gun in club locker))
5. Buy gun once I officially get license (how long does this usually take?)
6. Keep taking lessons, practice and enjoy!

Any tips on getting started would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Chopperdog 2

Pm sent.

Cass

Worriedmind wrote: »

Hi,

I'm looking to get into shooting and originally started with air rifles. Now though, the more I research it I think that Clay pigeon is the one for me. I've tried this a few times and absolutely love it, but I'm hoping someone could steer me in the right direction..my planned approach is as follows (bearing in mind - total beginner!)

Rifle shooting is great fun, and i've being doing it for years but i've always said that if i could only have one gun it'd be a shotgun.

Clay pigeon shooting is about the most fun you can have with a gun. It's cheap, addictive, and the gun can be used for a lot of game if you decide to go that route down the road.

Your 6 step plan is on the ball. As a member of a range your application will be viewed in better light than if a game shooter, but a small piece of advice. When ticking the boxes on the FCA1 for "purpose of firearm" tick target shooting and hunting. This allows you to use the gun for dual purposes and whether you intend to do it now or not it is an option.

I've gone through your list below;

1. Join Courtlough shooting club

If it's the closest range to you, and caters to clays (which they do) then this is a good step. Membership of a range greatly increases your chances of getting the license.

2. Take their gun safety training course

If it's your first time getting a gun then yes this will be required. If you have previous experience listing this could avoid the need for a gun safety course, but still it's better to have both.

3. Put deposit on shotgun

Yup.

Only a small deposit. Usually between 5% - 10%. DO NOT pay the majority or all of the price. Most dealers will grant a refund based on you being refused so if the worst should happen you are only out the time. However some dealers i've heard of take the full price up front, do not issue a refund, and you are stuck trying to sell a gun you cannot use.

Remember that you can buy as many guns as you like. The license is only needed for you to use the gun and be in possession of it. So if you paid the full money, and were refused the gun is technically yours, but the dealer will not let you have it without the license. Meaning you have money tied up in a gun until he sells it for you.

4. Apply for license in Tallaght garda stn. (Is this the right way to go about it, ie deposit first? Also what are the chances of a license being refused (no criminal records/permanently employed 31yr old guy/will leave gun in club locker))

Again spot on.

Put down a small deposit, and then get a letter/receipt from the dealer to show you have bought the gun and with the guns details and serial number on it. Then apply to your local station for the license.

5. Buy gun once I officially get license (how long does this usually take?)

The license application legally, can take up to 3 months. Depending on the amount of applications and the speed off your station it can be between 3 weeks to 3 months but in some circumstances it can take a lot longer. Unfortunately i cannot give you a specific time frame.

6. Keep taking lessons, practice and enjoy

Basically - yes.

Any tips on getting started would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Make sure to go over your FCA1 thoroughly. If unsure about any section ask here. Provide all details. Even if yyou think it's not necessary put it in. Better this than have it sent back to you for lack of info.

Take care to provide the additional information on a separate sheet of paper for the necessary sections. Such as change of address, name, reason for gun, reason for ammo limit, etc.

Lastly if you are going for clays you will want a decent amount of ammo on your license. Under the guidelines the commissioner accepts that 750 is a reasonable amount. If you need this much apply for it. If you need less than apply for that amount. Just provide a reason (clay shooting) on the additional sheet of paper as to why this mount is needed (buy in slabs of 250, how many you use between trips to the range and shop to buy them, etc).


Other than that you have all bases well covered so best of luck.

mac10guns

Firstly ... Welcome to the world of Clay Pigeon Shooting ... where sometimes the shotgun isn't the only thing you feel like choking.
You seem to have all the bases covered on the application side so for what its worth here's my two cents worth.
Don't buy the first gun you see (no matter how much of a bargain someone says it is ...)
Buy the best gun you can afford and make sure you get it fitted.
It's a buyers market at the moment so shop around ... you can get a great second-hand clay gun at a reasonable cost.
When I started I was shooting with a couple of guys of a similar standard and it was great fun but I found I learned more in one afternoon of shooting with two AA shooters than I had in the previous couple of months ... so shoot with the best if you can. Where I shoot there is the full range of disciplines, Skeet (Olympic and National), Sporting, DTL, Compak Sporting etc.
Best of luck ...

Worriedmind

Wow - thanks for all your help lads.

As for courtlough, they're not exactly local as I'm based in Tallaght. However I can't seem to find a clay pigeon club near me...any recommendations for something a bit closer?

Thanks again

Witcher

Hilltop in Newtownmountkennedy Co.Wicklow

wirehairmax

Closer to you than Courtlough. Could be worth a try.
http://www.hempstowncpc.com/index.html

skinnylizzy

Worriedmind wrote: »

Wow - thanks for all your help lads.

As for courtlough, they're not exactly local as I'm based in Tallaght. However I can't seem to find a clay pigeon club near me...any recommendations for something a bit closer?

Thanks again

Hey dude. I'm a member of Courtlough and I live in Tallaght. PM me your number and I'll give you a call tomorrow and answer any questions may have. I can give you all the pro's and cons. If you want, I can bring you out the next time I'm heading out and sign you in on day insurance. I have 2 shotty's and my 2 brothers are also members, you can shoot a few rounds out of each of our shotty's and at least that'll be 4 different shotguns you'll have tried. It'll cost you the price of 50 clays and cartridges, about €25ish. Ofcourse I'll have to drill in the safety aspect of shooting first but it'll be good craic.

mark42

Just reading your post did you get soted out in the end I'm a member in hempstown cpc we shoot in blessington every Sunday and wednesdays in the summer time once we get a good stretch in the evenings