first gun license

kieran165

Quick question in order for me to get my first gun license for a shotgun being a member of a gun club and having land to shoot on and an adequate reason for owning a firearm. Is the proficiency coarse from the nargc mandatory for obtaining my first gun license or can I apply with what I have.

Cass

No one course is mandatory and no courses (any of them) are mandatory.

You need to show competency. This can be done via letters from experienced shooters, firearm handling experience in other format (DF, Gardaí, etc). Then if all that is not applicable a course is the other option. An Gardaí do not officially recognise/approve any one course. They merely want to be shown you have demonstrated competency when handling firearms. So whether this is done via letters of support or a course is down to the FO/Super as to what they accept.

The problem with the courses is they have created an air of necessity around them. In that without one you will not get a license. This applies to both shooters, and An Gardaí. People have forgotten or dismissed the other avenues open to you to show competency.

kieran165

Thanks for your reply. Would a letter from an experienced elderly member from my local gun club that I know well do or would I have to go higher like recognized members from the board of the club like a chairman are someone

Cass

The more letters you can get the better but i have to stress that as said above these "safety" courses have gotten so much pull now that some will not entertain anything but a cert from such a course as proof.

You have three options:

• Go do the course and hand in the cert. That will guarantee it'll be enough.
• Go to the local Garda dealing with firearms (known as the firearms officer - FO) and ask him/her would the Super accept the letters.
• Get the letters and just hope they suffice (without consulting the FO)

kieran165

Thanks for your help It has really clear up that question as there was no mention of the coarse on the application but everyone was telling me I needed it. Searching online there was links to steps for applying for a license and it was mentioned in some and not in others I was unclear if I had to do it or not as I would much rather not as I have experience shooting and firearms already and I value my free time on weekends. Thank you for your advice you clearly know your stuff on this topic.

skipking

neighbours son refused permit for .22 to shoot rabbits on his own land
about 200 acres until he does course he is about 30 years old

Witcher

skipking wrote: »

neighbours son refused permit for .22 to shoot rabbits on his own land
about 200 acres until he does course he is about 30 years old

That's his own fault in fairness, he should know that proof of safety/competency is necessary.

BattleCorp

skipking wrote: »

neighbours son refused permit for .22 to shoot rabbits on his own land
about 200 acres until he does course he is about 30 years old

It's an easy fix though. Go do the course and he'll be grand.

skipking

he is going to do that thank you