Using own ammo at range

goz83

I mentioned this in another thread, but can't find the comment to pick up on it. Apparently, you're supposed to buy ammo at some clubs/ranges, rather than use your own. I was trawling the net for info of game clubs, but came across a thread on another forum, which backs up what I had heard from a member on boards. Maybe someone can clarify the situation, because I intend to join the club mentioned in the thread on Saturday, where I will be doing the competency course.

Sparks

If it's the club rule, it's the club rule. They spent the money to build the place...

Also, most clubs have a firearms dealer who works very closely with the club. This sort of thing helps them stay afloat - and being an RFD is not what you'd call a high-profit career - and in return they're a reliable source of ammo and storage and firearms and targets and so on for the club which can help enormously. Personally, I always bought my ammo through the club's RFD - if it was a specific kind I wanted, which it almost always was, I told Geoff what I needed and he got it. Plus, if I batch tested and needed to buy twenty thousand rounds more than I had a licence for, he'd store it for me and I'd check it out a few thousand rounds at a time as I needed it so I never went over the licence limit. That was damn handy.

In other words, if neither side's taking the mickey, it works out well for everyone.

goz83

Thanks Sparks. It is an important point for me because there is no justification for me to have a high ammo limit if the club require me to use their ammo. So, a limit of 500 rounds for a rifle would be sufficient for hunting, where the range ammo is purchased and spent on the range.

That said, if I want a specific ammo (and one was mentioned by the seller of the rifle I am applying for) I don't want to have to order several thousand rounds at once. I don't know how much plinking I will get done in a month, but if I had to order something like 10k rounds up front for a specific type of round, I wouldn't be too pleased. But, i would be happy to buy ammo from the club as long as it's not a rip off and I can get what I need.

Is anyone here familiar with balheary and courtlough policies on use of own ammo?

Sparks

goz83 wrote: »

Thanks Sparks. It is an important point for me because there is no justification for me to have a high ammo limit if the club require me to use their ammo. So, a limit of 500 rounds for a rifle would be sufficient for hunting, where the range ammo is purchased and spent on the range.

I never found that to be the case because if you're going to an international competition (even if it's only up North), then the amount of range ammo you can use isn't of much use to you.
But you might need to explain that on your application if you're applying for something the Super's not familiar with. Most of the time when they're worried about a limit of several thousand rounds, they're thinking of something like having several thousand rounds of .50 cal ammunition rather than, say, air rifle pellets (which is how I wound up with a licence for 100 rounds on an air rifle for a short time a while back). Once they know enough about what's going on to be sure themselves that there's no risk to the public, they mostly tend to be fine with it (there are exceptions but happily that's rare).

LIFFY FISHING

I understand that there is a range in North County Dublin who has a rule that u must buy/use their ammo, their rifle range licence was granted with conditions, one being that they can only use smallbore rimfire .22lr standard ammo.
Hence they only sell .22 standard velocity, its the easiest way to control what ammo is being used on the range.

goz83

So I drove to courtlough yesterday to collect my membership. Unfortunately, it wasn't there. However, I got to ask a few questions, because it was quiet.

I asked about them storing firearms that I hadn't been granted a license for yet (both private and rfd sales) and he said that there is no problem as long as there is a locker available for me.

I then asked about the use of own ammo on the range. So, they are apparently now relaxing this, where they were enforcing use of their own ammo, it was supposed to be a thing for non members. Members are being allowed to use their own ammo. If the prices are fair, I would gladly purchase my ammo from them.

German pointer

LIFFY FISHING wrote:

I understand that there is a range in North County Dublin who has a rule that u must buy/use their ammo, their rifle range licence was granted with conditions, one being that they can only use smallbore rimfire .22lr standard ammo. Hence they only sell .22 standard velocity, its the easiest way to control what ammo is being used on the range.

I'm in the Midlands where no such rule applies thankfully but what about lads who's firearms don't like standard velocity

IRLConor

German pointer wrote: »

I'm in the Midlands where no such rule applies thankfully but what about lads who's firearms don't like standard velocity

If their range authorisation forbids use of supersonic rounds then there's not much they can do except enforce the rule.

BattleCorp

LIFFY FISHING wrote: »

I understand that there is a range in North County Dublin who has a rule that u must buy/use their ammo, their rifle range licence was granted with conditions, one being that they can only use smallbore rimfire .22lr standard ammo.
Hence they only sell .22 standard velocity, its the easiest way to control what ammo is being used on the range.

I know lads that have pistols that won't cycle properly with standard velocity rounds. They need rounds like minimag to get them to work properly.

German pointer

IRLConor wrote:

If their range authorisation forbids use of supersonic rounds then there's not much they can do except enforce the rule.

Could they not even use subsonic?

Genuinely courious