'Approved' Full Bore Pistol Ranges

Ammoman

So that being the cast , shooters in this country have no rights if the Gardai decide so .?

Sparks

No, shooters in this country have no right, in the legal sense, to own firearms (at least the non-antique, working variety that need licences). Of course, in the legal sense, the Gardai don't get to decide to ban firearms either, that's the Minister's perogative alone. Gotta be careful with the language when you start talking about legalities

But put in layman's terms, if the Powers That Be decided to invest effort in getting rid of all legally-held firearms, I don't think we'd be able to stop them, even if we were perfectly organised and all of the same mind, and all single-issue voters (which we're not, on any count). However, doing so would require effort, and would have a cost associated with it, and so would require a reward on the far end. And to date, no such reward has been forthcoming as it was in the UK following Hungerford or Dunblane.

Think of it as being analogous to Ireland's defence against invasion - economics. No nation that could afford to raise an army and put it in the field to invade Ireland could be repelled by our defence forces, realistically speaking. We're just too small. But, there wouldn't be any reward for the invading force. No natural resources, no strategic positioning, nothing. The whole idea is seen as farce as a result. If there was some reward, like using Ireland as a base to attack the UK during WW2, then you might have some cause for concern - but there isn't, so we all sleep soundly in our beds. In effect, our best defence is in being friendly and inoffensive and loved by all - a hippy's dream made reality through hardcore right-wing economics. You have to love the irony And there's a lesson in there somewhere for shooting as well

Ammoman

What about the swiss way of thinking , every house has a gun and everyone is the swiss army... :rolleyes:

Sparks

Well, they've got more to protect - strategic placement and so on. But their biggest defence isn't so much their armed forces as it is their banking laws - a lot of powerful people would have a lot depending on Switzerland remaining unmolested and operating free and clear, so those people don't encourage the idea of invasion. Which is another model we could be using for our sport, if we could get a few TDs and Ministers shooting

Ammoman

yeh i better check that Bank A/C no now ...

civdef

<cough> Off-topic </cough>

macnas

Ahem..........

macnas wrote:

How many authorised/approved/licensed full bore pistol ranges are there in the Republic?. Meaning authorised/approved/licensed by the local Superintendent, An Garda Siochana.

Ammoman

Currently ! None :mad:

les45

Re the NI ranges, there is a spec available, on completition the MOD together with the local PSNI people inspect the range and the MOD issue the aproval cert which is then sent to the PSNI , I have a copy of the specification, from memory we got it from Bisley, fairly straightforward stuff, backstop is 8 mt tall with a sand berm in front and a deflection angle of 34 deg, range floor is gravel etc,

Ammoman

les45 wrote:

Re the NI ranges, there is a spec available, on completition the MOD together with the local PSNI people inspect the range and the MOD issue the aproval cert which is then sent to the PSNI , I have a copy of the specification, from memory we got it from Bisley, fairly straightforward stuff, backstop is 8 mt tall with a sand berm in front and a deflection angle of 34 deg, range floor is gravel etc,

Les ,

Can you post it here on the site , i was in touch with the PSNI today but havent heard anything yet...
:rolleyes:

macnas

Got the green light from the Superintendent for my pistol licence today, the 'authorised' range issue seems not to be an issue anymore. This was the first application to land on his desk and he made me sweat for a while but I am v. happy.

Dvs

macnas wrote:

Got the green light from the Superintendent for my pistol licence today, the 'authorised' range issue seems not to be an issue anymore. This was the first application to land on his desk and he made me sweat for a while but I am v. happy.

Hello Macnas,
Congrats on your green light,
Did the Superintendent say that the "authorised range issue"
was no longer an issue?

Dvs

Flattop 15

Think of it as being analogous to Ireland's defence against invasion - economics. No nation that could afford to raise an army and put it in the field to invade Ireland could be repelled by our defence forces, realistically speaking. We're just too small. But, there wouldn't be any reward for the invading force. No natural resources, no strategic positioning, nothing. The whole idea is seen as farce as a result. If there was some reward, like using Ireland as a base to attack the UK during WW2, then you might have some cause for concern - but there isn't, so we all sleep soundly in our beds. In effect, our best defence is in being friendly and inoffensive and loved by all - a hippy's dream made reality through hardcore right-wing economics. You have to love the irony And there's a lesson in there somewhere for shooting as well

[/QUOTE]

Errr,well being a bit OT here,This little Island DOES have very important strategic value.At least up to the end of the cold war.It also has the most important intercontinental control of the air traffic control,from Shannon and Prestwick ,Scotland,known as SHANWIK.Shut either of those two down and the busiest airoute across the Atlantic is screwd!!Up to the end of the cold war[and proably still]Ireland was considerd the "backdoor" into NATO,by Wasaw Pact.Fly your "backfire" bombers from the Kola peninsula out into the Atlanticturn and then head due East ,launch your nuke tipped cruise missiles from 300 miles out,hit the UK from a weak defence from the West.Not to mind the EIGHT nuke designated targets in the 32 counties by NATO and Wasaw Pact strategic planning.We also are important for the Iceland,Faroe island,Rockall airgap.
If Adolf had arrived,we would have had plenty of U Boat pens on the West coast.
Now,what this could be argued in shooting terms,the British [in the pre Hungerford days] Ran an exercise called Brave Defender.Its scenario was vital targets could be hit by Soviet "spetsnatz" units.As the army and police cant gaurd everything the idea was to use local gunowners in somthing like gureilla home gaurd units to defend more isolated vital infrastructure.[Hard to belive that they still had such trust then]It was poohpoohed by the Army,etc,yet when the units were "trained" by EX SAS,it was proven to be very sucessful.Yet it was quietly disposed of and ignored.
It could have been used here back in the 70s and 80s if the IRA had become a more virulent force,and we would have had politicans with balls to think and use it.But today????Well,maybe if Al Quieda did somthing here....? Trouble is we dont have national defence attitude,nor do we ever had a invasion like most of Europe over the last centuary,so a idea of a civillian defence force as a reason for firearms ownership is pretty a no hoper as well.

As for Switzerland,well, they have a totally different mindset,culture,infrastructure and attitude to their neutrality than we ever will have.EG any new house built must have a cellar capable of holding the occupants in a safe contition against fallout.When was the last time you saw a house with a cellar here?Also they are the only country that has taken civillian resistance and gureilla warfare into their national defence plans.Imagine that one here!
So I do have to agree with Sparks about being inoffensive and harmless as possible,BUT with a "do not f"£K with us please" attitude.

macnas

DVS, he didn't say it wasn't an issue anymore but it was the hub of his arguement for not issuing the licence. As Civdef posted earlier in this thread, there is no legislation covering the authorisation of ranges being used by licensed individuals using their own firearms. The authorisation(Firearm Act, 1964, Section 15) granted by the Superintendent allows the use of ranges by individuals using club firearms allowing them to 'use' and 'carry' them without a firearms certificate. This is issued having regard for public safety, etc, etc.
Hopefully it will be a little bit easier for the next person to apply for one in this district!!!