# General > Sport >  Air Gun target shooting

## benchrest

Stirkoke Rifle Club would like to know if there is interest in the Wick area to form an indoor air gun target club.  If you are interested please get in touch.  If there are sufficient numbers we can arrange an initial meeting.

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## DEEKER

Hello, myself and a friend may be interested, cheers.

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## benchrest

Hi
Thanks for the reply, if there is enough interest I will arrange a date and time.

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## Jade

My partner & I!

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## Sgitheanach

I would have been interested as I used to do both target and Ft but am moving south soon

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## benchrest

Thanks to everyone who showed an interest. There will be a meeting on Monday 2nd May at 7:30 pm in the Old School Tannach to see a way forward.
You can find more information on the new regulations on The British Association for Shooting & Conservation website and search for Airgun Licensing in Scotland.

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## benchrest

Anyone who looked at the BASC website previously should note that more recent information has now been added and *Element 2* will be of particular interest to anyone who does not hold a current Firearms Certificate but wishes to keep an air weapon.
The club has applied for "Approved Air Weapon Club" from Police Scotland.

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## DEEKER

Hello benchrest, do you have a contact number as a friend would like to get in touch, cheers.derek.

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## benchrest

I have been in touch with Police Scotland to enquire

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## benchrest

Sorry I got interrupted!
I have been in touch with Police Scotland to inquire about the progress of our application.  I was told that Club applications have not been looked at yet but are due to start looking at them from 3rd October.
I'll be in touch when I know more.

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## benchrest

I have again been in touch with Police Scotland as it has been 4 months since our application.They told me that they are waiting for the Scottish Government to set the criteria for Air Weapon Clubs before moving ahead.
Stirkoke Rifle Club has secured funding from Spirit of Caithness to set up for air weapons but are unable to access these until approval is granted.
Anyone who has applied for a licence since 1st Nov will not have one granted before the January deadline and if in possession after that date you will be liable to prosecution.
If you find yourself in that position pass the weapon to someone with a firearm/shotgun certificate for safe keeping until your licence comes through.This advise comes from The British Association for Shooting & Conservation.
I have contacted our MSP to see if she can help.

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## benchrest

We have now received the Approved Air Weapon Club certificate.It only took 6 months.
After the holiday period will be holding a meeting to see if there is interest in forming a club.
Date to be announced

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## norma stewart

Count my husband in

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## benchrest

The air gun club got off the ground as a section of Stirkoke Rifle Club and a few members meet on a Thursday night .
There are a few places available if anyone is interested.
Stirkoke Rifle Club has also with a grant from Camster windfarm purchased an Ecoaims Vis 500 audio aiming device for use of visually impaired airgun shooters at 10 metres.
The aiming device is a mountable sight containing a small camera which measures the output from a infrared LED mounted close to the target.
The audio output is silent when off target, a digital output gives a stepped rise in tone as you near the centre of the target.
This system has been chosen by the NSRA as the standard for visually impaired shooting and is one of few in Scotland.
Anyone with visual impairment or blind who wish to come and give it a try, just get in touch and we can organise a time.

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## BrianW

Hi there, I am new to Scotland, and live near Lybster. I'd like to get back into shooting and need to know about the various clubs and laws etc. Cloud I give you a call at some point in the next week or so?

I used to own a couple of sub 12ftlb air rifles on the Isle of Wight but sold them a few months ago before I moved here due to the licensing laws. I had a lovely Wheirauch HW97k Underlever springer in .22, and an Air Arms S410 PCP in .177. Both were superbly consistent - and the S410 racked up a large number of rats when it was combined with my digital IR night scope! I'm actually thinking of getting into rimfire .22LR, and possibly a shotgun. I just need some info.

Thanks for your time,
Brian  :Smile:

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## orkneycadian

Hi Brian W,

Yes, our wonderous licencing laws, thanks to our wonderous SNP government.  You must have shaken your head in disbelief when you heard about them.  All stemming from an incident involving drug dealers off their face in Easterhouse in Glasgow. And everyone else gets tarnished with the same brush.  But then Glasgow is Scotland for our SNP chums.

Your not the only one who has thought that now you need a licence for a piddling little air rifle, then you might as well get a licence for a .22.  I understand that when the SNP brought in the air rifle licence, the number of applications for .22s shot (pun intended) through the roof.

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## benchrest

Hi
Been south lately and have just seen your message, please send a PM with your phone number and I will get back in touch.

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## orkneycadian

> Hi there, I am new to Scotland, and live near Lybster. I'd like to get back into shooting and need to know about the various clubs and laws etc. Cloud I give you a call at some point in the next week or so?
> 
> I used to own a couple of sub 12ftlb air rifles on the Isle of Wight but sold them a few months ago before I moved here due to the licensing laws. I had a lovely Wheirauch HW97k Underlever springer in .22, and an Air Arms S410 PCP in .177. Both were superbly consistent - and the S410 racked up a large number of rats when it was combined with my digital IR night scope! I'm actually thinking of getting into rimfire .22LR, and possibly a shotgun. I just need some info.
> 
> Thanks for your time,
> Brian


If you fancy coming over here to Orkney to help us out with the geese, you will be most welcome;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-50816678

Lying in wait with a shotgun works if you are into lying in wet ditches in darkness.  But the .22 magnum also works well from a greater distance when they are feeding.

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