NEWSLETTER - IPA Pistol Club

IPA PISTOL CLUB
NEWSLETTER
0000
An Official Club of
IPA Ireland
Volume 5 - ISSUE 5
4th November 2014
IPAPC MEMBER FIREARMS APPEAL – LICENCE FOR HAMMERLI E-XESSE GRANTED BY JUDGE
On the Friday the 17th October 2014 – Killarney District Court heard the appeal from a retired Garda that had been refused a
licence for a non-restricted Hammerli X-esse .22 calibre pistol. The retired Garda, a member of 2 authorised shooting club,
had applied for this sporting pistol to shoot and compete in pistol competition to his local Superintendent at Tralee Garda
Station.
The court heard that the Superintendent had employed the services of the Garda Ballistic section to classify the firearm. The
Inspector in charge of ballistics issued a report to the Superintendent and this report offered the opinion that the Hammerli
X-Esse was a restricted firearm. Armed with this opinion the Superintendent refused the application to licence the pistol,
even though it appeared on the Garda Commissioner’s list of un-restricted firearms.
At Killarney Court Judge Timothy Lucy, heard from both Counsels in relation to the type of firearm in question and its
magazine capacity. It was outlined by counsel for the Appellant that he was happy to restrict the magazines of the X-Esse to
hold no more than 5 rounds, and indeed this was the content of his original application. The State argued that the magazine
is manufactured to hold 10 rounds and thus restricting the firearm.
Judge Lucy asked a number of questions in relation to the application, the firearm and the magazine capacity of both counsels
and even rose to allow both side to come to an amicable decision, however, this
appeared to be unsuccessful and the States argument about capacity continued.
The judge then heard that 3 Hammerli E-Xesse pistols had been licenced by members
of the same club as the retired Garda and that these licences had been granted by
different Superintendents in various counties around Ireland - after the decision to
refuse this licence. The barrister also outlined that 12% of the membership of this
club had licences for Hammerli X-Esse Pistols and that 1 licence was granted in County
Kerry, although in a different Garda District and before this application.
Judge Lucy then asked the Superintendent if he was just playing “Pass the Parcel” and
wanted the court to issue the licence. He also called it nonsense that one district
would follow the Garda Commissioner’s Guidelines and that another would not. He
then asked the Superintendent “what was he doing about this”, his replied was
“nothing” and he then asked did he care and again the Garda Superintendent replied
in the negative by saying “No” that his district was his concern.
The Judge stated “if a person is only applying for a 5 round magazine, and if they
breech it, that it [the licence] can be revoked. However, if they accept this condition,
a licence can be granted. In these circumstances this is the course of action he would
intend to take”. He then rose again for both parties to agree conditions in relation to
magazine capacity.
On his return, the agreed wording on the conditions stated that the magazine should
be restricted to not hold more than 5 rounds and the second condition stated that if
the manufacturer of the firearm distributes 5 round magazines from ‘Factory’, these
are the magazines that are to be used.
……
The licence for the Hammerli was then granted and the Superintendent was directed
to issue the licence within 21 days. An application for costs was reserved in the case
and this may be raised again at an upcoming court.
THE LICENCE FOR THE HAMMELRI ISSEUED WITHIN 7 DAYS
NEWS FROM AROUND
THE WORLD
EVIDENCE SOUGHT ON POLICE
CARRYING GUNS IN SCOTLAND
POLICE UNVEILS NEW ONLINE
PROCESS FOR GUN PERMITS
Public views have been sought on Police Scotland's
Since October 1, there will be only one way to
decision to allow some of its officers to carry handguns
register for a handgun permit in Indiana. Indiana
while attending routine incidents.
State Police unveiled the new online application
process recently. It will let an applicant pay online
In questions on a form, the Scottish Police Authority has asked if the
rather than stopping by their local police or
move has impacted on feelings of safety and security and trust in the
sheriff’s department.
police. The SPA is gathering evidence as part of a review of the
force's policy.
ISP held a seminar Thursday, showcasing the new
process to agencies from across the state. Other
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland is also scrutinising the
new features include the ability to request
use of firearms officers. The routine incidents involved would not
duplicates of the permit, change the name or
normally require armed police, the SPA has said.
address and checking the status of the application
The police authority and HMICS announced that they would, in
if you just registered.
parallel, examine different areas of the policy. Strathclyde Police,
“The (online) application allows people to stop,
Tayside Police and Northern Constabulary allowed specialist officers
save what they have. If they need to get paperwork
to carry guns routinely before the creation of the new single force.
or more information they can go back, log back
Police Scotland adopted the approach across the country following
its launch in April last year. In May this year, independent MSP and
former Northern Constabulary officer John Finnie raised concerns
about the move.
Highland councillors have also raised concerns about the
deployment of officers visibly carrying handguns in routine
incidents in a region with low levels of violent crime.
in,” said Lt. Michael Rogers, Firearms Licensing
Unit with ISP. “Or they can go back and fix
something if there’s something that’s wrong and
that’s one of the things that’s going to save us time,
it’s going to save us money.”
If people are having difficulties, the police state
“We’ll have people on site that will help them fill
out those things. We have the terminals, we have
Police Scotland has said that it has 275 firearms officers - 1.6% of the
the scanners, we have the internet connections,”
force's personnel - and they are deployed on a shift pattern basis.
said Deputy Chief Glenn Talbott, Frankfort Police
These specialist officers carry a Taser stun gun and a holstered
Department. “So if they don’t have those things,
handgun.
Police Scotland and the Scottish government said the deployment of
firearms officers offered better protection to the public. Deputy
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said the force welcomed the
reviews.
we can do those things for them.”
If there’s one thing ISP hit a bulls eye on, it’s the
new permits themselves. The new ones will be
plastic like a credit card rather than paper. That
should help it last longer.
SWITZERLAND – Peaceful But Armed
Switzerland has earned its reputation as a safe, neutral nation. Yet it’s
hardly pacifist or gun-averse. In fact, the small and stable country has
the highest firearm ownership rate in Europe:
46 guns for every 100 people
and the third-highest in the world, outdone only by the U.S. (89) and Yemen (55). The precise
number of privately owned guns is unclear because many are undeclared. Switzerland also has no
national centralized register, with records kept only by the 26 cantons. The Small Arm Survey
published by Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International Studies (GIIS), estimates it at 3.4
million firearms for a population of nearly 8 million.
This staggering figure is partly explained by Switzerland’s unusual national defence system, which
relies mostly on a citizen militia. All Swiss men aged 18 to 34 undergo military service and are issued
with an assault rifle or pistol to keep at home, in case they are called to protect their homeland.
Historians believe the system dissuaded the Germans from invading Switzerland during World War
II.
Gun culture is deeply seated in the country, regulations are liberal and sport shooting is extremely
popular. Given how many Swiss have a firearm lying around in their basement or cupboard,
Switzerland’s rate of gun-related deaths — 3 per 100,000 people — may seem low compared to the
United States’, where it’s 10.3 per 100,000.
Possible explanations? One is strict gun control enforcement.
Automatic weapons are banned and gun permits refused if the person
has a criminal record, addiction or psychiatric problem. Others could
be social or cultural, including a lack of serious drug or poverty issues,
coupled with the notorious Swiss concern for safety and regard for
rules.
Within Europe, Switzerland holds the second-highest rate of gun-related deaths after Finland, three
times that of Germany and over 10 times that of the United Kingdom. Mass shootings are rare. The
most notorious one happened in 2001, when a man walked into the regional parliament of Zug and
shot dead 14 people and injured 10 others before killing himself.
After this incident, left-wing politicians and victims associations demanded a nationwide referendum
calling for the storage of military firearms in public arsenals, instead of private homes, and the
establishment of a national gun registry. The referendum failed in 2011, with 56.3 percent of voters
opposing it.
The issue gained momentum again last year, after a gunman killed four people and wounded six
others in Lucerne, shortly after another man had shot three women dead and wounded two men in a
small southern village..
Following these high-profile incidents, the Swiss government vowed to take measured action to
increase gun control by augmenting the exchange of information between regional firearm registries.
Still, Switzerland’s atypical military system and ingrained gun-friendliness are likely to ensure the
country stays locked and loaded for years to come.
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BUILDING A RANGE BAG – EPICTACTICAL
A range bag is an afterthought for many people, but the more I go to the range the
more I see how important it is to have one ready at all times. Before this article I
had a tool box set up as a “range bag” but this was not a great solution due to two
main reasons. For one, I never wanted to take this massive thing anywhere. This is
a problem considering that it had important items that were typically wanted on the
range. Secondly, the box was full of extra parts and items that were not necessary
on the range, especially an open field range with no tables or setups.
This made me rethink what I needed versus what I wanted. I needed to be able to have an accessible and
portable device that was also practical and easy to equip. I quickly came to the conclusion that an actual bag
would fit this criteria. I searched to find a bag that I liked (which had a number of carrying options, including
fanny pack style, shoulder carry, top carry handle, and molle attachment), and eventually settled on the Lynx
Defense Waist Pouch. For the price it is a reasonable option and I love the fact that it can be attached to a
molle plate carrier or a molle backpack.
Range Bag Checklist
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2oz Bottle of Rand CLP
Cleaning Swabs
Ear Protection
Eye Protection
Knife or Multitool
Specialty tools
Laser Boresighter
Sharpie for Marking targets
Small First Aid Kit
Tourniquet
Flashlight
Bug spray (If you shoot mostly outdoors)
The bottle of Rand CLP can be replaced with your cleaner of choice, but who doesn’t like Rand for when you
need to break down your gun in the field and give it a once over. Some people may even clean their gun prior
to returning home from the range. The cleaning swabs are a no brainer, but if you use an old oily rag for your
gun cleaning then obviously that would replace this item on the list.
Ear and eye protection are key to have while shooting, thus they are a must have for this list. A good knife or
even a multi-tool made specifically for firearms is a great addition to add to your range bag as well. They will
allow you to tinker with your firearm if any issues arise while on the range. If your gun has any specialty tools,
I would suggest adding them to the bag as well. For example, my GSG-5 has a special take down tool that
came with the gun and I leave it in my range bag so that I always know where it is. When I happen to be
shooting the GSG-5 and have an issue, I will always have the tools I need to work on it.
A laser boresight and a sharpie, along with targets, are the key to sighting in any firearm. Be sure to throw
those items in your range bag so that you can make sure your gun is precise and accurate.
Safety and survival are of the utmost importance to me and I stress them in all situations. I have a tourniquet
and a small first aid kit in my range bag. If you have the monetary means, it would be good idea to purchase
a trauma kit that includes hemostatic gauze for your range bag.
Last but not least, having a flashlight is essential to any rang bag. Haven’t we all been in the situation where
we are shooting and having fun, and night sneaks up on us? If you do not have a flashlight available it
becomes increasingly difficult to be able to collect your gear, targets, and brass.
Clearly this list will not be for everyone, but it is a great start to get you headed in the right direction!
EVENT 10/ 2014 – CHRISTMAS SHOOT
On the 2nd of December 2014, the Club will hold its 10th Event of
the year and it will be held at Castlebridge Invitational Pistol Club
in Wexford.
There will be some great prizes available to shooters on the day
and every one attending normally goes home with something.
The course of fire will be the MP50 and this will be shot twice to
make 1000 points and your score will go toward your average
and classification for 2015.
Some members will also be staying in a local hotel (to be
decided), but the cost should be no more than 50 euro per
person sharing. If you would like to avail of this offer, please let
us know. Full payment will be required in advance of booking.
Single supplements are available but at 98 euro per room.
We hope to see you there and maybe stay the night for some
end of year fun.
Membership Card - Updated
If you would like an updated membership card, please
send us a passport photo or email a head and shoulder
picture to [email protected] and we will send you
out a new card. Some members have been asked for
an up-to-date card when renewing their firearms cert.
2015 – IPAPC PRIZES / MEDALS
From Event 1/2015, the club will be introducing new prizes
for winners of IPAPC Events in all 4 classes. The new prizes
will consist of a printout with the member’s name, score,
location and finishing position in the class and will also have
a pewter pistol mounted to the printout.
The pewter pistol can be removed and pined to a range bag,
cap, shooting jacket etc. and there should be a different type
of pistol pin awarded for each event. The printout can then
be stored and used as proof of attendance, if required, when
renewing your Firearms Licence.
Hand Gunning: Why Focus the Front Sight? By: Peter Lessler
Improve your handgun shooting speed and accuracy by focusing on the front sight and mastering the flash sight
picture. Peter Lessler explains how.
Incorrect sight focus. Note the blurry front and rear sights versus the sharply
focused target. This is a common cause of inaccurate shooting. The two most
important components of sight use are to focus the eyes on the front sight and then
verify the alignment between front and rear sights. The eyes can only focus in one
distance plane at one point, and the front sight, rear sight, and target will all be at
different distances from the eyes. The reason we pick the front sight as our focus
object is that this little stub of metal tells us where the gun is aiming.
When we focus on the target, the front and rear sights will both be blurry. In this case, a small misalignment of the
gun (which would be visible as sight misalignment) will not be noticed, and the gun will be looking along a different
line of sight than our eyes are looking.
It does not take much of an angular misalignment in the gun barrel versus our eyesight line for the shot to miss the
target completely, and since this misalignment represents two diverging lines, the amount of error will grow rapidly
with increasing distance to the target.
Another form of incorrect focus. Note the blurry front sight and
target versus the sharply focused rear sight. This also will cause
inaccurate shooting. So, again, we focus on our front sight. This puts
the target out of focus, just as it does the rear sights, but, in this case,
it’s not a drawback, since just about anything we will be shooting at
with an iron-sighted pistol will be easy to see in general.
Any error caused by aiming at a slightly blurry target will only be as
big as the blurry edge of the target, which is actually a very small
amount of space; truly, it is negligible, especially compared to the
potential of the misalignment error allowed by not looking at your
sights. So, we focus on the front sight and let the target blur slightly.
Hand Gunning: How to Increase Speed
Speaking of speed, one goal to work towards is to first achieve with the hands a near-perfect sight alignment with the
target as quickly as possible, then visually acquire and judge the correctness of your sight picture as rapidly as can be
done. At this point the mind says “good to go” to a good sight picture and commences the trigger squeeze, or says
“not yet” to a bad sight picture and corrects it to good one before commencing the trigger squeeze.
This is correct focus. Note the sharp front sight and blurry rear sight and target. This
is what you must see for accurate shooting. This combines two notions. The first is
the “flash sight picture,” in which we recognise our sight picture and judge it in a bare
instant. The second notion is that the sight picture is the boss, not the trigger finger.
In other words, our sight picture is the go/no-go determinant of whether we fire the
shot.
No trigger pressure should be applied until our eyes have acquired the sight picture and our brain has approved it.
This concept should be burned into the circuitry of your brain: The brain controls the trigger finger based on what the
eyes see. This is the basic principle of accurate pistol shooting.
Practice Shooting: How to Maximize Your Range Time
Time and ammo are precious commodities, so when you have the chance to practice
shooting you want to maximize your investment.
An afternoon of shooting is fun, but you want to focus on the skills. It is good to make a list of
the skills you want to practice in advance, with the number of repetitions to perform, which
also ensures you don’t get side tracked once you hit the range.
Pick three skills, like timing, malfunctions and pick a course of fire to practice, and combine all
three into one drill. Set up malfunctions by mixing some dummy ammo in with live ammo.
To begin the drill move to firing line, issuing verbal commands as you draw the pistol and aim
at the target, clearing malfunctions as they occur. Although you’re focusing on three primary
skills, remember to apply other skills that allow for accurate shooting.
Keep in mind a high round count has nothing to do with the quality of practice; you can burn
through ammo and not learn anything. Even on the range, perform several dry runs of a drill
before running it live-fire to ensure when you do press the trigger, your shots are accurate.
When planning your practice sessions make it a point to work on the things that you don’t like,
which is normally the stuff we don’t do very well. It may not be much fun, but we should
constantly be striving to strengthen our weaknesses.
Stay Safe – Shoot Straight………………………….