The Air Rifles & Pistols thread

[jamief]

Anyone ever go shooting? Just recently joined the local HFT club (biggest in Scotland I believe), and will hopefully be getting an AA S400 next month. Aiming to do a little vermin control on the family farm too (rabbits, crows & rats!). Would be interested to hear if others here do any kind of shooting

 

[jamief]

Airrifles over 12ft/lbs in power require a Firearms certificate (FAC). Air pistols over 6ft/lbs require a FAC. If you don't have a FAC and your pistol is over 6ft/lbs power, the penalty is quite serious - 9 months in jail!

 

[jamief]

The only problem I'm finding is that the guns hold their value so well - second hand prices are pretty much the same as new! Ach well, new it is then

 

[jamief]

I sell Air rifles (amongst other things) for a living

Going shooting soon with a mate very soon, probably just plink a few tin cans though. Nothing too serious this time of year.

I prefer to hunt in the autumn season, too many younguns need feeding around this time.

Can you do me a deal on an S400?

 

[jamief]

can't believe anyone would shoot a crow, they are one of the most intelligent wild birds in the UK.

So why, in my previous house, did they spent about 30 minutes each day attacking my neighbours car?

Stupid, dirty, annoying little *******. Looking forward to clearing the farm of them

 

[jamief]

My family own some land, about 11 or 13 acres, it has a public footpath through it, would I be able to shoot there or would I get in trouble?

We have a few old rifles sitting round and my cousin just bought 1 a week ago.

You need to be 50 feet away from the center of a highway (i.e. road). Although the path itself, in this case, would be classed as public land, so you'd be breaking the law if you set foot on it with the gun (without a good reason, such as crossing it!). I think in this case you'd be fine, but worth phoning the local plod to check.

 

[jamief]

If you're going to be doing HFT as well as a little hunting, i'd suggest sticking with a .177. It's a flatter trajectory (sp?) and a little more forgiving than .22. Avoid the .20 (that's if the AA comes in .20) as the pellet selection is minimal.

I'm using a Daystate AirRanger at the moment. Very nice, although a bit heavier than my mates theoben.

As mentioned, second hand prices are quite high so consider new, but, checkout airgunbbs as there's often some bargains on there from reputable sellers.

For some reason, airgunbbs.com has a "registration disabled by the administrator" message up, so I can't sign up.

Was told the same about .177 from quite a few folk, so going for that

 

[jamief]

You won't get an S200 or a S400 for £300.

You'd be looking at about £410 for a S200 kit, S400 kit is closer to £450+.

Or, if you are like me, and a lefty, you need to pay for a walnut stock to get it in left handed! grrrr

 

[jamief]

Can anyone go and do Hunter field target? I'm tempted to go along with my HW97 and see how i do.

My local club - I had to go along twice on a Sunday morning, was taken round by someone and allowed to shoot the 30 target course using a club gun. I think this is basically to check that a) I'm not a psychopath and b) I am safe with a gun. Once I'd been twice, I just paid my joining fee, and can now pop along anytime - weekdays it is self-setting targets, weekends they put the proper HFT knockdown targets out.