Need help and advice on starting rabbit hunting in plymmouth area

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Oct 7, 2012
5
0
Plymouth
Hello,

Was wandering if anyone could give me advice on what rifle to start with and is co2 powered better to use? Also is anyone from plymouth who go hunting? Should i buy a 22? Their i a website im looking on as its near where i live, www.antics.co.uk. All advice and tips would be very appreciated as im new and went with a friend and loved it. Shot my first rabbit, with a lucky first shot.

Thanks guys
 

johnnytheboy

Native
Aug 21, 2007
1,884
14
45
Falkirk
jokesblogspot.blogspot.com
Compressed gas rifle does not recoil as much as a spring rifle! there are two compressed gas options, CO2 and PCP, CO2 is the cheaper option for the gun but the dearer option in the long run

However Co2 rifles tend to be low quality, and I would say the most expensive to fire as you need the co2 power bulbs!

Your best option would be to search www.airgunbbs.co.uk for hints and tips on rabbit hunting and guns, there is a secondhand pat on that forum with good deals.

Also www.guntrader.co.uk has allot of second hand airguns, I would never buy new gun for the simple reason guns tend to get looked after, there can be great secondhand deals!! and you'll get more for your money than buying a new co2 gun

Air arms s400 (PCP) or BSA lightening (Spring) with a theoben gas ram swapped out for the spring would be my two starter options!

Best of luck!!
 
Sep 16, 2012
26
0
leeds
eyup mate .ive allwaysed used 177 mate but it dont matter to you mate wot you wont to use .....but i mainly usemy cattapult mate its easyer to carry and you dont get pesterd by the law or doogooders mate ......or get a nice whippet ...or terrier or ...lurcher ive hunted thease ways cince i we 7 mate and the have allways worked for me ............
 

mace242

Native
Aug 17, 2006
1,015
0
52
Yeovil, Somerset, UK
Do you ever get up to Newton Abbot? I bought my last air rifle from the country sports shop there. The owner was very good, and we nattered for ages. Knows his stuff and second hand guns were reasonably priced. I would recommend a break barrel 22 as if you learn to shoot one of these you will be in good stead for PCP if you decide. I am sometimes down in the Exeter area and would be more than happy to meet and natter about it.
 
Sep 21, 2008
729
0
55
Dartmoor
The only airgun outlet I can think of in Plymouth is the one in the indoor market... before they fleece you for some Chinese guff go and visit the gun sho in Okehampron (in the undercover bit) they generally have a nice selection of used guns in.
 
Oct 7, 2012
5
0
Plymouth
Hi guys thanks for brillant feedback, i found out their is a shop in town called antics and they have a 22 break barrel, so im going to purchase one of these and il let you know how i get on, but im working all weekend so wont be intill later next week. Thanks again
 
Oct 7, 2012
5
0
Plymouth
Crosman 1/1 Optimus Break Barrel 0.22 Calibre Air Rifle (CO6M22X)


Optimus break barrel single shot rifle, availiable in .22 calibre. firing .22 calibre lead pellets only (not included).Featuring a handsome, ambidextrous hardwood stock. With a relatively light cocking force and a two-stage adjustable trigger with velocities of up to 850 fps with .22 pellets. The barrel incorporates a micro-adjustable rear sight and fiber optic front sight. Weight 2.99Kg, Length 113cm, Fiber Optic Front Sight, Rear Sight: Fiber Optic; micro-adjustable, Lever safety catch, 4 x 32 scope supplied

Stock:Available from shops: Bristol: 1, Cardiff: 1, Coventry: 1, Gloucester: 1, Plymouth: 1 (explain)
(Prod Ref #86035).



Price: £149.99

Available from Branches
Airsoft BB Guns & Air Guns

Any good?
 

stuey

Full Member
Sep 13, 2011
376
0
High Peak
www.arb-tek.co.uk
Don't forget insurance and more importantly to practice your range estimating and technique with the rifle.
You shouldn't even think about pointing it at anything you intend to kill until you understand the trajectory of a .22 pellet, the point of impact at different ranges and most importantly be able to consistently achieve a pound coin grouping at 35 - 40 yards on paper.
Don't forget your maximum guaranteed humane range with a sub 12foot pound air rifle should be around 40 yards. This will spark the usual debate I am sure but bear in mind the importance of a humane kill not just getting a round down range. An air rifle will easily chuck a pellet twice that distance given the correct hold over but it certainly won't have the required energy to cleanly kill a rabbit. In fact by 45 yards the pellet has lost so much energy that clean kills are far from guaranteed. Keep your range below 40 yards and you will reduce the likelihood of maiming.
Also don't forget to get written permission from the landowner. Armed trespass is not a charge you want to find yourself defending!


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mace242

Native
Aug 17, 2006
1,015
0
52
Yeovil, Somerset, UK
Don't forget insurance and more importantly to practice your range estimating and technique with the rifle.
You shouldn't even think about pointing it at anything you intend to kill until you understand the trajectory of a .22 pellet, the point of impact at different ranges and most importantly be able to consistently achieve a pound coin grouping at 35 - 40 yards on paper.
Don't forget your maximum guaranteed humane range with a sub 12foot pound air rifle should be around 40 yards. This will spark the usual debate I am sure but bear in mind the importance of a humane kill not just getting a round down range. An air rifle will easily chuck a pellet twice that distance given the correct hold over but it certainly won't have the required energy to cleanly kill a rabbit. In fact by 45 yards the pellet has lost so much energy that clean kills are far from guaranteed. Keep your range below 40 yards and you will reduce the likelihood of maiming.
Also don't forget to get written permission from the landowner. Armed trespass is not a charge you want to find yourself defending!


Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

Top notch advice
 
Oct 7, 2012
5
0
Plymouth
Thankyou very much, will be looking at insurance before i even step foot out. Have been practicing alot and respect the fact that any further than 40 yards it wont be a clean kill. Thanks alot guys you have all been a lot of help

Thanks ben
 

stuey

Full Member
Sep 13, 2011
376
0
High Peak
www.arb-tek.co.uk
Good work Ben! :) Don't forget the written permission.. Can save a lot of headaches!
Hope you enjoy many successful hunting trips! Enjoy eating your free range, healthy meat :)

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Just to recall a visit to a friends woods with my BSA Scorpion and my mate with his CO2 rifle.
Just ambling about the woods and my mate spots a squirrel and hits it with a standing shot at about 25m, nice shot I say, then I notice said squirrel hasnt dropped out of the tree, my mate gives it another shot, and another, and another. Top marks for getting hits standing at 25m on a small target, not so top marks for wnot having the power to dispatch the squirrel cleanly. Even when the squirrel dropped to the ground it was still breathing and kicking, I used my Scorpion to give it the coup de grace point blank.
It wasnt a particularly cold day, and he said he'd just changed the CO2 cylinder in the rifle.
I've hunted squirrels with the scorpion and I can vouch that they are tough little critters but a heart and lung shot with a .22 should do the job. The Scorpion is a .177 and I only do headshots with it, because its a small callibre.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I would avoid CO2 rifles, they look nice with all the technical gubbings on them but I'd go for a good springer or a good precharged rifle. I'm not even going to suggest what calibre as that debate was raging on 30 years ago when I started air rifle shooting and it's still going on.
 

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