Which rifle? I have access to land, but no experience....

[Logit]

I am a complete beginner when it comes to shooting, i am very novice and although i can shoot straight and know about the safety aspects around shooting.... i know nothing about guns, there components etc.

Firstly i was wondering if anyone had a link to a good website/pdf that would explain a lot..

Secondly,

a group of friends that shoot have access to land and i have been invited along, i have shot at targets and things but would like to have a go at small vermin/rabbits etc.

What rifle would you recommend for a novice on a budget? I will of course be getting advice from them, but they have shot together for years and explain that a 800 quid gun is the only way forward...... unfortunately I’m not prepared to spend that much....!

Does anyone have a second hand gun they want to sell on? Where/ what is best for me to get?

Sorry for the vagueness but want to get an idea from some experts!!

Am I going about this the wrong way? Should I go and get some tuition?

Don’t want this to become a separate hobby, but would like to be able to take it for a few shots either at tin cans or small vermin as and when....

Thanks in advance...

 

[rancid badger]

You need to find out whether you can have a F.A.C. in the first place.

R.B.

 

[Logit]

a quick Google reveals that that a F.A.C is a firearms certificate, i have read an application form for my local police force and there is nothing stopping me getting one, but this seems a little extreme...I was under the impression i could get an air rifle that was under 12ft.lbs muzzle energy without a licence?

Are rifles with less than 12ft.lbs pea shooters and no good for what I’m looking for?

 

[Siberianfury]

get a BSA Lightning, 12 ft/lb.
mines always put pellets in bunnies and dinner on the table

ATB
Josh

 

[rancid badger]

Sorry logit, it appeared from your original post, that you were talking about 'rifles' not 'air rifles' big difference

weirauch are pretty good, heres a start for you:
http://www.wrichardsguns.co.uk/airrifles.htm

good luck

R.B.

 

[Logit]

lol... thanks rb... going to head over there and have a read

 

[joejoe]

try your friends different guns, will give you a idea of what type you like

 

[Soloman]

Try an air arms tx 200, superb gun if a bit of a heavyweight.
I only sold mine to move up to a air ranger.
Soloman.

 

[Peter_t]

have a look at the air arms spring air rifles, they are very accurate and easy to shoot. they are not plasticy like some airguns, just metal and wood and they are made in the UK! in hailsham in east sussex to be exact but according to a mate you cant buy them from the factory door

pete

 

[smallholder]

May i suggest getting yourself a copy of Airgun World or simular mag, loads of airguns will do the job you are asking, if i am using an air rifle i always shoot rabbits with a head shot. 2 reasons it ensures a clean kill and no meat damage. Remeber pratise a lot before going for live targets.

 

[forestwalker]

Apparently an air rifle is legal for hunting in the UK (not here in Sweden). Based on that I was going to suggest an over-under combo, giving you both a shotgun and a small caliber rifle (get a rimfire, or getting the case out will be harder). Mine is 12/222 rem, with which I can shoot anything up to a roe deer legally.

 

[phil wright]

you really need to go to a club or a shop where you can at least try them and get good advice.
www.mayoflondon.com
these people advertise in the airgun mags and offer a price matching or better service!
mention that you are a member of this forum and you may get a further discount, but all sales now "by way of business or trade" has to be done face to face to comply with the violent crime reduction bill.
where abouts in the UK are you?

 

[MartiniDave]

Try googling AirgunBBS. I think you'll find what you want over there and lots more besides.

Sorry I don't have a link, my regular computer died yesterday, taking my favourites with it!

I'd suggest looking at the air-arms, the weihrauchs and the BSA lightning, all generally pretty good but some get on better with one rather than the other.

Dave

 

[tobes01]

try your friends different guns, will give you a idea of what type you like

Definitely the way forward. More importantly, if you have no experience at airgun hunting then they shouldn't be taking you out with your own gun - I'm sure you're sensible, mature, safety-conscious etc, but I wouldn't take a friend out hunting who'd not shown me he could safely and accurately handle an air rifle on a target.

Once you've had a practice on paper, get a mate to take you out. You only need one gun between you, since two is where all the problems start to arise (e.g. even experienced shotgun users won't allow two loaded guns in a pigeon hide). This will give you a chance to understand what you like and don't like about spring vs PCP, lightweight against bulky, different types of scope etc. I started with a huge Weihrauch with an enormous scope because I was used to target shooting where weight was less of an issue; I now use a little S410TDR with a baby Simmons scope which weighs next to nothing. Not very pretty or comfortable but it suits me just fine.

Hope this helps.

 

[FGYT]

bear in mind that Shops are not allowed to sell airguns over the internet any more so if you want new you need to get to a giun shop that will be able to get what you want and hopfully back it up with good advice and service etc


The BSA range are good basic guns the the Supersport and lightning range etc i like the XL tactical version with a plastic Stock which is very comfey for me (this is important if it dosnt fit and feel right it wont shoot right for you ) has a short cylinder and this can limit scope choice but not a real problem unless like me you like big scopes

HW and AA both make very good guns but these are generaly large and heavy

Theoben Gas Ram guns are also very good

£800 is a big budget for a first air gun

and as a hunting Combo it has more than one part

a Scope is a vital and very important part of the package
a good scope can help a poor rifle
a Bad scope WILL ruin a good rifle accurcy wise etc

I would consider at least £200 of your budget for the scope (as a new price)

some people spend more on scopes than the guns

for general hunting a good quality 3-9 x 40 scope or a 4-12 x 50 etc is a good starting place
remember everything costs so if you ahve 2 scopes the same priceand one has an extra gizmo etc then it probably has been down graded elseware to pay for it usuallu in the quality of the glass or its coatings.

also be carefull of buying a Full bore rifle scope with a Fixed Paralax adjustment ( no range focus wheel or objective lens the front one) this will be fixed at long range ie 200yrds but at airgun range up to 50yrds you can get serious Paralax thisis where the cross hair is in differnt places depending on how your eye is positioned to the scope can be 2" difference at 30yrds . this can be corrected on some etc

Right thats a lot of Confusing stuff to start with

if your going to buy New its worth travelling to a gun shop that Knows about Airrifles and speak to them for adviceand try a few for size


then theres Precharged

ATB

Duncan

 

[Glen]

bear in mind that Shops are not allowed to sell airguns over the internet any more so if you want new you need to get to a giun shop that will be able to get what you want and hopfully back it up with good advice and service etc

There is an exception to that
http://www.pellpax.co.uk/ using their own approved van drivers do deliver ( to their own schedule I guess ) by doing so the deal is face to face with the approved driver. I guess you'll have to supply some age & address evidence but paying by card might already be considered proof.

I'd still say, if possible, try a few yourself, preferably where you can talk and ask advice without being sold the item, club or friends would be best.

The BSA range are good basic guns the the Supersport and lightning range etc i like the XL tactical version with a plastic Stock which is very comfey for me (this is important if it dosnt fit and feel right it wont shoot right for you ) has a short cylinder and this can limit scope choice but not a real problem unless like me you like big scopes

I was going to suggest the XL Tactical instead of Lightning too, but for the easy care and dry of the synthetic stock after a day out in the field.

The other thing I would add, besides lots of practise before considering live quarry, is that land with permission to shot on is not easy to come by, so follow all rules laid down by your mates rigidly, even if you personally think any of them might be a bit silly or OTT, it's their shooting permission and them who stand to loose out.
If approached by neighbouring land owner just be polite and let your mates take the lead, they might be angling for permission for land nearby ( or something ) and have a strategy for getting it already planned out.

Logit, have a word with your mates, see if they have a spare styrup pump or bottle that they'll let you have until you make up your mind/save up to buy your own, that way, for the price of a new XL tactical and new scope your really not far off a 2nd hand PCP with scope, say AirArms S200 or even S400 ( both can be made multishot at a later stage ) Your mates will probably appreciate the difference in volume, not spooking the quarry, if you take a few practice shots, to make sure you've got your eye in, while out with them

If your budgets below £200 your probably in the realms of a 2nd hand springer and scope, you can still get something decent that though, I picked up a BSA SuperStar[1] with Nikko Sterling 3-9X40 scope for less than £150 not too long ago, it'd get the job done if I had somewhere to hunt with it.
[1] Singleshot version of Shewie's GoldStar.

Without getting into the springer verses PCP debate it sounds like your wanting to get out there with them ASAP and I think most peple will start getting good enough groupings to go hunting with a PCP quicker than they would a springer, due to ( almost) no recoil and less hold/position sensitive. On the other hand, learning with a springer probably teaches you more about shooting. There you are positives points for both

I think the best advice I've ever been given about hunting was. Remember you don't have to have a rifle with you to practise field craft, the better your fieldcraft the less you have to rely on a better rifle, for the longer shots.

If you want to get a feel for stalking you could tie your hammock and tarp, or tent, to a walking pole and take shots with a camera mounted ontop. The beauty of that is you can practise it on common land and objectively judge your results by image previewing or later at home.

 

[tetra_neon]

A quick question for the gun guys. I've been thinking about getting a FAC getting a .22 rimfire. Maybe a used Ruger 10/22 - they look quite decent.

Firstly, will 'Hobby target shooting at a local gun club' be a good enough reason for a FAC application - or do they require you shoot at a competitive level or something more specific?

Also, I know a farmer with land who has rabbits - would I be able to ask his permission to hunt them, providing I don't fire in any silly directions, or is the procedure more formal than that?

Cheers

 

[elma]

befor you start splashing out on expensive kit have a look in some of the airgun mags to find Airgun clubs in your area or find your way to the hunting forums ( Airgun BBS, Airgun Universe Pigeon Watch are a few).
you dont have to spend a fortune to hunt small game (vermin) such as rabbits, squirrels etc, I have airgun combo's and full bore rifle combo's that are around the £2000 mark but shoot most of my rabbits and pigeons with a BSA meteor and Nikko stirling scope the whole package cost less than £250.
Buy a quality medium priced springer & scope combo around £250-£300
buy some quality pellets
practice & know your & your equipments limitations
enjoy your sport

remember if you go the expensive route you will never get back what you paid for your investment start small and upgrade when and if you need to

good hunting

Ian

 

[elma]

A quick question for the gun guys. I've been thinking about getting a FAC getting a .22 rimfire. Maybe a used Ruger 10/22 - they look quite decent.

Firstly, will 'Hobby target shooting at a local gun club' be a good enough reason for a FAC application - or do they require you shoot at a competitive level or something more specific?

Also, I know a farmer with land who has rabbits - would I be able to ask his permission to hunt them, providing I don't fire in any silly directions, or is the procedure more formal than that?

Cheers

Hobby or target shooting at a gun club (fullbore/smallbore rifle club) is almost a mandatory condition to have a FAC unless you are a farmer forest Ranger or some one who needs a firearm to perform their work even then you must show good reason & demonstrate that you are safe etc.

you may ask the farmer for permission to hunt on his land you must then ask the police firearms admin to enter the land onto your certificate, they will send someone to visite the farm and asses it for suitability for the firearm you intend to use, they may also impose restrictions on where on the farm you may shoot, after a few years the firearms admin may remove this restriction ie named farm from your FAC and allow you to risk asses the land over which you shoot yourself .

Ian

Ian

 

[nomadcelt]

BSA Meteor Mk2 with 4x32 Hawke Eclipse scope - old but perfect for bunny hunting (it's been souped up with Titan XS mainspring, new washers / O-Ring and a lot of elbow grease).

I've scanned some of the emails above but some key points:

Get on the DEFRA or BASC websites and ensure you know which animals you are allowed to shoot. ALL birds are restricted and can only be shot with the express permission of the landowner IF the bird is in some way a pest.

You should look for insurance. If your pellet hits a chimney pot / car / person /wrong animal (bearing in mind that the pellet can travel over 150m) you almost certainly will be sued. I currently have insurance for £2m and it costs £17 a year.

Buy your rifle and practice with it a lot first. You should be able to put all your pellets within a 2p-piece area at 25m. Anything less and you risk injuring the animal instead of killing it with an incorrectly placed round.

Hope this helps.