tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I read the gun ownership laws thread, but I'm interested in starting out in air rifles ( The plan is to buy a really cheap one, then me and a mate are gonna go with his brother, who already has a rifle and apparently knows a farmer who will allow us to shoot rabbit. Are the cheap ones really that bad? What problems do I face? Didn't want to spend over £100 really. What can you do with the rabbits? Do butchers buy them? What about getting the pellets out? Poisoning? Diseases an issue? 'Rifle deal A' on this site is the current choice! Is practicing in the garden a bad idea? It's only about 40', could shoot the shed I suppose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 you skin the rabbits and eat them, i have a nice air riffle for sale with scopes the lot. i think practicing in the gardens ok as long as the pellits dont pass through to someones garden (i dont know if the law will agree) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Missus won't eat rabbit, I couldn't eat a whole one! We can feed the dog with it when we get the dog! But for now I need a way to get rid of them (if I can hit any!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Missus won't eat rabbit, I couldn't eat a whole one! We can feed the dog with it when we get the dog! But for now I need a way to get rid of them (if I can hit any!). butchers will take them off you if there still semi warm (so they know there fresh) also you have a choice of a .22 or a .177, both are good for different things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kranz Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Check the law here http://www.basc.org.uk/content/airriflepractice Practicing in the garden is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_supra Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Wow, that is cheap! £24 for an air rifle! I can't find maker so i'm not sure how good it is, obviously being at the cheapest end of the scale there will probably be issues with quality and accuracy. you get what you pay for in the end. But then, for £24 it's not exactly gonna break the bank if it's no good! I would say get it and try it, see how powerful it is, it might be that it's not that powerful and the pellet will hit the rabbit and do no damage, just annoy it:D (not that I condone shooting rabbits, but each to their own) I'm not really sure if butchers take rabbits as there is obvious issues with disease, I would check with your farmer friend. As for practicing in your garden, it depends if there is plenty of room, is there any houses/ gardens behind where you are shooting that if you did miss could get hit? If you are shooting at the shed is it big enough to give you a large margin of error? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Yeah that's our theory, if it's crap then it comes down to whether we stick at the shooting or not!! Could get a better one later (which we probably will anyway). What sort of penetration does a 10ft/lb (for example) rifle have? Would it go through an average fence? I could stick up some plasterboard on the fence to shoot at. The other side of the fence is someone elses back garden, no houses close by but obviously I can't be firing into another garden!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 mine was £100 new and will go through corrigated iron, if you get a .22 you can put a .177 spring inside the .22 spring. gives it a lot of poke. my brother used to have a brocock, repeat firing revolver but he hasent now as they are iligal (sp) as they can be converted to fire .22 riffle bullets easily. you actullay pump the air in to the shells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_supra Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Yeah that's our theory, if it's crap then it comes down to whether we stick at the shooting or not!! Could get a better one later (which we probably will anyway). What sort of penetration does a 10ft/lb (for example) rifle have? Would it go through an average fence? I could stick up some plasterboard on the fence to shoot at. The other side of the fence is someone elses back garden, no houses close by but obviously I can't be firing into another garden!! A 10ft/lb rifle would definately go through a fence, I would get a large piece of plywood to shoot at, not really sure how thick would be best as I always shot at targets on brick walls of the derelict farms buildings near me. 18-20mm thick and you should be safe. But then there's still the risk of accidentally firing outside of that area. If you do go towards a more expensive rifle after a while I cannot recommend the one below enough, I've had mine for a few years now and it's great. I have a 10shot conversion on it aswell now. http://www.scottcountry.co.uk/products_detail.asp?productID=88 Edit: I ultimately want to get this target rifle, it's pricey though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Any info on yours, Blackie? how much do you want etc? I'll have to talk to some butchers about rabbits as well, depending on where I'll be shooting. I don't want to end up just going to a range all the time, cos initial look seems quite expensive!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I personally wouldn't go shooting animals with a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Yeah I thought about that, I'm gonna have to get used to things like that when BARF feeding our dog though!! I'd like to eventually get a bigger rifle, I've got suitable places in the loft for a locked cabinet, need to get started on air and get confidence first, and also get to know the community a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 You'll be fine with the cheaper one to get better at shooting with but as said getting good consistent grouping with it maybe hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lui Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I have a excellent setup for sale if your interested See link below for full details. http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=81064 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I personally wouldn't go shooting animals with a Or it run off injured to die in probable agony. Buy a decent secondhand gun, they don't fetch much, used. 25 yards is about right for a clean kill with none FAC air rifle, but some people chance more distance. Can you not borrow a gun from someone to see if you like it first? If you come here you can have a go with mine, and a few shotguns, there must be someone near you can tap up to have a test of their guns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Just a couple of points... Most important point IMO is that if you are going to shoot at rabbits or anything living, is that you do your utmost to kill it cleanly and quickly. I've got nothing against killing stuff for sport (I'd be embarrassed to even think how many rabbits & phesants i've shot, netted, ferreted and caught with lurchers & hawks) but I think it's your responsibility not to leave wounded stuff all over the place Air rifles are crap for rabbits unless you are 1) a very good shot and 2) more important, close to them. If you are not the above, you will leave two out of three you shoot at wounded to some degree, especially with a 177 bore as it has greater penetration but less shock impact. My advise is to get a shotgun certificate (no big problem) and buy a cheap 12bore, or if you are really keen look into getting a "live" rifle, although the paperwork is a lot more difficult to sort out. Have fun... G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 I have a excellent setup for sale if your interested See link below for full details. http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=81064 Bit out of my budget at the moment, maybe you'll still have it in a year's time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 If you are going to feed the rabbits to the dogs you need a proper FAC rifle, something where you can be sure the bullet passes right through them. You'll very quickly tire of trying to find a lead .22 air rifle pellet in each rabbit you shoot. If you get a .410 or 12 g shotgun you can use bismuth shot, which is none poisonous. That's what I use for rabbiting, and close work for foxes, then I can feed the dogs / owls with the kill without worrying about the lead. Bismuth is less dense than lead though, so you lose range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Thinking about it maybe you guys are right, I'm definitely against animal cruilty so want to make it as clean as possible. I am planning on being an ace crack shot though. Maybe I'll find something else to shoot at with the cheap rifle, then work up from there depending on how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 You don't need to spend much, my Chinese Career 707 wasn't much, but is accurate enough to match my skills, can easily be converted to a VERY powerful FAC rifle, and has proven reliable. They are sneered at by the elite, but the rabbits don't know or care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIL Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 IMO your better off getting a good second hand rifle than a cheap new one. They are what they are! One in particular rifle that springs to mind in the bottom end of the price spectrum would be .22 calibre, Webley Tracker. Its been around for years now so someone will be selling one off cheap and they are a great compact hunting rifle. Dont waste time and money on a cheap one its just not man enough for the job. Your more likely to kill the rabbit clubbing it to death with the rifle rather than hitting it with a pellet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kranz Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 You don't need to spend much, my Chinese Career 707 wasn't much, but is accurate enough to match my skills, can easily be converted to a VERY powerful FAC rifle, and has proven reliable. They are sneered at by the elite, but the rabbits don't know or care. Wow, they certainly have some power with up to 1250 fps muzzle velocity! Amazing for an air rifle! Definately FAC territory Edit: Limited to 381 fps at the 12 ft/lb UK limit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 So it might be an idea (as money is tight) to get the cheap crappy thing and practice on anything not alive, maybe spend some time at the rifle range near me etc. Then later on, when I'm a bit better, and assuming I get into it like I think I will, get a better rifle and start on some animals. Do I need to get going on the FAC now? How long does it take to get registered and able to own a more powerful rifle? //Edit: I could of course start on the cheap one, then get a more powerful one that's still less than 12ft/lb, then move up from there if required? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Beast Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 if i can just join in on this one, i own a theoben rapid 7 air rifle, have been shooting now for the best part of 22 years, most fridays 3-4 of us meet up at a farm to help with rabbit control. The rifles we use range from 45 ft/lbs right up to 65 ft/lbs and there all air rifles, they are in various calibres from .177 through to .25. If you are going to do this professionally, then get the right rifle for the job, as the others have said, there is nothing worse than hearing a wounded rabbit scream, we always try to go for head shots, and if we cant get it then we wont take the shot. As for butchers, thet are not really bothered about taking them from you, however the farmer might for his dogs, ours does and i have a few for my 2. how are you going to get round the fields? if walking then you got to think about carring stuff, are you going to do it at night? if so your going to need a red lamp, its going to cost you more than 100 quid to do it right. if you have not shot before i suggest you target practise till you are confident with the gun and things like acting against you like wind. sorry for the long reply but if you are wanting to enjoy the sport, set yourself up right from the start, and welcome to the world of field shooting richie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Not being involved means I don't want to spend loads of money before getting to know how the whole deal works. Surely it's worth 'wasting' £40 and using that rifle to get into it, shoot some paper targets etc., maybe get to know some people and borrow their rifles to get used to them, then if all goes well and I enjoy it and can get something out of it, then I can get a better rifle for £300 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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