Ewen Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I'd recommend a BSA Airsporter to start with. Available as .177 or .22, cheap secondhand, reliable, accurate and good looking. Basic, but a great way to start. http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews1134.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 If all you gonna spend is £40 all you'll get is something only good for knocking over coke cans. Why do you want to shoot rabbits? You've already said you don't know what to do with them after you've killed them. Besides it takes alot of skill and patience to hunt rabbits. I use to work on a farm and spent years hunting them. Choice of weapon was a semi auto .22 before they became illegal (courtesy of Michael Ryan of Hungerford) An 10 ft.lb air rifle wil be only good for 20 yards. I guarantee you won't get within 60 yards when they hear or smell you coming and they bounce off into their warrens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 I've been told a rifle for about £150 (second hand Main problem is hitting them, I'd need to make sure I can group within 1/2 inch at up to 50 paces more than 90% before even trying to hit anything living (and consequently moving). The reason I posted on here and other forums is exactly because I didn't know the answers, now I do, I never intended to go and buy a pea shooter and aim it at the nearest bunny - at least not until I'd done a bit more research. Regardless, I'm going out on Sunday with a guy who has a Rapid topped with infra red night vision scope, a FAC rated BSA super ten, a .22rf semi automatic ruger, .17 savage and a 12g o/u lamber shotgun!!! He's only bringing the rapid and BSA but that'll do to have a go with. He's also got access to 1200 acres of land in various places, and lives 5 minutes from my house!!! Good bloke to get to know really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Regardless, I'm going out on Sunday with a guy who has a Rapid topped with infra red night vision scope, a FAC rated BSA super ten, a .22rf semi automatic ruger, .17 savage and a 12g o/u lamber shotgun!!! He's only bringing the rapid and BSA but that'll do to have a go with. He's also got access to 1200 acres of land in various places, and lives 5 minutes from my house!!! Good bloke to get to know really. Do NOT shag his wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 Do NOT shag his wife. She's a pretty good shot as well apparently!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 She's a pretty good shot as well apparently!!! Ok, do NOT shag her husband then:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Beast Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 [Regardless, I'm going out on Sunday with a guy who has a Rapid topped with infra red night vision scope, a FAC rated BSA super ten, a .22rf semi automatic ruger, .17 savage and a 12g o/u lamber shotgun!!! He's only bringing the rapid and BSA but that'll do to have a go with. He's also got access to 1200 acres of land in various places, and lives 5 minutes from my house!!! Good bloke to get to know really. Brilliant rifle, that is what i shoot, all of us that go out have these in various forms from .20 up to .25 you will be impressed with his weapon:d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kranz Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I'd need to make sure I can group within 1/2 inch at up to 50 paces more than 90% before even trying to hit anything living (and consequently moving). Good luck You'll need to be pretty expert, prone & in windless conditions to achieve that. Also the rifle will need a very flat trajectory & whatever sight you're using will need to be zeroed exactly to that distance. I can only just manage 1 inch groupings with 10 rounds at 25m (zero magnification). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest blueangel Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I have been field shooting my whole life and have owned a variety of different rifles. At the moment i live in leicester and havent fired a gun in over two years but still own a 12 shot bolt action 22 mauser and if i could i would love to be out shooting again. On the subject of buying a cheap gun the answer is don't, On a cheap springer the pleasure will be dulled by poor quality and horendous recoil and with you being a novice that is more likely to make you miss more than you hit. I last owned a Theoben rapid 12/200 which was a 12 shot phneumatic .20 which gave all the best points of .177 and.22 and was an absolute dream to fire having no recoil and on full Fac power still gave 50 shots to the fill. The thing is if you buy a cheap gun to learn with when you eventually buy the better gun it will be like starting from scratch again as every gun has a different feel so the cheaper gun would be a waste of money, so you may aswell start with the good gun and get used to that and stick with it as it will become like a part of you. ALSO ONLY EVER TAKE THE SHOT IF YOUR SURE YOU WILL HIT YOUR TARGET, rabbits are very hardy and will always make it back to their burrows if they are not killed stone dead first shot and its cruel to leave an animal to bleed to death in pain. On a final note enjoy yourself even if its just target shooting hitting the bullseye and honing your skills is an accomplishment to be proud of and the better you get the more fun you have:d;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 The rabbit thing was always an afterthought anyway, the main reason I didn't do it a few years ago is because the gun club charge so much!! Now I'm thinking about doing it again the rabbit idea just came up because of our doggy plans - the idea is always to have it as a passtime for fun more than anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 The rabbit thing was always an afterthought anyway, the main reason I didn't do it a few years ago is because the gun club charge so much!! Now I'm thinking about doing it again the rabbit idea just came up because of our doggy plans - the idea is always to have it as a passtime for fun more than anything else. Bet you wished you never mentioned the word "rabbit" It pleases me that everybody else that's been on here has the same respect for rabbits as me (not just rabbits I'm sure). It seems something the "antis" can't see... on one side I love to see rabbits about in the fields and at the side of the road, but on the other, can spend a really great few hours on a weekend catching / killing them. Just seen you are from Hampshire - anywhere near Watership Down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I personally wouldn't go shooting animals with a Just reading through and saw your post, and whole heartedly agree, i used to shoot when i was younger and lived in the country, with both air rifles and shotguns, and i certainly wouldn't bother with an air rifle under 12ftlb for rabbits, i also wouldn't bother until you can shoot with a fair degree of accuracy for the reasons above, and also its not nice to wound a rabbit only to have it run off and die over a couple of days:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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