Air Rifles!

[Barrie Yates]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

AIRGUN SHOOTING CLUBS AND SUPPLIERS (paragraph 2)

I'm sorry, but your comment is absolute guff, I've stayed out of the debate until now but your "hysterical sensationalist" comment has encouraged me to post. I first went shooting at about 13 with my father, using shotguns to take game for the table. Discipline, weapon handling & safety were drilled into us (my brother & myself) constantly, by my father.

I then went on to join the Military were weapons, their handling & use were an everyday occurrence. During this time I built up a great respect, knowledge & interest of various weaponry to the point I ended up in charge of the Unit armoury for my last two years. While serving I deployed on various tours were live ammunition was ever present & loaded into our weapons. Usually the only time those weapons were discharged were on a range & under controlled supervision.

I'm long since out of the Military but I still have an interest in weaponry & shooting, I own 2 Air rifles of varying quality & two air pistols also of varying quality. Most of the time the are safely tucked away but on occasion they are dusted off & a little target shooting is partaken of. I enjoy the pleasure it gives me & when people come here who also have an interest in shooting, we chat, compare notes & indulge in a little competition shooting.

So does my description of my air rifle usage come anywhere near your presumption Anne ?

Fully in agreement Dave, like you got my experience and expertise in the military, from SMLE to SLR and the various other weapons of the times. I enjoyed my time on the ranges because you are challenging yourself - but one important fact has never been forgotten - never point a weapon at anyone, loaded or not, unless you intend to kill them, and always stick to the procedures.
The major problem as I see it is the regulations, and particularly the enforcement of them.

[madbaxter]

I've just got my first airgun, grew up on a farm with reasonable numbers of pests, shot many things, never had a problem with it and supplied friends and family aswell as myself with plenty of food, dont see why theres such a problem with airguns nowadays, i just keep myself to myself and dont tell people who i expect to be concerned, about what i do and where i use them, i know it shouldnt even be a problem but :/ what can you do about it when the people with power dont listen

[Less]

Originally Posted by madbaxter

I've just got my first airgun, grew up on a farm with reasonable numbers of pests, shot many things, never had a problem with it and supplied friends and family aswell as myself with plenty of food, dont see why theres such a problem with airguns nowadays, i just keep myself to myself and dont tell people who i expect to be concerned, about what i do and where i use them, i know it shouldnt even be a problem but :/ what can you do about it when the people with power dont listen

Welcome to the site, I apologise for missing your entry in 'introduce yourself'.

Have no problem with your post until:-

i know it shouldnt even be a problem but :/ what can you do about it when the people with power dont listen

Such a sorry end, don't blame it on the people with power, you already know they don't listen, so why tell the rest of us? We've no power and the people with it don't listen to us either, just carry on hunting your food, Oh, if you get a spare rabbit give me a shout, ages since I've had a good one.

[madbaxter]

haha sorry but there wont be much chance of a spare rabbit, my mum makes them all into pies and she'd be pretty angry if she knew anyone else besides her was getting them unfortunatley
And i know, people with power wouldnt do anything anyway, once our rights are taken away they never come back, anyways enough moaning for me eh

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by madbaxter

I've just got my first airgun, grew up on a farm with reasonable numbers of pests, shot many things, never had a problem with it and supplied friends and family aswell as myself with plenty of food

I assume it's something fairly powerful if you're taking Rabbits & I'd also assume it's .22 ?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

I assume it's something fairly powerful if you're taking Rabbits & I'd also assume it's .22 ?

By your above comment do you agree with the saying ".22 for fur and .177 for feathers"?

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Neil

By your above comment do you agree with the saying ".22 for fur and .177 for feathers"?

To a point, but with a decent .177 rifle & pellets you can also take Rabbits, a lot depends on the distances you're talking. The Kit must be up to the job in hand to ensure a clean kill.

Having said all that it's been a very long time since I've taken anything for the table, the infrequent bit of shooting I do is target stuff.

[Eric]

I agree with Neil's comment about education. In many rural areas of Canada, courses in firearm safety are offered in high schools (secondary schools), and in some jurisdictions is a pre-requisite for obtaining an FAC. Having spent time in rural Alberta, Dave in Germany probably knows about this stuff. Over here, restrictive gun laws cover only hand guns and fully automatic "assault" type weapons. Most of the relatively few gun crimes in Canada happen in our larger cities (yes, we have one or two), particularly the GTA, Montreal, and Vancouver. They are usually associated with gangs and drugs.

I don't own an air rifle ... I had one when I was a kid, a BSA .177 ... but I have a decent amount of legal firepower in my basement. Canadians don't have a constitutional right to bear arms, but there is the presumption that a law-abiding citizen should be able to own a long gun, and use it legally. Hunting, according to certain rules and at certain specified times of the year, is an acceptable pastime in Canada.

But, the UK? We are talking one densely populated little island here. In rural areas, I can see it, but ...

I think there is more to it than the mere possesion of firearms. In terms of long guns, Candians are just as well armed as our nutty neighbours. It's just that we tend not to go around shooting our neighbours.

[madbaxter]

Yeah its a 12ft/lbs .22, and a .177 will take rabbits will take rabbits with headshots up to about 70 yards providing your a capable shot, but a .22 will take a pidgeon at 60 yards if your using superpoints, drops them clean as the pellet pentrates more, all depends on how good of a shot you are..

[kestrelx]

Originally Posted by madbaxter

Yeah its a 12ft/lbs .22, and a .177 will take rabbits will take rabbits with headshots up to about 70 yards providing your a capable shot, but a .22 will take a pidgeon at 60 yards if your using superpoints, drops them clean as the pellet pentrates more, all depends on how good of a shot you are..

I suppose if your shooting and going to eat them, using air rifle is better as with a shotgun you have to pick out all the lead shot, sometimes bits are left in and cause hell with the eaters fillings. However like you say the user has to be a good shot in order to avoid maiming the target.