Anyone else got an air rifle ?

[Wowbagger]

There is a .177 in the cupboard under the stairs which I've had since late 70's. Maybe I should get it out and shoot something. Don't even know what make it is. 

If I were you I'd upgrade and then go for Anna Waite.

[Tail End Charlie]

I used to have a Weihrauch HW35 in 22 calibre and used it when my parents lived in North Wales to shoot the odd pigeon and rabbit. Pigeons were hard to shoot, I am sure they were armour plated and unless you hit the head (difficult) they got away.

Crikey, just realised I am talking about 25 years ago now. My brother still has the gun and his lad uses it in the garden. It's a quality piece of kit.

[pcolbeck]

Result - just been down the village pub for a few pints and talked to the guy who owns the farm in the village. Have been invited to join him in the little disused quarry on the edge of the village for a session setting up the sights and then I have bunny shooting rights on the land around the village.

[pcolbeck]

Interesting snippet from the farmer. Apparently you can get air rifle  pellets that fragment to provide a miniature shotgun effect, Lethal range is only a few yard but they are perfect for shooting rats in grain bins where a normal pellet would ricochet all over and be a hazard to the shooter.

[tonycollinet]

I have an old Webley Vulcan sitting in the garage. Front sight is broken and I don't have anywhere to use. it.

I stripped and oiled the stock sometime back in about the middle ages. (1978??)

[teethgrinder]

What would the panel recommend for bagging a bunny or two for the oven without the need of a FAC? Or would I need something more powerfull for bunnycide.
I've thought about it over the years, but never really looked into it.
Maybe I'd be better off going for an early morning cycle ride along a main road and hope for a pre murdered bunny and hope that the ravens and magpies haven't got there first?

[clarion]

you could always ask an expert to help you

[numbnuts]

What would the panel recommend for bagging a bunny or two for the oven without the need of a FAC? Or would I need something more powerfull for bunnycide.
I've thought about it over the years, but never really looked into it.
Maybe I'd be better off going for an early morning cycle ride along a main road and hope for a pre murdered bunny and hope that the ravens and magpies haven't got there first?

If you want to bag a bunny or two for the pot, by the time you have spent out on a half decent rifle and scope you can buy a lot of bunny meat, now if you want to get into the sport of airguns that is a different matter and you will have to find a place to practise as well as somewhere the bunnys are. Most farmer will say no I've been there and if they let you you may have to shoot a lot of rats in return for you bunny shooting

[pcolbeck]

I asked the local farmers what they recommended and most said a .22 is best. A .177 has a flatter trajectory and will let you shoot from further away but for bunnies and rats they like .22 best as if you can get a bit closer they are more likely to drop a rabbit that a .177.
Your looking at around £200 for a decent accurate rifle (I have been doing extensive research) before buying mine + about £50 for telescopic sites.
Favourites at this price seem to be BSA Lightening or Supersport or Weirauch 99s. Move up to £250 then a BSA Lightening XL or a Weirauch 95K. BSA however seem to have some quality control issues since they started assembling them in Spain (Gammo bought them out) so if you go for a BSA make sure it's from a good shop that's local to you  that will handle any issues that may arise. The BSA forums seem to be implying that if you do have an issue and complain the gun gets sent back to BSA Birmingham (where they sill make the CO2 powered ones) and gets fettled by a proper gunsmith and tends to come back very well sorted out.

[pcolbeck]

Oh and if your patient check out the air rifle forums as lots of stuff comes up second hand at really good prices like £150 for a Lightening with scope. You can still post S/H air rifles in the UK as a private sale its just shops that cant post new ones.

[teethgrinder]

It could be profitable in Milton Keynes where there are bunnies aplenty in the very large parks.
There are local butchers who will buy bunnies, but only if they have been supplied by legit bunny hunters for animal cruelty reasons. I'd need to find out about that though and I expect I'd need to go through a few hoops to become a legit bunny hunter. So probably a no-goer, unless I get my arse in gear (unlikely)

A few hundred quid doesn't seem too bad though, if it lasts even a few years, it'd pay for itself in time. I think it's better (more humane) than my current buying battery chickens from Tesco.

I doubt I'd really get into the sport though. Lack of time mostly, but maybe when I retire...

[rogerzilla]

Is shooting wildlife (even vermin) a "sport"?  Seems a bit one-sided, unless the bunnies get issued with little Saturday night specials.

From a humane killing POV, what's more likely to "wing" a rabbit - an airgun pellet or a shotgun pellet?

[pcolbeck]

Not sure but I would guess an airgun pellet. Problem with a shotgun is that if you hit the bunny accurately you blow it to pieces and cant eat it. Also the load bang scares all the other bunnies back down there burrows and so you can only ever shoot one. Air rifle is virtually silent from a few yards away and so you can pop one after the other.

[Rapples]

And shotgun cartridges are more expensive

[rogerzilla]

There's only one answer then.

Frikkin' lasers.

[clarion]

It seems to me that the most effective way to kill a bunny is a motor vehicle.

Might plough up your plot, mind

[teethgrinder]

There's only one answer then.

Frikkin' lasers.

Good idea.
You'll kill and cook it in one go.

Mmmmm.
Toasted bunny.

[pcolbeck]

You can use a hawk. Pretty effective but a bit difficult to get hold of one and train it ...

[robbo6]

There's only one answer then.

Frikkin' lasers.

Claymore mines.

[Jakob]

Take off and nuke them from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[Marco Stefano]

A trick from my (quietly mis-spent) childhood was to soak a roll of caps (remember those? can you still get them?) and peel away the top layer of paper. Scrape the mercury fulminate (or whatever it was) with a penknife (remember those?) and load into the back of your pellets. Dry in the airing cupboard before using.

Outcome? Either a flash when the target is hit, or they go supersonic in the barrel with a loud crack. 

Don't have a rifle or pistol any more. Or a Milbro catapult.

[pcolbeck]

Been perusing a few air rifle forums. 99 percent nice people but they do attract some weirdos. It looks like it might be another n+1 hobby. Just need to get mine back from my dad now. He's had it two weeks and still hasn't managed to shoot the damn crow. Apparently very time he waits in the bedroom with the rifle at the ready the crow only ever lands on his greenhouse. I had heard that they  were smart but that's taking the piss.

[Charlotte]

It's Julian's birthday next week, so we've just been to the gun shop...

[Chris S]

It's Julian's birthday next week, so we've just been to the gun shop...

Q: What's more dangerous than a lawyer?
A: An armed lawyer.

Lessee'em then... WE WANT PICTURES.

[Julian]

Pictures to follow soon! 

But I would just like to say