First Rifle

[Ollaberry 7]

Hello Guys and Gals,

 

First time poster. A little about the hunting near me, Rabbits, Lots and lots of rabbits.

I don't know how many of you have been to Shetland, It is cracking a Rabbit hunting area. The area im in (See Name) is infested with Rabbits. On my daily drive to and from work I will see about 20 rabbits at the roadside, If you cast a torch into the field next to my house, you see Green eyes everywhere. I want to help the Crofters (Farmers) as most of the farming is done near the sea, and the little buggers undermine the land so much it starts to fall into the sea. You see the problem? I'm in the market for my first rifle, and I am swaying towards the BSA XL TACTICAL, In .22. Here is the only Shop on the Island http://www.shooting-supplies.co.uk/shetlandsairguncentre.htm , As you can see I'm spoilt for choice (That Sarcasm tho), and the BSA XL TACTICAL. From the selection on offer which would you get? I'm genuinely interested in your input, as most of you know what you're on about.

 

Cheers,

 

Harry

[shergar 42]

aye up

 

welcome aboard there fella

 

when you say bsa XL do you mean the lightning if so don't bother they are shite, if you want a decent spring gun get a hw 95, the bsa pcp,s are ok the ultra se is a great little rifle if you want to go down that route but I would get it in .177 same with the 95.

 

if they don't have em in stock get them to order it in for you .

 

shergar

Edited August 29, 2014 by shergar

[villaman 9,983]

Forget about the lightening and buy a HW 95 ,97 or PCP BSA ultra or HW100kt or KS

.177 or.22 just get to know your set up in ether cal and make sure before shooting any thing live you can hit a 25 mm kill zone at ranges you will be shooting at 10 times out of 10

Edited August 29, 2014 by villaman

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

Lightning is rubbish mate. Get a 95 mate. Or a 97 if you like a heavy gun

[David.evans 5,323]

Consider

The bsa ultra se , as a first rifle , light , accurate , and a dam good rifle for the money ( 177 of course )

If you don't get a pcp , you probably will eventually

Atb mate

Dave

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

Everyone needs a good pcp

[villaman 9,983]

Both cals will do the same ,I shot a pigeon on sunday at 67 yards with a .22 witnessed , I all so shot one with a .177 at about the same distance but you need to know your set up ie Gun , Scope , Pellet ,weather and most important what you can do

[Cedric 132]

Can you get air bottles filled up there ? If not your stuck with a hand pump for pcp. Springers don't have that problem but pcp's shoot better out of vehicles, doesn't matter if you rest them on a hard surface as much as springers.

[barrywhite 282]

if your first rifle is a lightning that will be your first mistake .If the gun is working properly it is a, light, snappy gun with a hard trigger pull this makes the gun had to shoot accurately .It will shoot rabbits no problem but for the cost of a lightning a much better gun is available at the price .I would only get a lightning if it was cheap and working properly .I have shot loads of rats and rabbits with a lightning when I got a 97k I realized what a mug was I.

[Blackbriar 8,569]

Welcome aboard, mate !

I'm no expert, but I can tell you that my shooting club is heavily populated with 95's, 97's and Ultra's.

 

Whatever you go for, good luck !

[Ollaberry 7]

Aye lads, Cheers for the welcome. Did anyone check out that link? Any gun available to order. Just don't know what to get really. Might get a PCP but it would have to be a handpump, as its a 90 Mile round trip out to the shop. How are the S200's? Too small, A juniors rifle? I'm a lad of 6ft 2, so I need a rifle that will be comfortable. I'm going to the shop on wednesday to talk to the owner, and see what he recommends for me. On the shooting side, I'm not a bad shot, Cadets shooting team for 5.56 and .22LR. Air rifle's were a bit strange for me to shoot, but I did alright with the BSA Scorpion Cadet. Runs in the family, my dad used to run the ranges up at Caterick ITC.

[John Stott 202]

Welcome, I remember it well! ( four years on Unst, rabbit heaven ) I will be honest and tongue in cheek, I have given up on pcps apart from an Air Arms S410 I use around buildings in .22. Too many horror stories to recount.

Have you thought about an FAC and .17hmr?

If Scotland goes all ticket as planned, you might as well increase your range and options for a similar cost.

The Holyrood communists seem hellbent on regulating, the latest BASC survey shows an increase in folk up north considering FAC as a direct result.

Whatever, you decide though, enjoy shooting. It is one place you never want for free meat. I like Air Arms I admit. The little S200 ( actually a CZ ) is a good starter, if you replace the awful plastic bolt handle. Then costs mount up and you may as well look at S400/ S410 territory.

I used a .22 Winchester Highwall in my time up there on open sights, before decent optics were affordable. One thing that put me off springers was the constant wind factor. Cliff top shooting was a pellet nightmare with the wind coming from all directions it makes for difficult shooting conditions. Although it does test your skill!

Thats why if I lived there again I would opt for .17hmr. Flatter trajectory and more stable / predictable with a good range.

 

Whatever you decide though, good luck. You live in a rabbit shooters heaven.

[Ollaberry 7]

Welcome, I remember it well! ( four years on Unst, rabbit heaven ) I will be honest and tongue in cheek, I have given up on pcps apart from an Air Arms S410 I use around buildings in .22. Too many horror stories to recount.

Have you thought about an FAC and .17hmr?

If Scotland goes all ticket as planned, you might as well increase your range and options for a similar cost.

The Holyrood communists seem hellbent on regulating, the latest BASC survey shows an increase in folk up north considering FAC as a direct result.

Whatever, you decide though, enjoy shooting. It is one place you never want for free meat. I like Air Arms I admit. The little S200 ( actually a CZ ) is a good starter, if you replace the awful plastic bolt handle. Then costs mount up and you may as well look at S400/ S410 territory.

I used a .22 Winchester Highwall in my time up there on open sights, before decent optics were affordable. One thing that put me off springers was the constant wind factor. Cliff top shooting was a pellet nightmare with the wind coming from all directions it makes for difficult shooting conditions. Although it does test your skill!

Thats why if I lived there again I would opt for .17hmr. Flatter trajectory and more stable / predictable with a good range.

 

Whatever you decide though, good luck. You live in a rabbit shooters heaven.

Haha, Constant wind factor, dont you know it. Thats what is putting me off springers as well, Its just I have to drive down to Bigton to get the air for PCP's. Bigton is near Sumburgh, and I live in NorthMavine (Not as far up as Unst tho, Still on Mainland), But I will talk to the lad who owns the shop and see what he recommends.

[Ollaberry 7]

Heres one guys, Looking to see if he can order in a AA S410 for me.

[Cedric 132]

Johm Stott is right. If you can, consider a rimfire. No noisier than an air rifle and you will double/treble you effective range plus chest shots will knock them down just as well as head shots.