Air Rifle Hunting And Care Tips.

[Airborne3 13]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to air rifle hunting and would be grateful of any tips you could share. I know this is a very broad question, but I'm an absolute noob. Any thing from Pellets to use, rifle care, times of day/season for specific quarry, zeroing tips, etc.

 

I've just bought (by reccomendation) an AA S410 superlite hunter .177. I haven't bought a pump/bottle for it yet, so will be looking to get one of those when I collect it on Thursday. The Rifle came with a Hawke Eclipse 4-16x50.

 

I will be mostly using the weapon for hunting (not into targets). There have been a lot of rats around my area recently so wil be hitting them. Any tips for bringing down rats?

 

I also have permission from a couple of farmers to shoot vermin on their land, so Rabbits, Grey Squirrels and Pigeons will also be on the target list.

 

I'm not a total noob to shooting and hunting, I've been in the Parachute Regiment for 16 years, although our vermin is usually a little larger I haven't owned an air rifle/ pistol since I was a kid.

 

I was told the S410 was a good rifle for my needs and I would be very happy with it. The other option was a HW100, which I was told was quite heavy and after a day out shooting, your arms would be knackered. I then asked if they had ever spent 6 weeks patrolling around a jungle carrying a GPMG, guess not! In the end it came down to online reviews and it seems the S410 was highly rated.

 

Anyway, I digress, any tips or links you guys have for me would be appreciated.

 

Thanks for your time

 

Mike

[villaman 9,983]

First tip is to shoot target first ,get to know your gun ,scope and pellets you are using and make sure you can get a group around about 15-20 mm at all distances

 

Test different pellets and find which one is the best for your gun ,AA fields would be a good start

 

Set targets out from 20 yards up to 60 yards every five yards and map your mill dots on your scope

Down load chair gun as well

 

Welcome to a great sport ,trouble is , its very addictive

Edited May 27, 2015 by villaman

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Aye, like Villaman said. Practise first until you're sure of guaranteeing a clean kill -- the kill zone on most of your quarry is one inch or less.

 

Practise with different stances -- you'll be sometimes be caught in the open when quarry pops up, and have to freeze and take a standing shot, for example. Also practise shooting at steep up and down angles (think squirrels/pigeons in trees). Aim at a few pine cones up in a tree and you'll soon see how the pellet rises at different angles.

 

For rats, baiting works well, with something nice and sticky like peanut butter or chocolate spread, which they can't pick up and run off with. If you can get them to stand still, then you can hit 'em. If they're particularly shy, then lamping or night vision would be the way to go. Head shots are best, but upper body shots will drop them too.

 

The other thing you might consider buying is a set of extending shooting sticks, which can give you a stable stance whether sitting, kneeling or standing.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Coypu Hunter

[Rez 4,961]

Mint rifle.

[Airborne3 13]

First tip is to shoot target first ,get to know your gun ,scope and pellets you are using and make sure you can get a group around about 15-20 mm at all distances

 

Test different pellets and find which one is the best for your gun ,AA fields would be a good start

 

Set targets out from 20 yards up to 60 yards every five yards and map your mill dots on your scope

Down load chair gun as well

 

Welcome to a great sport ,trouble is , its very addictive

Thanks bud,

I need to get a grip on the rifle zeroing, as well. Is there a sort of Collimator for air rifles? If so, do you reccomend any specific ones? As you can't bore sight them, I was wondering if there is anything for you use to check zero after you have transported your weapon?

 

Also, what is chair gun?

 

Cheers.

[Airborne3 13]

Aye, like Villaman said. Practise first until you're sure of guaranteeing a clean kill -- the kill zone on most of your quarry is one inch or less.

 

Practise with different stances -- you'll be sometimes be caught in the open when quarry pops up, and have to freeze and take a standing shot, for example. Also practise shooting at steep up and down angles (think squirrels/pigeons in trees). Aim at a few pine cones up in a tree and you'll soon see how the pellet rises at different angles.

 

For rats, baiting works well, with something nice and sticky like peanut butter or chocolate spread, which they can't pick up and run off with. If you can get them to stand still, then you can hit 'em. If they're particularly shy, then lamping or night vision would be the way to go. Head shots are best, but upper body shots will drop them too.

 

The other thing you might consider buying is a set of extending shooting sticks, which can give you a stable stance whether sitting, kneeling or standing.

Cheers bud, I'll take that on board, seems like a great idea with the pine cones. I already have some of the sticks from work but they're a bit battered from over use. It may be time to buy a set, rather than the home made ones I have

[mark williams 7,561]

Hi Airborne 3, welcome to the tribe.

You have a great rifle/scope hunting combination that will outshoot anyone of us on here.

No need to try and elaborate on the advice given - all is spot on.

 

Closest i could find to a salute and i`m no "crap hat"

 

"Welcome mate"

Edited May 27, 2015 by mark williams

[Airborne3 13]

Hi Airborne 3, welcome to the tribe.

You have a great rifle/scope hunting combination that will outshoot anyone of us on here.

No need to try and elaborate on the advice given - all is spot on.

 

Closest i could find to a salute and i`m no "crap hat"

 

"Welcome mate"

 

 

cheers mate

[davyt63 1,845]

As above,start with targets.

i see your based in Wiltshire? I am more than happy to help you achieve your goal?

 

Help you with a trajectory plan,and calibrate your AAS410,I also own one to,great rifles.you will also need to do a shot string,to find the rifles sweet spot,other wise you are wasting air,plus your first few shots will be erratic/not on target.

[davyt63 1,845]

Oops! Welcome to the mad house!

[davyt63 1,845]

This may help as a starter

 

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/240773-air-arms-s410-review/

[Airborne3 13]

Thanks Davy, that's great help.

[villaman 9,983]

Thanks Davy, that's great help.

Take Davys offer up , one of the best in the game and respected by many

[mark williams 7,561]

Ditto to VM Airborne, "make sure" you take Davy`s offer !

 

atb (all the best)

[bigmac 97kt 13,811]

 

Thanks Davy, that's great help.

Take Davys offer up , one of the best in the game and respected by many

 

Well i heard he cant shoot for shit

 

 

Mind if he has had a few then thats another matter

 

how you keeping davy well i hope

 

atvbmac :thumbs: