what should i get

[Guest davieboy]

I am after my first air rifle, i will use it to shoot rabbits and possibly crow and pigeons.

 

I dont know the rules regarding license ect for air rifle other than 12ft of pressure which means nothing to me, what are the pros and cons of spring or CO2 charged ect?????

 

so my question is what can i get that can hit what i want to shoot and does not need a licence., further to that does anyone want to part with sonething suitable

 

Apologises in advance for the very basic nature of this question

[mark01856 7]

I am after my first air rifle, i will use it to shoot rabbits and possibly crow and pigeons.

 

I dont know the rules regarding license ect for air rifle other than 12ft of pressure which means nothing to me, what are the pros and cons of spring or CO2 charged ect?????

 

so my question is what can i get that can hit what i want to shoot and does not need a licence., further to that does anyone want to part with sonething suitable

 

Apologises in advance for the very basic nature of this question

 

 

i would reccomend a pcp rifle, less recoil, quieter, great accuracy, but a good springer would be good(weirauch hw77, hw80,hw97, or a tx200)

 

i have a logun s16s which i love, but it isnt everybodys cup of tea. im sure many will reccomend AA S400 or S410. But really, most air rifles these days will do the job so its really down to preference.

 

i hope this has helped, but im sure you will get some better advice.

[Malt 379]

The AA s200 would be a good place to start if you're after a PCP, & I'd suggest something like the BSA lightning XL in a springer. Depends on what you want to spend really, a springer would be cheaper & less hassle than a PCP for a beginner though, eg. No charging or running out of air.

[jamie g 17]

I am after my first air rifle, i will use it to shoot rabbits and possibly crow and pigeons.

 

I dont know the rules regarding license ect for air rifle other than 12ft of pressure which means nothing to me, what are the pros and cons of spring or CO2 charged ect?????

 

so my question is what can i get that can hit what i want to shoot and does not need a licence., further to that does anyone want to part with sonething suitable

 

Apologises in advance for the very basic nature of this question

 

 

the 12ftlb is the power fella if you havent got a fac with the rifle on ticket then by law you cant go over that power.

 

as for which rifle most the pcp's on the market are the same accuracy wish the only way some shot better then others is the person shooting it. the best way to find which is the best for you is go to a shop or a gun club round by you and im sure some of the locals will let you shoot there rifles.

 

see which one feels the best for you then that willbe the most accurate for you. also the the trigger helps no end in accuracy i had a springer bas lightning years ago and shot ok with it but the trigger was very heavy. i done some work on it and after the groups at 25 30 yards where alot small then before you would have thought it was a different rifle

 

best springers i would say on the market is air arms tx200 and prosport, and the hw range of guns both soild build and accurate for sure with nice triggers.

 

for pcp then s200 would be a nice start or abit more money s400k or s410k, hw100,rapid mk 1 or 2, bsa s10bbk,daystate air wolf ot ranger or mk 3 THE LIST IS MASSIVE AND HARD TO PICK FROM.

 

the 1st pcp i had which was graet as it had a cracking trigger and ambi stock was a daystate harrier. i would have still had it but i wanted something that wasnt single shot.

 

as for co2 it works out very dear and the power go's up and down with the weather to much so not as consistant.

[ChrisJones 7,975]

I am after my first air rifle, i will use it to shoot rabbits and possibly crow and pigeons.

The vast majority of rifles, on the market, are more than suitable for your aims. All you have to ask yourself, at this stage, is how much you're willing spend on a rifle set up. What is your budget?

 

I dont know the rules regarding license ect for air rifle other than 12ft of pressure which means nothing to me

Alot depends on where you live. If you're in England, Scotland, Wales you will be able to buy a sub 12ft/lbs air rifle from any decent gunsmith. Anything that is capable of exceeding the 12ft/lbs limit will require a Firearms Certificate (FAC) and will involve an application to your local police.

 

If you live in Ireland, north or south, my understanding is that you need an FAC for any air rifle, regardless of power.

 

what are the pros and cons of spring or CO2 charged ect?????

Spring guns. Pros: Cheaper, No charging equipment required, Accurate, Will teach you marksmanship. Cons: Heavier, recoil can be excessive, single shot.

Pre Charged Pneumatic (PCP). Pros: Lightweight, Extremely Accurate, Multi Shot capability on most guns, Quiet down to extremely quiet, when fitted with a silencer. Cons: Expensive, generally a new entry level PCP will cost the same as top line spring rifle, charging equipment is required at additional cost.

CO2. Pros: Reasonably cheap. Cons: Poor resale value, massive power fluctuations based on gas levels and environmental temperature. CO2 gas cylinders are generally expensive and aren't refillable so there is a further cost, for charging, combined with the environmental impact of the cartridges going into landfill.

 

so my question is what can i get that can hit what i want to shoot and does not need a licence., further to that does anyone want to part with sonething suitable

 

Apologises in advance for the very basic nature of this question

No apologies necessary.

 

You need to...

• Tell us how much you're willing to spend on the rifle set up so we'll be able to narrow it down. Brand new PCPs can cost over a grand while second hand spring guns can cost as little as £30.
  
• Tell us which country you live in. This could be the difference between obtaining a licence or just buying over the counter.
  
• Watch this forum and also the For Sale Section. With 10,000 members here rifles come up fairly regularly.
  

Also if you decide to buy second hand... Beware.

 

Make sure that the guns advertised as in the condition they're advertised, (i.e if a gun is advertised as Mint Condition is shouldn't look like it's been buried in the back yard for 6 months.)

 

Make sure it's legal. If you're after a sub 12ft/lbs air rifle, and you buy second hand, it's your legal obligation to make sure it's not overpowered. If you leave the owners house/premises and you're stopped by police they will use a chronograph to measure it's power. If it's capable of going over 12ft/lbs they will confiscate your gun and prosecute you. If you buy from a registered firearms dealer they are liable if they sell you a rifle that's over the legal limit. You can buy this type of chronograph, for under £40, with free postage to mainland UK so it's not something that's going to bust the bank. Everyone should have one.

 

If you're buying brand new then ask the gun shop to chronograph the rifle before it leaves the store. Most will do it anyway but getting them to check it won't do any harm and could save alot of hassle in the long run.

 

Look forward to pages and pages of advice.

 

We have a busy forum so if gets confusing then just shout!

[Guest davieboy]

thanks for the replies,

 

chris,

 

in answer to you i am in England and maybe moving back to Scotland so should not have to worry about laws of Ireland or NI.

 

I think a springer would suit me best as my budget is under £100 and i only need it for rabbits and crows on a bit of land that i go on (with permission!!)

 

Not interested in FAC as i just would not qualify for it and i have no need for anything powerful enough to merit it.

 

Think i will buy second hand possibly on here and take it to gun shop to check the pressure.

 

Thinking Webley Exocet???????

[leeclackster 0]

thanks for the replies,

 

chris,

 

in answer to you i am in England and maybe moving back to Scotland so should not have to worry about laws of Ireland or NI.

 

I think a springer would suit me best as my budget is under £100 and i only need it for rabbits and crows on a bit of land that i go on (with permission!!)

 

Not interested in FAC as i just would not qualify for it and i have no need for anything powerful enough to merit it.

 

Think i will buy second hand possibly on here and take it to gun shop to check the pressure.

 

Thinking Webley Exocet??????? hey davi i know some one with a mint 300s mossey oak .22 with 3x9-40 scopes he wants a one'er for it

[ChrisJones 7,975]

in answer to you i am in England and maybe moving back to Scotland so should not have to worry about laws of Ireland or NI.

No worries then. You can buy over the counter or face to face from pretty much anywhere.

 

I think a springer would suit me best as my budget is under £100 and i only need it for rabbits and crows on a bit of land that i go on (with permission!!)

Sounds about right. There are some great bargains around but also alot of shit, for that kind of money. Be wary of where you get it from. Always check it out first.

 

Thinking Webley Exocet???????

Great choice. Also consider the Webley Stingray, a superb and extremely under rated rifle. Check out the BSA Lightning as well.

 

If you saved another £50 or long enough to reach the £200 bracket then your choice of rifle, and quality, would increase many, many times!

 

Good luck and let us know how you get on!