Air Rifle

Latest Articles

Air Rifle
Page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4 Next

Downsizer Forum Index -> Shooting and Trapping for the Pot

Author

Message

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 05 10:51 am Post subject:

My air rifle seems to be used exclusively for woodies these days. At 12ft/lb and with a decent scope it seems to do the trick, knocking 'em out of the trees adequately. Woodies are the wiliest of birds, though, and a bit of careful stalking or a hide are called for if you're not to spook them.
I had it easier in the last place, where the 'sitty tree' for the local woodies that plagued our peas was just in range of the bedroom window!
If you're plagued by flocks, though, forget the rifles - flighting to decoys with a shotgun is the best way. A set of shell decoys set out in front of a hide can give a good day's sport and yield you enough birds to stock the freezer or trade with your local butcher (don't expect to recover more than the cost of your catridges though - and that's if you're a good and miserly shot!).
If you get known locally as a reliable pigeon exterminator you'll get all the shooting you could want as they're a major pest, particularly on young brassicas, and can strip a field to uselessness in a day.
If you can get hold of it, Archie Coates' guide to pigeon shooting is invaluable.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 05 12:58 pm Post subject:
I thought the 12ft lb limit was a reference to muzzle velocity, not energy. I used to shoot a precharged pneumatic that was bang on 12 ft lb's. When I went to buy plastic jacketed steel tipped pelletes, they refused to sel them as it would have taken me over the limit.

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 05 8:51 pm Post subject:
Muzzle energy is measured in foot pounds (the amount of energy required to lift one pound one foot) or joules. Muzzle velocity is measured in feet (or metres) per second.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 05 9:00 pm Post subject:
Makes sense.

Blacksmith

Joined: 25 Jan 2005
Posts: 5025
Location: Berkshire

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 05 9:46 pm Post subject:
Have just bought myself a Weihrauch HW 95. I'm impressed with the rifle, going to sort out my BASC membership this week, so if anyone in the the Newbury (Berkshire ) area wants a companion for shooting or wants any vermin shooting please get in touch. Dave.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Mon Feb 14, 05 10:16 pm Post subject:
Nice rifle. What calibre?

Blacksmith

Joined: 25 Jan 2005
Posts: 5025
Location: Berkshire

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 05 4:02 pm Post subject:
It's a .22. Just fitted a set of Hawke HK3005 3-9X40 teles on it. First time ive ever used teles ! What a difference I need a bigger area to set them up properly, my garden is only about 20 yards at its widest. Dave.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 05 4:29 pm Post subject:
I used to have the ballistics charts for .22 and .177. You have two points in the trajectory where flight line crosses sight line. As such you can zero, if I remember corectly, at five yards and the second crossover point will be 25 yards or thereabouts. You can probably find them online anyhow!....Have fun with it!

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 05 4:59 pm Post subject:
Have a shufti at this page for some good demos on scope mounting and zeroing. You'll need Flash or Shockwave installed in your web browser.

Blacksmith

Joined: 25 Jan 2005
Posts: 5025
Location: Berkshire

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 05 5:45 pm Post subject:
Thanks for that, usefull site.

ohouston

Joined: 22 May 2005
Posts: 14

Posted: Sun May 29, 05 1:15 am Post subject:
Dont use air rifles on live animals. See topic "Big Game" for more info. I'm happy to debate this further if people think there is a good reason to.

Guest

Posted: Sun May 29, 05 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Air Rifle

alison wrote:

My DH has says he is going to get me an air rifle!

Which is the best type to get, bearing in mind we already have a Magnum .22 rifle.

Is it best to have a FAC air rifle or a non FAC one.

I am trying to get all the options and the pros and cons.

I would be looking to shoot pigeons, rabbits and maybe the odd pheasant, if it gets too close again.

all advice gratefully received.

Hi. In your message you didn't say whether or not you have your own FAC or if you were going to apply for one?

I personally think that airguns are only ok for around the buildings on rats. For bigger live quarry the airgun is too reliant on the skill of the shooter and shot placement.

Air magazines (who are trying to sell you something) always have a resident shooter that tells tales of dispatching a dozen pidgeons with head shots in the early light of a misty morning. For the majority of casual shooters this isn't the reallity.
I agree that 22 mag is over kill if only in the noise dept. (ammo @ �11 a 100 ?)

My personal recomendation would be another 22 rimfire. I would also make sure that the muzzle is screwcut to take a sound moderator.
Another new rimfire rifle would:

cost you less that a decent german air rifle.

Give you a choice of bolt action or semi-auto.

Give you a wide choice of ammunition for your chosen target including subsonic hollow points for less noise with a moderator than some spring powered air rifles. (wouldn't frighten your guests )
Give you a mucher greater effective range.

And lastly and perhaps most importantly the 22 rimfire will kill more humanely.
There cannot be anybody on the planet that has hunted with any type of gun and claim to have always killed cleanly with the first shot.
A keen shooter would claim a higher proportion of clean kills than sombody that only gets the gun out once in a blue moon. Both will have occasions when a second shot is needed and that will apply to both air rifle and rimfire.
When because of the lack of power (muzzle energy) a clean kill is entirely dependant on the skill of a shooter, is it not logical that the BM shooter will wound more often?

Not convinced? some facts.

Muzzle velocity (at the muzzle) non FAC air gun 12ftlbs (about 750 feet per second I think?)

22 rimfire as high as 191ftlbs (at the muzzle) 1640 feet per second
(still pushing close on 90ftlbs @100yds) down to the very quite subsonic round that dawdles along at around 750 feet per second and then even lower energies from the 22 short or cb caps. (handy around the buildings)

Just look what you have started with this thread. I have now gone and bored myself to death. ( don't worry, I felt no pain

happy hunting

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun May 29, 05 9:38 am Post subject: Re: Air Rifle

Anonymous wrote:

I have now gone and bored myself to death. ( don't worry, I felt no pain

Who are you dead guest?

footprints

Joined: 26 May 2005
Posts: 234
Location: North Wales

Posted: Sun May 29, 05 9:50 am Post subject: Re: Air Rifle

tahir wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I have now gone and bored myself to death. ( don't worry, I felt no pain

Who are you dead guest?

Sorry. I must have forgotten to log in.

footprints

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun May 29, 05 9:56 am Post subject:
You're not that dead yet?

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Shooting and Trapping for the Pot	All times are GMT Page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4 Next
Page 3 of 4

View Latest Posts