Air rifles?

[Oneflewover]

A mate lent me an air rifle, and my boys and I had such a great time plinking tin cans I'm thinking of getting one. It'd mostly be used for target practice, but I'm not ruling out being able to take out a rat now we have hens.

Anyone got any advice or recommendations? I'm looking at break barrel around the £200 mark. Cheers!

 

[foxy]

I have a Cometa Fusion Galaxy can take out a rabbit, there are some air rifles around now which can take out wild boar. Don't think I would like to try it but, especially when they have been wallowing in mud,it gives them an armour plating.

 

[Galena]

I have an Artemis M11 which has a 13 shot magazine and I have a decent scope with it.
I don't like killing things but bought it specifically for killing rats as we have hens and I did manage to get rid of them after a few weeks of stalking.
You will definitely want a decent scope. Mine is a PCP (compressed air) rifle and I use a hand pump which is hard work but I chose the hand pump over cyclinder as I don't use it that often.
You will have the choice of .177 or .22 and will need to research which to go for, don't think bigger is necessarily;y bigger READ HERE

 

[Oneflewover]

I have a Cometa Fusion Galaxy can take out a rabbit, there are some air rifles around now which can take out wild boar. Don't think I would like to try it but, especially when they have been wallowing in mud,it gives them an armour plating.

I only 'might' want to take out a rat!

 

[Oneflewover]

I have an Artemis M11 which has a 13 shot magazine and I have a decent scope with it.
I don't like killing things but bought it specifically for killing rats as we have hens and I did manage to get rid of them after a few weeks of stalking.
You will definitely want a decent scope. Mine is a PCP (compressed air) rifle and I use a hand pump which is hard work but I chose the hand pump over cyclinder as I don't use it that often.
You will have the choice of .177 or .22 and will need to research which to go for, don't think bigger is necessarily;y bigger READ HERE

Cheers, that's helpful. Was thinking of going for spring powered as they are more reliable and need less servicing. Simple is usually best in my experience!

 

[JonBrew]

What a bunch of wussies. If it's rats you're hunting you're better getting in close range with ninja throwing stars... Or better yet your bare hands and teeth!

 

[foxy]

I only 'might' want to take out a rat!

If you ever want to take out a pig that's been wallowing in mud don't get a Winchester .243, I fired numerous shots at one before it dropped about 10 metres from me. Do you reckon I wasn't packin.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Just get a jack russel that will sort rats out

 

[Oneflewover]

Just get a jack russel that will sort rats out

Yeah, and it'd probably 'sort out' my chickens too!

Plus, and I realise that this view won't be popular, I cannot abide dogs (or possibly more precisely their inconsiderate owners)

 

[kelper]

Don't fire it

• closer than 50 ft [15mtrs] of the centre of a highway, if by doing so you cause any member of the public, using that right of way, to be injured, interrupted or endangered.
• closer than 50 ft [15mtrs] from the centre of any bridal path or footpath

 

[Sandimas]

Was thinking of going for spring powered as they are more reliable and need less servicing. Simple is usually best in my experience!

Good call, I'm glad I went for a springer in the end after originally trying a compressed-air one, the latter is nicer but I just don't use it enough to justify.

I bought mine second-hand from someone who was upgrading. I bought it primarily for keeping the rabbit population down but occasionally a few mates come over and we have a session shooting tin cans, great fun as you say even though we're a bunch of 55+ year olds.....like a bunch of kids.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If its rats that are the problem get one of these -

 

[Dutto]

Personally, I recommend a CO2 powered pistol. I've had one of these for many, many years ...

https://www.umarex.com/products/airguns/co2/412.02.02.html
Over open sights it was deadly accurate and I killed many rats (and a few coypu) along the French canals; sometime when we were on the move!

When we sold the boat and settled down in the UK I started going to a local Air Guns Club and finally fitted one of these to improve my aim ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comunite-T...rds=comunite+1Xrd&qid=1595328354&sr=8-1-fkmr1
Just get it set up and it's deadly accurate up to 15 metres!

The pistol has an 8-shot magazine so if you miss the first shot you can waste another seven pellets trying to hit the target; however, if you just wound something it usually slows it down enough to make the extra pellets count!

Enjoy!

 

[Oneflewover]

If its rats that are the problem get one of these -

You can't shoot tin cans with them!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You can't shoot tin cans with them!

You could throw it at them

 

[Dutto]

If you ever want to take out a pig that's been wallowing in mud don't get a Winchester .243, I fired numerous shots at one before it dropped about 10 metres from me. Do you reckon I wasn't packin.

Which is why I used a 30-06! Using full sized bullets for red deer but with Winchester 0.22 sabots for roe deer.

The joy of using the sabot ammunition was that, sighted at 150 metres, the "rise and fall" between 100 metres and 200 metres was less than 25mm! Boy did they travel!

 

[Hagrid]

I had a springer many moons ago (lost it a house fire. ) it was great and for a .177 it packed a punch. I only did targets.

One thing to consider with springs is that over time they lose power as the spring tires, CO2 will give you consistency.

I wasn’t a fan of break barrels (aesthetically more than performance) so Santa brought me a side lever, not a bolt action type, but a long lever that swung out compressing the spring and opening the breach at the same time.

I want an air rifle again now.....

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have watched several of this guys videos -

 

[QED]

Was thinking of going for spring powered as they are more reliable and need less servicing.

Ive had a BSA Ultra PCP For the best part of 6 years. Thousands of pellets through it and never had it serviced nor had a problem with it. I will no doubt need it done at some point but don’t choose reliability as a detractor for PCPs. They are solid.
I also have a GMK springer. It’s fine but it’s a hulk and noisy compared to the BSA Ultra.
You should be able to get a 2nd hand PCP for sub £200 but you’ll need at least £80 for a stirrup pump to charge it. It’s worth the additional investment IMHO.

 

[Oneflewover]

I had a springer many moons ago (lost it a house fire. ) it was great and for a .177 it packed a punch. I only did targets.

One thing to consider with springs is that over time they lose power as the spring tires, CO2 will give you consistency.

I wasn’t a fan of break barrels (aesthetically more than performance) so Santa brought me a side lever, not a bolt action type, but a long lever that swung out compressing the spring and opening the breach at the same time.

I want an air rifle again now.....

I'm pretty set on a Springer, probably .177, and I quite like break barrel.