Air Rifle: Thoughts on getting one.

[Shock and Awe]

What the? Your fence is probably ceder, a soft wood. Even if it wasn't I really doubt your fence is thicker then a 2.4 which a .22LR can shoot through easily.

I don't think an air rifle can get trough that much wood. I think you may be thinking of a gun that actually shoots bullets.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I've been thinking of getting one to shoot all these damn rabbits that eat all out garden plants.

I use a Ruger 10-22 for that task.

I think those are very highly regulated, and not worth the money and bother.

 

[Sovvolf]

I've been thinking of getting one to shoot all these damn rabbits that eat all out garden plants.

I use a Ruger 10-22 for that task.

I say go for it, theres nothing better for target shooting that a .22.

Just don't underestimate its power because its a .22, what is your fence made out of?

A vague answer here... but wood. Sorry I don't know my woods by type, the wood is thick though, not thin or easy to penetrate. Strong stuff, I put the fence up my self (well along with brothers) so I know it's safe.

What the? Your fence is probably ceder, a soft wood. Even if it wasn't I really doubt your fence is thicker then a 2.4 which a .22LR can shoot through easily.

Try something like this if you want to shoot in your backyard.

The wood is thick and pretty strong but thank you for the advice. I don't want to take any chances, I do have an area of my garden which is a muddy wall, however it's short and I could shoot over that area if I miss shoot. The area over this muddy wall is exposed and it could lead a bullet to accidentally hit some one... so I can't use that area... I could reinforce the fence where I'm shooting though.

I know I have plenty of years a head of me which is one of my big thoughts on this... could I be too young and immature to own a rifle (even an air-rifle) at this age.

Ah well at 19 (a year my senior may I point out), you should be able to sufficiently make your own decisions. At the end of the day, its up to you.

May I say though, if you haven't got over the idea after 6 months then it may be something you actually want rather than just a spur of the moment thing.

This was at first a spur of the moment thing, I saw a rifle in a store on a holiday trip. I realised that I could buy one and I almost did. However I stopped my self for this very reason, I didn't think I should own a rifle until I've made sure I'm mature enough to handle one. I needed to take things into account... like would I ever pick it up to use in a fit of anger, is my garden safe enough to use such a weapon, could I handle this weapon safely and with respect. Also though I'm a year older than you... that doesn't mean I'm more or less mature, age doesn't always equal maturity.

 

[DanielPowell33]

.22 are far safer and less likely to kill/injure people

Thats not always true, if you get shot with a larger caliber gun, it may go in and out without destroying vital organs. A .22, on the other hand, may not have the power to exit and just bounce around inside you, ripping your insides to shit.

Sense more people have access to .22s, and a lot of times see them more as 'toys' than guns, I bet more people are killed by .22s than other caliber guns.

 

[Continuity]

Its illegal to fire an air rifle within a certain distance of a road (50 feet I think), or something like that, makes it pretty certain that your back yard isn't going to cut the mustard unless you live on a farm.

Edit: in the UK that is.

edit: also please bear in mind that firearms laws apply to air rifles.

 

[manaman]

What the? Your fence is probably ceder, a soft wood. Even if it wasn't I really doubt your fence is thicker then a 2.4 which a .22LR can shoot through easily.

I don't think an air rifle can get trough that much wood. I think you may be thinking of a gun that actually shoots bullets.

I am, I never really played around with air rifles. .22LR is a popular bullet caliber and most people just call a gun that shoots them a .22.

I've been thinking of getting one to shoot all these damn rabbits that eat all out garden plants.

I use a Ruger 10-22 for that task.

I think those are very highly regulated, and not worth the money and bother.

Only because you live were you do. Here they are only modestly regulated and you can get a decent .22LR rifle for $120 or so. That ruger was only $450.

 

[Continuity]

FYI an air rifle will easily shoot though a fence, I've shot clean though a shed with an air pistol before now, don't underestimate the penetration.

I own a .22 air rifle btw

Edit: plus another reason why your back yard probably isn't suitable: you neighbours will flip, especially if they have kid or pets, you'll probably get a call from the police.

 

[Sovvolf]

I say go for it, theres nothing better for target shooting that a .22.

Just don't underestimate its power because its a .22, what is your fence made out of?

A vague answer here... but wood. Sorry I don't know my woods by type, the wood is thick though, not thin or easy to penetrate. Strong stuff, I put the fence up my self (well along with brothers) so I know it's safe.

You'd be surprised what a .22 can penetrate if it hits in the right spot. But if you trust you fence, then thats ok.

Any idea of what kind your gonna get?

While I trust the fence... I've been informed that a 22 cal pellet can pierce a 2/4 by one of the commenter here which makes me question the safety... I'll reinforce the fence just to make sure. As for what type... I'm not sure on the types that they are. I'm probably going to ask the advice of the store owner for this.

Its illegal to fire an air rifle within a certain distance of a road (50 feet I think), or something like that, makes it pretty certain that your back yard isn't going to cut the mustard unless you live on a farm.

Edit: in the UK that is.

edit: also please bear in mind that firearms laws apply to air rifles.

Shit.... well thanks for informing me. I don't want to do anything illegal or anything to break the law. This may mean I'll have to find and area that I can shoot. A safe area where the land lord approves.

FYI an air rifle will easily shoot though a fence, I've shot clean though a shed with an air pistol before now, don't underestimate the penetration.

I own a .22 air rifle btw

The fence is very, thick... though I've been informed that a fence might not cut it so I may have to either greatly reinforce the fence or find a new, safer way for shooting... safety is my top priority.

 

[Kaymish]

.22 are far safer and less likely to kill/injure people

Thats not always true, if you get shot with a larger caliber gun, it may go in and out without destroying vital organs. A .22, on the other hand, may not have the power to exit and just bounce around inside you, ripping your insides to shit.

Sense more people have access to .22s, and a lot of times see them more as 'toys' than guns, I bet more people are killed by .22s than other caliber guns.

my apologies i should have explained more correctly since .22's are licences weapons and a great many of the users are trained in their handling and use people are less likely to get shot since anyone who knows a person over the age of 14 can get access to an air rifle and can do so with out correct training or licensing accidents with air rifles are quite common as they are treated as toys
would you rather get shot with an air rifle or not get shot with a .22?

 

[The Maddest March Hare]

Well I own a .22 scoped rifle. It's fairly old now, but still in working order. They're great fun if you are sensible. Don't feel too threatened by it, as you seem fairly worried right now. Being nervous with a firearm is not a good thing to do. Like you said, it is still a weapon, albeit a much less powerful one than many. If you are a sensible, level headed person, there's no reason to be worried about it so long as you are careful.

I'd suggest making a target similar to the one I used. Get a sheet of plywood/MDF about an inch thick, then a sheet or 2 of polystyrene the same size as the wood. It only needs to be about a foot square. Then wrap this in thin plastic to hold it together and glue your target on the front. I found that aiming at fences or straight onto solid wood can cause ricochets which aren't really desirable, and you can ruin a perfectly good structure if you don't cover it with something. The target neatly absorbs your pellets and is cheap and replaceable. Then make sure that the target is placed somewhere that has nothing behind it that could be a problem. That includes empty space, as the pellets can travel quite far.

After that, just have fun! Your target should all but the unluckiest of pellets from ricocheting and will provide a safe and effective target.

 

[Nghtgnt]

I used to shoot 10 meter sporter air rifle (a category with equipment limitations so it's more accessible to those without a lot of money). They're pretty good for learning the basics of marksmanship and if you want to try your hand at some sort of competition. You can actually shoot this in your garage or backyard (not recommended if you're looking for competition-like precision since the wind will affect it) because the backstop requirements are minimal - as someone mentioned you can use a phone book, or even a cardboard box with newspaper and a thin sheet of plywood (put the plywood in the back to avoid ricochets).

I'm not sure if it would be available in your area, but I used, and would recommend something similar to, a Daisy model 753 (http://daisy.com/shopping/customer/product.php?productid=16203&cat=253&page=1). It's decent enough for the basics, doesn't require messing around with CO2, and the .177 pellets are pretty cheap.

As far as seriously harming anyone with it... yes it's possible, but the same can be said about kitchen knives - you'd pretty much have to make a conscious effort to do so.

 

[manaman]

I say go for it, theres nothing better for target shooting that a .22.

Just don't underestimate its power because its a .22, what is your fence made out of?

A vague answer here... but wood. Sorry I don't know my woods by type, the wood is thick though, not thin or easy to penetrate. Strong stuff, I put the fence up my self (well along with brothers) so I know it's safe.

You'd be surprised what a .22 can penetrate if it hits in the right spot. But if you trust you fence, then thats ok.

Any idea of what kind your gonna get?

While I trust the fence... I've been informed that a 22 cal pellet can pierce a 2/4 by one of the commenter here which makes me question the safety... I'll reinforce the fence just to make sure. As for what type... I'm not sure on the types that they are. I'm probably going to ask the advice of the store owner for this.

Nah, I was goofed when I said that. I am not really sure one the penetrating power of a .22 cal pellet from an air rifle, but looking up the ballistics of a .22 air rifle it does look like those suckers are more dangerous then I gave them credit for before, but not as bad as that.

 

[DanielPowell33]

.22 are far safer and less likely to kill/injure people

Thats not always true, if you get shot with a larger caliber gun, it may go in and out without destroying vital organs. A .22, on the other hand, may not have the power to exit and just bounce around inside you, ripping your insides to shit.

Sense more people have access to .22s, and a lot of times see them more as 'toys' than guns, I bet more people are killed by .22s than other caliber guns.

my apologies i should have explained more correctly since .22's are licences weapons and a great many of the users are trained in their handling and use people are less likely to get shot since anyone who knows a person over the age of 14 can get access to an air rifle and can do so with out correct training or licensing accidents with air rifles are quite common as they are treated as toys
would you rather get shot with an air rifle or not get shot with a .22?

Not sure I understand what your saying, zero punctuation is a video series, not a writing style. As for the question, I would rather not get shot.

 

[Sovvolf]

Well I own a .22 scoped rifle. It's fairly old now, but still in working order. They're great fun if you are sensible. Don't feel too threatened by it, as you seem fairly worried right now. Being nervous with a firearm is not a good thing to do. Like you said, it is still a weapon, albeit a much less powerful one than many. If you are a sensible, level headed person, there's no reason to be worried about it so long as you are careful.

I'm not nervous about all this... I'm just being cautious, as cautious as I possibly could be with such a weapon. People can get killed when mistreating fire arms, I don't want to endanger any one including my self while I enjoy shooting. Thanks for the advice on the target. Though with the sounds of things I can't use my rifle in my garden, I could maybe use this for making portable targets though.

 

[F-I-D-O]

No references to A Christmas Story? I'm disappointed.

You'll shoot your eye out, kid.

Damnit, I've been ninja'd

OT:It's an air rifle. While it can harm others, it does not require much thought. Now, if you were to buy a real pistol or such that would require much more thought.
If you just want to shoot a gun once in your life, go to a nearby shooting range and rent a gun for an afternoon. Have some fun in an area where you KNOW it is safe to fire, then return it, and you've shot a gun at a much lower price.
If you're only reason is to shoot before you die, that is not a good reason for owning a gun, just rent.
P.S. The army doesn't just involve shooting things. My father is in civil affairs in the army, and he helps the civilians recover in war zones. He takes care of the recovery aspect, yet he is still trained in proper gun use. Pleas don't generalize the army as a bunch of killers again.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Well, how 'bout a BB gun, but I'm not sure if it is considered or even is (I'm an idiot) a .22 rimfire.

If it's not, try a BB gun first, if it is, excuse my retardedness, it's getting late where I live.

 

[Wadders]

snip

You sound like just the sort of person who would be good a responsible gun owner, from what you've posted here.

The only thing I'd say is (if you want to stay well and truly within the law) is that shooting any gun in the UK - whether it be a .22 air rifle such as the one you want to get or a 12 Bore shotgun - next to a road is subject to the below law:

Spoiler

4. It is an offense under the Highways Act 1980 s 161(2) to light any fire on or over a carriageway, or discharge any firearm or firework within 50 feet of the centre of a highway which is a carriageway, with the consequence that a user of the carriageway is injured, interrupted or endangered. The section applies to rights of way over which there are vehicular rights, e.g. ways shown on the definitive map as byways open to all traffic, but not to footpaths and bridleways.

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/rights_of_way/knowledge_portal/advice_notes/shooting

Shooting around footpaths is legal, but be careful.

So yeah I'd say go for it! Personally I'd recommend firing a gun that isn't air powered if you want the full experience, but I dont know your situation. Maybe your family dont want a more lethal weapon in the house, or shooting ranges are too far away. Whatever though, I'd still recommend you go clay pigeon shooting or rifle target shooting if you get the chance.

Have fun and take care!

 

[Sovvolf]

No references to A Christmas Story? I'm disappointed.

You'll shoot your eye out, kid.

The army doesn't just involve shooting things. My father is in civil affairs in the army, and he helps the civilians recover in war zones. He takes care of the recovery aspect, yet he is still trained in proper gun use. Pleas don't generalize the army as a bunch of killers again.

I'm not generalizing the army as just a bunch of killers. I never stated that the army were just a bunch of killers. I have friends in the army who wouldn't kill a soul. However I just fear if I ever did go into the army, I could potentially be put into a situation where I'd have to shoot or be shot. That may never happen... I could be an engineer for all I know... I just don't want to take that risk just to fire a gun.

 

[cheese_wizington]

I thought I told you the way I feel about firearms.

It's only an air rifle.

Cookie for ref.

Also, just buy it.