Where to buy an air rifle?

joejoem

Hi,

Where can you buy a good air rifle in Ireland? It would be my first so I dont know much about them.

Sparks

What kind of air rifle do you mean joe? An Olympic air rifle or a break-barrel plinker? Field Target or hunting?
It would help if you could tell us what you wanted to do with it!

joejoem

To start with I will be using it for target practice but I would imagine I will move onto rabbit.

Sparks

Sounds more like you want to hunt with it joe. Maybe a BSA or an Air Arms rifle would be the kind of thing you're thinking of. Either way, the best advice is the same advice as always; join a gun club first. Talk to the members, learn what your options are, learn to use a firearm safely, then spend the money on one. Hunting airguns aren't quite like target airguns in that they're more powerful and you could do someone an unpleasant injury or worse with one.

joejoem

Sparks wrote:

Sounds more like you want to hunt with it joe. Maybe a BSA or an Air Arms rifle would be the kind of thing you're thinking of. Either way, the best advice is the same advice as always; join a gun club first. Talk to the members, learn what your options are, learn to use a firearm safely, then spend the money on one. Hunting airguns aren't quite like target airguns in that they're more powerful and you could do someone an unpleasant injury or worse with one.

Thanks for that

Umiq88

Hunting rabbits with an airgun is quite hard you need to get very close to them.

If thats what you want to get into you'll need a high powered pcp air rilfe id recomend air arms they make some of the best stuff

A better option might be a .22lr rilfe its the same process to get the two guns and a .22lr is a far easier to shoot rabbits with and there is alot of target disiplines for it aswell

ANXIOUS

just a hint dont tell your fire arms officer that you intend toshot rabbitts with it as its against the law.

Sparks

ANXIOUS wrote:

just a hint dont tell your fire arms officer that you intend toshot rabbitts with it as its against the law.

What law is it against?

joejoem

ANXIOUS wrote:

just a hint dont tell your fire arms officer that you intend toshot rabbitts with it as its against the law.

Seriously?

ANXIOUS

Air Rifles

Firearms certificates for air rifles are granted by the Superintendent of your local police district. These weapons are dangerous and can only be used for target practice purposes; they can never be used to shoot small animals, birds or protected species of wildlife. You will be required to complete an application form in the presence of the Garda on duty who will forward your application to the Superintendent and make recommendations on your application. The Superintendent will grant or refuse your application

Got that of the department web site, no sure if there is a law against just assumed there was seeing as how it says thiis on the site

Umiq88

Technically i think that is the case but since rabbits are classed as vermin it shouldnt be a problem. When applying for the cert just say you wish to use it for target shooting which is true.

i wouldnt worry to much about shooting rabbits if its against the law or not its just one of those technicallities. The people making the law generally dont have that much experience in these matters and think that an airrifle is unsuitable however high powered airrifles are more than capable if taking a rabbit.

Sparks

The stuff on the department's website is meant as a background note Anxious, it's not a law. Psitta is right so far as I know - so long as you're not actually cruel to the animals (as in, not using an air rifle when it won't kill them, but only wound), it's not illegal to shoot them with one. And a 12 ft/lb hunting air rifle will do the job quite thoroughly, albeit with a shorter range than a .22lr.

ANXIOUS

oh right, i thought it was gosphel seeing as how it was on there site . Sorry to the poster for mis-informing him

duckmusic

How much you reckon someone starting out should spend on an air rifle and what shops around Dublin stock them ? I called into a few but the said I would need a licence before the could get me one, but im not going to get a licence when I don’t know what sort of gun I want to get

Umiq88

The way it goes is you find the gun you want pay for it (normally just a deposit) at this stage you still are not allowed take it out of the shop you need a licence from the guards specifically for that firearm and until you get it the gun stays in the shop.

Finding the right gun is the hard part and will take alot of research i dont think airrifle is shot in alot of clubs so the internet really is your only source id recomend http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk alot of people there have good info on airrifles and there uses

Gspeed

Are there any dealers in cork who sell or do special orders?cheers in advance..

dbar

Jeffersport in Bandon deals a lot with air rifles, well worth a ring

Gspeed

rang them very helpfull,they have a secound hand .22 that shoots 16lb/f what kind of range can u get with that power?,could u pick off a rabbit at 50yards? cheers in advance..

Meyer

Gspeed wrote: »

rang them very helpfull,they have a secound hand .22 that shoots 16lb/f what kind of range can u get with that power?,could u pick off a rabbit at 50yards? cheers in advance..

The maximum distance for accurate shooting of an air rifle is 50 yards, and yes you could pick off a rabbit, but with a head shot at 16f/lbs. It is important to note that f/lbs refers to muzzle velocity and is more about the impact of the pellet on the target, rather than on it's range.

Sparks

Meyer wrote: »

The maximum distance for accurate shooting of an air rifle is 50 yards

That number really depends on the air rifle. Field target air rifles are accurate out well past that - there's a US record of a 5-shot, 5mm group at 50m with an LG300. And I know personally of at least one chap whacking bunnies at 100yds with a .22 compressed air rifle.
Your stock standard break-barrel .22 air rifle though, that's going to be setting the lower end of the spectrum. So the only correct answer is probably "it depends"

Mellor

Meyer wrote: »

It is important to note that f/lbs refers to muzzle velocity and is more about the impact of the pellet on the target, rather than on it's range.

I'm not sure I understand your point.
Yes the value given is muzzle velocity. But assuming the same pellet, conditions, then muzzle velocity is very much related to velocity at a given range (and so related to max range for hunting)

Meyer

Sparks wrote: »

That number really depends on the air rifle. Field target air rifles are accurate out well past that - there's a US record of a 5-shot, 5mm group at 50m with an LG300. And I know personally of at least one chap whacking bunnies at 100yds with a .22 compressed air rifle.

Ever had one of those moments where you posted something and then decided an addendum is required? but then didn't bother:o
Well that's why I stand corrected:D I should have said "Your average out of the box air rifle at a reasonable price, and suited for Bunny,s is really only good at 50 yards..."

Your stock standard break-barrel .22 air rifle though, that's going to be setting the lower end of the spectrum. So the only correct answer is probably "it depends"

Exactly:p

Gspeed

Meyer wrote: »

The maximum distance for accurate shooting of an air rifle is 50 yards, and yes you could pick off a rabbit, but with a head shot at 16f/lbs. It is important to note that f/lbs refers to muzzle velocity and is more about the impact of the pellet on the target, rather than on it's range.

Its a BSA supersport (2nd hand) tuned up,,16lb/f export model,, their site says that the .22 model shoots at 750 fps so i spose its 650-700 mabie:rolleyes:
i hope the extra info helps,i'm relativly new to air rifles(and like most of us short on cash :P) and i dont want to buy a rifle and find that its only good for targets at 20-30 yards and not for targets/rabbits at 30-45..cheers in advance.


P.s other air gun dealers in cork? anyone know?

BryanL

16 Ft/lb isn't that powerful at all, certainly you'll have a fair curve in the pellet path from 15 to 45 yards.
Bryan

Gspeed

well that seems to be the best i can get from jeffers bandon in break barrels,any1 know any dealers that import gamo whispers .22?or the big cat.177? cheers in advance..

daveob007

joejoem wrote: »

To start with I will be using it for target practice but I would imagine I will move onto rabbit.

There are a few things you need to be aware of before you buy an air rifle.
1 Airguns of any type or power are not allowed for hunting in ireland,even just for vermin, silly I know because a powerful one will do the job well.
you are only allowed airguns for target shooting here and if you say on the application form that you want it for hunting then you will be refused.
If you want to hunt then concider a .22 rifle,great fot bunnies and the ammo is cheap.
2 With the new laws in place soon you will be applying for the new 3 year licence which will be 80 euros.
If its really an airgun you want then you should go into your local easons shop and buy a magazine called airgunner.
it a uk mag and great for reviews and tests on all airguns.
Just don't rush into it..

Sparks

daveob007 wrote: »

1 Airguns of any type or power are not allowed for hunting in ireland,even just for vermin,

Under what law? I can't find a reference for that. There's a background note on the garda website, but it's a decade out of date and had no legal weight anyway.

milkerman

BSA Supersport tuned to 16ft/lb and capable of killing rabbits at 50 yds?
I suppose its possible to tune this gun to this level with a venom kit alright.... but I have my doubts.
Lets face it, BSA quality aint what it was and the performance of their Lightning XL was absolutely crap when measured against Weihrauch, Air Arms, Theoben etc. I presume the Supersport is no better.
Killing rabbits with an airgun at 50 yds requires the following-
1. Accurate headshot to an area measuring about 1.5" square
2. Approx 7 or 8 ft/lb kinetic energy AT POINT OF IMPACT

I think you would end up with a lot of wounded bunnies and nobody wants that. If you want an airgun to do 50yd bunnies reliably you will need more power, better barrel, decent trigger and good pellets.
TBH a .22lr is more cost effective and efficient.

daveob007

Sparks wrote: »

Under what law? I can't find a reference for that. There's a background note on the garda website, but it's a decade out of date and had no legal weight anyway.

I read that only in the past few months,cannot remember if it was the firearms act 2006 or the wildlife act,,Reason i looked it up was i wanted to change my air rifle which was a webley exocet .177.
I bought a remington 597 .22 rifle instead which i use at the range also.

Gspeed

I think you would end up with a lot of wounded bunnies and nobody wants that. If you want an airgun to do 50yd bunnies reliably you will need more power, better barrel, decent trigger and good pellets.
TBH a .22lr is more cost effective and efficient.[/quote]

I understand every1s advice i know that the golden rule is quick and clean if ur hunting any animal, when i said 50 yards i know thats a alot for a low priced break barrel gun but i just wanted to get an idea of what i could do with that gun,,,,But i rang murrays(cork city) today and they deal in Gamo rifles which(from reading alot of reviews and comments) seam to be good rifles for 30 yard shots which would be the more realistic range i would try from(30 being the max).for any other long range shot it would only be for targets,i understand that for hunting with air rifles its not just the speed at which it can fire a pellet but it needs lb/f on impact aswell.Sorry if i come across as being ignorant,, i do alot of research(and before ye cringe) not just online:P i speak to alot of neighbours and friends who shoot and i have used different guns aswell(incase ye think i'm a right plonker who doesn know what his dealing with:P)