Can you hunt rabbits with Air rifle

ivanthehunter

Does anyone know what the story is with air rifles and hunting (little easy to kill) rabbits. Any if so what types are quite and might give 70-80m range with a chance of a kill.

macnab

ivanthehunter wrote: »

Does anyone know what the story is with air rifles and hunting (little easy to kill) rabbits. Any if so what types are quite and might give 70-80m range with a chance of a kill.

I dont have an airgun but the shooting magazines suggest that you can hunt rabbits with an air rifle, 40m seems to be the distance though. I am open to correction here...

Umiq88

Depends on the energy output of the rifle but its a perfect tool for taking rabbits yes uk.

In the uk rifles below 12 lb ft dont need to be licensed and people are using these effectively to 45 yards to take bunnies i would assume your airrifle would be a good bit more powerful.

What make and model is it?

stevoman

i have alb pound limit air rifle. these ones described for killing rabbits at these distances usually hacve to be gas powered as mines t takes 2 gas canisters so it does and that gives about shots

jaycee

I'm open to correction on this .....But :


I'm pretty sure you cannot legally use a Longbow , Crossbow or an Air Rifle to harm or kill anything in Ireland .
I just can't remember where i read that .

Umiq88

I've nothing to back it up but i was under the impression that vermin's grand ie rabbits and crows i wouldnt be getting too worried though

johngalway

jaycee wrote: »

I'm open to correction on this .....But :


I'm pretty sure you cannot legally use a Longbow , Crossbow or an Air Rifle to harm or kill anything in Ireland .
I just can't remember where i read that .

I was under that same impression

foxshooter243

quoting from" a practical guide to the wildlife acts" it is not permitted to
hunt with an air gun, air rifle, gas rifle, pistol or revolver. the hunting of
wild birds with a rifle or any gun fitted with a silencer is also prohibited.

newby.204

i was under the impression that it was only game birds you could not shoot with a rifle, i.e. crows mags etc were ok!!

thehair

jaycee wrote: »

I'm open to correction on this .....But :


I'm pretty sure you cannot legally use a Longbow , Crossbow or an Air Rifle to harm or kill anything in Ireland .
I just can't remember where i read that .

you might need a firearm cert for air rifle if is over the 1jole law
and crossbow look at DOJ.IE WEB SIGHT;)

maglite

Yes you can kill vermin with an air rifle


i have a licence based on that need!

meathstevie

Seen a pest control lad shoot vermin INSIDE a supermarket myself a couple of months ago. He was using a gaspowered air rifle so I suppose it's ok. Question for NoNameRanger maybe ?

foxshooter243

maglite wrote: »

Yes you can kill vermin with an air rifle


i have a licence based on that need!

please expand on that -i would imagine you could apply for it under certain circumstances-but its not across the board according to n.a,r.c
guidelines......as per their "a practical guide to the wildlife acts"

maglite

Went to the cop shop explained the situation that i need to kill some birds in a factory setting and said that a air rifle would be the best tool as it would not go through the roof and it was quiet and would not cause problems with bangs,

He said ok, sounds like a legit reason filled in the paper work,

He was very pleasant to deal with but i think it sets up the fact you can kill with an air rifle as long as it is not a game species

foxshooter243

good to know thanks

bunny shooter

jaycee wrote: »

I'm open to correction on this .....But :


I'm pretty sure you cannot legally use a Longbow , Crossbow or an Air Rifle to harm or kill anything in Ireland .
I just can't remember where i read that .

It's in a booklet issued by DOJ i'll get a link............back as soon as

J.R.

This is the link to the Dept. of Justice, Equality & Law Reform website.

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Licensing_legally_held_firearms

At the end of this page you will see:
For further information on firearms licensing, contact your local Garda station or read the following document: Information on firearms licensing (Microsoft Word – 52KB).

When this Word document is opened this is the information in it about air rifles:

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.

maglite

That document is a pile of BS

full of inaccuracies that have no legal bearing

not to be relied apon

bunny shooter

J.R. wrote: »

This is the link to the Dept. of Justice, Equality & Law Reform website.

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Licensing_legally_held_firearms

At the end of this page you will see:
For further information on firearms licensing, contact your local Garda station or read the following document: Information on firearms licensing (Microsoft Word – 52KB).

When this Word document is opened this is the information in it about air rifles:

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.

That's the link alright

bunny shooter

maglite wrote: »

That document is a pile of BS

full of inaccuracies that have no legal bearing

not to be relied apon

What legal training have you had to come to that conclusion ?

BryanL

there was a reply posted here a good few months back with a reply to an email from the NARCG, saying you could not use an airgun for birds or game but ok for vermin
Bryan

bunny shooter

BryanL wrote: »

there was a reply posted here a good few months back with a reply to an email from the NARCG, saying you could not use an airgun for birds or game but ok for vermin
Bryan

Now them I'd believe ?

It wasn't me!

Possibly picking at straws here, but where do avian vermin fall there?

maglite

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Possibly picking at straws here, but where do avian vermin fall there?

they are vermin,

AckwelFoley

40m is way to close imo. Its a gimme (with a real rifle)

I dont shoot anything that close with a rifle, for me its no fun

It wasn't me!

Personally, dunno how many rabbits I'd be killing with a sporter, but I'd probably go with a .17hmr, long range challenge and all that.

NoNameRanger

Ok not an expert on the firearms act itself, but from what i know of it, I have heard of the target only thing for air rifles. It's up to the Gardai to enforce the Firearms act.
As for the wildlife act, it is an offence to shoot any protected wildbird or animal with an air rifle unless the use of a rifle is allowed under Derogation. This makes it illegal to shoot game with a rifle. So you could use an air rifle on feral pigeon or magpies provided it allowed in the derogation. Certain animals are not protected by the wildlife act in Ireland i.e. Rabbit, Fox, Rats, Mink, Grey squirrel. There is nothing in the act that stops the use of an air rifle on these species.
But remember there are other Acts that protect animals against cruelty and believe me you'd be surprised what some judges will believe to be cruelty these days.

Anyway, over kill is alot better than trying to work out whats the smallest amount of energy needed to kill an animal. Beware the Anti's, more likely to mess you up than any Garda or Ranger, most of all beware the Anti/Garda or the Anti/Ranger, they exist and are dangerous, vicious, vindictive, nutjobs when it comes to hunters.
Get a rimfire for the bunnies!

DeVore

Ranger, stay on topic. This forum isnt called "Lump hammers and Puppies". I've left the rest of your post as its on topic.


DeV.

marlyman

ivanthehunter wrote: »

Does anyone know what the story is with air rifles and hunting (little easy to kill) rabbits. Any if so what types are quite and might give 70-80m range with a chance of a kill.

From my experience with air rifles a standers air rifle limited to 12 lbs will safely kitt out to 50 yards on a bunny - head shots only. you can get these over the counter in the uk without a fac - thus i use the word standard. Now to extend your range after that you will need a rifle above 12lbs.

A really good make is BSA - its very popular in the uk. the gas model is available with a 10 shot mag and the cylinder shoots 100 shots. it comes with a silencer - which i i fired 10 yards friom your ear you wouldnt hear. ive shot clump of 5 bunnies standing together one after the other and not one budged till they were all down.

The new version of the bsa air rifle is the tactical XL - which most dealers cant get hold of due to stock shortages. hope this helps

Umiq88

Just to help you along with you choice

An Air rifle that your looking at will be a PCP contains a air resivoir on the gun that holds air under high pressure to charge this you need a divers bottle and connects which aint that cheap and this will need to be refilled every now and again at a dive shop a fully charged air rifle generally limits you to about 50-100 shots i think (not sure on that one) and an air rifle will be a good bit heavier than a normal rifle and they generally cost alot due to the complex mechanisms and such. Range and power are also limited to 45yards and only on small vermin and the laws are sketchy on this. One thing is ammo is very cheap.

A cartrigdge rifle i've just bought a very good .22lr for under 300euro albeit second hand but it shoots very well only thing left to buy are scope and mounts and then any other accessories so will come in much cheaper than any air rifle. The gun is quite light so handy for carrying around its an 8 shot semi auto so lots of backup shots with a moderator fitted and subsonics will be a quiet as most airrifles capable of taking rabbit out to well past 100yards providing your good enough but i would like this to taking rabbits at 50 yards with a airrifle will take fox within 80yards. And just to add this is illegal but to give you and idea back when .22lr was all that was really around people just to take alot of deer with them. Ammo is also very cheap and it will be alot more accurate than a air rifle over extended ranges

And the same license is the same for both i know what id be going for.

One major thing to consider is that second hand resale value of airguns is rubbish will cost you i recon but price it yourself somewhere from 600 onwards and you'll be lucky if you even saw half that back. Whereas with a rifle i just sold by CZ .17 with a mod and scope for exactly the same price as i paid new rifles hold there value well and can even be an investment providing you look after them

bunny shooter

Moderated semi's are not as quite as bolt actions as when the bolt is being opened to eject the empty it allows some gas and therefore noise to escape through the ejection port. Moderating a bolt action is the best wa to go if you want quiet

marlyman

psittacosis wrote: »

Just to help you along with you choice

An Air rifle that your looking at will be a PCP contains a air resivoir on the gun that holds air under high pressure to charge this you need a divers bottle and connects which aint that cheap and this will need to be refilled every now and again at a dive shop a fully charged air rifle generally limits you to about 50-100 shots i think (not sure on that one) and an air rifle will be a good bit heavier than a normal rifle and they generally cost alot due to the complex mechanisms and such. Range and power are also limited to 45yards and only on small vermin and the laws are sketchy on this. One thing is ammo is very cheap.

well you can get your own ten litre bottle to refill the airgun, theyre relatively inexpensive. you just need to refil it when it runs out. the bsa rifles will average 110 shots before refil. my air rifle is lighter with a mod and scope than any of my other rifles. the barrel is not as heavy or long and a lot less wood is needed. i picked up mine with scope, mounts and mod for 350 euro. get good ammo, bisley. otherwise youll get a lot of fliers. gamo is rubbish ammo imo.

openseason

i wouldn't be shooting at anything for a 'chance of a kill' to be honest all air rifles no matter the power should be used at shorter ranges but if you can put all your shots inside an inch at 80 yards then go for it , still i think 50 yards is the max for a head shot on a rabbit with an airgun theres no point in taking body shots i agree with others here id go for a rimfire to shoot long distance and bisley or H&N pellets are top of the range

ivanthehunter

its just that some places are not all that suitable to loose off 22rims in- and if you after gray squirrels, well you can't fire 22s into the overhead branches(even subs). so the air rifle has a role in vermin control..
does any one know the range of a .22 pellet at 720ft/sec and what about the danger of ricochet-- surly the 22 air pellet is lighter in grain and therefor cant have as much ballistic energy so a small touch of any sort of back drop (ie branches and even air will slow this lighter grain pellet down) would be safe..;) sure that a vaild reason for the super:cool:

BryanL

Hey Ivan,
some guys using 12ft/lb airguns have shot sub inch groups at 100 yards( a tiny handful worldwide) but it gives you an idea how far the pellet can go.
one of the main attractions of using an airgun is limiting your firing range and using fieldcraft to get to that distance.
an airgun will easily hit a one inch target at 50 yards, but you would have to know it was exactly 50 yards because if it was 45 or 55 yards you'd be way out. It's very hard to judge accurate ranges in woods, so close range shots are to be recommended at all times with airguns and always be safe.
they'll ricochet easily off hard ground when shot from a low angle,but of course don't go as far as a rimfire.
even running a high power .22 airgun you'd have a difference in pellet impact height of 3 inches between 25 and 45 yards and that could drop another 1.5 inches at 50 yards.
long range airgun stuff if for impressing friends,but only with paper.
airguns are a great hunting tool but not for long range potshots,guessing winds speed/direction and ranges
Bryan

milkerman

When you mention air rifles in this country we all tend to think of old & much loved Daisy guns. If you pick up a magazine on air rifles you will see loads of articles based on the UK 12 ft/lb market. The stronger air weapons are not usually covered at all.
You can buy a Daystate air rifle in an 80ft/lb configuration, thats about %80 of a .22lr. You can buy a Taylor air rifle which allows the user moderate the strength of each shot to preset levels. Do you need 80ft/lb to punch paper targets? You can buy Theobens here that deliver 40ft/lb. I dont rate BSA at all in comparrisson to Weihrauch, both in the same price range.
You can shoot rabbits with an air rifle. Just choose the right gun for the job. The range at which you can shoot rabbits is determined by the abilities of the gun and the guy pulling the trigger.
>22lr are cheaper than a good air rifle. But an air rifle can be used to do stuff that you could not consider with a .22lr. Each type has it's own benefits, buy the gun that best suits the sort of land you have & shooting you do.