Air Gun advice

bmcm71

Thinking about buying an air rifle to (quietly) handle some mags and crows around the house. Was able to use the shotgun and rifle on them up to this but an awkward neighbour has moved in closeby and is anti shooting. My question is are they any good? My only experience of airguns was a harmless .177 that I learned to shoot as a child. I've looked at a 22 with a silencer but I'm wary or ricochets and I already have a 17 anyway. I don't want to spend a fortune maybe 300 or so and need something with 30 yards or so range. Also are the traditional spring operated ones more powerful or accurate than the gas ones. Any advice appreciated.

Eddie B

It is illegal to use an air rifle on birds, even mags and crows! So maybe a larsen trap would be a better method!

bmcm71

I have heard conflicting stories on this. Is it really legislation that you can't shoot them or is it another example of legislation that contradicts itself. I've seen airguns kill rabbits at 50 yards so can't see the problem with a powerful enough one being used on vermin. Larsen trap is an option but not as much fun. Would like an air rifle anyway for a bit of plinking and to teach the kids how to shoot safely in the comfort of the back garden.

J.R.

Crows and magpies can, under E.U. Derogation, be shot with a rifle if causing damage, or likely to cause damage.

I would imagine that an air rifle would be classed as a rifle so then you can shoot them, if causing damage.

Eddie B

J.R. wrote: »

Crows and magpies can, under E.U. Derogation, be shot with a rifle if causing damage, or likely to cause damage.

I would imagine that an air rifle would be classed as a rifle so then you can shoot them, if causing damage.

Im nearly sure you cant use an air rifle on birds, wether causing damage or not!
Someone on here, (Mods maybe), should have some information on the laws regarding air rifles!

Vegeta

I know there was a piece of text on some Irish Government website or some such that stated air rifles could not be used to kill birds.

This was not legislation though, unfortunately I think in the last round of law making it was written into law.

Now that is just a gut feeling I have, cant remember the legislation off the top of my head so I'll get digging and see if I can get an answer

Tackleberrywho

Vegeta wrote: »

I know there was a piece of text on some Irish Government website or some such that stated air rifles could not be used to kill birds.

This was not legislation though, unfortunately I think in the last round of law making it was written into law.

Now that is just a gut feeling I have, cant remember the legislation off the top of my head so I'll get digging and see if I can get an answer

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2000/en/act/pub/0038/sec0043.html

Can't find it. Do think their is some restriction on airrifles

Vegeta

Thanks to IRLConor (the hero) for finding the legal info

Section 33 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 as amended by Section 41 of the Wildlife Act, 2000 states:

1. It shall be an offence for a person to hunt or injure in the course of hunting—
   1. with a repeating or automatic shotgun (other than a repeating or automatic shotgun which is adapted or modified so as to render it incapable of carrying more than three shotgun cartridges), with an airgun, air-rifle, gas-rifle, pistol or revolver, or with any firearm fitted with a silencer device, any wild bird,
   2. with a rifle, any protected wild bird.
2. It shall be an offence for a person to hunt or injure any wild bird or wild animal with a spring gun, or with tracer shot or with any explosive other than ammunition for, and used with, a firearm.
3. It shall be an offence for a person to hunt or injure in the course of hunting with a shotgun a protected wild animal other than a hare otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister.
4. Subject to the foregoing subsections of this section, the Minister may make regulations specifying the type and calibre of firearms and ammunition which may be used to hunt wild birds and wild animals and providing that firearms and ammunition of any other type and calibre shall not be used to hunt such birds or animals.

Think the Derogation overrides this and the NARGC mailed me to say as much

Vegeta

So now that we have that cleared up

My dad has a 30ft/lb single shot .22 PCP air rifle and it is both super accurate and super useful in the situations that you mention OP. Charged with a double stroke pump. Good for about 35 shots on a pump and pumping takes 5 minutes. Pellets are cheap as chips too.

I used to have a Logun MKII Pro which was only 12ft/lb but charged by the same pump and lasted about 60-70 shots. It was the most accurate gun I've owned.

They're not that big/popular here unfortunately so a decent recommendation in your price range is hard to do. Sure we could google air rifle 300 euro but none of use would have first hand experience of the model I'd imagine

So yes they are a great bit of kit and I'm sure you'd get a reasonable one for that money but my advice is check out English shooting forums for first hand recommendations.

landkeeper

while not up to speed on the precharged jobs on offer now i can give some advice on spring air rifles up to the 12ft/lb mark having owned and used both 177s and 22s for years
if its mainly birds you want to shoot then a 177 is more than adequete with a good hunting pellet you'll get fast and clean kills even on body shots , the 22 has more punch but the pellets are travelling slower and tend to ball up with feathers especially with pigeons , however they are much more effective on rabbits but if your competant and confident then head shots with either calibre will do the job
rws superpoint extras were my pellet of choice , and there are alot of top notch airrifles available weirhauch and feinwerkbau were my favorites both are extremely well made and very very accurate out of the box

booom

i was just talking to a guy yesterday whose barn is lousy with pigeons. we reckoned an air rifle would be the way to go but then i was chinwagging with a mate who said why not use rat shot in a .22lr. anyone used it before?

landkeeper

it's very hard to nail anything with those 22 shot shells even at 10 yrds
you might be better with 22shorts if you can still get them

bunny shooter

landkeeper wrote: »

.......you might be better with 22shorts if you can still get them

I got some RWS .22 shorts off Paul O'Halloran in Drangan a few months ago...........excellent when ya need a bit less power

booom

sounds like a plan, will try both and let you know.

wargallow

does anyone know who and where in ireland repairs air guns, i have a logun mk1 that needs service

Sparks

I don't think there's anyone who can do more than the basic poking and prodding wargallow, any of the more serious repairs/refurbishments that we've ever needed to do have seen the rifles sent back to germany or wherever for servicing by their manufacturers. You could get in touch with kendall-monson, they're who the college clubs use for this sort of thing.

wargallow

do you have a no. ?
i got one from the net & 11850 but they sound like fax lines , never any answer
i am also looking for a service kit of o rings for my s16 mk1, do you know where i can get it ?

Sparks

No idea about the number wg, but you can usually find o-ring kits on the net and postage is usually next to nothing.

wargallow

thanks

St. Leibowitz

Vegeta wrote: »

Thanks to IRLConor (the hero) for finding the legal info

[/LIST]Think the Derogation overrides this and the NARGC mailed me to say as much

But the derogation is only valid for Leinster, and during certain time periods in 2009. Am I missing something ??