Target shooting

[Gollom]

SWMBO has always fancied having a go at target shooting. The only local club is not taking new members for the foreseeable future. I know some members shoot - are those gas fired pistols/rifles legal and suitable to shoot targets in the garden for instance? Our garden is quite long and fully enclosed
IMHO it is just a fad for her (no criticism as I'm not impartial to indulging in fads myself!) so don't want to spend lots. Starting points and links appreciated.
P.S Life insurance checked.....

 

[markjay]

I shoot firearms, not BB/Gas rifles, but I would be very careful with practice shooting an airgun in my rear garden.

Your fence may have some gaps or holes, the shooter might miss altogether, and the pellets can cause serious harm to children and small pets.

If you have a basement, you might try using an air pistol there.

But I wouldn't shoot anything in a garden that has surrounding properties, or borders on a public footpath.

I know many people do that, but that's my opinion.

 

[BTB 500]

Yes lower powered rifles/pistols that don't need a firearms certificate are legal to shoot in your garden provided the pellets don't leave the boundary of your property. There are restrictions if you are within 15 metres of a public road though:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1171973/Air_weapons_safety_leaflet_6-4.pdf

Air pistols and rifles can have quite a crack to them, so you would probably want a silencer to avoid upsetting the neighbours.

They can't be sent through the post so you have to collect in person from a licensed dealer (some do deliver but will need to check your ID etc.). One such:

Air Rifles For Sale, Air Pistols & Airguns Delivered | Pellpax

Airguns, air rifles, air pistols, air weapons, delivered weekly across England and Wales. Buy Daystate, Weihrauch, Air Arms, Gamo and more.

www.pellpax.co.uk

Another good site to get an idea of prices etc.:

Air Rifles | Air Pistols | Shotguns & Firearms For Sale | UK

Here at Solware we offer almost every brand of air rifle and pistol available in the UK.

solware.co.uk

 

[BTB 500]

I shoot firearms, not BB/Gas rifles, but I would be very careful with practice shooting an airgun in my rear garden.

Your fence may have some gaps or holes, the shooter might miss altogether, and the pellets can cause serious harm to children and small pets.

You certainly couldn't rely on a fence as a backstop. But if you have walls / banks / etc. available that could work. Pistols are less powerful, so might be more suitable

 

[markjay]

As BTB 500 said.

In practical terms, the average garden fence is not a suitable pellet backstop, and your garden should therefore have sufficient Range Danger Area to ensure that the pellets fall to earth on your ground. When constructing air gun range, the RDA is 120m, though this obviously applies also to the more powerful air rifles.

 

[ALFAitalia]

I have an old mattress that I put behind a 1/4 inch board behind my 20m range target (garden not long enough to be further away).....I us an old BSA Meteor springer ,an old 177 pistol and a modern Airarms pneumatic rifle.....not had a pellet go through it yet....the old 22 Meteor and the pistol don't even get through the board at that range. Luckily there is just a dirt bank 6 feet behind my fence....so if the Airarms did make it through the board, mattress, wooden fence it would end up in there.....no paths or anything but gorse and bramble between there and the sea.

 

[optimusprime]

The rifles, and pistols, that use caplets ,they are small cylinders that fit in the gun. They are ok in a way , they are light to use .Only comeback is they tend to change consistensy in cold weather .Ok for a plinking sesion in the back garden . PCP are fine guns very consistant with pellet on pellet at 50 yards and more . I am a springer man ..saying is - if it aint got a spring it dont do a thing . Pcp guns need cylinders or a dive bottle that you have to refill as they run down after filling your rifle up. I have a BSA precharged Scorpion rifle in my gun cabinet thats i have never used . Just pull out my old Meteor that i bought new in 1960 when the rats comes calling . Do get a gun that takes a scope they are much better than the normsl iron sights . Had guns all my life of one kind or another just love them like cars .

 

[ALFAitalia]

No bottles or cylinders on my Airarms PCP.....just attach the pump and pump her up!....then you have about 50 shots.


The old girl....bought new for my 13th birthday....so 43 years old. One broken trigger, one set of seals and one spring in all that time.

Star Wars fans might recognise the Panther RO72 pistol!!!....as a DL-18 Blaster!


The Air Arms S200 PCP



These ones are not so great with the targets!!!....but thought Id post anyway!!

 

[BTB 500]

No bottles or cylinders on my Airarms PCP.....just attach the pump and pump her up!

Most manufacturers don't really recommend using pumps. The manual for my Weihrauch states:

Use only compressed air that is free of oil and water; this means divers’ quality air only (DIN EN 12021)! We recommend the usage of diver bottles. The use of a hand pump with our pcp-air guns will cause damage to air cartridges / cylinders from excess moisture allowed into cylinder.

From a quick Google Air Arms give a similar warning:

Due to the nature of hand pumps and their relative inefficiency in removing moisture from the compressed air, the chances of corrosion damage to the cylinder and other internal components are increased.

You can get moisture traps for pumps but by the time you add one of those you're probably not far off the cost of a dive bottle, and although better than nothing you still won't get moisture free air.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Since the pump came with the gun I doubt that applies to my model.....but I can see your point about moisture.....

 

[markjay]

I have no airgun.. but I did get a V-bull at 600 yards in Bisley today (well, I had to tell someone!).

 

[Steveml63]

I have no airgun.. but I did get a V-bull at 600 yards in Bisley today (well, I had to tell someone!).

Have great memories of shooting at Bisley - in my younger days!
Max range I fired was in the army cadets - 1200 yds.
When target marking was so surprised the first time to see how large the bull is at that range!
Also used to regularly shoot at 200 & 500 yds on Century range.

 

[st13phil]

I have no airgun.. but I did get a V-bull at 600 yards in Bisley today (well, I had to tell someone!).

Well done! I have many happy memories of Sundays spent at Bisley as a kid in the late 1960's / early 1970’s while my father was shooting there - both pistol and rifle.

Often used to leave home in the car at around 6:30 so dad had time to relax after the drive ready for a 9am detail. FWIW, he was a pretty good rapid fire shot, regularly scoring in the mid-590's but never quite getting to the reliable 597/8 that would have secured him a place in international competitions.

 

[optimusprime]

Pumps with no condensation filterin them - damp air will soon rust up the air cylinder on the gun .

 

[BTB 500]

Since the pump came with the gun I doubt that applies to my model.....but I can see your point about moisture.....

Dealers do often bundle pumps / cases / etc. with PCP rifles. The manual for the Air Arms S200 contains similar warnings though:

Due to the nature of hand pumps and their relative inefficiency in removing moisture from the compressed air, the chances of corrosion damage to the cylinder and other internal components are increased therefore the rifle should be regularly serviced and/or checked for any signs of damage by a competent gunsmith.
Air Arms recommend using a dry pack filter kit on any hand pumps used to fill our air rifles.

 

[BTB 500]

I have many happy memories of Sundays spent at Bisley as a kid in the late 1960's / early 1970’s while my father was shooting there - both pistol and rifle.

Might have seen you on the pistol ranges as I used to shoot there with my grandfather then

 

[st13phil]

Might have seen you on the pistol ranges as I used to shoot there with my grandfather then

Quite possible. Often used to be around the BPC Clubhouse with mum helping make tea for the masses

 

[GeeJayW]

About 50-years ago I used to shoot NSRA competition cards using an old BSA 12/15 belonging to a friend’s dad. So 25m indoors during the winter and the 50m and 100m in an old quarry. Was never much good at it to be honest. Managed to score a few cards in the 90’s, but was nowhere near as good as the good guys who always seemed to shoot 95+. Enjoyed it, but it wasn’t for me.

Then more recently, but still probably 20+ years ago, a friend who was ex RAF Regiment got a small group of us onto an RAF range. We got to shoot a few different weapons, Browning Hi-Power 9mm pistol, SA80, L86 and a 7.62 GPMG. Lot of fun, though I did get bruised eyebrow from the scope on the SA80…

 

[markjay]

...7.62 GPMG. Lot of fun.

Yes it is !

 

[alabbasi]

Come see me in Texas. We have ranges like you have pubs