walshie Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 We just bought a new sight for my son's air rifle and wanted to zero it in in the back garden. To be safe, I put up a 2" thick board, then pinned a target onto a magazine on the front of the board. The target was resting on the grass, so any wayward pellets would either hit the board or the grass. After about 10 shots we heard sirens and there was a police car outside, blue lights flashing. 2 burly coppers knocked on my door and said there had been reports of someone shooting a "pellet gun" in the garden. I confirmed this and they asked if any pellets had gone over the fence and I confirmed they definitely had not. I invited them in to check and they seemed quite happy with the setup and the gun, even telling me I "was perfectly entitled to shoot in my own garden." No **** sherlock. Interesting that when were burgled a few years ago they took 6 hours to turn up. Have neighbours got nothing else to do than stick their fat noses in other peoples' business? I wonder what else I can do to annoy them now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbirdX Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 Now you know, next time your burgled or need a copper in A hurry tell them there's someone outside with a pellet gun :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southeastpete Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) I heard a story a while ago, maybe urban myth, that a bloke saw some lads breaking into his shed. He rang the police, to be to that the nearest policeman was 30 mins away, and to wait for them. He rang them back and said, its alright, Ive shot them. Within 10 minutes his house was surrounded by cops and the thieves caught red handed. I bet if it is a true story, the victim was done for wasting police time... Edited July 25, 2012 by southeastpete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 whereabouts in surrey are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted July 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 Stupid thing is, last weekend these nosey neighbours had their radio blasting out really loud (much like mine is at the moment - Slipknot - volume 11) and I didn't say a word. If they do it next weekend, I dare say I shall have to get the cops involved on health & safety grounds. whereabouts in surrey are you? I'm in New Malden - borders of Surrey and London so have the Met to deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 dont know New Malden well...very built up?Neighbours v.close?..If you know which neighbour I would go see them and invite over to see what/how you are doing it....re-assure them you are'nt a gangster.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted July 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 dont know New Malden well...very built up?Neighbours v.close?..If you know which neighbour I would go see them and invite over to see what/how you are doing it....re-assure them you are'nt a gangster.. Yes, the neighbours are quite close. I know exactly which neighbour it was. The one with too much time on his hands. If he had just knocked on the door, I might have shown him what we were doing, but as I consider a 999 call a bit over the top, he can get stuffed. As long as I know I'm not a gangster and so do the police, let him think what he wants. Anyway, rant over. Lovely day isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedwards1966 Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 Some people are just idiots. It's very interesting to see the differences in police reactions to these things, sometimes it's an armed response unit, sometimes just one or two policemen. Sometimes they come quickly (like now), other times they are doing their best not to get there and so take ages - like rolling a dice really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livefast123 Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 (edited) Communities have lost the art of communication and rely on the police to do their every bidding. I would be annoyed as well but you don't want the situation getting out of hand as they could easily 'find' a deformed pellet on their property when your shooting and could get you in all types of do do. Maybe a quiet word to find out what they object to and then some education or invite them to do a bit of shooting. If it's the noise they object to then getting a silencer and a silent backdrop would help the situation if they can't see you shooting. I unfortunatly live in a new estate and my garden is overlooked by around 5 houses. I had to switch to a crossbow for the back garden (which nobody minds ) and build my airgun range in the loft which to be fair works really well and gives me an easy life. Edited July 26, 2012 by Livefast123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katash Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 When I was a kid, some 20 years ago .... myself and my best friend were shooting my .22 airgun in my garden. 10 mins after we had finished shooting there was a knock on the door and one of my neighbours was stood there (he was a police officer but was out of uniform) "Who has been shooting the airgun?" "Me" I replied "Well a pellet has just hit me" he says As my parents were not home at the time he ordered me to send them round when they get home, 30 mins later myself, friend, mother and father walk round to this guys house and listen to his angry story of how the pellet came whizzing round the corner, bounced off his garage door, hit him in the leg and landed on the floor - still spinning. He proceeds to show us the alleged completely flat pellet. "Hmmmmm - thats odd" says my father .... pulling a handful of pellets out of his pocket "these are the ones he was actually using!" Comparing the 2 side-by-side it was obvious the one he had is his hand was not one of mine as they were totally different, different marks, type and even colour. "Would have had to be a miracle shot too" he said "it would have had gone through railway sleepers, a shed full of scrap, turned direction twice and still retain enough energy to bounce off your garage and hit you in the leg" Oh boy did this guy start squirming, he suddenly changed the subject to how rotten his garage door was and didn't mention the incident atall afterwards - he was visibly shaking and had gone bright red too. This guy had made the whole thing up, if the same had happened today I'd have a bloody hard job not to prove otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 We just bought a new sight for my son's air rifle and wanted to zero it in in the back garden. To be safe, I put up a 2" thick board, then pinned a target onto a magazine on the front of the board. The target was resting on the grass, so any wayward pellets would either hit the board or the grass. After about 10 shots we heard sirens and there was a police car outside, blue lights flashing. 2 burly coppers knocked on my door and said there had been reports of someone shooting a "pellet gun" in the garden. I confirmed this and they asked if any pellets had gone over the fence and I confirmed they definitely had not. I invited them in to check and they seemed quite happy with the setup and the gun, even telling me I "was perfectly entitled to shoot in my own garden." No **** sherlock. Interesting that when were burgled a few years ago they took 6 hours to turn up. Have neighbours got nothing else to do than stick their fat noses in other peoples' business? I wonder what else I can do to annoy them now? Call the police and tell them your Mrs was sunbathing topless in your garden, and you can see your neighbour looking through some binoculars at her ......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Call the police and tell them your Mrs was sunbathing topless in your garden, and you can see your neighbour looking through some binoculars at her ......... is there a law against that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Indeed there is, and it's totally unfair Works like this, Female neighbour decides to sunbathe in the nude and I see her, I get done for being a peeping tom I decide to sunbathe in the nude and my female neighbour sees me, I get done for being a flasher Some days you just can't win Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 is there a law against that? Admit nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 is there a law against that? Yes! Put your binoculars away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini52 Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 I dont use my air gun in the garden any more,its not worth the risk,my neighbour on the right side has small grand kids there most days,even taking extreme care,i dont want to take the chance its the way things have gone now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 If the police here caught you shooting a air rifle in your back garden you would possibly lose your FAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldivalloch Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 About twenty years ago I sold an air-rifle to a young friend who wanted to get into shooting and had obtained permission to take rabbits. Wisely, he decided to practise on paper targets first, so he built a very sturdy three-sided backstop out of pallets at the end of his parents' garden. He bought himself a good scope and started sighting it in. In no time, two policemen arrived -in response to a call from a neighbour - and asked what he was doing. He explained, showed them his backstop, and added that he wasn't having much success in achieving a zero. The older officer said that he was a keen shooter himself and would help him to get get the rifle shooting right while his mate nipped next door and told the neighbour to mind his own business. By the time the policemen left my friend had a gun that was shooting spot on and next door had a flea in his ear. Great result all round!! And the best thing about it is, this area STILL gets a lot of common-sense policing because a lot of the officers are country boys who grew up with shooting and fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 If the police here caught you shooting a air rifle in your back garden you would possibly lose your FAC. Why? Might be different in the NI but here as long as pellet doesnt leave the property it's fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopDown Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Depends on your area and what information is passed as to what response you get. Most people have little knowledge of firearms. As a result the information you get is frequently guesswork. Hence the mixed experiences. Have to clear up a few points for the OP as well. You got a quick response because it was a "live" firearms incident. Your burglary, unless in progress, will not warrant an immediate response. It's about the information given to the call handler rather than what is actually the case. While it doesn't matter what your neighbour thinks he can cause you far more issues over this than you can cause him. Maybe have a think about that - it would pay to keep him onside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Have to clear up a few points for the OP as well. You got a quick response because it was a "live" firearms incident. Your burglary, unless in progress, will not warrant an immediate response. It's about the information given to the call handler rather than what is actually the case. While it doesn't matter what your neighbour thinks he can cause you far more issues over this than you can cause him. Maybe have a think about that - it would pay to keep him onside. SO basically you are saying bend over and take it and the fact the OP is going about his legitimate business legally on his own property should be compromised because of an idiot with a phone? Not very fair is it, how many times can someone ring up about the same thing before they get done for wasting police time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopDown Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 SO basically you are saying bend over and take it and the fact the OP is going about his legitimate business legally on his own property should be compromised because of an idiot with a phone? Not very fair is it, how many times can someone ring up about the same thing before they get done for wasting police time? How have you got that from my post? Reality is that it happens. It shouldn't but it does. In response to your last question the answer is "a lot". I don't like it any more than you but I didn't write the charging standard. Hence my advice. Fair or not the OP presumably has an SGC. As anyone knows it's easily lost. I would guard against that the best I could which if it meant talking to the neighbours to explain my actions then I would, however much it might be irritating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Why? Might be different in the NI but here as long as pellet doesnt leave the property it's fine. You need a FAC to get a air rifle in N Ireland. The same process as for a .22 rimfire ect. The licence specifies on lands that the shooter has lawful authority to shoot over. The holder must ensure that the land is suitable for this type and caliber of firearm and the use of this firearm on the land presents no danger to the public. I suppose if you had a big enough garden with no neighbours close you might be OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 is there a law against that? what, bird watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Fair or not the OP presumably has an SGC. As anyone knows it's easily lost. I would guard against that the best I could which if it meant talking to the neighbours to explain my actions then I would, however much it might be irritating. Are you really suggesting that an SGC or FAC could be at risk by some back garden plinking legally with an air rifle? If it is possible to speak to the neighbour logically and reasonably why did they call the police? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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