Some advice for a Newbie

[Bewise]

Wow I can't believe I found this forum, such useful advice, there are obviously some really experienced shooters in here.

 

I am really new to shooting, I used to pop a couple of pigeons off with a friends gun, but nothing more than this. I have just discovered my father in laws air rifle that is a 22 with silencer and scope, it is powered via a CO2 cylinder (sorry if this is all very untechnical, I have a lot to learn). Anyhow, I am taking this air rifle out onto my friends farm, looking to shoot some pigeons and rabbits. Can anybody here provide any tips for shooting either quarry for a total noob?

 

Thanks

[Renegade Master]

Hello mate

 

Best advice I can give to a "total noob" is don't even think about pointing a rifle at a living animal until you have practised with it for several months. As it is Co2 the power will fluctuate somewhat with the temperature. This (as well as the range) is going to effect the point of impact. You need to learn all the points of impact before going hunting.

 

Sorry to be down on you mate, but I was in the same boat once and got the same answer. I am now glad I spent months practising on paper targets, as out in the field you need to be able to put the pellet right into the brain pan of whatever you are shooting at, if you can't do that consistently you shouldn't be shooting at live quarry.

 

A good thing to do is set targets out at different ranges so you can observe the differing points of impact. Not wishing to sound rude but you do realise that you need to aim above or below the target, depending on range? Also, get practising estimating range, or buy a rangefinder to make life easier.

 

Hope it helps,

 

Dan

[MM]

you need to be the best in the world at killing paper first, that way, when you do it for real, it will be right first time. and remeber that practise is just as much fun as live quarry. (just dont try and eat the targets afterwards)

[Muddy Funker]

I'd agree with all the above comments, great advice

 

It's a fact that on occasions you will wound live quarry due to the nature of airguns (wind, fliers ect) but every effort should be made of the shooter to ensure this is kept to an absolute minimum, and the only way to do that is to practice on the targets.

Best of luck.

[ShaggyRS6]

Agree with everything that has been writer here in terms of advice. I did not shoot any live qaury until I could group consistently at 30 yards, I took this a step further and wanted to group consistently at this distance free standing.

 

There is no need to rush it. Become confident shooting targets first as you will thank yourself for it in a month or so.

 

Learn to take the advice you get here and put it to good use as 99% of it from PW is hood advice.

 

Most of all enjoy yourself .

 

Remember the golden rule -Head Shots Only with an air rifle, nowhere else will do.

[Bewise]

Thanks for the advice. I should have said that I have done a lot of shooting at targets as a youngster, but never at live quarry. I have done a bit of practicing just to check my accuracy and I seem to be pretty steady. By the way, what does grouping mean?

 

I am confident that I can hit the brain area from 70ft, and have started practicing every evening to sharpen up. I guess I am looking for advice on finding areas of live quary, building hides and sneeking up on rabbits, as I am keen to learn the techniques of hunting as well as actually shooting.

 

Thanks for all advice so far.

[MM]

Thanks for the advice. I should have said that I have done a lot of shooting at targets as a youngster, but never at live quarry. I have done a bit of practicing just to check my accuracy and I seem to be pretty steady. By the way, what does grouping mean?

I am confident that I can hit the brain area from 70ft, and have started practicing every evening to sharpen up. I guess I am looking for advice on finding areas of live quary, building hides and sneeking up on rabbits, as I am keen to learn the techniques of hunting as well as actually shooting.

 

Thanks for all advice so far.

 

i hope you are pulling my leg!

 

 

("grouping" is the term for a "group" of shots at a target. ie 1 inch groups @ 35yards , meaning, to stick the holes in the inch at that distance.)

[Renegade Master]

Hello again mate

 

70ft is too far away for your average airgun, especially Co2. The pellet just wont have enough penetration left at that range. I would recommend a maximum range of 35ft for a .22, unless it is FAC rated and you can consistently put 9 out of 10 shots into a 1" target at that range.

 

I suggest before you go into the field you have a good read up on hunting, especially respect for your quarry. I am not trying to be rude mate, but you don't sound like you are ready for live quarry.

 

If you do want to get straight out then I can recommend a book by John Darling called "the Hunters Secrets", it taught me a lot when I started hunting.

 

Cheers

 

Dan

[Melonfish]

Hello again mate

 

70ft is too far away for your average airgun, especially Co2. The pellet just wont have enough penetration left at that range. I would recommend a maximum range of 35ft for a .22, unless it is FAC rated and you can consistently put 9 out of 10 shots into a 1" target at that range.

 

I suggest before you go into the field you have a good read up on hunting, especially respect for your quarry. I am not trying to be rude mate, but you don't sound like you are ready for live quarry.

 

If you do want to get straight out then I can recommend a book by John Darling called "the Hunters Secrets", it taught me a lot when I started hunting.

 

Cheers

 

Dan

 

i thought it was about 30-35 yards airguns were decent to? spring included?

pete

[MM]

Hello again mate

 

70ft is too far away for your average airgun, especially Co2. The pellet just wont have enough penetration left at that range. I would recommend a maximum range of 35ft for a .22, unless it is FAC rated and you can consistently put 9 out of 10 shots into a 1" target at that range.

 

I suggest before you go into the field you have a good read up on hunting, especially respect for your quarry. I am not trying to be rude mate, but you don't sound like you are ready for live quarry.

 

If you do want to get straight out then I can recommend a book by John Darling called "the Hunters Secrets", it taught me a lot when I started hunting.

 

Cheers

 

Dan

 

i thought it was about 30-35 yards airguns were decent to? spring included?

pete

[Melonfish]

okay not sure if your highlighting that for emphasis or because you think i made a mistake.

 

i'm talking yards here 35 feet is 11.5 yards. can you confirm that this is the ideal killing range on a spring based .22

or is it about 30 yards which is 90 feet?

pete

[HeadShotHoncho]

you can kill out to 38 yards as long as you can hit the head

Edited April 3, 2008 by HeadShotHoncho

[HeadShotHoncho]

you can kill with a .22 springer as far as i can remember Pete Wadeson says from 30-38 yards as long as you can hit the heart or head (at that range i'd go for head)

 

The only problem with putting a pellet into a pidgeons brain is the fact that their brains are so small

I reccomend buying total airguns by Pete Wadeson for £13 of amazon cos its great (view my thread in this section about it) and will help you with shooting and buying your own gun when you do

Good luck and practise until you can shoot 4 out of 5 shots at least into a 2p sized circle at your chosen range cos that is the size of a pigeons head (about) and always aim at the top because then you'll either hit, miss or graze their head and if you graze their head the impact will kill them anyways

 

HSH

[Renegade Master]

Whoops, just realised I made a typo. I meant yards, not feet. Didn't read the TC's last post properly.

Edited April 4, 2008 by Renegade Master