Can I shoot my air rifle in my garden

[Acid House]

......oops ..

[sniper22]

Kettle, pot, black
The things that spring to mind

meaning what exactly?

libel is the word that springs to mind here - carry on mate.

[GS Rider]

I'd second the comment about having a word with your neighbours. It's not a legal necessity, but a quiet, friendly word of explanation is less hassle than a reported firearms incident. Maybe invite them to have a go, or see your set up.

Remember, to the layman, a gun is a gun, and they'd be quite entitled to be alarmed, in the absence of any more information. It could also be worth letting your local Plod know when you're shooting. They'll give you an incident number, which you can shout at the armed response team if they get called out.

[GHMikeB]

If you can't be seen from the road then shooting within 50 ft. of the road centre would be no problem as no-one could say they have been alarmed as they could not have seen you, so long as sudden noise does not come into it. I would imagine using a steel backstop within a few yards could cause alarm.

But even if you are firing directly away from the edge of your property where the road is so that safety is not an issue, it only needs a passer-by to see you with rifle or pistol to be frightened and voilà you have broken the law.

It has been said often enough on here as to how so many people are having a funny turn at seeing a four year old with a cap gun, so I don't suppose it is that far from possible that you could be reported.

The problem is that what most people would think unlikely to cause concern is not the point. It is whether the one person doing the reporting says they were alarmed. If they are anti-gun then they can easily say they were alarmed even when it sounds silly to anyone else!

[Andy Goloskof]

If you can't be seen from the road then shooting within 50 ft. of the road centre would be no problem as no-one could say they have been alarmed as they could not have seen you, so long as sudden noise does not come into it. I would imagine using a steel backstop within a few yards could cause alarm.

But even if you are firing directly away from the edge of your property where the road is so that safety is not an issue, it only needs a passer-by to see you with rifle or pistol to be frightened and voilà you have broken the law.

It has been said often enough on here as to how so many people are having a funny turn at seeing a four year old with a cap gun, so I don't suppose it is that far from possible that you could be reported.

The problem is that what most people would think unlikely to cause concern is not the point. It is whether the one person doing the reporting says they were alarmed. If they are anti-gun then they can easily say they were alarmed even when it sounds silly to anyone else!

When I was a kid when we went out with our Cap Pistols folks would say:
Cute, they are playing Cowboys & Indians.
Now they pick up their mobile phones and call in the armed fast response units! HELL, where do I play Cowboys & Indians now dammit?

[Locksley]

Thank you all for your replies. I cannot be seen from the road but by the houses behind my garden.The gun,which is yet to reach me this week, has a silencer fitted.There is enough backstop and the pellets will not go beyond the target.My neighbours,they frankly do not care about my existence and are out during the daytime which is when I intend to plink a bit.Still,as you mentioned,will check with them.Only thing is,I can be seen aiming the AR by the people in the houses behind mine and they may think that I am aiming at them.Will have to find a way of not being seen.Thank you all once again.

Best-
Locksley

[BTDT]

The original question has, I think, been answered, and the thread is going nowhere but downhill, so it's locked.

Jim

[sniper22]

Kettle, pot, black
The things that spring to mind

this post may lead readers to suspect either i or members of my club use unlicenced firearms. may i suggest this post be deleted or backed up by fact not fiction if any inference is made. if any comments you may have on the subject might be posted in public so my solicitor can examine the facts prior to libel action being taken.

[Acid House]

It seems three words posted by myself have created something of a stir. These three words although innocuous in there own right have been misunderstood to some extent and I therefore have retracted the offending post. My apologies to Tony and ‘his’ club. If anyone understood this post as an accusation of illegalities toward any current or past air gun enthusiasts then I can without fear of retribution, confirm wholeheartedly that at no time was this the intention.
The three words I used in reference to Tony’s post was in relation to the people or persons on the aforementioned corporation owned affordable housing scheme that would inform the appropriate authorities, weather legal shooting was being enjoyed or not (and as if they don’t get up to a few not quite legal pastimes themselves).

Or for those hard of thinking..

I was agreeing with you Tony you daft bat.