New Banbury member - advice on pest control

[18 Wheeler]

Purely for pest control at the ranges you mention, either calibre will do the job.

£200 is quite tight for decent new equipment.

HW99s is about the best quality, reasonably priced spring gun IMO. Around £210.

JSRamsbottom (who sponsor/pay for the running of this forum) have an AGS 4x40 scope including mounts for only £26. You won't find anything to beat it for the job you have in mind.

.22 has some advantages, especially in spring guns. It is a little more efficient, so requires less spring power to get the same muzzle energy.

Fixed barrel guns are theoretically more accurate, hence most competition shooters prefer them. However, they also tend to be heavy.

A well made break barrel is capable of excellent accuracy and has much to recommend it, weight, easy of use, very safe for an inexperienced user etc.

[wemorgan]

Thanks for the advice.

I'd be happy with a second-hand rifle, but not knowing anything about them would most likely still buy from a dealer.

[Steyr]

If you are going for a spring gun be aware that they need a very tight regime on loading.

An underlever usually has an inner sleeve that opens up a loading port where you insert the pellet into the breech. I often see people cock the rifle and then let it flop about whislt they shove digits into what is potentially a guilotine.

If the trigger is nudged (say by clothing) or there is a fault with the gun - worn or not correctly adjusted, there is a good chance you will get whacked in the face by a rapidly moving gun and loose or crush fingers in the process.

PLEASE HOLD THIS LEVR AT ALL TIMES WHILST RELOADING and dont close it with the barrel elevated in case of an accidental discharge.

The same applies to a break barrel and a similar failure will result in mashed thumbs, broken nose, re-arranged teeth and a barrel shaped like a banana.

I still recommend joining a club - lots of advice and kit to see and probably try as well as the joy of shooting.

Also, an experienced shooter can show you the ropes while you get up to speed sufficiently to squeeze a shot off at a pulse.

Suggest you also consider what your reaction will be if you miss/wound and practice a swift back up shot. This is NOT as easy as it sounds when in a live situation - people tend to flap and loose it when in practice they might have been fine.

Then there is the potential for upset from the shooter.
I hope you enjoy your shooting when you get started

[wemorgan]

Thanks for the safety tips - apart from the obvious I have no idea.

[Jamie]

If it's purely for pest control, try a larsen trap - much more efficient!

If it's a bit of enjoyment (but purely as a side effect of the pest control, as required by the OGL, of course!), then bash on with the airgun!

James