nasty neighbour with a crossbow!

[Rickenbacker]

Banned from manufacture, import or sale in 1988 IIRC, along with a variety of other "Ninja type stuff". Another Govt clampdown based on sensationalist reporting (or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- it amounts to the same intellectual level )

Of course they are not per se illegal to own. And if you owned one before the ban you are fine

Killjoys thanks for that info though

My last blowpipe was a 'Bic' biro with the innards removed ... ammo was chewed up bits of writing paper ... used to shoot 'near' my history teacher when his back was turned to the class ... he was very old

[short-carabine]

Killjoys thanks for that info though

My last blowpipe was a 'Bic' biro with the innards removed ... ammo was chewed up bits of writing paper ... used to shoot 'near' my history teacher when his back was turned to the class ... he was very old

Indeed, that particular law has really driven crime down. Your standard .40cal blowgun is at least 3 ft long, so not exactly covert and the fps is probably around the level of a Gat unless you have lungs the size of a hot air balloon

[Barryg]

I can imagine it's like comparing a springer to a pcp.

Nope PCP and springers are firearms, bows ain't

Anyway bows vs crossbows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HagCuGXJgUs

[blooregard]

Killjoys thanks for that info though

My last blowpipe was a 'Bic' biro with the innards removed ... ammo was chewed up bits of writing paper ... used to shoot 'near' my history teacher when his back was turned to the class ... he was very old

Nice action, we used the same sort of arrangement with the end of a shoelace with a pin pushed through it and a bit of tissue on the back to give it some drag, flew surprisngly well but generally only had enough power to get stuck in clothing.

[blooregard]

Simple, he's a nob

Dean, just a thought, you don't live next door to friend of the BBS weapon collector do you ??

[Mattatack]

Nope PCP and springers are firearms, bows ain't

Anyway bows vs crossbows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HagCuGXJgUs

hi springers or pcp at sub12ftlb are not firearms,only if they are on section1 then considered a firearm.

[Heisenberg]

A decent bow is next on my list, just haven't figured out whether to go recurve or compound...!
Saw a thing on FieldSports TV with this big Danish dude(Max Hunt.....for real!) he could bang a target at 100m with a compound Hoyt...80lb draw...mental.
I get where you're coming from Blooregard and would never dispute that archery is a far more difficult skill to master- but also probably far more rewarding than crossbow shooting....which is like air rifle shooting with arrows???!!!

(ps-I haven't tried it beyond 40yds but I've heard claims that my crossbow is good to 70yds)

[deandaystate]

Dean, just a thought, you don't live next door to friend of the BBS weapon collector do you ??

No i don't lol he's a stuck up high school teacher that doesn't like guns apparently!!

[stillair1]

hi springers or pcp at sub12ftlb are not firearms,only if they are on section1 then considered a firearm.

I think you'll find they are firearms that do not require a licence.

[FPoole]

Nice action, we used the same sort of arrangement with the end of a shoelace with a pin pushed through it and a bit of tissue on the back to give it some drag, flew surprisngly well but generally only had enough power to get stuck in clothing.

The brother in law once dropped a carpenter with a homemade blowgun. He was laying out fiberboard for a/c ductwork and a fellow kept tossing 16d nails at him when he wasn't looking. He took some electrical conduit and a wire tie nut with a little cone of aluminum tape on it so it sealed in the pipe. The target was working on second floor facia while standing on the lower roof. He was shot through the window and intended to have his chest as a target. The dart hit him square between the eyes causing him to fall and nearly roll off the roof. Very funny and very dangerous at the same time. They quit throwing nails at my brother in law at least.
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich rule.

[angrybear]

hi springers or pcp at sub12ftlb are not firearms,only if they are on section1 then considered a firearm.

Sorry Wrong,
In the eyes of the law any & every airgun, bb gun & blank fireing replica is a firearm and firearm law governs their use.

I do wonder why the OP calls him a "nasty" neighbour he may be a prat but why nasty?

[Shooter560]

What sort of crossbow?? If it's one of the little 80lb recurve pistol bows then its probably quite safe, despite what many will say they only put out about 4-6 FPE. If it's something bigger shooting a heavier arrow with a compound prod then neither the dartboard, shed, or fence may provide an adequate backstop.

I've shot an arrow clean through 4mm thick steel plate at 120 yards from my 59lb target compound bow (Not a crossbow, a proper bow). Quite impressive but it wrecked a £20 arrow from a matched dozen.

I don't reckon your in the wrong at all as long as you are shooting safely, certainly the crossbow has a worse image than an airgun in the eyes of populace and there is very little reason to own one. Certainly shooting one in the garden gives you little to complain about if your neighbour is shooting airguns.

"Not a crossbow, a proper bow"....good old bow snobbery in full effect as usual.....

Crossbows are still used by many armies across the world for various reasons, I don't get why archers are so down on them. I've got an Armex Titan(200lb draw, claimed 380fps) and use it safely in my garden using a Third Hand Rag Bag as a target. I'd argue crossbows are more safe than the average PROPER bow....my neighbour has a recurve bow and has done archery for years, he can't hit 2" groupings at 40yards. I can....
(Ah, that's why archers are probably down on them...I can consistently achieve the same results with a £245 kit that an archer would need to spend a grand on, like a Hoyt?)

Anyway, I digress....As long as you both have effective and sensible backstops and don't go out firing/shooting when under the influence of anything then you should both be ok?

If he has a high powered crossbow, look at what he's aiming at and it it isn't capable of stopping the arrows(they're not technically bolts unless they have no fletchings/vanes), point it out to him and if he gets his back up and won't see sense then maybe give the plod a phone.....they may be able to "advise" what he needs...

Regardless of our choice(s) of bow/rifle, responsible usage is the most important thing....

Firstly yes a Crossbow is a bow, just of a different form, I'd suggest a crossbow is best compared to a rifle whereas a bow that requires lifting, drawing and holding is akin to a pistol. Both very good in their own terms and both very capable of killing in the wrong or right hands. Unfortunately though anyone who can hold and pull a trigger can hit most things with a crossbow, hence young ignorant scrots use them to shot cats etc

On grouping, I'd also say a 2" group at 40yds is what a beginner should aim to do, on national squad we used to have to shoot 3 shots at 50m and try not damage arrows, at 30m we went to 3 spot faces when possible again to save damage, this was with both recurve and compound using 4.5mm X10's. I still have probably a dozen or so x10 shafts kicking about the garage that were robin hooded at 90 and 70m.


Back to the OP's question, I'd be more worried about someone shooting a crossbow in their garden than an air pistol. If in doubt report to the police and see how they feel

[TonyL]

Killjoys thanks for that info though

My last blowpipe was a 'Bic' biro with the innards removed ... ammo was chewed up bits of writing paper ... used to shoot 'near' my history teacher when his back was turned to the class ... he was very old

Yep, our French teacher used to cop for this sort of treatment. He DID see the funny side!
I assume pea shooters are legal. At what point does a pea shooter become a blowpipe? Is it down to length?

Must admit, I do own a cheap recurve bow, a Samick something or other. £60 brand new a few years ago from Merlin Archery. Not used to for a while, but what a nice little piece of kit for not a lot of money.
I love the back-to-basics feel of a simple bow like this, and many elements of airgun shooting apply to bows, just the same, especially loosing the shot and follow through. I find it very therapeutic and rewarding. Ought to dig it out sometime and give it another go......

[Snooper601]

I still have probably a dozen or so x10 shafts kicking about the garage that were robin hoodel

You need to get onto Mythbusters mate, they spent ages recently trying to "do a Robin Hood" and concluded that it was impossible.If you can prove it to them fame and fortune await!

Cheers

John

[madcarlos]

Morning all, just had a complaint from my next door neighbour about shooting at targets in my back garden that are more than capable of stopping pellets and preventing any ricoche saying that its dangerous when the cheeky bugger owns and shoots a crossbow into a dartboard on the side of his shed! Surely he is being more dangerous than me??

think myself i would take no notice , did you both get on before this complaint, looks like he may just want to have an argument or something , most prob he did not have a happy xmas ,