What ft/lb would be considered safely legal to set a springer?

[WILBA]

10.5ftlb. The difference in a hunting sinario using 10.5ftlb against a gun running at near legal limit is negligible. Better to be on the safe side of the law.

[Mr. Gen]

Do we really require yet another self flagellating politically correct discussion on this done to death topic?

[TonyL]

Do we really require yet another self flagellating politically correct discussion on this done to death topic?

Maybe, maybe not. But there will always be new people amongst us who are not fully aware of the technicalities and who haven't come across those previous threads. When it comes to law and safety topics, personally, I don't mind if they are brought up as reminders.

[gsxrman]

There can be a spread over 1ftlb between the least and most efficient pellet in your rifle.
When we were FT shooting every week or so and our rifles went over the chrono, every rifle was as close to limit as possible without going over. My 7.9 premiers used to run just over 800fps.
We had two Police officers in our club at the time and one was a Firearms officer, and they both used to do the same.
This not opinion, but fact.

[Barryg]

There can be a spread over 1ftlb between the least and most efficient pellet in your rifle.
When we were FT shooting every week or so and our rifles went over the chrono, every rifle was as close to limit as possible without going over. My 7.9 premiers used to run just over 800fps.
We had two Police officers in our club at the time and one was a Firearms officer, and they both used to do the same.
This not opinion, but fact.

Interesting post, are you saying that although you run your guns at just over 11.2 ft/lbs, at your club it was accepted and most club members including Police officers were perhaps running at 11.8 knowing that the power could jump with a more efficient pellet and not caring or is just over 11.2 ft/lbs as close as possible without going over. What are you saying is as close as possible without going over? Are you saying something like post 2 is acceptable.

[gsxrman]

Interesting post, are you saying that although you run your guns at just over 11.2 ft/lbs, at your club it was accepted and most club members including Police officers were perhaps running at 11.8 knowing that the power could jump with a more efficient pellet and not caring or is just over 11.2 ft/lbs as close as possible without going over. What are you saying is as close as possible without going over? Are you saying something like post 2 is acceptable.

I can only speak from experience. If your rifle was deemed over the limit then you were not allowed to shoot FT/HFT courses. Mine was pretty much 11.8 with 7.9 Premiers.
My rifles were tested several times, at big events too, and was always allowed to shoot. With my power level and chosen pellet I was within the law. I don't know the law well enough but if a rifle with varying power levels or an adjuster, which there are several and you set the power for your chosen pellet within the 12ftlb limit you are surely legal. If an officer of the law takes your rifle to test it and uses different ammo, surely that is him altering the pretence and committing the "crime" and not you. Surely.
Shotguns are designed to shoot "shot" which is what most do and at either game or clays. A cartridge can be easily adapted to shoot a bullet or other projectile. Again most people don't, but the potential is there to do so, so is every basic shotgun illegal?

[Anothermiss]

I can only speak from experience. If your rifle was deemed over the limit then you were not allowed to shoot FT/HFT courses. Mine was pretty much 11.8 with 7.9 Premiers.
My rifles were tested several times, at big events too, and was always allowed to shoot. With my power level and chosen pellet I was within the law. I don't know the law well enough but if a rifle with varying power levels or an adjuster, which there are several and you set the power for your chosen pellet within the 12ftlb limit you are surely legal. If an officer of the law takes your rifle to test it and uses different ammo, surely that is him altering the pretence and committing the "crime" and not you. Surely.
Shotguns are designed to shoot "shot" which is what most do and at either game or clays. A cartridge can be easily adapted to shoot a bullet or other projectile. Again most people don't, but the potential is there to do so, so is every basic shotgun illegal?

Nope. If a pellet is readily available to the shooter, they can test with it.itvavoids the simple workaround of a rifle running (random number, here..) 18ftlb with jsb.
Imagine the shooter knew this and had a pocket full of intentionally oversized slugs for the bore, meaning rifle could only achieve 10ftlb with them. Shooter sees cop coming, slings jsb in a stream. Then says "I only shoot these, officer" presenting the slow, oversized slugs.
Some people just can't conform. Me and my uncle had this discussion recently where he's said "20ftlb should be allowed for hunting" which is a fair argument. I pointed out if that was allowed, people would only want 21ftlb and would run their rifles as close to the higher limit as possible.
I think its a human condition. Folk seem to be obsessed with more is better, in all aspects of life.

[Jesim1]

OOOhhh - pages of opinions

Generally speaking I test my springers with a light - AA Express, a medium - JSB Exact, and a heavy pellet - JSB Heavies. Invariably it's the lighter pellet which produces most power in a springer, typically the opposite of a PCP incidentally, so I use AA Express to set them up for power.

That being said, I'm not looking for mid 11s like I would be in a PCP, springers usually shoot more accurately and feel nicer with less recoil, so high 10s, low 11s are where I want to be depending on the gun, it's a balance of feel and power, not just power on it's own

[angrybear]

I can only speak from experience. If your rifle was deemed over the limit then you were not allowed to shoot FT/HFT courses. Mine was pretty much 11.8 with 7.9 Premiers.
My rifles were tested several times, at big events too, and was always allowed to shoot. With my power level and chosen pellet I was within the law. I don't know the law well enough but if a rifle with varying power levels or an adjuster, which there are several and you set the power for your chosen pellet within the 12ftlb limit you are surely legal. If an officer of the law takes your rifle to test it and uses different ammo, surely that is him altering the pretence and committing the "crime" and not you. Surely.
Shotguns are designed to shoot "shot" which is what most do and at either game or clays. A cartridge can be easily adapted to shoot a bullet or other projectile. Again most people don't, but the potential is there to do so, so is every basic shotgun illegal?

Unfortunately not so, that's like saying as a scope cannot be adjusted during an HFT round "surely anyone with an adjustable scope must be banned from HFT because they "could" adjust it"

It's my understanding that if an airgun has a finger adjuster, it may be turned to 'max' for the test, however if a tool is required to change the adjustment, it must be tested "as found"

As previously stated any 'across the counter' pellet can be used, & the test should be repeated with both a light, medium & heavy pellet.

Of course none of this is helped by the fact that actually "there is no standardised test" , so the best anyone can do is to take the most severe case in point & assume that is what would apply.

As for the shotgun;
The law actually states what is classed as a "shotgun cartridge" that does not require a FAC, as "containing 5 or more shot not exceeding .36","
anyone modifying a cartridge outside that definition would be illegally in possession of section 1 ammunition, but the shotgun itself would remain Section 2.

[HW777]

Do we really require yet another self flagellating politically correct discussion on this done to death topic?

I was wondering this myself

For the view point of humane dispatch, 11-12 fp energy is puny.

Giving the shooter the choice to shoot a chosen pellet and shoot near the limit but not over would be a far better idea, but if your then dumb enough to get your collar felt and found shooting pellet/s over the limit, that choice was yours and expect the law to act accordingly.


The 12 lbs ft law is over 50 years old, a simple revision to include the above, this would put the onus firmly with the shooter to dispatch prey with the most power available to them without exceeding 12 fp with their choice of pellet.

Common sense falls short of the mark in this case and around and around we go, getting nowhere fast.

[Dave2345678]

TBF they probably not even considered the Airgun as being a legitimate tool for pests, more likely considering it an older youths tool for pot shotting.
A much more sensible thing, would be the person with permission, or a landowner could use the power he likes power to get the job done, but the rest limited to 10-11
Most on here seem to favour 10.5 as being ideal for FT anyway …even if i would prefer much more for hunting.

[Anothermiss]

The law isn't really maintained for people who are willing to have the adult discussion that we are all engaged in.
I think it's more for those that are less responsible

[robs5230]

I normally set springers to a max of 10.5 - 10.8 with the most efficient pellet.
I check ME in summer and winter and adjust accordingly

[Dave2345678]

I normally set springers to a max of 10.5 - 10.8 with the most efficient pellet.
I check ME in summer and winter and adjust accordingly

The problem is, whilst most models may seem nicer to shoot at 10.5 typically and thats fine, but Ive been out with an FAC registered pal using a Rapid and a Patriot (both legally running 20 ish) and the difference on game was night and day.
Even shot placement became less critical. Completely broken skulls on Squirrel. Less than ideal body shots, ripped clean through and didnt seem any lesser for not having been ideally shot.
The energy given up thing in regard of not passing through seemed mute.
Both sides of the shoulders done at 30 yards, which at 10.5 would have been a bad hit.
It has to be better to have that availability for the private game shooter, then having the choice to go up in pellet weight/slug if you dont wish the pass through.
Legitamate hunter/land owner gets choice. FT a 12 limit.

[elewis411]

10.5ftlb. The difference in a hunting sinario using 10.5ftlb against a gun running at near legal limit is negligible. Better to be on the safe side of the law.

Have always set my springers up for 10.5, but have met quite a few people who just can’t get their heads around this and think that’s their rifles have to be within an hairs width of the legal limit or their useless which goes to show they really don’t understand that the difference is almost negligible plus you have a legally safe rifle…