Although some people have the skill to shoot very precisely with spring-powered airguns, pre-charged (or PCP) models are generally easier to shoot accurately because they don’t recoil. The extra engineering involved in producing that recoilless firing cycling has tended to make PCPs more expensive than springers, but the price gap…
Air rifles
Will a budget air-rifle really do the job?
Airguns are not only my hobby, they are also my livelihood, and as someone who subscribes to the adage that you should always use the right tool for the job, I like to use the best shooting equipment that my budget can stretch to. However, not everyone can justify forking…
Dealing with rats in the hen house
Having an air rifle in the house often proves handy for impromptu backyard pest control. My airguns are called into action in the garden to deal with marauding grey squirrels, but more recently it has been dealing with rats in the hen house. Grain attracts rats We keep hens and…
FAC airgun accuracy – how can you improve it?
Q: I have recently switched from a sub-12ft/lb air rifle to an FAC-rated pre-charged model producing muzzle energy of around 40ft/lb and my results have so far been very disappointing. My old air rifle is capable of grouping pellets within half an inch at 30m, whereas the high-powered one is…
Air rifle ballistics – what works, what doesn’t and why
The airgun industry, like any business has to reinvent itself on a regular basis. Styles come and go, upgrades are introduced and so called ‘game changing’ enhancements announce. Recently all it’s been about bullpups and tacticool design, next year it will be something else in the endless effort to keep…
Air rifles – does more power mean greater range?
When set up properly, legal-limit air rifles are extremely accurate tools, and that precision can more than compensate for their modest power when coupled with a sound knowledge of fieldcraft. Get in close and shoot with precision, and delivering a lethal strike to the small kill zones presented by typical…
What’s the best camo pattern for airgun hunting?
Q: I’m new to airgun hunting and plan to invest in a camouflage suit so I can get closer to my quarry. What’s the best pattern to go for? A: It’s difficult to recommend one camouflage pattern over another, but it makes sense to choose one that gives a close…
Three impressive PCP air rifles for under £500
PCP air rifles are relatively cheap, easy to shoot and given a decent backstop you can even practise in the back garden. Perfect for pest control and ideal around a farm yard if you need to get rid of vermin with little risk of damage to property or stock. Why…
Shooting rats in broad daylight
The vast majority of my winter rat shooting is done during the hours of darkness. My usual routine is to arrive an hour or so before dusk so I can set up in time to catch the early action and shoot on into the night until activity tails off. Going…
Why airgunning is the most noble of shooting sports
Setting up airgunning as the noblest of shooting sports probably sounds like a tall order to many — it certainly does to me. Airgun shooters wear funny clothes, we get excited about shooting rats and grey squirrels and we don’t like to pay for our sport. More to airgun shooters…
Licensing airguns is not the answer, says BASC firearms officer
Early reports on licensing airguns in Scotland appear to show a lack of compliance — generally from an absence of knowledge rather than criminal intent. A law came into force on 1 January in Scotland making it an offence to possess an airgun without a specific certificate or a temporary exemption…
Maintain your airgun with this easy step-by-step guide
Learn how to maintain your airgun at home with this photographic step-by-step guide
This is the start of the ratting season for airgunners
Most farming units harbour a few resident rats throughout the year — especially if pigs or poultry are present — but numbers usually increase as autumn arrives. Many of these incoming rodents will have spent the warmer months in open countryside, foraging a relatively natural diet. But things start to…
FAC air rifles – why you should still focus on fieldcraft
Of all the many questions I get asked about airguns and airgun shooting, a huge number relate to high-powered airguns. Most people who wish to know more about the subject are relative newcomers to airgun shooting. It is natural to want an advantage to give your results a boost when…
The history of airguns
Once the playthings of the aristocracy, later silent military killers, airguns have been around in one guise or another for some time. Bill Harriman looks into their history
BSA Mercury airsporter reviewed
In the 1970s, when I was a teenager and mad keen on air rifles, there were two camps you fell into. You were either a British BSA or Webley shooter or a German Weihrauch or Feinwerkbau user. I was defi nitely in the Teutonic camp as my Weihrauch HW35 went everywhere I did. However, as pocket…
Ministers debate airgun safety
The comments were made by CA head of shooting Liam Stokes following a debate about the use of airguns by under-18s that took place in Parliament earlier this month. The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill was passed in July 2015, making it illegal to possess an airgun without a licence in Scotland after 31 December this year. Its introduction was…
Scottish owners have 50 days left to apply for air gun certificate
Scottish air gun owners are being reminded that from today they have 50 days left to apply for a certificate to ensure that they can keep their weapons when the new laws come into force on 31 December 2016, if they have not yet received a decision on their application.…
Back to basics with your airgun
“The more I practice, the luckier I get,” is a saying most commonly attributed to golfer Gary Player; but whoever said it first, the principle is just as important for those of us who shoot rifles. Particularly powerful rifles. We all pay lip service to the need for practice, practice and more practice but very few of us…
Own an airgun? Planning on visiting Scotland?
A: The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 comes into force on 1 January 2017. After that date, a visitor to Scotland who wants to bring his or her air weapon with them must apply to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland for a visitor permit and will have…