Thread: Air rifle

I'm using a .25cal Diana PCP (yep, the Chinese made, German tuned ones), and it's magic on Rabbits and Hares. Might not be the go for using inside a barn, as they carry a fair bit of energy, and will quite possibly put holes in the roofing / cladding.

I guess I'm lucky. The wife enjoys shooting the .22lr and air rifle in the back yard, and the neighbors want all of their rabbits dead.
As for having the boys in blue turning up for using the air rifle at home, the Arms code has the following entry in regards to this. You are covered by the code, so should have no issues.

"Airguns may be used safely at home by setting up a properly
constructed range in your backyard or basement. In this way
you can enjoy your airgun in a safe and responsible way.
• Your range must have a ‘backstop’ e.g. a solid fence or
wall.
• No one should be able to walk between the target and
your airgun while you are shooting.
• The target needs to be fixed to a ‘pellet trap’ e.g. a
cardboard box full of sand."

My 2 cents worth, the right airgun is the most accurate airgun you feel you can afford, including for plinking. An inaccurate airgun will put kids off shooting, just frustrating.

A bit like trying to get a kid interested in science by buying them a crap microscope showing blurry rainbow edges on everything you put under it and try to focus on. Soon tire of that.

Originally Posted by quentin

I'm using a .25cal Diana PCP (yep, the Chinese made, German tuned ones), and it's magic on Rabbits and Hares. Might not be the go for using inside a barn, as they carry a fair bit of energy, and will quite possibly put holes in the roofing / cladding.

I guess I'm lucky. The wife enjoys shooting the .22lr and air rifle in the back yard, and the neighbors want all of their rabbits dead.
As for having the boys in blue turning up for using the air rifle at home, the Arms code has the following entry in regards to this. You are covered by the code, so should have no issues.

"Airguns may be used safely at home by setting up a properly
constructed range in your backyard or basement. In this way
you can enjoy your airgun in a safe and responsible way.
• Your range must have a ‘backstop’ e.g. a solid fence or
wall.
• No one should be able to walk between the target and
your airgun while you are shooting.
• The target needs to be fixed to a ‘pellet trap’ e.g. a
cardboard box full of sand."

All sensible, but as someone pointed out, you just need a hysterical gun hating neighbour. The Arms Code remember is not the law, the following is the law:

Arms Act 1983
"48Discharging firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in or near dwellinghouse or public place
Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $3,000 or to both who, without reasonable cause, discharges a firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in or near—
(a) a dwellinghouse; or
(b) a public place,—
so as to endanger property or to endanger, annoy, or frighten any person.
Compare: 1958 No 21 s 16(2B), (3); 1964 No 36 s 6(1)
Section 48: amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
Section 48: amended, on 1 November 1992, by section 25 of the Arms Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 95).

Obviously this part of the act cannot be used by some gun hater hearing gunfire from a gun range, but I think it is less clear if you have a garden setup, adhering to the arms code will help of course, but you will get some hassle from a bad neighbour.

The "without reasonable course" I highlighted as it seems to be it should have been relied upon by defendants in the past cases, but was not.