Need a pistol / rifle for vermin control HELP

[freecar]

Sheets Tabuer said:

okgo said:

I think I'll get about handing it in then if its such an issue.

I really wouldn't turn up at the local police station with an illegal firearm, they are not just going to say cheers mate and take it off your hands.

Google handing in a gun.

Not strictly true.

A buddy of mine handed in (on my demands) an illegally converted blank firer and over 200 hollow point rounds.

This gun was capable of holding five rounds and delivering them as fast as you could pull the trigger. He was told to toddle round the corner and hand it in to a different police station. So not only did they not arrest him on sight but they told him to take it elsewhere, thus letting an unlicensed firearm back onto the streets!

They categorically refused to take it at the first station and at the second he had no problems handing it in and there was no amnesty on at all!

[Turbodiesel1690]

Take off and nuke the site from orbit........the only way to be sure

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Sheets Tabuer said:

okgo said:

I think I'll get about handing it in then if its such an issue.

I really wouldn't turn up at the local police station with an illegal firearm, they are not just going to say cheers mate and take it off your hands.

Google handing in a gun.

Err, why don't you just dismantle it and take a sledgehammer to the pieces.

[itsnotarace]

For ratting, close range and large calibre is the way to go. Either .22 or .25 would be perfect, with a wide angle scope such as this one, zeroed to 8 or 10 yards

If you wanted to cobble together a NV, there are some videos here - caution contains rat shooting so not for the squeamish or those of a nervous disposition.

[Kuroblack350]

naffa said:

Kuroblack350 said:

.22 is better for rats, and beginners, as it's more forgiving - meaning it hits with so much force that you don't need the pinpoint accuracy of the .177 headshot.

Think thats the wrong way around actually.

.177 is by far the more forgiving as it has a less pronounced trajectory than .22, so actually its easier to shoot accurately unless you're very experienced/practiced.

And whichever calibre you use you need the level of accuracy to ensure a headshoe each time.

Not sure it's the wrong way around - we're saying roughly the same thing in a different way:

1. Larger calibre is better for rats - .22, or .25
2. Larger calibre hits with more force - hence no immediate requirements for a headshot when ratting

[Emsman]

Go and buy a decent second hand break barrell .22 or .177.
You are shooting rats, it won't make any difference- as long as the rifle is near the 12ft/lb limit. Rats aren't the hardest of things to kill.
Have a look at a second hand crossman pump up pneumatic too- no recoil, powerful and easy to shoot.
Should be well within budget.

[WorAl]

Uncle Fester said:

Note that some types of air pistol have been made illegal irrespective of the power. This was because the air cartridge type could be made to fire .22LR rimfire cartridges without modifying the gun.

So, if what you have is an air cartridge type, don’t take it to a dealer or Police station, you are likely to drop in serious legal trouble. Find a way to destroy it without a trace.

Not sure where you got this info from, but it is ballcocks.

I have one of these on my FAC after it was seen in my house by the reviewing officer, who told me about them being turned into bullet guns, then just told me to make sure it was on the FAC. The story is true, but those two points aren't.

[Don1]

I use this along with AA Diablo Field for rabbits and anything else that needs removing.

[mel]

freecar said:

Sheets Tabuer said:

okgo said:

I think I'll get about handing it in then if its such an issue.

I really wouldn't turn up at the local police station with an illegal firearm, they are not just going to say cheers mate and take it off your hands.

Google handing in a gun.

Not strictly true.

A buddy of mine handed in (on my demands) an illegally converted blank firer and over 200 hollow point rounds.

This gun was capable of holding five rounds and delivering them as fast as you could pull the trigger. He was told to toddle round the corner and hand it in to a different police station. So not only did they not arrest him on sight but they told him to take it elsewhere, thus letting an unlicensed firearm back onto the streets!

They categorically refused to take it at the first station and at the second he had no problems handing it in and there was no amnesty on at all!

That kind of fits in with my experience. In my case when an elderly great aunt died, my mother and one of my aunts were clearing out her house when they found a loaded webley revolver from circa second world war in her bedside draw. Apparently it had been my uncles who had died a good 10 years previously, he'd always kept it there as a "just in case" and after his death she'd seen no reason to change. As myself and my brother were the only two people in the family with any sort of experience around guns my mum rang me (she later 'fessed up she'd thought about ringing my brother who as a senior army officer has much more experience with weapons than me but decided against it as she knew that he is so relaxed around them that he'd of probably just popped it in his bedside draw in the same way my uncle had)

Anyway I then in my mind had three choices. 1. Pop it in my bedside draw but know that if the day ever came when I needed to reach for it the implications would be massive. 2. Run an angle grinder through it and throw it in the river, but what if someone saw me throwing it in? or it was later found and added confusion to a genuine enquiry? 3. wander into local police station, recant the story honestly and openly and give them the problem.

Needless to say it was a no brainer and I went for the third option, I walked in and spoke to the civilian on the desk and asked to speak to a firearms trained officer, they asked why and I showed them the contents of my Tesco bag. There was no big flap, concern, or even a raised eyebrow but after a couple of minutes sitting waiting with my bag and gun a copper appeared and said "lets have a look at your find then". I handed over the gun and the rounds I'd taken out of it plus the box full from the draw, he checked it wasn't loaded and thanked me for bringing it in, I even had to ask if I had to fill out any form or sign anything, he simply shrugged and said "no, no need" He didn't even take my name and details, that was that job done.

I would suspect from my experience that the story that ended up with matey in court for possesion is a half story and there's more to it.

[Saddle bum]

WorAl said:

Uncle Fester said:

Note that some types of air pistol have been made illegal irrespective of the power. This was because the air cartridge type could be made to fire .22LR rimfire cartridges without modifying the gun.

So, if what you have is an air cartridge type, don’t take it to a dealer or Police station, you are likely to drop in serious legal trouble. Find a way to destroy it without a trace.

Not sure where you got this info from, but it is ballcocks.

I have one of these on my FAC after it was seen in my house by the reviewing officer, who told me about them being turned into bullet guns, then just told me to make sure it was on the FAC. The story is true, but those two points aren't.

That is probably true, However, it is not possible to sell the item or pass it on to another user.

[WorAl]

No one mentioned selling it, he just doesn't want to scrap £150, which is understandable.

[GTIR]

WorAl said:

Not sure where you got this info from, but it is ballcocks.

I have one of these on my FAC after it was seen in my house by the reviewing officer, who told me about them being turned into bullet guns, then just told me to make sure it was on the FAC. The story is true, but those two points aren't.

You love that gun don't you.

[WorAl]

GTIR said:

You love that gun don't you.

Too right I do

Been shot with it too, fudging hurts.

[G_T]

To humanely kill these things you need as close to 12 ft/lbs as possible. This is the legal limit before you require a firearms licence.

Pistols have a legal limit of 6 ft/lbs. This is not sufficent for killing anything. Semi-automatic will mean CO2 capules which means less than 6ft/lbs and a very pissed off rat.

.177 vs .22 is a very old arguement but you will need a .22 calibre in this instance. You will also need flat head pellets. I would recommend those supplied by webley.

The cheapest springer with sufficient power is probably the XS17. It will be break-action and is well known for hit or miss build quality and inconsistent power. It retails at £80 without a scope or mounts (which you shouldn't need really). Expect to get pissed off using it.

For circa £150 you can pick up a Crossman 2260 (branded as rabbitstopper in the UK). It is CO2 powered, .22 calibre and allegedly 12 ft/lbs, it is repeat action but single shot meaning you have to reload using a bolt action but it does not require cocking. I find this very handy as you don't need to take your eyes off prey. You will look like you are reinacting the film Zulu.

I needed a cheap rifle recently and I went for the Crosman. The downside to CO2 is that power degrades after about 20/30 shots and temperature effects the shoot. You can expect significantly less than 12ft/lbs on all but the sunniest days, which is useless for those of us that hunt at night. You can however get around this by keeping the CO2 capsules warm i.e. leave in your pocket until the last minute. It can be easily tinkered with to get it reliably at 12ft lbs.

PCP remains the standard though. But expect to pay £500+ for the rifle £100 for a decent scope and £100+ for the filling kit.

Guntrader and various forums are the best place to pick up something second hand which is probably best for a modest budget. As a rule even the cheapest PCP is better than a good springer.

ETA: Oh and ffs wear googles or something if you're shooting against walls. They will come back at your eyes.

Edited by G_T on Monday 17th May 13:57

[Uncle Fester]

WorAl said:

Uncle Fester said:

Note that some types of air pistol have been made illegal irrespective of the power. This was because the air cartridge type could be made to fire .22LR rimfire cartridges without modifying the gun.

So, if what you have is an air cartridge type, don’t take it to a dealer or Police station, you are likely to drop in serious legal trouble. Find a way to destroy it without a trace.

Not sure where you got this info from, but it is ballcocks.

I have one of these on my FAC after it was seen in my house by the reviewing officer, who told me about them being turned into bullet guns, then just told me to make sure it was on the FAC. The story is true, but those two points aren't.

We are both correct, but I was writing from the perspective of the original poster, who would be in trouble if he is found to have an air cartridge gun.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 required existing owners of air cartridge guns to either scrap, hand in, or apply for it to put onto a FAC before 30th April 2004.

Anyone who manufactures, sells, purchases, transfers or acquires a self-contained gas cartridge weapon on or after 20 January 2004 will commit an offence under the Firearms Act 1968. You will be liable for a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and will soon be liable for the new minimum sentence of 5 years.
Anyone who is found in possession of a self-contained gas cartridge weapon on or after 30 April 2004 without it being entered on a valid firearm certificate will also commit an offence under the Firearms Act 1968 and will be liable for the same penalty.

The OP cannot therefore place one onto an FAC. I presume your application was made during the time this was permitted.

[okgo]

G_T you're talking st.

Even if my pistol is on the limit and is 6ft/lbs I've killed many rats with it and have shot other animals too, it would shred a cat food tin at 30ft which is more than enough to kill a small animal.

[Hong Kong Phooey]

okgo said:

G_T you're talking st.

Even if my pistol is on the limit and is 6ft/lbs I've killed many rats with it and have shot other animals too, it would shred a cat food tin at 30ft which is more than enough to kill a small animal.

Wasn't you that shot Shergar was it

[G_T]

okgo said:

G_T you're talking st.

Even if my pistol is on the limit and is 6ft/lbs I've killed many rats with it and have shot other animals too, it would shred a cat food tin at 30ft which is more than enough to kill a small animal.

At 30feet or 9 metres you could use a pointy fking stick.

The point is if you want a clean kill you need more power and accuracy. I would question the ethics of anybody who uses an inaccurate 5ft/lbs pistol (which let's be honest it almost certainly is as they are never on the limit) to hunt anything rat or otherwise.

If you need to kill things in close quarters get a shorter barrel. You kill with rifles, you plink with pistols.

[okgo]

Fair enough I do understand what you're saying.

The cat food tin I speak of is one of the old school ones, you would struggle to crush it in your hand, they were fairly thick, maybe three or four times that of a coke can. A gas BB gun would bounce off and leave a tiny dent from close range, the pistol went through both sides.

[WorAl]

OP what you want to be doing for these rats is