Good rabbit hunting gun?-suggestions

From York, 2 posts

Sorry to rake over old coals but I'm looking to buy an air rifle (not pistol) to kill some rabbits on the farm I work at.

My price range is £250 tops, there is a nice window in a barn that looks right onto the opening of their burrows about 50 yards away.

As a first time shooter I'm looking for an low maintenance gun possibly with a scope (wobbly hands). Any suggestions??

From UK, 9 posts

Hmmm, if I was asked to recommend a good value for money springer second hand I'd go for the RWS/Diana/Original Model 52. I've got one and it's nobbled many a bunny for me.

From Home Counties, 79 posts

as a first time shooter with wobbly hands ! i would not attemt shots at 50 yard range to be honest! 50 yards is pushing it for an experienced shot! if you want to use the static approach to hunting consider building a hide between 25 and 35 yards away from the burrows! and get some good practice in before you go after live quary!

plent of info on web about hide construction

as for budget a BSA LIGHTNING & HAWKE HD 3-9 X 50 SCOPE should cost in the region of £240 - £250

From Ipswich, 3298 posts

50 yards thats a long way for an air rifle you can take rabbits but not humainly and with your wobbly hands id say that if you can a 22. rimfire is better with a bi-pod but if you cant get a fire arms licence then the BSA lightning and webly stingray are the best guns for you. bare in mind that most air gunners will not eavan try a 50 yard shot. pace it out to find the exact distance.

From UK, 9 posts

At £250 you are into second hand PCP territory. I've a couple of Webley Axsors and can hit a 12 bore plaswad 9 times out of 10 at 40 yards range kneeling. I was shooting rabbits on a clay shooting ground recently and there were plenty of old wads laying around so I did a bit of plinking to get my eye in.

From York, 2 posts

Thanks for the info guys, I was probably being generous with my measurement (or at least my other half says so) but I will have a look at the rifles you recommended.

Thanks.

From England, 63 posts

i got a gamo hunter 440 and i thought it was 12ftlbs but when it failed to kill a rabbit at 20-25 yards (granted it was a heart shot) i started to have doubts. had me a pigeon the other day though.
it works ok and with eley wasp .22 pellets you cant go far wrong
but i wouldn't go all the way to 50 yrds its just too far to be humane
bear in mind that 12 ftlbs comes down to about 8ftlbs at 30 yrds - and thats from tests of a webley longbow
i would go for a webley of some kind, in .22 just ensure you measure the distance you will be hunting at and then zero at that distance
happy hunting

From Ipswich, 3298 posts

no air rifle has exactly 12 ft lbs its always around 11.8 some times 11.9 depending on the pellet used my BSA lightning does aproximatly 11.6 ft lbs with bisley magnums.
The Gamo hunter 440 is a full powered air rifle but lacks the accuracy of the bsa and the webly rifles. shooting rabbits in the heart isnt always the best option I always go for head shots just to the top left of the eye thats right on its brain. Thats the best way to get a clinical kill.

From Colchester, 2 posts

yes im the same as u i live in colchester and i got a pritty powerful air rifle a smk b2 it is a superb air rifle and could kill a rabbit about 50 yards away got to www.budgetgunandtackle.co.uk and look at it is only £35.95

95 posts

The SMK B2 is an absolutely dreadful air rifle. Frankly, if your spelling and grammar are anything to go by, you should put the rifle away, and pay more attention at school.