Author Topic: shot gun or rifle? (Read 8423 times)

cmorrell · « **Reply #15 on:** December 02, 2009, 05:19:03 pm »

I suspect a shotgun is going to be far easier to hit your target with than a rifle, but I agree with the people above who claim that a slug is going to be far better if your plan is to eat the kill.

On an entirely separate note, I've recently discovered a shooting club in Bearsden with is a bit of a trek, but looks like a decent set up and I'm thinking of speaking to them in a few months when I have more time.

rbno22 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 06, 2009, 10:23:12 am »

air rifles for bunnies are far better and much more fun. A legal (12ft lbs) .177 calibre BAM 50 is good for a range of about 45 metres well the Weirach hk80 has a potential range of about 70 metres. Any presssure greater indeed needs a firearms certificate so if you are going to get a FAC buy a real rifle. Shotguns can be ok but depends on the chokes and cartridge you use. I agree a .22 rifle would be the best and cleanest method but you really must remember that the bullet will travel 1000 - 1500 metres if you miss and even can go straight through a rabbit and travel 500 - 700 metres !! but i have to say a shotgun on 3/4 chokes is great sport for pigeons flying on a wind !! my friend in england uses an old .303 ww2 rifle to great effect for rabbits .

cooper956 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 07, 2009, 07:33:15 pm »

depends alot on where u want to shoot i shoot air rifles ,shotguns,and rifles never heard of problems with chickens or anything eating lead shot and we have over 100 chickens the as for shotguns shatering bones its only realy that bad if you are too close for the type of shotgun id say rifles .22 or any other are not for biginers fac is harder to ger than a shotgun one! for rabits i would go for a 22 air rifle or a 410 shot gun the 410 being smaller is even less likely to spoil the rabit ect 12g is ok for rabits too but if you dont wan to shoot biger things a 410 is ample for rabits, pigion, crows,even the odd hare if u get close enough. i mainly use the airrifle for rabbits as it dosent scare everything away but you have to know how to shoot when you are in range and where to shoot the rabit or it will run off and die somewhere for inxpranced shots the 410,20,or 12 is a safer bet more likely to kill it outright. rifles much same as airrifles needs to be a clean shot just its got a longer range but this also means not as safe in smaller areas a .22 will pass in and out of a rabbit some of the time once shot a rabbit to find when i picked it up there was a 2nd one dead behind it that i hadent seen 2 with 1 shot but this can just as easy be something else u shoot as a friend found out when it passed though the rebbit and burst a alkathen water pipe laying on the serfice!