Airgun Depot's Airsenal News

One of the topics that abounds on airgun forums is the legality of discharging your airgun in certain areas. There are several issues that need to be considered before going shooting.

First, check your local and state laws on just exactly where your air gun fits in regards to its classification as a weapon. Some states and locales do not consider air guns weapons, while others do. And if you live in small-town America, you may have some leeway depending on your relationship with the local authorities. I enjoy a good relationship with my local chief of police, and have permission to discharge my air guns within city limits.

After you establish the legality of shooting in your area, and find that you can indeed shoot, check with your neighbors if you have any. Good relationships with your neighbors go a long ways towards bringing others into the shooting sports, and being a good neighbor shows responsibility and consideration that is appreciated by those around you. 

On the airgun hunting forum I host, another consideration that has cropped up lately is the shooting of pests. This consideration can be a tricky one, for some state laws are written in such a way that certain game animals, as well as non-game animals, can be considered pests if they are messing up the yard, annoying your domestic pets, or trying to gain access to the house for nesting areas (such as the attic, chimney, or basement/crawl space). In some cases you can shoot them and be done with them, and in others you simply can't according to the law. An example of the kind of animal that falls in this category is the common crow. It has a season in many places, but if you plant a garden and find crows picking out the seeds to your freshly planted plot, you are allowed to shoot them. Again, this varies from area to area, and YOU need to check it out for yourself.

Far too often a new airgunner, in their excitement of enjoying their sport, will inadvertently shoot a bird thinking it is a pest, only to find out that it is a desireable species rather than the ever-present, annoying English sparrow or European starling.  Target identification is very important, and not everything that has wings is a pest, and not everything that has fur is a rodent intent on living in your house. So take a few extra seconds to identify your target before making a mistake that removes a desirable bird or other animal from the ecosystem.

You drive a car, don't you? Surely you took a few minutes to familiarize yourself with local and state laws about how you can drive your car? Speed limits differ from locale to locale, and you can't always turn right on red in some places. So, do the same with your shooting habits. KNOW your rules, abide by them, and represent your sport in the best light possible.

It is the responsibility of all of us in the shooting sports to be ethical. The public is watching, and it is up to us to show our very best to critics and enthusiasts alike.

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 05:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

When you get into airgunning, the incredible amount of different guns can be a bit mind-boggling. There are so many different kinds of airguns, different disciplines in shooting them, and quite an assortment of uses for them. However, there are really only two choices when it comes to deciding just how big an airgun you want.....do you want a pistol or a rifle?

To be fair, there are serious competition organizations, as well as Olympic events centered around both types. Some shooters compete in both areas, showing a shooting ability well beyond the average shooter. But if I were to take a guess, and this is only a guess, I would pick the rifle as the most popular airgun for the average shooter.

The rifle is a useful item in so many ways. Many airgun shooters buy one in order to have off-season practice when hunting season isn't in swing. Others buy it for the pest control aspects that it provides, having it serve double duty for pest control and small game hunting. And many a young lad and lass has grown up longing for a "pop gun", usually in a rifle configuration. The ubiquitous "bb gun" such as the Daisy Red Ryder has ushered many a youngster into the shooting ranks of airgun enthusiasts. And the rifle is an easier airgun to master than the pistol.

You don't find a whole lot of pistols that generate the power needed for pest control and small game hunting. They are out there, to be sure, but a large portion of the pistol airguns are designed for "fun shooting" at very short ranges. For pest control and small game hunting, longer range and higher power levels are the order of the day, and that brings the shooter back to the rifle.

Rifles also come in enough different sizes that the buyer can buy rifles of shorter length that still deliver the power needed. For instance, you can get carbine versions of many rifles that have barrels anywhere from 2" to 8" shorter. This may not seem like much, but when you are trying to fit an airgun under the seat of a vehicle, or store it in an innocuous place, that difference in length matters. And since the powerplant is still that of a rifle, your energy levels are not affected nearly as much as if you were going to replace your rifle with a pistol. And if you are dealing with PCP's, your shot count still remains higher than that of any pistol.

Now, to praise the airgun pistol, let's look at some positives they have. They are compact,  easy to carry, and for the pure "fun" factor, hard to beat! There is something about pistol shooting that equates with enormous fun for most shooters, though precision shooting with a pistol is a discipline in itself. But if you want to roll a can, perforate some paper, or relax shooting flies off an old sweet roll, pistols deliver a great time. Sneak one into a backpack while hiking, and you can entertain yourself on rest stops. In an emergency, a small air pistol may help you obtain nourishment in the form of small critters.

Some pistols that I have owned are: Crosman 1377, Crosman 1322, RWS 5G, IZH-46M, Crosman Mark I, Gamo Compact, Crosman 2240, a custom 2240-based PCP pistol, and a few other custom bigbore pistols in 9mm, .45, and .50 caliber. These larger caliber pistols are rare and only truly shine in hunting situation where enormous power from an airgun is called for. However, the others that I mentioned are all great shooters, aiding me in passing leisure time as well as harvesting mice, squirrels, rabbits, and pest birds. 

Airgun Depot has a wide selection of available airguns, both pistols and rifles. It is up to you, the shooter, to determine your specific needs. If you have questions as to what I or others may recommend, please feel free to post a question regarding your circumstances, and we will do our best to give you our suggestions.

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 05:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Let's say you purchased your new airgun from Airgun Depot. Or maybe you got one for Christmas, and now that the holidays are over, you've found the time to get it out and start shooting. Grab your ammo, propellant if needed, and a popcan for a target, and go shooting.....right?

Wrong!

As in anything mechanical, airguns have quirks and oddities about them. And to minimize the struggles and disappointments that sometimes come our way with new devices, take a minute and do some of the following things. This list isn't exhaustive, but it is a good place to start.

1. Read the manual. Seriously, it's there for a purpose, and you might actually learn something that you didn't know if you'll give the manual a good reading. There are safety precautions for you to follow to be a safe shooter, and little tidbits of information that the manufacturer just couldn't share with you on the brightly covered and attractive box that your new airgun came in!

2. Familiarize yourself with the features. Heft the gun, get an idea of the balance. Locate the safety and note the positions of safe/fire. Take a look at the open sights if it has some, and take a bead on a safe target while the gun is still unloaded just so you'll know what to expect. If the gun is co2 or PCP, or even a multi-pump gun, you are okay doing a few dry-fire shots with no ammo. CHECK THE GUN TO BE SURE IT IS UNLOADED BEFORE DOING THIS. Mistakes happen, and safety is up to you!

3. Check the securing stock screws. This is especially important with spring-piston guns due to their recoil, but any gun needs to have the action securely fastened into the stock. One of the most aggravating experiences is to shoot a new airgun and not be able to hit your target. And the most common culprit to this experience is that the gun, during shipment or storage at the factory, has had the screws work loose.

4. Clean the barrel. I know you may have heard it said that airguns don't need their barrels cleaned often. That is true from my experiences, but when a gun comes from a factory, or out of long-term storage, there are preservative greases and oils that have been applied. You will be amazed how much gunk may come out of the barrel of a new, never-fired gun! Try running a patch through there and see if I'm not right. Do be careful when cleaning, and don't use harsh firearm solvents. Simple citrus-based cleaners are just fine for airgun barrels. Go easy on the crown with the cleaning rod so as not to mess up the final point of contact before the pellet leaves the gun. 

5. Shoot close first, then go for distance. Once you've read the manual, checked the features, fastened all the screws, and cleaned the barrel, you are much closer to enjoying your new airgun. So when you go out and finally start the shooting process, start close. Figure out what your gun can do at 10 yards before attempting 40 yard shots. Then ease the distance out further until you know you can hit your target at the given distance you want to shoot. Why? Because hitting your target is the whole purpose of shooting an airgun! There really is no other reason for getting an airgun other than being able to hit your target. This is true for plinkers, hunters, and competitors. If you can't hit your target, then you just bought an expensive tomato stake!

Airgun Depot has cleaning supplies, ammo, and more airguns to heighten your shooting enjoyment. Take the time to browse items that interest you, and don't forget Airgun Depot's video resource for further information on these item. Seeing them in action often helps you make a well-informed decision about your next purchase.

Posted by Randy Mitchell at 08:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)