10-02-2015, 08:36 AM
I'm with you on the gun range situation here. I haven't fired a smokeless powder burning gun since I moved here 4 years ago now. This is in general a poor state for shooters.
What I did was, maybe 2-3 years before we moved, I had got into air guns. You can get air rifles and handguns that absolutely require the same skills as firing a "real" gun, and you can do it in your yard safely, and even indoors in a garage or hallway. Proper pellet trap required. The better air rifles are good to 25, and, in some cases, 50 yards. I do most of my target shooting at 10 yards. Side benefit is, I eliminated at least most of the rat population that were getting into my chicken coop at night. Bought a small red led flashlight, strapped it on the barrel, set a lawn chair up at a pre-measured 7 yards distance, had the gun zero'd at same, and shot a bit downward so the pellet, if I did miss, would go into either a 2x6 baseboard, or some thick plywood, and went out about 8:00-8:30 at night. I used either a .177 or a .22 caliber multi pump air rifle and carbine. No more rat sign in our coop. I like a quiet air gun for obvious reasons. Used one of these to take out two wild trouble making roosters a couple years ago too. Gave the roosters to my neighbors to eat. Mostly I just target shoot. On a good day, I can get 10 yard 3 shot groups (at least some) into one tiny hole the same size as the caliber I am shooting (.177 or .22). Keeps my shooting skills sharp.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
What I did was, maybe 2-3 years before we moved, I had got into air guns. You can get air rifles and handguns that absolutely require the same skills as firing a "real" gun, and you can do it in your yard safely, and even indoors in a garage or hallway. Proper pellet trap required. The better air rifles are good to 25, and, in some cases, 50 yards. I do most of my target shooting at 10 yards. Side benefit is, I eliminated at least most of the rat population that were getting into my chicken coop at night. Bought a small red led flashlight, strapped it on the barrel, set a lawn chair up at a pre-measured 7 yards distance, had the gun zero'd at same, and shot a bit downward so the pellet, if I did miss, would go into either a 2x6 baseboard, or some thick plywood, and went out about 8:00-8:30 at night. I used either a .177 or a .22 caliber multi pump air rifle and carbine. No more rat sign in our coop. I like a quiet air gun for obvious reasons. Used one of these to take out two wild trouble making roosters a couple years ago too. Gave the roosters to my neighbors to eat. Mostly I just target shoot. On a good day, I can get 10 yard 3 shot groups (at least some) into one tiny hole the same size as the caliber I am shooting (.177 or .22). Keeps my shooting skills sharp.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP