Air rifles: traceable or not?

**bigeye** · 28-07-2009, 09:51

I have a question that has sprung from another post regarding scumbags nicking diesel.

Whilst I'm unsure as to whether this the correct forum I shall ask it in any case and risk a b ollocking.

How traceable is an air rifle pellet - assuming it was fired at and lodged in the fleshy parts of ne'er do well?

I ask the question as my Mother lives in quiet Wiltshire Village which has recently been plagued by a series of petty thefts. Twice she has discovered someone has drained the tank of her car. .

The second time the thief struck I happened to be staying but heard nothing.
When her local bobby called in he informed us that there was a not a lot he could do - and even more frustratingly the police had a fairly good idea who was responsible but could not make an arrest due to lack of evidence.

There is a 15' Deer stand overlooking the fields that I reckon they traverse to get to my Mother's place, which I have used for shooting fox and rabbits from with my old 10/22T .

If somebody happened to be up there with a Feinwerkbau air rifle,for instance and, hypothetically shot at and hit the tossers (the stand is not on our land) how easy would it be for the 'authorities' to trace the embedded pellets to a specific rifle?

My apologies if this not a suitable topic for this forum.

**RangeStew** · 28-07-2009, 09:54

I expect it would be depressingly easy, far easier to nick you than the criminals.

**polar69** · 28-07-2009, 09:54

Air rifle pellets are still lead aren't they ? Not an awful lot for the forensics chaps to go on for rifling etc, however I suspect you'd be more likely to be traced from physical evidence in the deer hide, cans of stella, empty kebab wrappers etc from the "wait"

**Alsacien** · 28-07-2009, 09:55

Just about anything that can come out of a 12g is untraceable.....

**Biped** · 28-07-2009, 09:56

Originally Posted by Alsacien

Just about anything that can come out of a 12g is untraceable.....

As is what's left after a pig has had a shIt.

**The_Coming_Man** · 28-07-2009, 09:57

May I suggest considering just using a Barrett 50. Cal?

Much more satisfying.

**danielsan** · 28-07-2009, 09:58

And for the purposes of the courts an air rifle used in a crime becomes a fire-arm and the charges relating to shooting somebody with a fire-arm are?

**Ravers** · 28-07-2009, 09:58

Is the air rifle on ticket? If not just do the deed then store it at a mates or get rid of it sharpish.

''What air rifle? I don't own an air rifle.'' ;)

**Mr_Deputy** · 28-07-2009, 09:59

Fix one of these to the car instead

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ymore_mine.jpg

**bigeye** · 28-07-2009, 10:02

Originally Posted by Ravers

Is the air rifle on ticket? If not just do the deed then store it at a mates or get rid of it sharpish.

''What air rifle? I don't own an air rifle.'' ;)

Its non- FAC . I (ahem, I mean,somebody) bought it in from a country sports place in Farnborough yonks ago.

If I was to use SABO - there would be absolutely no trace I assume.

**Alsacien** · 28-07-2009, 10:02

Why not get a camera designed for photographing game? Easy to cam up watching over suitable "bait", and most work at night too.
There is your evidence, no laws broken.

**danielsan** · 28-07-2009, 10:03

Sorry if I've come across as a bit of a killjoy but unfortunately living north of Hadrians Wall our right on politicians would like nothing more than to ban air rifles - not to licence but to ban - all to appease the vocal minority who think its air rifles not druggies that kill babies. This vexes me somewhat

.

**Biped** · 28-07-2009, 10:07

You could always eschew the use of something that would indeed consitute a full-on firearms offence, and get you banged up for a long time and 'go native' instead.

I find a nice sturdy bit of 4x2 on the noggin, from the side, in a surprise, violent swing is enough to end most debates. One can then rapidly move on to the next player and so on until all are on the deck.

If and when the rozzers DO turn up, one can declare that a: it was on police advice that you were waiting for these chaps, b: that they spotted you, c: they were mob handed, d: they were going to hurt you and e: you grabbed the first piece of handily-fashioned-with-nails-sticking-out 4x2 you could find, and hit them repeatedly as they chased you around, as they wouldn't allow you to escape.

Hypothetically speaking of course.

**old_bloke** · 28-07-2009, 10:08

Shoot to miss

How about the old gaz can trick.

spray paint a gaz camping can black (but with an aiming point) put that near the rear of the car. They come up you shoot it , it goes bang whoosh and the place stinks of Gas. And they shit themselves.

**bigeye** · 28-07-2009, 10:09

Originally Posted by danielsan

And for the purposes of the courts an air rifle used in a crime becomes a fire-arm and the charges relating to shooting somebody with a fire-arm are?

Yes I'm aware of the implications of getting caught. It's precisely this scenario that I would be keen to avoid if I or somebody was to embark on this course of action. Hence my question.

In any case if somebody was shooting rabbits at night and a couple of trespassers strayed into their FOF - then of course it was an accident. The fact that the buggers were hit a couple of times each could be tricky though.