Giving up the sport and selling all my rifles and kit

[Big Dog]

Sadly, after 28 years as an avid fan of air rifle shooting, I am giving up and selling all of my rifles and kit. I've accrued quite a collection of rifles over the years, FX, Air Arms, Daystate and Weihrauch are all represented in my gun cabinet. I love nothing more than half a day out at the range, zeroing and trying to better my last shots. Sadly though, my collection of air rifles has seen little use since my move to Somerset, as quite simply, there is nowhere to go and shoot here. Earlier in the week I drove back up to Hertfordshire and enjoyed a great days shooting at one of the many ranges that can be found dotted all over London and the Home Counties. How strange it seems that in the busy, built up heart of the city metro-pole that is called London, there are shooting ranges galore that can be easily accessed and enjoyed, and yet down here in the rural landscape of the Somerset Levels, there is absolutely nowhere even half decent to go and shoot your air rifle for the day. You would have thought that there would be far more opportunities/places to shoot in a very rural environment than there is in and around the large, busy, noisy cities of London and the Home Counties. There seems no point at all in having air rifles if I have nowhere to shoot them regularly. So, once I've taken some photographs, I'll be advertising all my rifles/kit for sale on here over the next few weeks.

[Gixxerboy]

Not thought about pest control and doing a bit of door knocking?

[Geordie]

That is a pity BD

I hope you return when/if the opportunity of a shoot might happen.

[Blackbaronfish]

I bet you keep one

BBF

[eboswan]

sorry too hear that.....hang on too your favourite rifle sod`s law says as soon as you sell them all you`ll find somewhere too shoot.

[Big Dog]

Yep, I've done lots of door knocking. Not too interested in pest control as I only want to shoot targets, but have offered it. The landowners in and around the village I live in seem to be a real 'funny lot'. Most seem to be related in one sense or another, all those I have tried to speak with are miserable as sin and don't want to know, very few of them are approachable. It's almost as if the edict around here is that until you've been in the village for 20 years, you're a 'newcomer' and don't count.

I'll more than likely keep my S410 - but only because it's very very old and is worth virtually nothing. Will sadly start to post the rest of my kit in the for sale section, hopefully over the weekend.

[zippy]

Sorry to hear that your selling up Big Dog.....

With having so many nice rifles and been an air-gunner for 28,years it would be such a shame for you to give up the hobby.

I think you have the bug for air gunning, fair few people have given up and have returned to the hobby at later date. you may return at some point, strange though you were only asking about the new FX Bobcat the other day. in mind of wanting to buy one.

Hope you still continue to come on the AA forum for a chat. Who? knows your circumstance's may change.

Kind regards Mick.

[Timmytree]

Don't be too hasty Paul, I heard earlier this week that the Mendip owners are planning to rebuild the ranges and bring them more up to date. I agree about the village landowners though!

[Jinx]

It's certainly hard work getting permission, keep at it, once you get one you will end up with more than enough in no time

[Outandabout]

Hi Big Dog,
dont be to hasty to sell up. I was in a similar mood not to long ago, although I had permissions I could not be bothered about getting out there. Plenty advice from people on this forum helped stop me selling up and re- find the enjoyment of using my guns again. Like Timmy said wait a while and see what happens with the mendip owners. The guns are not costing you nothing so another couple of weeks/months may make all the difference.
Is there no way you could set up your own targets to keep you interested.
Hope it ends well
Kevin