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getting started

Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 7:43 pm
by glen
Hi everyone,
I decided to start shooting airguns. I am spinal cord injured at the C5 level. Looking at air rifles at the moment. The PCP rifles seem like they may be best for me because I am not sure I have the strength to cock a break barrow or not. I want to target shoot maybe 10 meters because I can find an indoor range. The weather here in Houston drives me indoors much of the time. There is a PCP with a magazine but will it work for shooting 10 meters? If everyone know what I need to do please feel free to offer any opinions.
Thanks,
glen

Re: getting started

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 4:04 am
by BigAl
I would first suggest trying to find a club that shoots AR. You might struggle to find a club with many chair bound shooters, but most clubs should be able to get you going. A club is really useful as they will be able to get you started so that you can both conform to the rules, and shoot without causing yourself any additional health/injury problems.

When it comes to 10m AR I would recommend a PCP rifle. They are generally much lighter than SSP or spring powered rifles. I have no idea if Sporter class AR has disabled classes, the IPC only have events for Presicion. Competeive 10m match air rifles are all single shot, .177 caliber, and low power, about 5 foot pounds or around 500-600 fps. For presicion I would not consider any of the cheap offerings as used by Sporter class shooters, the triggers are just not up to the job. That will push your costs up, the cheap way into this class is by choosing an older design SSP rifle, which accuracy wise will be as good as any modern PCP, and with an excellent trigger. Here I am talking about rifles like the Walther LGR, FWB 601/603. There are also older recoiless/semi-recoiless spring powerd rifles from the same German manufacturers, although as with the SSP's they do though need a degree of upper body strength to cock. Assuming you can support the rifle you are allowed to use a shooting stand, so that you only have to lift the rifle an inch or so to actually fire the shot.

Internationally disabled AR is controlled by the IPC they only have a few classes for shooters, and their qualifying classes are very strict, although my moblity is much less than a lower limb amputee I cannot qualify for an IPC classification, so can only shoot in national level comps under our NGB's (NSRA) dispensation rules.

I hope this is of some help to you, there never seems to be much practicall stuff on this particular sub forum.

Alan

Re: getting started

Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:31 am
by Thomas Monto
The CMP has several air rifles that you might look at. Daisy M 887 is CO2 $365, Air Arms T200 Compressed air $525 These are sporter rifles.
Hamerle (sp) AR20 $840 is precision compressed air. This is a fine entry level rifle. None of these rifles require a lot of effort to cock as all have a lever.
http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/airrifles.htm#sporter

Tom Monto
Assistant Paralympic Shooting Coach USAS

Re: getting started

Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:19 pm
by glen
Hey thank for the replies. I think I headed down the correct path in finding a rifle. I was looking around for a used air rifle but seems the price for used is almost the same as new. So I am continuing to search, I am just anxious to start shooting. I had not hear of the CMP and found that sight very helpful. Thanks again for your input it really did help. BTW I stopped in at my local gun shop unfortunately they didn't know much about airguns, but after talking about it, maybe they will look into carrying a few things.
Best regards,
glen

Re: getting started

Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:35 pm
by dschaller
Try contacting Bob Foth at USA Shooting. I know that there is one good rifle shooter in the Houston area he might be able to hook you up with.