Another New Guy

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Weste

Member
Jul 2, 2023
71
179
Cheyenne
I posted this in the Springer subforum with limited replies. I thought I would share with everyone.

New guy here. I have been shooting since the mid 1950s and was around firearms for a 38 year law enforcement career, so I am not a newby to shooting. A very dear friend passed away in April and I inherited his Winchester model 1000 pellet rifle. Concurrently we are experiencing a surge of pocket gophers on our couple of acres, so I am quickly being inserted into the springer world. My 73 year old eyes don't work very well with iron sights so I ordered the attached Winchester 4x scope which arrived today. I did a quick sight-in in the back yard this afternoon and will take it to the range tomorrow and refine the zero.

I did manage to score two gophers with the iron sights by sitting in my Polaris Ranger and using a shooting stick, but I was extremely limited with the distance I was comfortable shooting. I am looking forward to having an extended range of operations with the scope. Unfortunately the Ranger quit on me today so I will need to trailer it to the shop to get it fixed. I am working on how to engage the gophers without inciting the neighbors.

Winchester 1000 2.jpg


Winchester 1000 1.jpg
 
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orangeokie said:
Welcome to the forum. Is the report of the rifle loud? Is that your concern with your neighbors? What caliber?
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Not overly loud, just the appearance of me pointing a rifle. It is .177 caliber. I have been trying to minimize the visual of me pointing a rifle. Just wish the shop would fix my Ranger. The good news is the weather has been so wet the critters haven't been out a lot.
 
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I live in a condo, no back yard shooting. I do the shooting from inside the house so no witnesses. I use some form of bait to get the pest critter in a shooting zone. The zone is in front of a tree and neighbors cannot see what happens there. I have removed two large skunks like this that were living under my deck. Trash day is Wednesday so Tuesday night is the best time for clandestine pest removal..
 
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beerthief said:
Maybe if your neighbors ask what your doping ,you tell then , in turn they might invite you over to pest their critters ?

OH are there any law or ordinances against what you are doing ?
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To the best of my knowledge there are no rules or regulations about pellet guns. If I broke out my 223 varmint rifle I am sure I would get a visit from the Sheriff's Office, where I was a reserve deputy for 22 years, and I know how they respond to gun calls. I don't want to be subject to that as they have had so much turnover since I left and I don't know very many of the deputies.

My neighbor to the west would fully support what I am doing. I don't know what my neighbors to the north and south would do. The neighbors to the east can't see what I am doing because of my house. We are on 2 and a half acre lots so it isn't really close, but I have been trying to position my Ranger so I am shooting towards my house rather than theirs. Come on repair shop! The weather is supposed to clear up next week which would provide excellent opportunities for critter control.
 
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Weste said:
To the best of my knowledge there are no rules or regulations about pellet guns. If I broke out my 223 varmint rifle I am sure I would get a visit from the Sheriff's Office, where I was a reserve deputy for 22 years, and I know how they respond to gun calls. I don't want to be subject to that as they have had so much turnover since I left and I don't know very many of the deputies.

My neighbor to the west would fully support what I am doing. I don't know what my neighbors to the north and south would do. The neighbors to the east can't see what I am doing because of my house. We are on 2 and a half acre lots so it isn't really close, but I have been trying to position my Ranger so I am shooting towards my house rather than theirs. Come on repair shop! The weather is supposed to clear up next week which would provide excellent opportunities for critter control.
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I was headed into woods, where I shoot my powder burners, and was stopped by a deputy. He said was investigating people dumping trash, as he looked at my load of trash. I said sir, I have weapons that I shoot here, and as you can see I take my trash with me, and even cut the grass. My trash was full of bullet holes. Lol. We became freinds rather quickly. He told me that I should get licensed for silencers, and shoot at home. He said that was how he did with his .22's.
 
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.20calguy said:
I was headed into woods, where I shoot my powder burners, and was stopped by a deputy. He said was investigating people dumping trash, as he looked at my load of trash. I said sir, I have weapons that I shoot here, and as you can see I take my trash with me, and even cut the grass. My trash was full of bullet holes. Lol. We became freinds rather quickly. He told me that I should get licensed for silencers, and shoot at home. He said that was how he did with his .22's.
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I am somewhat biased about the friendliness of most law enforcement officers. Unfortunately more and more of them view firearms as just another piece of equipment they have to carry. We have a county operated shooting range where I shoot my powder burners, and I volunteer as a RSO for fours hours a day, two days a week. I can also shoot my air guns there when I want to.
 
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Welcome to a fun forum. I know what you mean about being seen aiming a rifle.
I live in Montana and still if you are seen even just carrying a rifle most people look concerned, like you had an angry pit bull on a string or something.
Sounds like you have a great place for shooting, here’s hoping for a speedy recovery for your mobile blind!
 
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Weste said:
To the best of my knowledge there are no rules or regulations about pellet guns. If I broke out my 223 varmint rifle I am sure I would get a visit from the Sheriff's Office, where I was a reserve deputy for 22 years, and I know how they respond to gun calls. I don't want to be subject to that as they have had so much turnover since I left and I don't know very many of the deputies.

My neighbor to the west would fully support what I am doing. I don't know what my neighbors to the north and south would do. The neighbors to the east can't see what I am doing because of my house. We are on 2 and a half acre lots so it isn't really close, but I have been trying to position my Ranger so I am shooting towards my house rather than theirs. Come on repair shop! The weather is supposed to clear up next week which would provide excellent opportunities for critter control.
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I checked with the repair shop today. They are behind in their service dept. Maybe tomorrow or Friday. Sigh.
 
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Weste said:
I just bid on another springer on gun broker. I will advise if I am successful. Nice that the bid is about 10% of the last item I bought, a Colt Wiley Clapp lightweight commander in 45 ACP. I think I am liking this hobby.
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I was the only bidder and won the auction yesterday for $90 for a Ruger Blackhawk springer rifle with less than 50 pellets through it. Paid online with the assurance the rifle would shipped today. I got a call this morning from the seller that he took the rifle to UPS and they refused to ship a firearm from a non FFL holder. He would have to take it to his FFL tomorrow for shipment. Heavy sigh.
 
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Weste said:
I was the only bidder and won the auction yesterday for $90 for a Ruger Blackhawk springer rifle with less than 50 pellets through it. Paid online with the assurance the rifle would shipped today. I got a call this morning from the seller that he took the rifle to UPS and they refused to ship a firearm from a non FFL holder. He would have to take it to his FFL tomorrow for shipment. Heavy sigh.
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I got an email from the seller who reported he took the rifle to his FFL who would ship it out today via Fed Ex. Maybe by Wednesday. UPS apparently does not understand that an air rifle is not a firearm.
 
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