Am I allowed to shoot an air rifle in my backgarden?

I'm not sure what the law is here. Anyone know if this is permitted?

Neither do I but I know that my son and his father used to fire them at the wooden shed in the back garden and my brother used to do the same when we lived at home.

17 years and over

You may buy, borrow or hire an air rifle and its ammunition and may use it where you have permission to do so.

Aged 14 – 17 years

You may not buy or hire an air rifle or ammunition. You may not receive an air rifle or ammunition as a gift but you may borrow one. If you are under 17 then your air rifle and ammunition must be bought for you by someone over 17 – normally your parent, guardian or some other responsible adult.

If you are aged between 14 – 17 years you may use an air rifle on private premises without supervision with the consent of the occupier – normally the owner or tenant. However, if you allow a pellet to go outside of the premises whilst you are shooting then you commit a criminal offence.

It is against the law, in England and Wales, to fire an air rifle within 50 feet of the centre of a highway, if by doing so you cause any member of the public, using that right of way, to be injured, interrupted or endangered. This offence could be committed, for example, by someone on private property close to a road who uses an air rifle in a way which endangers people on the road.

I'm not sure what the law is here. Anyone know if this is permitted?

They'll get my air rifle when they pry it from my cold dead hand...

They'll get my air rifle when they pry it from my cold dead hand...

Why did you want to know Mouseman? Shooting mouses?

Do you remember the BB Gun uproar when they kept sending Armed response to kids shooting them in the park.

I've always wanted to own and use one but I'm sure the rules were tightened up after Hungerford/Dunblane.

Just wanna shoot cans off the back fence when drunk is all...

This link may be helpful http://www.basc.org.uk/content/airriflepractice

I sneakily line cans up on the picnic bench i have in back garden...

and shoot from an open upstairs window.......

Yeah, its illegal.

Your best bet is to take it out to a local woods or something. Just buy a proper gun bag/case, or u'll be knicked.

All it takes is one neighbour to notice what you're doing and u will have a knock at the door.

All it takes is one neighbour to notice what you're doing and u will have a knock at the door.

Years ago, a neighbour and his teenage sons used to take pot shots at birds flying over their garden. It wasn't long before they had a visit from one of their neighbours protesting about cruelty to defenceless birds. I believe she reported them to the local constabulary and that was the end of the local bird shoot.

I'd never use it to kill birds with - they're not even pests.

I'd never use it to kill birds with - they're not even pests.

As long as you abide by the rules as mentioned above, and don't go shooting at living things, you should be ok.