Gun advice needed

As our land shows evidence of reasonable numbers of rabbits and we are in a area with lots of trees and therefore I assume possums I am in the final stages of renewing my gun license and then heading off rifle shopping. I’m told for what I want a “norinco” which is a relatively cheap Chinese made .22 is fine. Does anyone have experience of these or advice to give? Its 25 years since I last used a rifle so a little out of touch J

Hang fire until Kiwi comes on board - he is the LSB gun freak

I have a Norinco with a silencer, scope, I use subsonic ammo and it works a treat. Had it around 3 years.

There are plenty of reasonably low cost packages of scope & rifle being offered based on Norinco weapons. They are ok for occasional shooting and will be pretty cost effective if looked after. The steel tends to be a bit softer than a high quality rifle but at the price they are reasonable.

Chances are that the scope offered on a package deal will be a low end model. You may be better off to pay a little more and upgrade to more robust scope.

Remember the moderator only works with sub-sonic ammo and range is limited. That setup is good for night shooting where you don't want to upset stock or neighbours.

see if you can get a shotgun too...them rabbits aren't nice and obliging like possums (possums sit still while you shoot them) and a shotgun is alot easier and you won't have to worry about missing and the .22 bullet going for miles

the JW15 norinco bolt action .22? they're a chinese knock-off of the BRNO .22, even to the point that parts are interchangeable between them.

They've a definate "agricultural" feel, like a tractor as opposed to a slick smooth genuine BRNO sportscar feel. but they're cheap, reliable, and quite accurate. besides the BRNOs are $700+ bare rifle as opposed to a package price of around $300 depending on store
www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Hunting-shootin...uction-179324327.htm

the package deal is pretty good for the price, as an occasional use pest eliminator it's quite suitable, I can't find my current "Hunting and Fishing" catalogue, but they're generally amongst the better pricing on the Norincos.
Give these guys a call: (I think they're you closest store, rodney is near franklin? or is it north of aucks?)

Takanini Hunting & Fishing New Zealand

Address:
197b Great South Rd
Takanini
Auckland

Phone: 09 298 1556
Fax: 09 298 1552

do you have a gun rack?
www.baysteelcraft.co.nz/shop/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=1

devan;203119 wrote: them rabbits aren't nice and obliging like possums

a little bit of practice and shooting bunnies in full flight is possible I've splattered rabbits and hares with the .22 and the .303 as they run, dodge, jink, and weave

given the cost of a shotgun shell of $1+ for good ammo, and 50c+ for the cheap garbage, as oppose to 10c for a good .22 shell, theres economics to use .22s

Simon&Sue are north of Auckland Kiwi

Hey Simon/Sue
Hunting and Fishing in Warkworth will do you a good deal... we've bought about 6 guns from there and they are really good at offering advice etc etc.
Sundays

Pumpkingirl;203126 wrote: Simon&Sue are north of Auckland Kiwi

www.huntingandfishing.co.nz/index.php/pi...eid/28/pi_regionid/1

how far north?

Smarty pants [] About 40 minutes north, just before Warkworth according to their signature.

Ahuroa is near Warkworth - so that's why I said WW for a location
Aren't I the smarty pants knowing where Ahuroa is he he
Sundays

Can I ask a silly question? Why get a rimfire rifle?
Why not an air rifle?

I did the same as you - getting a license and then a small H&F rimfire .22LRm using subsonic ammo and a sound suppressor. Got about 12 bunnies over 3 months, then discovered air rifles.
The next time I went after the rabbits (there were 2 of us), we got 16! In 3 hours!
Rabbits are very sensitive to sound, and movement. The movement was easy to eliminate - sit still. I sat with back to the tree, and with the very quiet air rifle was able to keep knocking them off.
Rimfires (unless tuned and suppressed by an expert) still makes enough noise to get rabbits very wary, to a point where the all run and hide. And shotguns, you get one shot then go home. There's no way they will venture back out within an hour.

Air rifles are also a little safer in that the maximum range is about 200m, versus 1500m for the smallest weakest firearm.

We've used air rifles for pest birds, rabbits and possum. Usually a .22 air rifle for fur.
Pellets cost about $15 for 500.

on the other hand, theres the question of why even go silenced

I have no problems getting rabbits with an unsilenced .22 rimfire, roaming around on foot. this is spotlighting, during the day is harder, but rabbits are very wary during the day due to natural enemies such as hawks being abroad. they are less wary at night, and spotlighting is by far the most effective way to eliminate them.

sundaysbest;203156 wrote: Ahuroa is near Warkworth - so that's why I said WW for a location
Aren't I the smarty pants knowing where Ahuroa is he he
Sundays

Definately not many people who can say that