Air Gun Home :: View topic - Sighting in

dogugotw · Member

Slavia,

Thank you, awesome reply.

In NH, you can't get a license without taking the safety course. I took it last summer and had a great time. Passed the course, got my ticket, never saw a deer. Maybe this fall.

I very much appreciate the book reference. I'm looking for any good books on 'all things gun' that are helpful.

Thank you also for the pellet references. I was out over the weekend and there are very few pellet options locally so it's off to web-land.

Once I have a bit of data, I'll repost.

Doug

dogugotw · Member

Over the last couple of days I've been running off 10 shot sets at a 25 yard target, open site. First day was my home built bench on a rolled up towel and I got about a 6" grouping. Second day was standing, braced on the porch pillar, same results.

While waiting for my GRT III trigger, I was poking around his web site and downloaded all of his tips. Man do I suck at shooting air guns... based on what I read there, I'm not establishing a consistent cheek weld and have a variable hold (sometimes tight, sometimes loose, when on the bench I have a slightly different positioning of my hands, etc etc etc). Good stuff to know.

My trigger just came in and is installed. I fired off 2 pellets just to make sure I had it installed right and, to borrow a catch phrase from 'Everybody Loves Raymond'...Holy CRAP! Much more like my powder guns - no long puuulllllll, bang, more like pl bang. My thanks to everyone who suggested the change.

I'll be running off more sets over the next couple of days with better body mechanics and the new trigger and see how it changes my groupings. I'm also planning to do the same with my .22 just to see how much of a difference there is powder vs AG.

I love science!

Update - I just ran off a string of 10 at 25 yards, open sights, bench with a towel setup.
The bad news - max distance between shots was 7" so not any better.
The good news:
There is a lovely little grouping of 5 shots all inside a 1x2" oval. This is totally new. Some of this is that I'm a bit more consistent, but I have to believe that a bunch of it is related to the trigger. The fact that you squeeze and the gun goes off means I'm not waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen; I can focus on the target and my mechanics and let the trigger do its own thing. Love it!

I may put the scope back on and see what happens.

fritz · Silver Status Member

It is said that anybody who shoots a harsh springer well, can often easily outshoot those using PCP or burners.

dogugotw · Member

Fritz,

Just noticed you're in Jersey outside of Philly. Back in the mid '80s we lived in Blackwood. Interesting place, Jersey, and not at all what people think. I' in NH now and REALLY miss all of those little Italian restaurants...all they have up here is white bread...it's worse in Maine - a 'sub' is lunch meat, mayo, a pickle on a hot dog bun Shocked

Later.

Doug

fritz · Silver Status Member

I hate Jersey. Can't wait to leave.

j.m. · Member

I noticed when I set up my springer with a long trigger pull I was anticipating the shot and tightening my grip on the rifle.

dogugotw · Member

Many thanks to everyone who took time to reply and make suggestions. I've been mucking about for the last couple of weeks and think I can draw a few conclusions.

The gun - I've not got in the range of 300-400 shots through the gun and it does seem to be 'settling in'. I also put in a new trigger (HUGE difference in feel).

The ammo - the gun seems to prefer Gamo Hunter and Gamo Match. I have not been able to find any of the recommended ammo locally and have not yet placed a web order so we'll see if new ammo works better.

The scope - I took the scope off for a couple of weeks just to eliminate it as a cause. I have been shooting at 25 yards and not making much better than 3 or 4" groups. I finally got tired of seeing such big patterns and moved to 10 yards. After a few days at this range, I purchased a new CenterPoint 3-9x40 rail mounted scope (rather than two rings). OK that helped! I can actually see what I'm trying to hit and the scope doesn't move (which I think the old scope was).

Me - I am no longer putting a death grip on the gun or the stock and the new trigger allows me to relax even more.

The outcome - when I first started shooting at 10 yards, no scope, Gamo Mag, and my 10 shot groups were all running about 2" max distance. Add the scope, dial in the ammo and I'm not running about 3/4" groups. Just to do a bit of a sanity check, I ran off a string of 5 22LR at 10 yards and saw a 1/2" grouping so I think the AG is getting into the zone.

All shots in the 10 yard range were taken with my left hand resting on the top of a fence, the gun resting in my hand and the gun braced lightly against a porch post. I am beginning to 'see' the shot and find that this position allows me to maintain a very stable up/down orientation but I tend to wobble a bit to the left and right and the shot patterns bear out that view.

Given the few number of data points, it's hard to attribute any weight to each item changed but taken together, it adds up to a marked improvement in the overall shooting experience!

Now I think I'll keep shooting until I'm consistent and then switch to offhand and play with several bracing options (gun on a string, bipod, unipod, etc).

Thanks again for the help and tips.