OK. The weather in TX this past weekend was just too good not to break out the air rifles and do some shooting. I broke out my .25cal DreamTac and was just shooting some groups of Benjamin Domed pellets. The rifle seemed to be shooting OK, but is not quite "tuned" yet. I'm still getting a jagged velocity profile, even though the pellets (unsorted) are grouping inside of 1/2" at 30 yards. I attribute that to "fine tuning" required on my part.
I did notice that the barrel shroud is very lightly touching the air tube. I don't know if this is normal or not (can't remember if that's the way it has always been). FX sells a barrel band for the DreamLine series, but the DreamLite (my original rifle) did not come with a band. So here's the question: Is the band required to get the most out of this rifle? I really want to use the rifle to help me get rid of some pest raccoons, but I want to be sure of an ethical kill and don't want to the rifle to lose zero because it was leaned in a corner waiting for my "pest friends" to arrive. I keep/move the rifle in a soft case, but have a hard case that works for it too. How sensitive are these rifles to general moving around (normal handling, not banging it around or dropping the case to the floor)?
If the recommendation is to use the barrel band, is there a better location to place the band than another? Closer to the filler cap, midway between the cap and the stock, or close to the stock?
Thank you in advance for any insight/advice.
Cheers,
Bill
I did notice that the barrel shroud is very lightly touching the air tube. I don't know if this is normal or not (can't remember if that's the way it has always been). FX sells a barrel band for the DreamLine series, but the DreamLite (my original rifle) did not come with a band. So here's the question: Is the band required to get the most out of this rifle? I really want to use the rifle to help me get rid of some pest raccoons, but I want to be sure of an ethical kill and don't want to the rifle to lose zero because it was leaned in a corner waiting for my "pest friends" to arrive. I keep/move the rifle in a soft case, but have a hard case that works for it too. How sensitive are these rifles to general moving around (normal handling, not banging it around or dropping the case to the floor)?
If the recommendation is to use the barrel band, is there a better location to place the band than another? Closer to the filler cap, midway between the cap and the stock, or close to the stock?
Thank you in advance for any insight/advice.
Cheers,
Bill