I have reqad that springers are very susceptible as to how they are held. Not sure I understand. Open to instruction. I have a Gamo Big Cat in .177 Accuracy is disappointing. Wondering If its me, The gun is about 18 years old. Writing because I was trying to zero in the scope the other day. 20 - 25 feet grouping about 1.5 inches and up and right, about 3 inches from POA. Put another scope on it same thing. Oh it will also just shoot where ever from time to time.
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Springers are fickle about how they are held
- Thread starter Barksdale223
- Start date
Using the "artillery hold" can help. Try googling that for more info, and also see the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV7zqBcW83Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV7zqBcW83Y
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And where they are held as well as how tightly they are held. When you get the hold all figured out and feed them their favorite pellet they can be quite accurate.
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If at all possible you may want to check the velocity with a chronograph to see if the rifle varies a lot after 18 years. May need a tune up.
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The key to accuracy with any rifle of any kind is consistency of hold, trigger pull, follow through. The major difference with springers is they will make you pay a higher price for your inconsistencies. Just a slight change in support position, cant, cheek weld, trigger pull will have aggravating consequences.
Make sure you keep your eye in the scope or on the sights until the pellet is down range. Whatever barrel movement you are able to see should always be the same or something about your technique changed.
Make sure you keep your eye in the scope or on the sights until the pellet is down range. Whatever barrel movement you are able to see should always be the same or something about your technique changed.
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Check your barrel block screw and stock screws. Ya Springer's are finicky. Alot like women each one is different.
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Just out of curiosity, is the parallax on your scope adjustable? Is it dialed in to the correct distance?
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Check that all of your scope mounting ring screws are tight every single one of them as well as the scope recoil stop pin backed to the rear of the stop pin hole and some Gamos came with receiver base riser dovetails check that is absolutely clinched tight as well.
After doing this and accuracy is still erratic and you feel you aren't a naturally terrible shot then try using a better magnum spring gun rated scope.
After doing this and accuracy is still erratic and you feel you aren't a naturally terrible shot then try using a better magnum spring gun rated scope.
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I’m assuming you have the gamo big cat 1250? Would you be interested in taking it apart to verify some things?
I have 3 gamos currently. When I finish shooting one and start shooting another my shot groups are not good. Then I remember how that particular gun likes to be held. This is purely my ways for shooting for groups and is in no way a disciplined form of shooting
The best place I’ve found to start is very lightly pressed to shoulder and I have long arms so I’ll place an even amount of boney parts of my hand at the front forend of the stock so it’s mostly just resting on my boney hand. It has to be even though, not cradled on one side and barely rested on the other. I also DO NOT cradle the stock in any way. That way I can feel what’s going on with the recoil.
Then I’ll try resting the forend on a flat soft surface like a towel. If that doesn’t group then I’ll start moving the rest closer to the trigger guard.
Last hold that I use is to push slightly with my shoulder so as to assist in slight downward pressure on the fore end where it’s rested on something soft. I’ll have a tighter grip on the handle and will pull down slightly.
Those are my 3 bread and butter holds that I’ve used for a long time.
I have 3 gamos currently. When I finish shooting one and start shooting another my shot groups are not good. Then I remember how that particular gun likes to be held. This is purely my ways for shooting for groups and is in no way a disciplined form of shooting
The best place I’ve found to start is very lightly pressed to shoulder and I have long arms so I’ll place an even amount of boney parts of my hand at the front forend of the stock so it’s mostly just resting on my boney hand. It has to be even though, not cradled on one side and barely rested on the other. I also DO NOT cradle the stock in any way. That way I can feel what’s going on with the recoil.
Then I’ll try resting the forend on a flat soft surface like a towel. If that doesn’t group then I’ll start moving the rest closer to the trigger guard.
Last hold that I use is to push slightly with my shoulder so as to assist in slight downward pressure on the fore end where it’s rested on something soft. I’ll have a tighter grip on the handle and will pull down slightly.
Those are my 3 bread and butter holds that I’ve used for a long time.
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Thank you all. The hold is something I was not aware of. Can't wait to try it. The scope seems to be dialed in OK. I switched the Gamo scope fro one that was on an SKS that I got. More power but I am sure it can take any recoil. I don't mind taking it apart. I hope there is a video on how to do it. I don't have a problem taking things apart its the reassembly that gets me. Spartan the video is great. I guess now I have some homework to do. If I get it close, I can start playing with pellet choice.
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Barksdale123, Google YouTube Si Pittaway and check out his videos. The guy is super fantasy with springers or any airgun. Very good on "how to". Been a long time fan and learned a ton from him.
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I discovered the same problem when I got my 0.20 cal Beeman R1 back in the 90's. I didn't understand it at the time, and the tighter I gripped it, the worse it shot!!!
Holding it more loosely, and being as methodical as possible to hold the same way, with the same light cheek pressure, off hand position, and shoulder pressure. Your shooting hand and finger/thumb positions makes a huge difference too.
Why? Because the gun moves with the shot cycle BEFORE the pellet leaves the barrel.
I found that it's better to pinch the trigger with index finger and thumb, taking care not to pull the gun to one side while squeezing. I stuck a rubber bumper foot on the back of the stock wrist, right on the centerline, to give my thumb a perfectly repeatable place to touch. I call this "the accuracy button" for my springers.
Good luck and have fun!
Holding it more loosely, and being as methodical as possible to hold the same way, with the same light cheek pressure, off hand position, and shoulder pressure. Your shooting hand and finger/thumb positions makes a huge difference too.
Why? Because the gun moves with the shot cycle BEFORE the pellet leaves the barrel.
I found that it's better to pinch the trigger with index finger and thumb, taking care not to pull the gun to one side while squeezing. I stuck a rubber bumper foot on the back of the stock wrist, right on the centerline, to give my thumb a perfectly repeatable place to touch. I call this "the accuracy button" for my springers.
Good luck and have fun!
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Couldn't agree more. That's probably the best advice anyone could give you.
I've watched ALL of Mr.Pittaways videos and I don't believe there isn't any springer he has owned and or shot that he can't put 3 shots under a thumbtack at 50 yards.
He is simply amazing with a spring gun.
Ray
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I was about to give up on Springers until I bought an HW 50. The only other springer I have is a Hatsan 95 and it is like night and day shooting both of them. But I had a couple Springers before That I got rid of because I couldn’t get them to shoot accurately. I like PCP rifles better but didn’t want to completely give up on the Springers. I like having a variety of different air guns .
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As to your last comment... pellet choice is critical with fussy guns. I use JSB RS I’m fussy guns to great success. Otherwise I find either JSB Exacts or Crosman Premier brown box 7.9s will perform well. Those three pellets are at least a great starting point for a gamo.
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Some like to be held tightly while others work best artillery wise.
My LGU and HW97 enjoy a firm grip. Artillery hold puts pellets all over the place.
My LGU and HW97 enjoy a firm grip. Artillery hold puts pellets all over the place.
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I know there are fans of Gamo on here but I can tell you that Gamo was the worst pellet gun I have ever owned. I owned 3, each one more expensive than the last before I finally realized it wasn't me it was the gun. I tried everything; artillery hold. different pellets, different scopes, etc. but I couldn't get consistent results until I bought my HW97K. As I was throwing away my Gamos I took the scope off of one of them and the stop pin from the scope mount had plowed a channel .25" long in the top of the gun from where the pin was inserted into the gun's mount. The final straw for me with Gamo was when something went wrong with my Gamo Big Cat and the pellets came out so slow they would barely penetrate a cardboard box at 10yds.
I'm just saying all of that to say it may not be you, it may be the gun. But as others have said, springers are brutal on scopes, very finicky about their ammunition, and very picky about how they are held. I use the artillery hold and literally just rest the gun in an open palm if I am in the prone position, and a very loose grip with an open top when I am standing or aiming upwards. My thumb and forefinger apply a tiny bit of pressure on the sides, no more than is needed to aim the rifle.
My HW97K is the opposite, it loves an artillery hold, I think it depends on the ammunition your gun likes as well. I tried many different brands and mine seems to like the H&N Sport FTT 8.64gr the best combined with an artillery hold.
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I would have to agree with that. My old HW77 didn't seem to be sensitive at all. I did a little experiment with my HW30. The group on the upper right was shot at 45 feet from sand bag rests. I tried to be as consistent as possible. The lower left group was shot with all sorts of holds ranging from only the trigger being touched to held hard against my shoulder. I think the larger group was due more to unsteady holding than the force applied to the stock. The green dots are 3/4".
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