Some BR questions and troubles i can´t solve it

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Doc_pafumo

Doc_pafumo

Member
Oct 10, 2024
52
27
Badajoz, Spain
Hi everyone,

I have several questions about Benchrest and also a problem I've already mentioned in the PCP airguns section, but I still haven’t found a solution.
I own an FX Crown with a 700 mm Superlight barrel and I shoot JSB 18 grain pellets at 870–880 fps. Accuracy at 30 meters has always been outstanding. About a month ago, I fine-tuned the rifle to find the plateau-knee area around 875 fps, and the consistency improved a lot, very stable with maximum spread of 4-5 fps.
At the same time, I started shooting at 72 meters outdoors. The target is placed downhill, around 5 or 6 degrees from my shooting position. I don't use wind flags.
The issue I’m seeing is that accuracy at this distance is totally erratic. Sometimes I get 2 or 3 shots almost touching or very close, and then suddenly the POI shifts drastically and the group opens up by 5 or 6 cm—like if the scope had moved.
I've tried many things: I reduced magnification to check for pellet spiraling (didn’t see any), cleaned the barrel, changed the barrel, checked the liner spacer positions, changed the moderator, shot without the moderator, switched from rests to bipods and back, changed shooting tables, checked torque on the stock screws, changed scopes… everything. But the accuracy keeps coming and going unpredictably.
On the other hand, maybe I’m just expecting something that’s not possible with my setup at 72 meters. So I’d like to know: what kind of group is realistically achievable at 72 meters by an enthusiast who’s been into this for about a year?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’ve read about the importance of wind flags and I’m already working on that. Many thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
Doc_pafumo said:
Hi everyone,

I have several questions about Benchrest and also a problem I've already mentioned in the PCP airguns section, but I still haven’t found a solution.
I own an FX Crown with a 700 mm Superlight barrel and I shoot JSB 18 grain pellets at 870–880 fps. Accuracy at 30 meters has always been outstanding. About a month ago, I fine-tuned the rifle to find the plateau-knee area around 875 fps, and the consistency improved a lot—group sizes dropped to a max of 4–5 mm and became very stable.
At the same time, I started shooting at 72 meters outdoors. The target is placed downhill, around 5 or 6 degrees from my shooting position. I don't use wind flags.
The issue I’m seeing is that accuracy at this distance is totally erratic. Sometimes I get 2 or 3 shots almost touching or very close, and then suddenly the POI shifts drastically and the group opens up by 5 or 6 cm—like if the scope had moved.
I've tried many things: I reduced magnification to check for pellet spiraling (didn’t see any), cleaned the barrel, changed the barrel, checked the liner spacer positions, changed the moderator, shot without the moderator, switched from rests to bipods and back, changed shooting tables, checked torque on the stock screws, changed scopes… everything. But the accuracy keeps coming and going unpredictably.
On the other hand, maybe I’m just expecting something that’s not possible with my setup at 72 meters. So I’d like to know: what kind of group is realistically achievable at 72 meters by an enthusiast who’s been into this for about a year?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’ve read about the importance of wind flags and I’m already working on that. Many thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
WIND - and - Thermal shifts
 
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A 1 MOA group (we are talking appx 2 cm at your 72 meters) or less is certainly achievable if the gun and shooter are capable. Just a 4 mph puff of wind crossing your target at 90 degrees could easily be your culprit - it is likely that you might not even notice it at your bench or see much vegetation movement, so I think you are on the right track getting some wind indicators set up.
 
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Have you tried the next heavier pellet? The 18gr JSB work very well in so many .22 guns but we have no control over Mother Nature. The 25gr might not be quite as affected as the 18gr. 72 meters should be a piece of cake for your gun. I hunt, no BR stuff but always have to account for wind. The heavier pellets give me more stability, especially @ 75 yards or longer.
 
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^^^^
Agreed, plus, not all pellets are beauties with out of the tin. Many here have had poor experience with that issue....FLYERS!
You may think that measuring and weighing is the answer. While it MIGHT be, it is VERY time consuming and not 100% reliable.
There are many threads here addressing both of these issues.
I am also NOT a BR shooter, but a hunter like Gerry 52, but have shot many targets fine tuning and your description is very common.
It seems that slugs fare better than pellets at longer distances in most cases.

mike
 
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I’ve been looking for 2-vane wind flags, but it seems they’re all in the USA or UK. Nothing in Europe... so I’ll have to get creative and at least use a plastic strip along with traditional indicators. The influence of wind on shots is really interesting. I read that as a rule of thumb, a crosswind can deflect a shot by 1 cm for every km/h at 50 meters...
 
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Doc_pafumo said:
Hi everyone,

I have several questions about Benchrest and also a problem I've already mentioned in the PCP airguns section, but I still haven’t found a solution.
I own an FX Crown with a 700 mm Superlight barrel and I shoot JSB 18 grain pellets at 870–880 fps. Accuracy at 30 meters has always been outstanding. About a month ago, I fine-tuned the rifle to find the plateau-knee area around 875 fps, and the consistency improved a lot, very stable with maximum spread of 4-5 fps.
At the same time, I started shooting at 72 meters outdoors. The target is placed downhill, around 5 or 6 degrees from my shooting position. I don't use wind flags.
The issue I’m seeing is that accuracy at this distance is totally erratic. Sometimes I get 2 or 3 shots almost touching or very close, and then suddenly the POI shifts drastically and the group opens up by 5 or 6 cm—like if the scope had moved.
I've tried many things: I reduced magnification to check for pellet spiraling (didn’t see any), cleaned the barrel, changed the barrel, checked the liner spacer positions, changed the moderator, shot without the moderator, switched from rests to bipods and back, changed shooting tables, checked torque on the stock screws, changed scopes… everything. But the accuracy keeps coming and going unpredictably.
On the other hand, maybe I’m just expecting something that’s not possible with my setup at 72 meters. So I’d like to know: what kind of group is realistically achievable at 72 meters by an enthusiast who’s been into this for about a year?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’ve read about the importance of wind flags and I’m already working on that. Many thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I quit reading after......I don't use wind flags. No wind flags mean your gathered information is mostly useless. Understand this. Your not holding various places trying to shoot small . You are watching the flags to be sure your shooting in the same condition. No flags your wasting your time and money. You shoot a shot in a reverse wind you did not feel and that wind pushes you in the hole your last 2 pellets made and you think great. But in reality that shot should have been a half inch away, you say great, good to go........But you jumped to a conclusion based on faulty information. Now you go to a match and your gun doesn't perform. Now your puzzled and frustrated.
 
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if you’re truly serious shooting BR “in comp.” Buy flags, buy flags, buy flags! Learn to read flags, don’t start at 70yds! Start at 25-30yds!. Shoot sighters in a condition that allows you to keep the pellets landing in consistent points on the target. Don’t shoot groups! Shoot a bullseye then move to the next bullseye and see where each pellet lands with the wind condition you picked.
Couple more things, buy at least 3 flags but maybe only use 2 at first to learn “ to many flags at first overload your thought process “. There’s many other factors that you will pick up on in time. Good luck and stick to it!
 
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I have to say in my defense that I love benchrest, but I don’t consider myself even remotely good enough to compete, nor do I intend to. In Spain, there's little interest in this discipline. Shooting in this style and the 'need' to make good groupings is more a matter of mental hygiene — ending the day, shooting a bit, and having everything go the way you want... I'm self-taught, like everyone here; we learn through trial and error and by reading. That's why I'm so grateful to the forum for its help.
 
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As one who shoots a LOT !! Works with a lot of different guns & calibers, Pellets as well slugs ..... IMO a 18 grain pellet shot in the ideal sub sonic range of @ 825-875 fps and perhaps a bit faster ? really starts to fall apart about 70 yards/meters if not a tad before that.
Yes you can hit stuff all day long at longer distances, but we're talking BENCH REST accurate and there is the issue IMO.
For your distances of 70 meters and outdoors in the wind etc you will quite likely see more favorable results shooting greater weight ( A bit slower with same settings ) but will see tighter groupings in most instances.
 
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