The Indiana weather is still cold and the winds for the last several weeks have not let up to allow continued pellet/slug testing with any degree of consistent comparison conditions.
Yesterday morning dawned no differently, so I decided it would be a good weekend (wife is out-to-town with daughter & granddaughter on spring break) to get all of the rifles out of the vault, one at a time, check all of the screw torques, clean the barrels and scopes, check for leaks, and fire two 10 shot groups each on the indoor range.
As I have stated before, I find the 18 yard range performance is relative to the 100 range performance in terms of the comparative way the rifles perform. It is amazing how tuning to increase consistent accuracy at short ranges corresponds to down range performance. I also use 18 yards as my near zero for my ballistic calculators. By doing this, I can reset in perfect conditions day or night, at any time.
Below you will find a summary performance chart that shows each rifle, the corresponding target and group set, the size of each group (c-t-c), the average of the two groups, and the chronograph specs. Also included are three targets, showing the actual groups shot and the performance stats.
Looking at the groups, you will note that more than half of the rifles needed one to two clicks of reticle adjustments on the scopes. Some I overcorrected on the second group and made secondary adjustments, typically back a click, after the shooting exercise was complete.
The Air Arms S510 .177 is a great rifle, but I can't generally out perform the Weihrauch Wolverine R with it (Target 1 - Groups 1 & 2).
The .20 Weihrauch 97K never disappoints in terms of accuracy, always stable, and rarely requires scope reticle adjustments (Target 1 - Group 3).
The Weihrauch HW100T is not only one of my most consistent and accurate rifles, it is also my most quiet (Target 1 - Group 8)
The .22 Uragan's ability to shoot slugs is always enjoyed. It handles the ZAN 30.5's as if it were made for it (Target 1 - Group 10)
The .22 BRK Ghost needs some attention. It is capable of more accuracy than shown here but I have it shooting "too hot." I need to turn it down 50 fps or so and will make that one of my next projects (Target 2 - Group 3).
The FX Panthera and FX King platforms are in a league of their own. My Panthera is like carrying around a howitzer with the 700 MM barrel, long Altaros moderator, ARCA rail and barrel weights, and wide stance Accu-Tac bipod attached, but from the bench, it never disappoints. The 18 yard Altaros 40 grain groups are still significantly under MOA at 100 yards (Target 2 - Group 5) The King with its 600 MM barrel is as balanced and comfortable to carry as the Panthera is a beast. Shooting the 50 grain Altaros, the wind has little impact out to 100 yards (Target 3 - Group 2). Only the Panthera will shoot with it in terms of accuracy at long distances, though most of my pcps will easily and consistently take out a 2" spinner at 100 yards nearly every time.
The regulator performance is much better on the Skout Epoch than this set of chrono results indicate. I picked up a previously loaded magazine and I think I must have had it loaded with culls from a previous weight/size sorting exercise. The tins of culls had pellets that were outside of a 2 grain weight differential. I didn't think about it until I was half way through the first group so just continued. The short distance accuracy certainly didn't seem to suffer.
This exercise, completed a couple of times each year, always pays off in finding or learning something that I didn't really know about or expect.
Enjoy!
Yesterday morning dawned no differently, so I decided it would be a good weekend (wife is out-to-town with daughter & granddaughter on spring break) to get all of the rifles out of the vault, one at a time, check all of the screw torques, clean the barrels and scopes, check for leaks, and fire two 10 shot groups each on the indoor range.
As I have stated before, I find the 18 yard range performance is relative to the 100 range performance in terms of the comparative way the rifles perform. It is amazing how tuning to increase consistent accuracy at short ranges corresponds to down range performance. I also use 18 yards as my near zero for my ballistic calculators. By doing this, I can reset in perfect conditions day or night, at any time.
Below you will find a summary performance chart that shows each rifle, the corresponding target and group set, the size of each group (c-t-c), the average of the two groups, and the chronograph specs. Also included are three targets, showing the actual groups shot and the performance stats.
Looking at the groups, you will note that more than half of the rifles needed one to two clicks of reticle adjustments on the scopes. Some I overcorrected on the second group and made secondary adjustments, typically back a click, after the shooting exercise was complete.
The Air Arms S510 .177 is a great rifle, but I can't generally out perform the Weihrauch Wolverine R with it (Target 1 - Groups 1 & 2).
The .20 Weihrauch 97K never disappoints in terms of accuracy, always stable, and rarely requires scope reticle adjustments (Target 1 - Group 3).
The Weihrauch HW100T is not only one of my most consistent and accurate rifles, it is also my most quiet (Target 1 - Group 8)
The .22 Uragan's ability to shoot slugs is always enjoyed. It handles the ZAN 30.5's as if it were made for it (Target 1 - Group 10)
The .22 BRK Ghost needs some attention. It is capable of more accuracy than shown here but I have it shooting "too hot." I need to turn it down 50 fps or so and will make that one of my next projects (Target 2 - Group 3).
The FX Panthera and FX King platforms are in a league of their own. My Panthera is like carrying around a howitzer with the 700 MM barrel, long Altaros moderator, ARCA rail and barrel weights, and wide stance Accu-Tac bipod attached, but from the bench, it never disappoints. The 18 yard Altaros 40 grain groups are still significantly under MOA at 100 yards (Target 2 - Group 5) The King with its 600 MM barrel is as balanced and comfortable to carry as the Panthera is a beast. Shooting the 50 grain Altaros, the wind has little impact out to 100 yards (Target 3 - Group 2). Only the Panthera will shoot with it in terms of accuracy at long distances, though most of my pcps will easily and consistently take out a 2" spinner at 100 yards nearly every time.
The regulator performance is much better on the Skout Epoch than this set of chrono results indicate. I picked up a previously loaded magazine and I think I must have had it loaded with culls from a previous weight/size sorting exercise. The tins of culls had pellets that were outside of a 2 grain weight differential. I didn't think about it until I was half way through the first group so just continued. The short distance accuracy certainly didn't seem to suffer.
This exercise, completed a couple of times each year, always pays off in finding or learning something that I didn't really know about or expect.
Enjoy!
