30-Yard Challenge

[NAProf]

Hi Guys,
I got a chance yesterday morning to shoot when we had very little wind. I was sighting in the Athlon Heras on my Nordic Wolf Crown as I am in the midst of "scope musical chairs". It didn't take me long to get the rifle zeroed, so I thought I would try a 30yd Masters Card with the 21.9 gr AEA pellets. Yea, I know, shooting 30 yd cards with a .22 seems unfair (to us .177 guys), but what the heck!
For the Leaderboard - 30 yd Masters 198 - 14X.
This was with the FX Crown Mk II NW and 500mm .22 barrel - AEA 21.9 gr pellets at 813 fps (SD 1.7, ES 8)

I keep trying to sell this rifle without much luck, and it keeps making me look foolish by shooting great scores.

Cheers,
Greg

PS to Ed - I shot an extended string of 13.4grs with my FT rifle today. Too much wind to get a great score at 40 yds (though it was great on FT sized 40 yd "Kill Zones"), but the maintenance on the valve pin seems to have solved the ES and SD problem I was having.

 

[tommyb]

Hi Guys,
I got a chance yesterday morning to shoot when we had very little wind. I was sighting in the Athlon Heras on my Nordic Wolf Crown as I am in the midst of "scope musical chairs". It didn't take me long to get the rifle zeroed, so I thought I would try a 30yd Masters Card with the 21.9 gr AEA pellets. Yea, I know, shooting 30 yd cards with a .22 seems unfair (to us .177 guys), but what the heck!
For the Leaderboard - 30 yd Masters 198 - 14X.
This was with the FX Crown Mk II NW and 500mm .22 barrel - AEA 21.9 gr pellets at 813 fps (SD 1.7, ES 8)

I keep trying to sell this rifle without much luck, and it keeps making me look foolish by shooting great scores.

Cheers,
Greg

PS to Ed - I shot an extended string of 13.4grs with my FT rifle today. Too much wind to get a great score at 40 yds (though it was great on FT sized 40 yd "Kill Zones"), but the maintenance on the valve pin seems to have solved the ES and SD problem I was having.

View attachment 565686

“I keep trying to sell this rifle without much luck, and it keeps making me look foolish by shooting great scores.”

Greg - there is a message here. You might have to keep it.

Great shooting!

 

[JimD]

I decided to switch the Caiman X back to pellets so I reduced the reg to about 100 bar and messed with the hammer spring. This 194 9X was the result (first target). It still wears my Arken 6-24 set at 24X. The H&N Baracuda 18s averaged about 875 fps. But the ES was 35. I increased the velocity to about 900 average reducing the ES to 19 but shot a 190 8X. Then I switched to 3-5 shot groups at different velocity. I got the smallest groups at 880 or so but the ES still seems high. PoI is not jumping around so I left it there. I shot a 200 last year with this gun at about 910 fps but I think the reg was set a little higher. I tried 910 but groups opened up. I might try a little lower HS but I am already 5% below the peak. A 194 gets me out of the basement, however.

 

[mreynolds]

The rains finally stopped and the sun came out today for the first time in a week. Wind conditions were quite mild so I couldn't resist shooting a couple of targets. Retrieved USFT #85 out of storage, blew the dust off and shot the first 30 YD Challenge card with 2012 vintage Air Arms 13.4 pellets and scored a 197-16X. For the second card I dug out a tin of 2010 vintage AA 13.4's and scored 198-17X which I submit as my first entry for the 30-YD Challenge leaderboard for this year.

 

[EPG]

The rains finally stopped and the sun came out today for the first time in a week. Wind conditions were quite mild so I couldn't resist shooting a couple of targets. Retrieved USFT #85 out of storage, blew the dust off and shot the first 30 YD Challenge card with 2012 vintage Air Arms 13.4 pellets and scored a 197-16X. For the second card I dug out a tin of 2010 vintage AA 13.4's and scored 198-17X which I submit as my first entry for the 30-YD Challenge leaderboard for this year.

View attachment 565934

Great card Marvin.... too bad we don't allow pellets over 10 years old to be used...

... just kidding !!

17X is awesome.

-Ed

 

[EPG]

Leaderboard submission:

Date: 5/23/25
Target: 30-Challenge
Score: 199 16X
Rifle: .177 FX Crown Mk2 Blue (380mm)
Pellet: JSB 10.3g @ 896fps
Scope: Sightron SII 36x

Shot in drizzle rain, but wind conditions were good. Shot a 193 12X immediately following with card with 13.4g @ 810fps. I think Greg's 380mm barrel prefers the 10.3g over the 13.4g.

 

[JimD]

30 yard Challenge Leader board submission. I shot it this morning, 5/29/25.

Rifle is my 22 Caiman X
Scope is Arken 6-24 set at 24X
Pellets are H&N 18 grain Baracudas going about 875 fps
Score is 197 7X.

I shot another target at 900 fps first and it was a 188. To check on me I shot one with my P35-22 and it was a 194 14X. Too many 9s but nothing less than that. So I dropped the velocity and shot this target. Wind was 1-3 mph and thus negligible. Rain is coming but it's dry at the moment.

 

[EPG]

Super mild wind conditions today, so I decided to give the Akela .177 another shot at breaking 190 at 40-Masters.

My .177 Benjamin Akela is unregulated. I've optimized the hammer spring - now 2.42" length. I filled to 2,600psi. So this card was shot before the Akela hits its max velocity around 2,000-1,900psi.

I'm using 2 sections of a Huma Mod 30 and a Maple single shot loader (Reximex SSLs work in these Benjamins). I've polished up the trigger, hammer, hammer spring, cocking mechanism, etc. Interestingly, I've never removed the barrel or done any work on it. So essentially, this Akela is ALL stock parts that I've polished up with the exception of the Huma moderator - I discarded the internal shroud baffles and baffle spring so the barrel free floats.

All velocities are recorded on the card. When I see velocity starting to rise, I aim a smidge lower. Note that this is 40 yards and I'm sub-850fps with 10.3g pellets! This rifle is insanely accurate. I'm using a modest Arken scope at 24X - 24X is about the bare minimum to use at 40-Challenge cards.

Shot this one card. Was talking to TommyB just before I shot this card - told him that I had a chance to break 190 today with the mild conditions.

As you might be able to tell, I'm really happy with this submission, lol !!

Leaderboard Submission:
Date: 5/29/25
Target: 40-Masters
Score: 193 9X
Rifle: .177 Benjamin Akela (unregulated - 2.42" cut down stock hammer spring)
Pellet: JSB 10.3g @ 821-847fps (unregged - most of the card was about 15fps spread)
Scope: Arken EPL-4 6x24 FFP @ 24X

It's amazing how accurate even some modest cost PCPs can be with a little elbow grease and some good wind conditions.

-Ed

 

[tommyb]

Super mild wind conditions today, so I decided to give the Akela .177 another shot at breaking 190 at 40-Masters.

My .177 Benjamin Akela is unregulated. I've optimized the hammer spring - now 2.42" length. I filled to 2,600psi. So this card was shot before the Akela hits its max velocity around 2,000-1,900psi.

I'm using 2 sections of a Huma Mod 30 and a Maple single shot loader (Reximex SSLs work in these Benjamins). I've polished up the trigger, hammer, hammer spring, cocking mechanism, etc. Interestingly, I've never removed the barrel or done any work on it. So essentially, this Akela is ALL stock parts that I've polished up with the exception of the Huma moderator - I discarded the internal shroud baffles and baffle spring so the barrel free floats.

All velocities are recorded on the card. When I see velocity starting to rise, I aim a smidge lower. Note that this is 40 yards and I'm sub-850fps with 10.3g pellets! This rifle is insanely accurate. I'm using a modest Arken scope at 24X - 24X is about the bare minimum to use at 40-Challenge cards.

Shot this one card. Was talking to TommyB just before I shot this card - told him that I had a chance to break 190 today with the mild conditions.

As you might be able to tell, I'm really happy with this submission, lol !!

Leaderboard Submission:
Date: 5/29/25
Target: 40-Masters
Score: 193 9X
Rifle: .177 Benjamin Akela (unregulated - 2.42" cut down stock hammer spring)
Pellet: JSB 10.3g @ 821-847fps (unregged - most of the card was about 15fps spread)
Scope: Arken EPL-4 6x24 FFP @ 24X

It's amazing how accurate even some modest cost PCPs can be with a little elbow grease and some good wind conditions.

-Ed

View attachment 566078
View attachment 566079

Geez - Great card Ed with a .177 at 40Y. I’m wondering if we should move the distance out to 50Y?

JK - no way! Not ever I hope.

 

[EPG]

Geez - Great card Ed with a .177 at 40Y. I’m wondering if we should move the distance out to 50Y?

JK - no way! Not ever I hope.

We actually did a bit of that last year...

At 47-Masters I had a 194 with the Crown and 18.13g
At 47-Challenge I had a 193 with the FX PowerPup

Ricky had a 50-Masters of 190 with .177 9.56g QYS pellets
Ricky had a 55-Masters of 185 with his FX Maverick and 18.13g

I may try 47 (in my yard) and 50 (at my brothers) again this year. If the wind cooperates, a good 40 yard tune seems to hold up pretty well at 45-50. I also had some 190+ cards with the Taipan Vet 2 shooting 25.39 MRDs at 47 yards.

 

[EPG]

Leaderboard Submissions...

RTI Prophet Performance V1 - .22LR (slow 1:32 twist rate barrel)
40-Masters: 193 11X
40-Challenge: 196 14X
Pellet: JSB 20.83g "Monster Lights" @ 915-922fps
Scope: Sightron SIII 36X

My 1st two cards since March 6th shooting my .22 RTI Prophet V1. I tried the 20.83g JSBs in this rifle in the latter part of last year and it absolutely loved them - put up consistent 190+ scores at 40 yards. Here I'm showing you ALL my shots - including my sighters for these two cards.

I shot the Masters card first. The Challenge card was shot in a lot of wind. I waited out the gusts - except one gust, lol - lost patience. It took a long time to shoot the card compared to a normal card for me. The cool thing about the Prophet is that I can let it sit cocked and just wait out a long duration of wind - and it will still shoot a bullseye. Maybe its just in my head, but I don't have confidence in some of my other rifles to do that - if they sit cocked a long time, I'll take that shot as a sighter.

In any case, I'm astounded how well this rifle shoots these pellets. It's a super compact, powerful and accurate rifle - simple too with about 8 o-rings in the entire rifle. It won't win beauty contests, but its minimalist design appeals to me - so much so that I own two - and barrels in .177, .22LR, .25LR and .30.

Note that you can adjust your trigger sear, trigger weight, reg pressure and hammer spring pre-load - ALL WHILE ITS SITTING IN YOUR RIFLE REST ! Can't think of another rifle that you can do that. It's a rifle designed by shooters - for shooters. Unfortunately, since the Prophet V1, the Prophet V2 V3 and Mora are all designed with slug shooting in mind - slug twist rates in the .22 and .25 barrels. However, RTI is so cool - the Prophet and Mora barrels are interchangeable across all the versions. I stick with the Prophet V1 because I understand it - simple traditional valve.

I almost wish these scores weren't so high - gonna be tough to beat later this season. I really should shoot my two Prophets more - but they are so easy, they never need attention.

-Ed

 

[thomasair]

I tried one at 40y with my slug gun. Very heavy desert mirage.

Mike

 

[tommyb]

I tried one at 40y with my slug gun. Very heavy desert mirage.

Mike View attachment 566326

Excellent Mike! I think you have a 199-19X. That’s a Leaderboard entry submission.

Tiny ‘10’ rings compared to the N50 10 rings, which is why we like it.