A 197 is the best I've done so far this year! Really good.
For those of you starting, I would also add that most of my scores the first year were in the 180s and some were in the 170s or worse. It took me a good year to start getting fairly routine 190 or better scores. I still shoot some in the 180s. And that is in my best guns. I've shot one 200 and there was definitely some luck involved (but I shot three 199s first). The advantage I see from all the pellets I've expended at this is I am pretty confident in using one or at most two 5 shot groups to screen pellets for a new gun. My shooting is much more consistent, in other words. I do not think I will ever shoot 200s consistently but I shoot a lot more often over 190 than I did at first. The big issue I have is not stringing together 4 or 5 or 6 10s, it is stringing together 20. And if the wind kicks up a little...
To those shooting springers and less expensive guns (like most of mine) I think we all understand you have a bigger challenge. One of my 5 less expensive PCPs gave me my one 200 but the best the others have done is a 194. I am terrible with a springer. I don't own one but set one up for my son and couldn't shoot a respectable group.
I think this game works best when we look for little improvements and not compare ourselves to others who have been doing it a lot longer and are possibly less limited by their equipment. But I also have experience suggesting that even under $500 PCPs can compete - but I don't think all are at that level, at least mine are not. But a major re-tune took my P35-25 from a 177 to a 194.
I reread your last paragraph Jim.
I have been shooting the challenge since it’s origin in February 2022. As I reflect back and consider your words, I think you hit the nail on the head. Looking for little improvements and experimenting with different pellets, velocities and tunes; is rewarding in and of itself. It is easy to get caught up in the high scores and trying to achieve them, but equally rewarding is coming back from the range knowing your “rifle and you” are steadily improving. In other words, if I shoot a 185-190 at 40 yards, but my rifle is very accurate at 30y; I know it’s my wind reading or technique that needs more work.
But, I sure wouldn’t complain if I shot a friggin’ 200-20x either. See what I did there?
Tom
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