An old High Power Rifle Competitior's first foray into PCP Air guns

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boblor2831

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May 25, 2019
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Michigan, United States
A little background, I am almost 70 years old now and have been shooting high power rifle competitions for about 50 years, Across the Course, Mid Range, Long Range, Palma, and for the last 13 years Ftr matches. Oh there was some smallbore, 10 meter air rifle, smallbore and centerfire Schuetzen, North South Skirmish, High Power Silhouette and Black Powder Ctg.Rifle silhouette thrown in during those past 50 years too. But I always shied away from PCP air guns( SCBA air tanks and finding a dive shop) the 10 meter air rifle I used was a RWS 75. Then this past winter I had some health problems, one I planned, shoulder surgery, torn bicep and rotator cuff repair, as soon as I had that repaired I was told I had the dreaded old man disease, prostate cancer, so I recently had surgery to remove my prostate. Now I knew my summer highpower shooting would be messed up. So I started thinking I would get an air rifle that would reach out to maybe 100 yards and at least be able to do some shooting on my property with something fairly quiet that would not bother my neighbors. So I started looking at everything air rifle on the internet and U tube, I saw that Pyramid Air now had a Nomad 2 compressor and the Ataman MR2 tactical type 1 in .22 caliber looked like it would fit the bill as a close trainer form my .308 F class rifle. Two weeks before my surgery I ordered the Nomad 2 and the Ataman MR2, both were on back order but were scheduled to be in stock just after my surgery and that is what happened. Today was one of the first nice weather days we have had and a day I felt like doing some shooting. It was a good day today, the Nomad worked well and I was able to sight in the Ataman MR2 tactical at 30 yards. For the most part I am satisfied with the Ataman, it seemed pretty accurate with JSB 18 gr. pellets and if they would have put a better trigger on it I am sure that would help to tighten up the groups. I am used to a Bix n Andy trigger on my F class rifle. I bought a new MTC Viper Pro Tactical 5-30 power scope to mount on the Ataman and the scope is clear, clicks on the Elev. and Wind. are ok but I did notice that the point of impact shifts as you change the power setting. I sighted in at 10X and I tested all the other power markings and as the power went up the impact point went up too and below 10 power the impact point went down. Again I am a little spoiled as I use variable power March and Nightforce scopes on my F class rifles and I have never seen a shift in impact points when changing power with them. I may take my March 10 x 60 off one of my rifles and put it on the Ataman or just keep some good records on the MTC. I had also bought a DonnyFL Ronin moderator. After the initial sighting in I put the moderator on the Ataman and just laughed when I fired the moderated rifle all I could hear was the hammer hitting the valve and the pellet hitting the target.

So I guess I am hooked on PCP, the biggest factor was the Nomad compressor, now I knew I would not have to fool with a SCBA tank and finding a dive shop to fill it. After so many hours of watching U tube videos of reviews, hunts and Extreme Bench Rest competitions during my continued recovery, I went ahead and ordered a .25 cal. 700 mmm bbl. FX Impact X Mk2 rifle from Utah Air Guns. So maybe in 8 to 12 weeks I will have another PCP air rifle to learn.

Bob L.
 
Nice Bob!

I also use the Nomad II compressor....still runs like a champ.

You're going to love the Impact.

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After reading all that I feel like I know you … my long lost twin brother separated at birth by a stork with dyslexia … one of us got dropped down the chimney at the wrong address and a year later ... life does get complicated!!!

Congrats on the compressor and the Impact, methinks you are gonna grow to love this sport. Shooting in your own back yard at 100 yards is something you could never do with a powder burner if you have close neighbors. Now, anytime you want … even on rainy days … the world is yours. Just cut down a good sized tree every couple of years, saw it into about 18" blocks and place a target on the cut. Ammo is dirt cheap compared with powder, primers, cases and cleaning.

People on this forum are very helpful should you run into anything that you can't figure out by yourself … don't hesitate to ask, nobody knows everything about airguns except Ernest Rowe at FX.

Soooooo welcome to the forum, sit down, take your shoes off and sit a spell. Whatever your needs are you'll find someone on this forum with insight … Glad to have ya!

John
 
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Hey Bob if you are near southeast Michigan like me you are in luck one of the greatest airgun shops in America is in Dryden Michigan Precision airguns Jim the owner is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet everything you need to know and learn and find out about air rifles can be found out at that shop. Good luck bud let me know if I can help you in any way Tim
 
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Thanks for the welcome guys. PCPArmy, don't know if I can give you any finer points on shooting, but I can give you a stock market tip, buy Kimberly Clark, at the rate I am changing my depends and shields, made by Kimberly Clark, trying to regain bladder control, I am sure their stock will be going up, ha ha.

Tigerhunter, I live up by Traverse City, Mi. but I have looked at the Precision Airguns website, I will have to make a trip down there sometime.

John, now tell me you spent some time in the USMC in the late 1960's and then we will know for sure we were brothers separated at birth!

Bob_O I believe I have been reading some of your other posts and seems you have a good understanding of Highpower rifle and air rifle.

Ranchibi, oh yea, pellets are a lot cheaper than VitaVhori N-140 powder, Lapua brass and Berger 20x bullets and I would go through about 2000 plus rounds in one summer shooting seaon. I will miss not going out to Raton NM for the F class nationals this year, I have not missed but a couple in the 13 years I have been shooting F class. Maybe Extreme Bench Rest in Utah in 2020.

Well tomorrow the weather looks good and if I am not feeling too tired I will be out shooting the PCP rifle.

Again thanks guys

Bob L
 
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Hi Bob, I'm also looking at 70 my next birthday. Most of my shooting life was different than yours, but probably just as active. I began in the shotgun sports, skeet, then trap, then sporting clays. Along with those activities, I did some High Power, center fire and rimfire benchrest, along with a healthy dose of old fashioned plinking with everything, beginning at a very young age. And a bunch of handguns thrown in is as well. I'm blessed to be retired and in good health. As you, I had shoulder surgery a few years back, also rotator cuff, and a few tennis-related muscle tears. One of my main reasons for getting into the air rifle hobby is my hearing loss. A combination of genetics, unprotected shooting, and bacterial meningitis as a kid, all combined to produce a significant hearing loss. I now shoot in my back yard as well as the gun club range, where I spend a lot of afternoons with the puppy, just shooting and sitting around. She's always ready to go, and she never argues with me on politics. A precision PCP rifle with suppressor is, in my experience, the perfect shooting tool for in-town practice, as well as controlling the pests around the house and bird feeders. And, selecting good pellets is a lot less frustrating than dealing with brass, primers, powder, bullets, and all the preparation. Rimfire is a bit easier, but good ammo is a challenge. As with most hobbies, it can be a money pit. But, what the hell, other than a few vacations each year and decent bourbon, I don't have very expensive needs. Good luck, I know you will love it. 

Ed


 
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Correction, I do believe I gave a mistaken review of the MTC Viper Pro Tactical. I said the point of impact moved as I increased or decreased the optical power of the scope off of the 10 power at which I zeroed the scope. This hit me this morning, well of course dummy. I wanted as much "up" on my Elevation knob so I set the adjustable FX mounts to give me almost all up on my Elevation knob and then, here is the dumb ass mistake in my review, I used the first stadia line ABOVE the center mark as my aiming point for my 30 yard zero. Well of course with a second focal plane scope as I changed power settings the value of that stadia distance changed as I increased or decreased the power setting from the 10 power I chose to use as a zero. So naturally the point of impact moved up and down. I apologize for giving out bad info on the MTC scope.

I did go to the MTC website this morning to find out at what power setting the stadia lines were at their true spec. settings. I could not find this information and I sent them an e-mail asking about this. On my March and Nightforce scopes the power setting for the full value of the stadia lines is marked on the power zoom ring, actually the full value and half value.

bob L.


 
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My first post on this site.

I also have been shooting competition since my youth, most of the silhouette matches in rifle and pistol including airgun, then onto IPSC and steel matches, did some military type matches, and then I found Field Target air rifle and Field course or PRS or NRL type centerfire matches.

Bob, now you know why I like FFP! No thinking when it comes to holds....

Wifey has a March FX 5-40x56. I use a Athlon Argos 6-24x50, both on FT rifles. Heck I ran my S&B 5-25 in FT for years.

Got me a Impact in 25 too, that has a Athlon Talos 4-14x44 but might put the Midas TAC 6-24 on there, it's in the safe but I've been lazy. 



Getting old sucks! My old body causes me problems about every week.


 
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Welcome on Bob. I have a cabin south east of TC. Up there most weekends shooting at something. Had rotator cuff surgery last Tuesday. Waiting to get out of this damn sling! Been doing a lot of left handed shooting with my air pistols to keep the boredom down. All this rain sucks. Lucky to be able to shoot out the garage door. Maybe we can do a little shooting sometime. Darrell
 
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Oh, I know what you are going through Darrell, That sling was miserable, hope you have one of those cooling devices for your shoulder. I had that surgery last Dec. 20th. My shoulder is feeling pretty good now. I have not tried shooting my .308 Ftr rifle with the 200gr. bullets yet. The Ataman .22 air rifle does fine though, ha ha. Yes maybe we can get together once I am recovered from the prostate surgery, I do get pretty busy during the summer as I also run the highpower rifle matches at Cadillac and attend as many other matches as I can. Although this summer I think I will slow down on attending some of the other HP matches and get all healed up and ready for next season.

bob L.


 
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Darrell, you know, Rod from Hemple's Gun Shop in Traverse City had talked to me about helping to start a air rifle tournament or club up in the T.C. area. I think Rod belonged to the Kalamazoo Air rifle guys before he bought Hemple's and moved up to T.C. An air rifle club up here would be fun, but when we were talking about it I was just so busy doing highpower with the Michigan Ftr team, running matches, practices and travelling and then health problems that I just could not fit in air rifle at the time. I know Rod said he bought a compressor to fill air tanks for the PCP guys. When you feel like moving around you could stop in there and talk to Rod, give a call first to find out if he is in though.

Bob L
 
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Welcome home Bob! Air guns have been a major part of my life in the past 4 years. I used to shoot powder burners a lot, but too many people around here now. PCP rifles and pistols have surpassed all my expectations. You are smart to just spring for the Impact, it’s going to amaze you. And it’s going to get better with the prostrate outta there, lost mine to the c-word a few years ago. Now I only wet my pants if I laugh too hard, or if I get startled! I think that the best surprise I got out of shooting PCP guns is that all of the trigger time pays off, and the same skill is used for the powder burners. The March scope would be awesome on the Impact. My favorite rifle is a Theoben .20 cal, I have a Valdada Terminator on it! At 52X I can see the crosshairs in a pellet hole at 100 yards. Insane overkill? Probably! But I’m sure having a ball! Again, welcome home!
 
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