Freakin Pellets

[Tom Baker]

It beats me. My one month sashay into air rifles has been confusing. Flags hanging straight down and you're chewing out little holes and a pellet heads for the north forty for no reason that I can tell. A mind of their own. Confusing.

And rests. I put a 3" adapter on the gun, to use with a Farley rest, it did fine. Shot it off the bottle using a cheap rear bag for a front rest, it did fine. Shot if off a bipod, and I loathe bipods, it did fine.

Mostly the groups are good, mostly. But changing from groups to single shots on targets causes some weird stuff. Not easy for me, I must hold the rifle differently every time, and pay the price.

It's fun, but bewildering. I thought I knew a lot about rifles, but I see that I don't.

 

[JimNM]

Haha! I fully understand tom. It's much like golf, in the way that I can hit the crap out of them on the practice range but when it comes time to count and score it all goes to pieces. It's the most fun you'll have being frustrated, I promise!

 

[airgunner1042]

Welcome to the crowd!!

 

[MEC17670]

You have a fantastic group going then it happens, 5th shot moves off 1/2 inch. Just to check you shoot a 6 shot, right in the original tight group. Gremlins of the airgun world!

 

[starlingassn]

they are everywhere

 

[Tom Baker]

Haha! I fully understand tom. It's much like golf, in the way that I can hit the crap out of them on the practice range but when it comes time to count and score it all goes to pieces. It's the most fun you'll have being frustrated, I promise!

Morning Jim. I'll get down to Cruces, sooner or later. This gig is fun, just befuddling.
We're having the Smokey Bear .22 Rimfire Invitational at Capitan this weekend, some sure nuff good shooters show up usually. An ol boy from Las Cruces has won it the last couple years, I've been the bridesmaid. Come up if you get the chance.
Tom

 

[cea1960]

Just yesterday I couldn't hit a soda can to save my life. This from a sitting position using a Primos Trigger Stick. So I set out a paper target alongside the cans and promptly put 10 pellets in a hole no bigger than a dime. Not once, not twice, but 6 times in a row. Same gun, same pellets from the same tin, and same distance. I go back to shooting the cans, and only hit 4 out of the 5 set up. ? ?

 

[JimNM]

Lead resistant paint on the can? I find that kind of paint a lot of places

Thanks Tom for the invite. I will be out of town this weekend, unfortunately. What is the game you guys play for Smokey Bear shootout? My little Ruger is getting pretty big for his britches.

 

[Tom Baker]

Lead resistant paint on the can? I find that kind of paint a lot of places

Thanks Tom for the invite. I will be out of town this weekend, unfortunately. What is the game you guys play for Smokey Bear shootout? My little Ruger is getting pretty big for his britches.

Two classes, prone with sling and F Class. 320 record shots for the weekend, plus sighters. If the wind gets up, and it most always does it can be tough. 160 shots per day, half at 100 and half at 50.

 

[beerthief]

"It's the most fun you'll have being frustrated, I promise!"
welcome to the wonders of Air Gunning

 

[nomojo65]

Ya, I used to think finding the right Bullet and seating depths, powder and grain weight to a tenth, turning necks, primer pockets and primer seating depth not to mention the expense of custom dies, presses, powder throwers brass, powder, cleaning supplies etc.,etc. was frustrating?
But at least I knew where that Bullet was going if I did my part.
But I agree, I’ve never had more fun being frustrated… what’s that phrase, “doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results?”

 

[Centercut]

You have a fantastic group going then it happens, 5th shot moves off 1/2 inch. Just to check you shoot a 6 shot, right in the original tight group. Gremlins of the airgun world!

Well, as we’ve been told over and over again on the Benchrest forum, it couldn’t possibly be the pellet….

 

[BobW]

Like rimfire benchrest finding the correct cartridge is a large part of the battle. In the case of air guns the correct pellet. One of my frustrations is the lack of lot numbers on pellets these days. Find the correct pellets and you can’t get any more.

 

[BackStop]

Clean your barrel. Clean your barrel. Clean your barrel.

Until relatively recently, I didn't really think it would make that much difference. I was wrong!

Clean your barrel! Don't be afraid to use a brass brush. Be careful if you decide to use caustic solutions that claim to "dissolve" lead. If you do use them, CLEAN YOUR BARREL, CLEAN YOUR BARREL after you use them!

Some people talk about barrel crown as to accuracy, and that might be a problem in some cases. However, IMHO... see above. (grin)

Again, cleaning your barrel will have the most impact on not only fliers, but accuracy/precision in general. JMHO based on my limited experience. (smile)

It will take from 10 to hundreds of pellets to "season" the barrel after cleaning depending on the barrel. But thoroughly cleaning the barrel is the FIRST place to start, IMHO!

Sorry, I know I sound like someone who just found Religion... (chuckle)