I setup my MKII late last week to shoot 25 cal, I had heard some people praising the 38.5 and 43.5 grain NSAs - so I got a bunch to test out.
At first, I was about to use my FX magazine as target practice, I was not only having a hell of a time trying to fine tune the rifle - but just getting it the mag to cycle correctly was a challenge in itself!!!! Not cool at all
I finally get hole-in-hole groups going at my close 34 meter target with the 43.5's, so I set out to gather BC data out to my next target ranged at 98m. Velocity was 945-950fps. The groups were pathetic. I decided to stick with 98m and tweak the settings until they tightened up. Waste a couple of mags, until I got rid of the (WILD) flyers, cleaned my barrel after each mag (already polished, in the process of breaking it in), until I had consistent ~1.5-2" groups.
I gather velocities from my Lab Radar and calculated quick and dirty BC data for Strelok. My next objective was an 8" steel target that I strung up out to 244m. As usual, the dirty math had Strelok give me overly conservative firing solutions that were off by ~1.4 MILs. I fired one a little high, corrected and hit 6 out if 6 afterwards. I got bored instantly.
Fast forward a few hours - I had other guns with me that I needed to zero and test. Just as I'm considering calling it a day, I realize that someone had setup and left a ghetto plywood silhouette target out at the top of the hill where I was shooting. Right next to the target was a long tree stump, where there was a couple of small orange clay pigeons setup on it. I grab my range finder and saw that it was 364 meters from my spot. I said what the hell, and figured this would be a fun challenge with this 25 cal configuration!
I punched in 364m and the 3 degree inclination into Strelok, it tells me that I need close to 30 MILs for the shot
. My NX8 4-32 only has 26 and change total, but my scope sits on EagleVision rings and I them configured to provide 25 
In the end, I wound up nicking it towards the end of the first mag, and then I nailed it center mass about 1/2 way through the second mag. This shot was HARD, I had almost no visual clues for shot correction given the way it was setup on the big tree stump. It was fun and I was pretty stoked afterwards.
On the long drive home, I did the math and realized that was 398 yards... almost 400!!! Pretty crazy to me that an a small bore airgun can nail a little ~3-4" target from that far out with a little effort. I think 25 cal has a future with my MKII now, more motivation to get this 30" .250 TJ barrel setup for it.
I'll upload photos and videos soon. Get out there and shoot something AGN!
At first, I was about to use my FX magazine as target practice, I was not only having a hell of a time trying to fine tune the rifle - but just getting it the mag to cycle correctly was a challenge in itself!!!! Not cool at all
I finally get hole-in-hole groups going at my close 34 meter target with the 43.5's, so I set out to gather BC data out to my next target ranged at 98m. Velocity was 945-950fps. The groups were pathetic. I decided to stick with 98m and tweak the settings until they tightened up. Waste a couple of mags, until I got rid of the (WILD) flyers, cleaned my barrel after each mag (already polished, in the process of breaking it in), until I had consistent ~1.5-2" groups.
I gather velocities from my Lab Radar and calculated quick and dirty BC data for Strelok. My next objective was an 8" steel target that I strung up out to 244m. As usual, the dirty math had Strelok give me overly conservative firing solutions that were off by ~1.4 MILs. I fired one a little high, corrected and hit 6 out if 6 afterwards. I got bored instantly.
Fast forward a few hours - I had other guns with me that I needed to zero and test. Just as I'm considering calling it a day, I realize that someone had setup and left a ghetto plywood silhouette target out at the top of the hill where I was shooting. Right next to the target was a long tree stump, where there was a couple of small orange clay pigeons setup on it. I grab my range finder and saw that it was 364 meters from my spot. I said what the hell, and figured this would be a fun challenge with this 25 cal configuration!
I punched in 364m and the 3 degree inclination into Strelok, it tells me that I need close to 30 MILs for the shot
. My NX8 4-32 only has 26 and change total, but my scope sits on EagleVision rings and I them configured to provide 25 In the end, I wound up nicking it towards the end of the first mag, and then I nailed it center mass about 1/2 way through the second mag. This shot was HARD, I had almost no visual clues for shot correction given the way it was setup on the big tree stump. It was fun and I was pretty stoked afterwards.
On the long drive home, I did the math and realized that was 398 yards... almost 400!!! Pretty crazy to me that an a small bore airgun can nail a little ~3-4" target from that far out with a little effort. I think 25 cal has a future with my MKII now, more motivation to get this 30" .250 TJ barrel setup for it.
I'll upload photos and videos soon. Get out there and shoot something AGN!
