While trouble shooting accuracy problems we never thought to check this… it could happen to anyone! 
A friend wanted to do some tuning and asked if the shooting bench was available. I had finished my morning session and had chores to do so I said to come over.
Chores finished I found my friend upset that things were going poorly. With him being so stressed I suggested a (DECAFFEINATED!) coffee break to talk about what was going wrong.
We both shoot the same PCP, mine is factory stock with some custom woodwork and his is tricked out with every available accessory. Both are tuned to 18 grain pellets and are used primarily for squirrel hunting.
After coffee and a lengthy discussion of what could cause a sudden increase in group size we came to the conclusion that a laser shot in space (away from gravitational fields) could be 100% accurate (ZERO MOA) where as a projectile weapon fired in an atmosphere had no chance of being perfect.
Coming to accept that perfection was an impossible goal, we decided, that for our needs (squirrel hunting at sub 50 yard ranges) that our effective range was determined by how far we (gun, projectile and shooter) could keep all our shots within a one inch circle (e.g. minute-of-a-squirrels-head). Since both our PCP’s were easily capable of that accuracy at the ranges we hunted at, all was good again.
To celebrate, we went out to the range to do some shooting. Since I don’t bring the bench while out hunting, the nearby cherry tree is used as a leaning post. Inexplicably, my PCP started shooting poorly and my friend’s groups tightened up to their normal ½ MOA. Like WTF?
Turned out that I had picked up my friend’s magazine by mistake – close examination showed that it was loaded with 15.89 grain pellets instead of the 18.13 both guns were tuned to. It seems that the whole days’ frustration was caused by an 18 grain lid being accidently being put on a 15 grain can of pellets.
So the moral to the experience is to be realistic with your needs and expectations - don’t let your pursuit perfection spoil your fun… that and be careful you don’t mix up the pellet tin lids!
Cheers!
A friend wanted to do some tuning and asked if the shooting bench was available. I had finished my morning session and had chores to do so I said to come over.
Chores finished I found my friend upset that things were going poorly. With him being so stressed I suggested a (DECAFFEINATED!) coffee break to talk about what was going wrong.
We both shoot the same PCP, mine is factory stock with some custom woodwork and his is tricked out with every available accessory. Both are tuned to 18 grain pellets and are used primarily for squirrel hunting.
After coffee and a lengthy discussion of what could cause a sudden increase in group size we came to the conclusion that a laser shot in space (away from gravitational fields) could be 100% accurate (ZERO MOA) where as a projectile weapon fired in an atmosphere had no chance of being perfect.
Coming to accept that perfection was an impossible goal, we decided, that for our needs (squirrel hunting at sub 50 yard ranges) that our effective range was determined by how far we (gun, projectile and shooter) could keep all our shots within a one inch circle (e.g. minute-of-a-squirrels-head). Since both our PCP’s were easily capable of that accuracy at the ranges we hunted at, all was good again.
To celebrate, we went out to the range to do some shooting. Since I don’t bring the bench while out hunting, the nearby cherry tree is used as a leaning post. Inexplicably, my PCP started shooting poorly and my friend’s groups tightened up to their normal ½ MOA. Like WTF?
Turned out that I had picked up my friend’s magazine by mistake – close examination showed that it was loaded with 15.89 grain pellets instead of the 18.13 both guns were tuned to. It seems that the whole days’ frustration was caused by an 18 grain lid being accidently being put on a 15 grain can of pellets.
So the moral to the experience is to be realistic with your needs and expectations - don’t let your pursuit perfection spoil your fun… that and be careful you don’t mix up the pellet tin lids!
Cheers!
