Reasonable groups for a new springer shooter?

[granpappa]

I shot a multi-pump Benjamin as a kid and loved it, but haven't shot air guns much since then. I just bought my first springer (Gamo Varmint in .177). In my last shooting session, I was getting 3/4 to 1 inch groups at 20 yards, with a few flyers, from a rested position. I know that this isn't great shooting, but maybe it's okay for a gun that isn't broken in yet being shot by a newbie to springers. Although I hope to improve with practice, for now I am quite satisfied with these results. Am I on the right track? I rested the forearm on my open palm on top of a sandbag. Is that about right? Still a little wobble, but using the artillery hold it's the best I could do.

By the way, I intend to use it for informal target shooting, plinking, and varmint control.

 

[JoeWayneRhea]

Sounds plenty good to me !!! Man don't buy too much into the Artillery hold thing ...My personal opinion ( and I'm almost always wrong ) is approach shooting a springer like you are holding your tooth brush ...You don't think about it , you just do it. Guys who get all wrapped up in an overly complicated grip and techniques are too easily frustrated... Just use normal techniques like if you were holding a 22lr. See how that does first . I'm not a very accomplished shooter like some of the guys but every once in a blue moon I do some nice shooting . And it never fails when I shoot my best I'm not focused so much as relaxed .
By the way some if the gamos are really nice rifles that shoot excellent !!

 

[Smaug]

Sounds pretty good to me. Certainly good enough for plinking, or putting the occasional pest animal out of your misery.

Your technique sounds good. Aside from resting it on your hand or something soft, remember not to hold it too tightly, and not to pull it into your shoulder.

Gamos don't get a lot of respect, in general, but if they shoot well, maybe they will start to!

 

[Deja]

I dunno, when i got my hw30s that is a low powered 7.5j gun it shot all over the place vertically. Thought it was broken. 

Later on sitting down and using the arty hold it started to pellet on pellet at 12 meters. My fault for not holding the gun at the right spot.

 

[Guest]

I was wondering about all these hold techniques myself. My Winchester 1400CS has a bipod I'm going to try. It has hard rubber feet that are sort of pointy, so I don't think it'll rest to firmly on them? I'll find out soon when the pellets get here & I find a range near here.

 

[Monroe-air]

In my opinion your hold is not as important as comfortably duplicating every shot, having a few different pellets to try also helps a lot.

 

[Hammer47]

Put a cotton towel between those rubber feet and the shooting bench so the rifle is free to slide if it wants. Can make a WORLD of difference.

 

[Deja]

"Monroe-air"In my opinion your hold is not as important as comfortably duplicating every shot, having a few different pellets to try also helps a lot.

Well on that hw30s hold was everything, and thats a soft shooter. Worked okish from a rest but then groups improved a lot when i used the right hold

 

[mcdonama]

"Deja"

"Monroe-air"In my opinion your hold is not as important as comfortably duplicating every shot, having a few different pellets to try also helps a lot.

Well on that hw30s hold was everything, and thats a soft shooter. Worked okish from a rest but then groups improved a lot when i used the right hold

+1

I have two Weihrauchs, and HW30s and an HW35. For me, the HW30s needs the artillery hold to be as accurate as it can be but I do think it varies depending upon the rifle. I was surprised to find that the HW35 likes a bit firmer hold, even though it's a bit more powerful-- was expecting it to be even more hold sensitive.