Starting to feel it

[Crusher]

I've been working with my WC for weeks just getting the shot down. I know this gun is very accurate, but some days I can't make 2 pellets touch. I know that set up and feeling the shot is important and I've been just waiting and shooting.
Today I had one of those Ah HA moments. I thought I was doing things the same every time. But suddenly I noticed that I wasn't placing my thumb exactly the same or my grip on the handle exactly the same every time. I started noticing that even my left hand was drifting around depending on which target on the 25 bull paper I was was using. I tried a simple "do it the same" on 5 targets and the pellet hit the paper in the same place on every bull. Now we are getting somewhere.

I found that by placing even my non-trigger fingers and thumb in the right place every time, and by placing my left hand the same every time, it rested my shoulders in a certain way. That shot began to feel "normal" to me. So I put on a new paper with 25 fresh red dots to see what I could do. I scored 23 shots of 25 right on the red 1/8th dot. Sweet! It feels like something just came together for me and my Wildcat. There really is something to learn about shooting a bullpup. They are different. Specifically the WC.

And I have to say that the thumb thing seemed very important. I learned that on my Crown and find that if I place my thumb in the right place, it takes away the tendency of the trigger finger to pull the pellet left or right. I can almost aim my thumb at the target and get the hit right where the + shows. I've been shooting PCP airguns for a long time and I'm finally coming to the place that the practice is paying off. To learn something like I did today is a pretty big deal. Suddenly my groups get really tight. These were literally hole in hole shots. I don't mean one big hole. I mean they stacked.
Just to burn it into muscle memory, I filled twice more and shot the 100 shots (50 per fill) just murdering the dots. Today, I think I just got "better".

And btw, I found that my WC absolutely hates H&N Baracuda 31 grain. Don't know why. They work well in my Marauder. But the Wildcat says they are junk.. So I will save them for another day and do the same test as today on the Crown and see what happens. This may be ammo I have to just save for the non finicky Marauder.

I feel good about today

Crusher

 

[FunGun]

Good for you and thanks for sharing. Those Ah-ha moments are few and far between, and hard earned. Enjoy. I hope it sticks with you...keep us informed. (I'm working on some of the same issues with my Bobcat and Streamline.)

 

[Dairyboy]

I totally understand what you were going through! However for me it was for my Taipan Veteran .22 at 55yds. I sighted in at 25yds and half Mildot at 20x is my 55yd mark. Shot some good groups when I got it last week and put it away. Took it out on Sunday and was not understanding why things were spread out at 1" groups and way off on POI. Cleaned barrel and tried again today. Same what the heck!! Well I realized when I was shooting at first was just off my bipod but I tried my benchrest/vice that I was shooting off of. I never tightened the vice part just slid it in and plenty of movement. However it was just not good. Went back to shooting just off the bipod and BINGO dead on POI and very nice groups again. Always nice to figure that stuff out!

 

[likkitysplyt]

And for some strange reason, I am having the same sort of troubles at 60 yards. I will sit down behind my bench and take the greatest of care with my Wildcat on placing the shot exactly where the last round went ... and come out with a mediocre group ... about 3/4t". Then when I've had enough of that garbage I'll shoot as fast as I can cycle the action and the groups shrink in size to less than a half inch ... just plump, plump, plump right in the same small group. I don't know ... maybe I am thinking about it too much and making it more complicated than it needs to be, but it seems like the faster I shoot the easier it is to score a 10.Why ... heck if I knew the answer to that, I would be down on the firing line at EBR. Life is strange.

 

[0akhonor]

Along the same lines, but a step to the left- when shooting off hand, if you can consciously hold the rifle against your shoulder, with one hand, and use your trigger hand to get a simple rearward press of the trigger (instead of co-supporting the rifle), you may find much more consistent results.
Those ah ha moments.. it won't work with your iron, octagonal barrelled .45-70 that weighs 18 lbs, but if you've a lighter rifle, it's a group tightner!

 

[Guest]

Hey Bill,
Which pellets were you using when you were stacking pellets, and at what range?

 

[Kitplanenut]

Great information. Really fun when it starts coming together. For myself with the Wildcat it was the trigger finger placement that made a big difference. Really fought my head with that one. sylvan

 

[Crusher]

"CHUCK"Hey Bill,
Which pellets were you using when you were stacking pellets, and at what range?

It shoots the JSB 25’s the best at 33 yards. (Total space in my yard). It also shoots the 34’s pretty well at 50. The 34’s are In the low 800’s fps. But it does seem to me that for this Wildcat, the 25’s are the ticket. I have a couple of tins of sorted pellets and hope to shoot them this weekend just to see how it does.
also I have noticed the head diameter of the 34 is smaller. They load with almost no tension on the probe. 

Crusher.

 

[Crusher]

"Kitplanenut"Great information. Really fun when it starts coming together. For myself with the Wildcat it was the trigger finger placement that made a big difference. Really fought my head with that one. sylvan

That was the first thing I picked up on when I got this WC. It wants my trigger finger right in the middle of the first pad. That is also part of what I learned yesterday was that the rest of my fingers matter too. I have found a way to place my fingers so that it takes the pressure off the index finger allowing it to move only the tip joint. Seems to have improved my shooting. 
Crusher. 

 

[intenseaty22]

Good stuff Crusher. Made me think of a buddy of mine that I saw shooting with his index finger straight forward on the stock and actually pulling on the trigger with his middle finger. Gonna have to play around with these techniques and take some notes. Happy Shooting. 

 

[Crusher]

Made another discovery this morning. I did the old "close your eyes and shoulder the gun" trick to figure out where the scope should be. But for my WC, that doesn't work as well since the really balance of the gun is different. I found that moving the scope forward about an inch from where I had it, lets me get a little deeper into the gun. Seems to be more comfortable now. 

Man, I'm going to mess around and learn how to shoot this Wildcat

Crusher

 

[jclee]

Groups have a lot to do with shooter consistency. You have to do the same thing after each shot. You can't think to much about it either. Each shot has to be uninterrupted, not to fast, not to slow, smooth, and done without hiccups. If you overthink it, your groups tend to open up. It's a mind game. 

 

[Crusher]

I agree that it has to be a conscience effort to do the same thing every time. And I think that is what I'm learning about finger placement that works for me. I have found that my thumb effects where I shoot. Didn't know that before. But in order for it to be repeatable, it has to be comfortable as well. I'm looking for the place my hands naturally fall on the gun that help me have the most comfortable grip for my hands. Once I'm there, the trigger falls right into place. At least on this WC it does.