PCP Rifles for 100 Yards+

I don't know much about your Gauntlet but I think it is worth a try. You can get an idea of the drop with a ballistic program. I often use American Airguns Trajectory Calculator (available on line, do a google search on that name). You may need to look up the bc for your pellets, hardair magazine has published their tests, also available on line.

I don't think distance is a one gun versus another kind of thing. But if a gun doesn't produce enough velocity, the drop and wind drift will be larger. So more velocity helps. But all airguns are low in velocity relative to powder burners. No vast differences.

My current tune for my Avenger spits out FX or JSB 25.4s at about 900 fps. It shoots heavies at about 830. I plan to try it at 100 yards as soon as I get the fill setup for my SCBA tank (early next week) and a little time. If I can pick a day with low wind, I think it will do well. It puts these pellets into 1/4 inch groups at 33 yards making me think at least one of them will do well at 50 and even 100. I want to try all the ones I get good groups at 33 yards at longer distance before stocking up. FX seems to be the leading canidate but things could change when I go longer.

As long as your Gauntlet will shoot 25.4s at 800 fps or more, I think you will find the drop at 100 will be something you can deal with. With a 1 inch tube scope you may need to use both your turrets and mil dots in your recticle (hope you have them). Or you can put an aim point on your target where you think you need to be. For my Avenger, shooting the 25.4s and sighted in at 37 yards, the program I referenced above says I will need to deal with almost 16 inches of drop. Each mil dot of my recticle gives me nearly 4 inches, however, so this is a little over 4 mil dots. So I shouldn't have to change my sight in, just put the 4th mil dot on the center of the target and see where it lands.

Hope this helps. You could also try slugs, they will drop a little less and drift less in the wind. But so far I haven't found one my Avenger shoots well at all.
 
Here is a general thumb rule for Mildot reticles:

If pellet is is flying in an initial speed of 850-880 fps and the scope is zeroed at 50 yards, then:

At 70 yards you have to sight with a little bit less than the first down mildot.

At 90 yards you have to sight with a little bit down than the second down mildot.

At 100 yards you have to sight with a little bit down of the third mildot.

Once you have seen in the paper where are you hitting, you can make a fine adjustments of your compensation.

Not all of us see equally. The diopter in my wearing glasses has to be with a little of inclination in my right eye.

When sighting my rifles I have to use two Buble levels, one in the rail of the scope and another in the cap of the vertical adjustments of the scope. The one of the rail should be centered and the one in the cap should be fallen a little bit to the left (counterclockwise). If I do not do that, I will de zero the scope at 50 yards and will always hit at left at 100 yards and I will hit at right at 30 yards.
 
You may find that 75 yards is your max so take a box with you to the range to stick targets on. Like others have said, not only the wind but the slightest breeze is hell with an airguns. Doesn’t matter if it’s a $300 or $3,000 gun, the wind does not discriminate. If 75 or 80 yards is your 100 who cares. You are only there to impress yourself. The Gauntlet will be fine. Find out what it will do before you waste money on something that only shoots slightly better. If there is any kind of breeze, nobody truly knows how good their mega dollar airgun shoots at 100.

Well stated Sir!
 
Don't over look ballistic coefficient and a large part of that is the sectional density of the pellet..

IOW, a wide (large caliber) yet light pellet will suffer much more in the wind than a narrow (smaller caliber) pellet of the same weight. A 28g pellet in .25 cal will drift a huge amount more than a 28 g pellet in .22. Add to that the fact that a light pellet will start out faster than a heavier pellet, but it also looses speed much faster down range. There is no free lunch or magic combination in ballistics.

The price tag on the gun does little to assure balanced performance from the gun, the tune and the ammo of choice. You simply cannot throw dollars at the hobby and expect excellent results. What ever your goals are, dedicated practice and study is the only way to arrive at repeating success. Mr. Centercut is a prime example of dedication makes results. I follow him and other AGN members closely in hopes of learning from their shared knowledge. 

Wheat //// Chaff
 
I'm relatively new to the sport and am 73. I have it in my brain that I'd like to shoot an air rifle with a degree of accuracy 100 yards. Here was a great find:

The "Nothing Under A Hundred" (NUAH) group on GTA,

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=119449.0.

You'll find a long list of folks who have done exactly what you're talking about. The thing that amazed me was the wide spectrum of rifles they used, from low end to high end and from small caliber to large. There are a LOT of .22s. Here's a guy who used a Hajimoto Gauntlet .22:

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=178632.0 

And there are some who did it with a .177:

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=172432.0

So there's hope for folks like us!

Here are their rules, downloadable targets, etc.

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=100865.0 

Bottom line: IMO, it's like photography. It's more about the photographer than the camera. In our sport, it's more about the shooter than the rifle. Start with what you have and go from there. 

And by all means, let us know how it goes!




 
Guys are spitting out some technical stuff that really shouldn’t concern you right now. It’s a pellet gun and you have a tin with 500 pellets in it. Just work your way out 10 yards at a time and you can walk them into to bullseye. Don’t concern yourself with ballistic software and custom built .257’s until you go have some fun first. See what kind of cards you were dealt with the gun and pellets you have. On calm days I can shoot 18gr pellets perfectly at 100. You will definitely need a bubble level for distance shooting. It’s not even an option so order one and get back with us if you need help getting it set up properly. There are some methods.
 
I've been shooting my rifles anywhere from 15 yards, out to 50 yards.

I use my DAISY AVANTI .177 for the 15 yard range, and generally hit the black of the 10 meter target size every time. I'm not that good. I get most of my groups to about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.

I use my Hammerli 850 Air Magnum .177 at 25 yards, and generally get the same results as the Avanti.

My third rifle is the Umarex Gauntlet .25 PCP. I've used this out to 50 yards, and again, pretty much get the same results as the previous two rifles, though, I get an occasional wandering pellet that fall outside the 10 meter target black. I guess that the wandering pellets are due to some kind of imperfections, as I see the pellet curving when this happens.

I'm quite interested in shooting out to 100 yards, but not sure there is a PCP air rifle that I can afford that can reliable shoot that far, and stay as accurate as my other three rifles.

I've read, and also watched videos of those who claim to shoot much farther than 100 yards, and do it fairly accurately, and consistently. I take that with a grain of salt.

But is there a PCP air rifle that fits what I am looking for. Please don't recommend a springer. I don't have the strength to cock those darn things. I'm female, and 71 years young. Don't have the brawn some of you guys have.

I found out I like single shot rifles like my Avainti. It slows me down, and makes me concentrate much more on getting each shot on target. Those multi shot rifles I have are wonderful, but they tend to make you forget to concentrate because you can squeeze off a shot more quickly.



I've looked at "Air Force" rifles, but not sure how good they are at the longer distances for serious target shooting. That is my type of shooting. I go to the local powder burner shooting range about once a month to shoot for a few hours. All those there are very nice and supportive about my shooting an air rifle.

Thanks in advance for your replies, and suggestions. CaleyAnn

Airforce are really great guns at a good price. I have a Talon SS in 22 cal and it's not good past 50 with 21gr. Just not built for it and the drop is too much and speed is around 750FPS without wasting air. A condor in 25 cal would do the trick for 100, but wind will still push the pellet surprisingly far. In my experience I have not found Airforce to shoot slugs very well. A slug is what you need for distance like that. Pellets (at least for me) have been a 60y or less projectile, unless I am shooting a 30 cal pellet at 950 or more. If I am going to be hunting or shooting past 60y I get the slugger out. Still with that I am getting pushed around even with a 10MPH cross. I am trying to use this spring wind to practice a lot with my moment of trigger pull wind calculations. I am getting better but since the pellet takes so long in flight even that is a fingers crossed thing. 
 
I've decided not to pursue the purchase of another rifle for target shooting at 100 yards. I've had another commitment for my funds, so I will have to do what several have suggested, and work with my Gauntlet .25 rifle. From what I can determine, some have had fair success with the stock rifle at 80 yards. As my local public shooting range doesn't have anything to set a target up between 50 and 100 yards, I will just set out the two targets I mentioned before, at those distances, and give things a try.

I will also purchase a tin of heavier ammo when they become available. Seems .25 ammo is very popular, and currently not available. I still have about 150 Diablo Exact King .25 25.39 gr pellets which seem to work very well in my Gauntlet.
 
That's a solid plan. My Avenger likes the pellets you have fine. But it seems to like FX 25.4s a little better. They are also made by JSB. JSB also makes Air Arms 25.4s. I mention this because it might help availability to have in mind multiple options. My Avenger shoots JSB Heavies about as well as the FX but the MKIIs seem a little worse. My comments are tentative because I have not tested beyond 33 yards. I can do that at home. I should be able to fill my SCBA tank next week and visit a range for some longer range testing.

I hope to get lucky and visit a nearby range on a relatively calm day but the other way I can improve the odds is to go early in the day or late, close to dark. Most days the wind dies down then.
 
That Gauntlet should get you to 100 YD, and with practice, probably get you there to your surprise and satisfaction. Shot my stock AirForce TalonP (12" LW barrel) to 100 YD today, and was making ugly just-bigger-than-Oreo size blobs on 6" steels, with JSB Hades 26gr pellets. At 100YD this is just plinking fun. The rifle was probably always capable, but took a while for ME to get there. Feeling satisfied with where I got with the TalonP, and with some serious consideration, and an eye for the next hundred yards, picked up a RAW HM1000X.
 
I've decided not to pursue the purchase of another rifle for target shooting at 100 yards. I've had another commitment for my funds, so I will have to do what several have suggested, and work with my Gauntlet .25 rifle. From what I can determine, some have had fair success with the stock rifle at 80 yards. As my local public shooting range doesn't have anything to set a target up between 50 and 100 yards, I will just set out the two targets I mentioned before, at those distances, and give things a try.

I will also purchase a tin of heavier ammo when they become available. Seems .25 ammo is very popular, and currently not available. I still have about 150 Diablo Exact King .25 25.39 gr pellets which seem to work very well in my Gauntlet.

Great plan! I shoot a Daisy M853, a 10 meter gun, at 19 yards and it does great but it's pushing it pretty hard. Just make some holes and see what a non-felt breeze will do.