What is the reason 100y air rifle is so popular?

Great observations as always Mike, and I shall enjoy the fireworks

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I personally consider air guns great tools for within 10-75 yards (shooting pellets, slugs can reach a bit more), with the oddball target at 75-100 yard being fun to reach at, shooting game at those distances is irresponsible IMO as no one can guarantee a good shot placement...and shooting benchrest at that distance puts your pellets at the mercy of the elements and doesn't show true marksmanship IMO when the technique involved in br shooting is 'sighting' and quickly popping another into the bull.

I agree ....

Now that said, as a FT shooter where GROUP SIZE really is not the accuracy issue but getting ones pellet to fall and drift in the wind at estimated ranges needing to fall within ever changing hole sizes is a Skill Set indeed !

The game of FT restructured to these +/- 100 yard distances to me would be a much greater challenge and indeed more difficult than punching paper at a known distance.

Ahhhh, Mike, Now you've gone and done it. I do agree that reading the wind is very low on the list, and shooting up to hundreds of sighters seems to be the way that a majority of 100 yards shooters do it. However, that being said, unless the rules change, that it the way it'll continue to be done since its an easier way than reading the wind, and just as, if not more accurate. I'd say how about limiting the number of sighters to say ten, and allowing single load only?

There are airgun competitions that go out to 100+ yards that actually do involve wind reading skills. 

The first I can think of is the American Field Target (AFT) event at EBR. Great fun, shots out to 100 yards, and hunter FT style set up, except the yardages are given, as would be when hunting for real since no one hunts at greater than 60 yards without a laser rangefinder. Also, two classes, .22 and under and .25 and up. Basically any power level, but pellets only, no slugs.

The second would be LD's Temecula Western National Long Range Challenge. We shoot at 115 yards across a canyon at clay pigeons, but there are no sighters, and the targets are backed by hay bales so you can't see where you misses hit. Very challenging. Lots of fun!

The third would be the Precision Marksman Challenge at RMAC. You shoot ten different lanes with various target set ups, mostly steel, and mostly stationary except last year two were moving. From 20 to 105 yards, any caliber and power up to .30, any power level, but pellets only, no slugs. That one is great fun, and obviously no sighters, and it requires the ability to read the wind for the shots. Last year I made the mistake of shooting .22 with 18.1 pellets and had a holdoff of up to a foot (or more) on some lanes...

This statement will probably get me in hot water with the FT boys, but conversely, I don't see what real world application there is for ranging with your focus wheel? What does that have to do with marksmanship? Love the concept of FT, shooting 10 to 55 yards, whichever class floats your boat, but this ranging thing has no bearing to real life. I've NEVER seen anyone hunting rabbits or ground squirrels without a laser rangefinder. We've gone ratting where the rats were all from 10 to 40 yards or so and not brought a rangefinder, but I'm talking past 55 or 60 yards.

I never considered the wind to be my friend even at FT distances but indeed there is a skill factor that comes into play. Targets at greater distances have a lot more time to drift any where the wind want the pellet to go. The money and prizes that are offered at the big BR matches seem to me is what makes the game so appealing but that top level of competition is harder to learn and reach without out having the best equipment and a lot of time to experiment. Not to mention being in the circle of shooters that share techniques and tips.

I shot in the PYA 100 yard bench rest match last year with a old Maurader 25 caliber that I purchased new back in 2009. Was pretty proud to shoot one 10 shot group at home just under 1" at 100 yards with no wind. The wind in Ohio last years was pretty strong and at that distance with my old Nikko on 40 power I still had problems identifying where each shot was impacting. I was only getting about 10 good shots per fill with the old Mrod so I obviously wasn't equipped for the 100 yard game, but absent the wind I figured if I could shoot most of my shots within a 3" at 100 yards. Alas … the wind showed up and the rest was history but it was a interesting experience. Would I try it again? In a heart beat but not with the same equipment. However, Hunter FT is my number one game that I enjoy the most.

Hi Thomasair, It's a logical question indeed. I received a new FX Impact Friday and the first thing I did was shoot groups at 50. Hole on hole. That made me very happy. What's the next thing I did? Moved out to 100. I know It's not logical to expect 18gr pellets to shoot sub MOA at that distance for all the reasons you've stated- I agree. It's just a number ingrained in my head from all the years at the range shooting powder burners I guess. But maybe more to your question, I just find it "fun". Here's the first 2) 5 shot groups at 100 with unsorted JSB and it's pretty much like you said it would be-. I'm sure I'll continue to "chase" that sub-MOA group, just for the "fun of it"

I think the reason is excitement while the competition is going on. You never know if the wind will change just as you pull the trigger, or if you try and get that one more shot before you shoot a couple more sighters. I think its popular for the same reason gambling is popular. There is a factor of luck involved in 100Y BR, more so that at 25M or 50Y. So its always a "chance" when you pull the trigger that the pellet may not go where you intended, no matter how good you or your gun are. So its the thrill of it, like rolling the dice in Craps, or hitting on 14 when the dealer is showing 10 in Blackjack.

PS., I don't use a rangefinder inside of 60 yards when hunting. My MPBR is 17 to 60 yards, so that's going to put me 1/2 inch high or low at any distance in between. More than good enough for hunting bird, squirrels or rabbits. Outside of 60 yards, is focus range finding even possible? If your target is 87 yards, can you focus range find to within a yard, two at the worst? Because if you can't, you just missed. And it gets even more pronounced the further out you go...

I think that there is still skill involved in shooting airguns with pellets at 100yds. Though the AIRGUNS (not the projectile shape) at 100yds should be the novelty. With slugs being the more suitable projectile type for those distances. It looks like most of the pellet manufacturers see the trend and are coming out with .177 and .22 slugs. And airgun manufacturers, most notably FX, are developing options for some of their rifles optimized for slugs.

The match formats might be a little behind the curve. Some are just starting to offer various slug (straight sided projectile) competitions, but the main 100yd events still require the shooter to use projectiles with a flared skirt/waist/Diabolo shape. I signed up for the 2020 RMAC and was able to get into the 100yd pellet match, but the standard slug competition had already filled up - so it's obvious that is what many really want to shoot. I suspect that the match organizers will soon realize this and we might see shifting to slugs for the main event at 100yd distances. Mike, that will remove some of the randomness (luck) that you speak of, and scores will likely increase some, at least for the better shooters.

For shorter distance 25m/25yd and even 50m/50yd, round nose pellets would remain the preferred projectile shape as they can be more accurate than slugs at those distances.

Mike, you said "I could make an argument that focus ranging is actually a better choice ..."

For FT you are not given the choice. The rules determine that it is the better (only) choice. Similar case for pellets vs slugs and 100yd benchrest.

Interesting topic. 10, 25 and 50 meter/yard shooting definitely their place. And they are contested internationally/Olympics. They(arguably) can be better test of equipment/marksmanship, but they aren't exactly "sexy". Why 100 yards with and airgun? Whole lot of ways to look at it. Probably most influential would be that it is (arguably) the "bigger" tournaments(EBR, RMAC, Pyramyd Cup, etc...) most coveted prize. Also probably the most youtubed airgun shooting distance. Both of these probably is because it so hard to do well with any consistency with the equipment technology(guns/pellets/etc..) that is available today. Centercut said EBR used to be just 75 yards, but then the technology(and ability of shooters) progressed to where 75 yards was no longer the "ultimate challenge", so they moved it to 100 yards. Who knows what new technological innovations will come that may lead to pellet accuracy at even longer distances? Tungsten pellets maybe?

From a "plinkers" point of view, 75 to 100 yards is the point where(depending on pellet speed) you can see the impact in the scope BEFORE you hear the report of the pellet hitting the target. And that's pretty cool. Plus it is a distance at which not everyone has access to shooting(regularly). And so there's the whole "hey, look what I did" wow factor when someone is able to get the "unicorn" 100 yard groups.

I would say at 25yards yes skill is a factor but equipment is more important and at 100 skill and a bit of luck can determine the winner.

Thomasair/Mike,

This is a quote of yours from your earlier post.

""""I could also point out that the guys that shoot FT in the unlimited division never outshoot the guys that know how to use the scope…but that is anecdotal.""""

I just wanted to mention that I've been shooting FT now for 23 years. I started shooting Freestyle 5 years ago in our AZ club because I got bored, and burned out, with Hunter and open class. It's not that I wasn't winning a fair amount of the time but that I needed to try something different for a change, and also because I had used my laser range finder often, and tripod, in centerfire tactical matches, which I had grown fond of shooting. There are other reasons I went to freestyle but I won't get into those.

In our local Freestyle division I get the high score quite often but we don't have many kneeling or offhand shots in our monthly matches. I think it was 4 years ago I got the high score at state but of course that achievement was not AAFTA recognised. The year before that my friend got the high score at state in Freestyle which was a hilarious debacle at the time! At our other state matches of recent we've had a bunch of offhand and kneeling shots, and these matches have been won or lost solely depending on who is the better ""positional shooter"", which I am not. Besides what I've mentioned I doubt I put 2000 pellets through my FT rifle a year because I'm just not that serious about competing, or winning, for that matter. 

I'm just pointing out that Freestyle shooters have outshot open shooters,, and Hunter shooters, so I think "NEVER" isn't the best wording.

I totally agree with the gist of your whole original post though! Why on earth are we attempting to hit a .222" X ring, a .480" 10 ring, and a 1.25" 9 ring, with rifles and projectiles that are totally inadequate for the task of 9 ring precision at 100Y in perfect conditions???????? Well I can only guess that these EBR targets were designed for 75Y, not 100Y, right?? I'd personally like to see a 3/4" X ring. a 1.25" 10 ring and a 1.75" 9 ring for 100Y. Even then I doubt anyone would ever get 250 for a card in competition using pellets.

Yeah, EBR is just a fun game with as much luck involved as skill, because the best shooter there isn't going to win if he gets a windier relay, or bench with odd wind artifacts down range, than the next best shooter there, right?! Then if a guy is like me having a gun only capable of 2.3" for 25 shots at 100Y in near perfect conditions it gets a bit SILLY!!!!

That's why I prefer FT as a game because I know if I shoot well I can get a perfect score, and partly because most decent rifles are capable of hitting the KZ every time in perfect conditions. 

Good points by all.


Im asking this question particularly because I see 25m BR in the US slowly fading away. I’m trying to study why 100y has gained popularity with the masses so maybe some of that element could be applied to 25. I think most guys pick up their rifle and if it shoots one hole at 50, they automatically believe they could hit whatever they wanted at 25. So maybe they think 25 is child’s play and don’t want to be associated with that? Historically, results of National and world matches suggest otherwise. It’s still fairly rare to see 250s shot at big matches...,although they are fairly popular at the backyard ranges many small clubs operate in. Nonetheless , there is still a lot of room for improvement. Nobody is close to mastering the discipline....but popularity is waning.


So maybe an alternative question is what is not appealing about 25m competition?
Or 50 for that matter? 
it just may be that there is no saving it.

Mike

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For me it's the fact that it would be a heavy investment to stand a chance of winning, meaning I would need a Thomas air rifle with one awesome barrel, a 50x scope, other gear. Plus there's the travel expenses, etc, involved. 

Another reason for others in general is there's a trend for more powerful PCP's meant more for hunting. Is 25, 30, and 35 cal allowed in 25 and 50 benchrest? 

I personally like shooting steel, I love to hit reactionary targets!