Further along the Trail.

[airiscool]

Still got wind gusts today, but I'm tired of waiting so I reshot the Preditors over the chrony to see what differance the new seal made. With only 30 shots since it was instaledl, the average came up 2 fps to 826. I expect that will go up even more as the seal wears in.

Even though it's still quite windy from that big storm, I wanted to try the gun with the new Tuna Trigger. I set out some targets at 30 yards to get some practice, and hopefully get back to finding which pellets the gun likes.

Started with the  Preditors to continue experimenting with differant hand holds shooting from a bench.

1. Hand under the stock just forward of the trigger guard with the hand resting on the shooting bag most shots went into roughly  3/4 inch high by 1 inch wide right/left oval groups.

2. Tried just the stock forward of trigger guard resting on the shooting bag. 3 inch high narrow stringing group.

3. Tried regular rifle hold. Left hand gently gripping the stock right at the checkering. Groups tightened up with most shots going into 1/2 inch with wind gust flyers making total group sizes about 1-1/2.

Glad to see the gun likes Preditors - especially since I bought so many !!!!!:D

And it looks like being lightly held right where the foregrip is checkered, just like a powder burner, is going to be best hold with this gun.

Gun definiately likes Preds and did about the same with JSB Jumbo 15.8 gr, but still srayed Superdomes everywhere, including a couple didn't even hit the 8-1/2 X 11 target parer.

Tough to tell if it's me, gusty winds, the new seal, or all three, but I was glad to see a tendancy while shooting.

When I did my best (and the wind would calm down long enough to get a shot off), the gun showed a tendancy to put quite a few shots into the same ragged hole. Much more so than the Whisper can.  In fact that happened enough times that on some of the targets, I had trouble remembering how many shots had been fired at that target and no way of knowing by just counting holes. So, I started counting out ten pellets at a time and putting them in the lid so I'd know how many had been shot at each target.

After about 100 shots the wind was getting worse, and my arm was getting tired so I packed it in.

About 300 pellets before and only about 130 pellets shot since the new seal, there's alot of wearing in yet to go. But, if the new seal wears in as well as the one on my Whisper, this is going to be very acucrate with Preditors for hunting, which will make me a very happy owner. And at 826 fps (hopefully to wear in higher) with Preditors it easily quilifies for use during small game hunting here in NYS.

Paul

[dk1677]

Sounds like its coming along there Paul! ( hows your arms?)

[airiscool]

Dave,
Yes. No hidding that this gun is a work out.

It's still too new and with today's weather conditions not good for realy seeing how consistant the gun can be, but it looks promising.

Dispite the conditions, I'm very pleased to see how well it did with Preditors and the Jumbo 15.8 gr.

The big surprise for the day was how poorly it did with Superdomes. So many guns shot them well, yet this one sprays them all over. Out of ten shots, only one pellet was near the POA,  and two pellets never even hit the 8-1/2 X 11 target paper at 30 yards.

Paul.

[shadow]

That's plenty of fps bro I've dropped Bandit's with less. A Predator traveling at that speed will put a hurting on the critters for sure. Ed

[airiscool]

Yeah Ed, I wanted it for Woodchuck hunting and at almost 25 fpe with the Preditors, it looks like it will be up to the job out about as far as I can possably hit them.  In fact, out to 80 yards the the Trail XL  has more power and speed with the Pred's than my Whisper can deliver with them at the muzzle.

Paul

[Perry50]

That's encouraging news Paul. My seal should be here in a couple days and will install it then.  These guns are really hold sensitive aren't they. Maybe the weather will clear up and you can put some more pellets through it this week.

[airiscool]

Perry,
".................These guns are really hold sensitive aren't they............."

It's looking that way.  But, at least it has a front hand hold point I prefer for a gun this heavy.

At one point I tried moving my left hand all the way to the front end of the stock and the next pellet went 3 inchs high at 12 o'clock. Moved my hand back to the checkering and the shots were back to the bullseye area.

And it's not forgiving of poor technique.  However, the Tuna Trigger has made the trigger pull part so much better !!!!!!  

Paul.

[longislandhunter]

Does the Trail NP XL use the regular GRT III trigger  ?

JEff

[airiscool]

Jeff,
Yes.
Paul

[longislandhunter]

Thank you  

Jeff

[tenmilegambler]

Had myTrail NP for about a week, about 500 pellets through it and it seems to be settling into a pretty consistent shooter with the regular rifle hold being the key. Likes crow magnums the best so far.

[longislandhunter]

Do you have the NP or the NP XL ??  Just wondering...

Whichever one you have what kind of fps #'s are you getting ?

Jeff

[tenmilegambler]

Sorry about the double post. Its the NP not XL. I don't have a chrony............yet

[longislandhunter]

Ok, thanks  

Deleted your double post for ya  

Jeff

[shadow]

Jeff's ordering gear's are turning I think hehehe. Ed