Howdy from western NC.
I'm brand new to adult airguns. First of all let me say how pleased and priviledged I am to be able to participate in this forum. I'm impressed with the comraderie (if that's how you spell it) and the civility you all display compared to other forums that I've seen, not just airguns either. I found this place accidentally while Googling for user reviews on the Hammerli Storm that Natchez had in their sale e-mail a couple or three months back; luckily, one of the first hits linked to the GTA with "vinceb"'s comprehensive review and I stumbled into the back door of this fine establishment. I didn't end up buying a Storm; just to get myself started I headed over to WallyWorld and purchasing one of the Daisy Powerline 1000 combos and a tin of pellets, but thanks to other reviews on the Daisy, I knew what I was getting into before the purchase. So far I'm not learned enough to give any advice, but in the short time I've been reading, I've already benefitted from the knowledge here, purchasing a B26-2, a couple of B3's, a few scopes, and most recently I ordered and received a .22 CFX from Pyramyd. I've got a lot of sighting in and shooting to do. If I hadn't had previous unavoidable conflicts with this past weekend, I would have introduced myself sooner and done my best to attend the Centerville Shootout down in SC. I could go on about my new-found hobby (and probably will eventually), but I'd better get to the meat of the matter.
This past Sunday afternoon, I heard one of the local gang of crows calling to the others. After several unsuccessful attempts over the last few weeks to ease open the sliding glass door, step onto the deck and take aim without one of the sentries giving away my intent, I was getting a little frustrated. This time though, through the kitchen window, I saw that the offender would be crossing behind the trunk of a large tulip poplar in the side yard so that he wouldn't see the door, so I figured now was my chance. Grabbing up my amber safety glasses and the Daisy, still with open sights, and cocking it (with the tune 'Volga Boatmen' running through my head), I dropped a flatnose pellet into the breech. Carefully sliding the glass door back, and positioning myself so that I could brace against the doorframe, I waited in hopes that he'd walk out from behind the tree. I could tell that his buddies were cawing my position in to him, but he apparently didn't believe them, or maybe just didn't care. He continued out from behind the tree, turned around, went back, then came out again and stopped. That was all it took.
An instant after I pulled the trigger (on this rifle it's more of a jerk than a pull), I heard the emminently satisfying thump of pellet impact. He didn't fly away, but turned in my general direction with a look as if to say "What the...", and I had barely enough time to realize that I'd never get another pellet loaded before he flew away, possibly wounded. After about two seconds, though, he did a half turn on one leg and fell over motionless. Here's a picture of the participants (except me, of course). I went out later to see how far the shot was, thinking maybe around 30 yards, but it turned out it measured 120' which, if my calculator is correct, is 40 yards. I don't think that would be typical shooting for me, although this was actually the Daisy's second blood; the first was a starling at about 20 yds, so the gun can do its part if I do mine (I like that phrase that several of you have used, and hope you don't mind a newbie like me co-opting it;~). I just gotta practice, practice, practice.
Anyway, I figured this was as good an excuse to introduce myself as any. Thanks for the opportunity.
Bryan
