performance

[-=ed]

I've been wondering, what should one consider acceptable for grouping from 10, 20, 25, 30 yards ?

I mean what diameter group would be reasonable, from free-hand and from a shooting table.

Oh, and what is the reality concerning 1-hole groups

I would like to know if I should wear my glasses when I shoot.

[Gene_SC]

I do not wear safety glasses when I shoot. All my shooting is done from 30 yards and out. I never wear my glasses to shoot.
Even though I am blind in one eye and can't see outa da other one.. he he


As far as free hand shooting..... yikessssssssss.. I am to old and shaky to do that but someone with good steady limbs would not have a problem. I was a very good shooter free hand when I was in my 20's and was hard pressed to get a single hole pattern consistantly...
But I am sure there are many men out there who could stand and shoot freehand and hit a 50 yard spot consistantly...

Now, using a rest is the only way I shoot normaly except when hunting. Then I use a tree to lean against, or lay down to shoot...

I am constantly shooting paper and always use a bench rest, while sitting.

Depending on what air gun you are using. I have little experience outside of Gamo Springers, and QB's..

At 10 to 20 yards, you should be able to stack pellets on top of each other.

At  30 to 40 yards, you should be able to it inside a quarter.

Gene

[rabbit]

Hello,

     I wear the same glasses to shoot that I wear all the time. Never use a scope to correct poor vision. Shooting your rifle from a good bench - rest at the ranges you asked about , if your rifle is set - up right and you are using the right pellet , and you have practiced enough , you should be able to keep your groups inside the size of a dime.  Practice is the key. Keep shooting and best of luck...

                                                            Rabbit      

[Gene_SC]

LOL Rabbit, I feel more comfortable not wearing my glasses when shooting.. The Bi-Focal is a pain in my butt.. lol .. Without my glasses I seem to see clearer through the scope.. Yes my glasses are clean... lol .

I am sure I probably should wear my glasses. Maybe I could get closer groups... lol

Gene

-=ed

What's the reality concerning one-hole groups, you ask?

Well, .15 at 10 meters is pretty much one hole.  And it is doable with a good spring-piston gun and an equally good shooter behind the trigger.

The test for me is at the fifty yard line.  I want to be able to put 1 shot inside a 1" circle at that distance from an unsupported standing position.  That isn't much of a group, but I don't shoot groups at bunnies and game birds.

I'm a hunter, first and foremost, so the shooting that I do (which is quite a lot) is geared toward maintaing the skills I need for the hunting that I do.  Since most of the hunting that I do requires  that shots be taken from the standing position, that is how I practice.  I can't take the bench with me in the field on a chukar hunt, so practice from it ultimately doesn't help me much.  I basically only shoot from a bench when sighting in after installing a scope or checking zero.

From the bench, I can basically do pellet on pellet at 10 meters with my .177 R-9, .20 R-9, and .20 R-1.  At 25 yards, from a bench, I can usually cover five shots with a dime when shooting off the bench.  I can usually cover them with a nickle at that distance when shooting offhand with my .20 R-9, which is the most accurate of the rifles I own. Five extra yards doesn't seem to change matters much.  At fifty yards, I can keep them inside a 1" circle form a bench with ease.  Standing, I'm not actually shooting groups in the classic sense.  I shoot at the target, walk around a little, stand up to the firing line, and shoot again if I am practicing on paper.  Doing that, I can manage to keep them all inside the circle if the wind isn't blowing to hard, and the windspeed isn't too variable.

My favorite target isn't paper.  I like plinking at empty 12 guage shotshells with about half of the plastic hull cut off.  They move when hit, so the range is never known exactly, as it is when I'm punching paper at marked distances.

-JP
http://www.uplandhunter.net

[Gene_SC]

I have to admire your skills, J.P.. You are a true hunter in the raw. I should get off my bench and try the free stance method. Just afraid I would shoot the wrong thing or hurt someone.. I know in the high desert there are not very many trees to stand next to in order to steady the rifle..  I am fortunate here that we have allot of trees for support..

Thanks J.P. for your posts. I have learned allot from your words of wisdom and experience..

Gene

[-=ed]

Standing, shooting off the top of my barbeque, forepiece on a sandbag, holding down gently with fingers with left hand, triggerfinger and thumb on grip.

s1k.177, CdT tune and trigger, 1000 shots before, 500 after, Gamo Hunters
10-nickle
20-quarter
25-silver dollar [worst case. I do get a few quarter and nickle jobs]
all usually with several fliers over 10 shots.

SSupreme.22, 1000 rounds. Smooth, but long and very heavy, trigger. Crosman wadcutters
10-ragged hole
20-dime
25-nickle
with very few fliers

No explanation for being to shoot better with the SS than the S1k. The S1k is much smoother and easier to shoot, but I hit the bull's eye 4 out of 10 times, and I get 6 fliers. The groups of 3 or 4 often all touch. The change from Gamo Match to Hunters made a significant improvement.

I am disturbed by this, but it has been suggested, after looking at my targets and the pattern the hits make, and the fact that the reticle tilts sometimes a slight bit, that I have a damaged scope. Going to switch scopes with the SS, since I'll be taking it off anyway to send it to Charlie, to see if it's so.

I suspect that I just have a consistancy problem that I have to work on. The damn thing is so touchy. The SS seems more "shootable."

I get few fliers with the SS, and average significantly tighter groups. This discreprency annoys me to no end.

I have the StraightShooters pellet packs for .177 and .22, so when I feel it will make a difference, I'll try to find the best pellet among them.

I'm waiting to see where I'll be at 5000 shots.

[Gene_SC]

Ed, Try using RWS Superdomes in your S1K.  Personaly I do not get flyers with this pellet. They may or may not work for you.

Gene

[-=ed]

I have used them, they're pretty good.

Charley suggested that I try Gamo Hunters, and they do seem to be the best so far.

BTW, I broke down and tried the one-handed style, and the repeatability is pretty good, but I still get fliers.

I'm getting ready [a whole day to myself] to try the SS pellet assortment to see if I can find the magic pellet.

Life goes on.

[Gene_SC]

Yep the Gamo Hunters are a good choice. You have fun with those pellets...

Gene