Stupid question.....

[DanoInTx]

.....how many of us have actually measured our "100 yards" or "50 yards" or whatever it is that we shoot at?  Just curious how many of the "dime sized groups at 100 yards" come from a 100 "measured" yards?  Not trying to say that we are not all perfectly honest people and that we would embellish the facts, I just think that maybe some people "think" they are shooting a particular distance, but it's just a guess.  In case anyone is wondering, yes, I got out the measuring tape last year and measured my "13 yards" from porch to back fence...otherwise I would call it 30 yards:)   Only real reason I ask of course is to find out if I am as lousy of a shot as I must be, since I have seen 50 yard 20 shot groups that look better than my 13 yard 3 shot groups.  Feel free to just tell me I am a lousy shot and I need to spend more of my time shooting and less time typoing:)

[Gene_SC]

LOL Dano, I have been guilty of guestimating distance at my old house. In actuality at first I was calling out 40 yards and using the 40 yard targets from http://www.arld1.com/images/swfs/targetspageof3ringadjustablesize.swf .. I calulated the targets that I shot at on the target program to 40 yards.. In actuality I was shooting at 35 yards. I did measure using a tape but must of had a brain fart and mist 5 yards some where.. At my new place I was very careful to double check my distances. I have my targets marked at 10 meters, 20 meters, 25 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards, 45 yards and 50 yards. I shoot from inside my shop on my shooting bench. When I finish my back deck in the late spring I will have to move some of my targets and re- measure the distances. Right now I am in the mode of just making different size targets and setting them up so I can shoot from my shop, under cover and out of the cold.. My last review where I showed the paper target stand at 45 yards was really 45 yards but I was using old printed targets that I hadmade to shoot from 40yards. I am guilty of that also... hehe Gene

[shadow]

I think we've all lost or gained a yard or two here and there Airbud hehehe, now where's my yardstick. Ed

[Gene_SC]

LOL Bud.. Thought you were gonna say " lost a marble or two.."... And that I have done also over the years..

Gene

dan the man, one of the only things i actually take my time to measure is my weight, and can honestly tell you that i am not honest with the reading,therefore i am definitely not measuring yards and feet......at least not honestly...one thing for sure is that your 13 yard shooting area is at least 5yards more than i have when i shoot in my girls apartment,and my Texas friend i give you the the edge in accuracy........her bathroom door can vouch for that....so what i do for better accuracy is... buy.. buy.. buy & than buy some more airguns until one makes me look like a shooter.."gotta luv it or it won't be fun"
                                                                                            joe cuz(akita breeder)

[longislandhunter]

Hey Dan,,,,,

Don't feel bad about those 13 yard targets,,,,,,  I'm normally a decent shot but I've had days where I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn at the duck farm,,,, well,,, ok,,, the barn I could hit no problem,,, but the birds that were sitting on top of it certainly had nothing to fear  

Jeff

[daved]

Okay, you're a lousy shot, you need to spend more time shooting and less time "typoing", whatever that is :-)!  Hey, you had to know someone was gonna say it.  To answer your question, yes, I have a 200' tape measure I use to lay out my range.  Although I'm going to have to completely rearrange everything this coming spring, I now have a 36' greenhouse/chicken coop right smack in the middle of my old range :-(.  At least I have enough room on the other side of my shop for as long a range as I need (75 yards+), it just means I'll have to move my bench into the driveway.  Wonder what the touristas driving by on the highway will think :-)?  Later.

Dave

[daved]

Hey, Joe, lots of rifles is fun, but remember the old saying: "Beware the one gun shooter."  You might find it well worth your time to pick one and concentrate on getting really good with it.  Once you've done that, the next one will go much faster and easier.  My second best shooter was my first one, a .177 CFX.  It was my only gun for quite awhile, and I shot it a LOT!  Had and did a lot of work on it, up to installing a Theoben gas ram.  My best shooter is probably my Talon, but again, I became a 1 gun shooter once I got it, and also shot it a lot.  In the meantime, I'd be more than happy to take care of all those extras you have laying around once you settle on the ONE.  Hey, just trying to be helpful :-)!  Later.

Dave

[kirby999]

I have yellow tent stakes driven into the ground every 10 yards measured from 10-55 yards. I guesstimate the in between yardages . I only have a bench , well actually it's a steel mesh round picnic table at 18 yards . And no, my groups away from the table aren't as good as some claim ; but my eyes probably aren't either . lol kirby

I measured my 10m basement range and my 20m site in target in the back yard with a surveying chain (big tape).  Everything beyond that, I pace off, out to 75 yards (longest site line from my patio).  My pacing is usually within 1 yard at 20, so my 75 yards may be anywhere from about 70-80 yds.  Pellet drop works out about right, tho, at 7", sighted in at 20yds.

At 10 yards, I group sub-dime.  At 20yds, sub inch.  Pop can off-hand at up to 55yds.  Pop can off rest out to 75yds.  Won't win no trophies, but wins dinner!

J

I'm with you and have been guilty of over estimating my distance before.  Just last month I took a squirrel near dark at what I estimated to be 30 yards.  Well it probably was 30 yards if you count the distance to the tree plus the distance up the tree to my target.  I used to be excellent at guestimating these distances when I played golf and shot a compound bow.  But apparently I'm losing my touch.  Only after measuring off 40 yards last weekend did I realise my knack had been lost.

[PeakChick]

My 10 yd. indoor range is measured. All the other shooting I do is in my yard, kinda into my neighbors yards too........guesstimated ranges 15-40 yds, elevations vary according to the tree the avian vermin are in.

But yes Dan, you are a lousy shot, quit typing so much and do more shooting!  

[DanoInTx]

Ok, ok, I get the point, it is just me that can't shoot, everyone is honest about their distances....good grief Charlie Brown!

I DID do some shooting today and something odd happened.  I had not sighted in any of my guns since a big scope swap a week ago, so I took my B26, my Career 707 .177, and my Tau-200 out to my rather LARGE 13 yard range.  After 3-4 shots I was pulling a pretty decent bull with my Career.  Career had the power turned down to where it would just shoot, that's as much power as I need at 13 yards.  The Career has one of those Walmart Centerpoint 4x16x40AO scopes riding on it, and I was getting good bulls, but nothing to write home about...maybe a nickle?  So then the B26, I have never been a great springer shot with anything except a borrowed HW77K that I had to give back to its owner.  My groups with the HW77 were very good, and it had open sights.  So the B26 sporter, it has a Leapers 3x12x44 sidewheel AO compact scope with 30mm tube on it.  Good scope, good gun, tuned, smooth, nice, my groups were all over the place!!  I mean, I was barely hitting the 4" square target at first, then started getting into the groove, got it sighted in and maybe pulled quarter sized groups with it.  So up next, the Tau-200, with optional rear diopeter sight and hooded front....if the group I shot was any over 1/8" ctc it was .126", remarkable little gun.  So my question is, is the Tau so accurate, or am I better without a scope?  I also wear glasses, bi-focals, but haven't worn them in a couple months(need new prescription), I can hardly see a pellet hole at 13 yards, but I can hit it over and over.  Obviously the kick of the B26 isn't something I admire, and the Career is a big burly gun, but still.  I dunno, maybe I will try again tomorrow, "Bark Bark" the neighbors dog was running around on the other side of the fence, so I gave up for the day...although me and Bark Bark have come to an agreement where I wont shoot him if he doesn't bark...good dog.  Woof!

[brokenarrowjbe]

used a tape measure to give ballpark distances. john

[daved]

Could be, pal, I think Vince says the same thing, that he shoots better with opens than with a scope.  Jury's still out regarding my vision.  I've reached the point where I need drug store cheaters to read, but I'm otherwise fine.  That said, I've noticed some difficulty focusing through a scope, and I'm afraid it's not the scope :-(!  Hang in there, pal, it's all down hill from here ;-)!  Later.

Dave