What Position?

[lord_seagrave]

Hello chaps,

 

Having taken delivery of my lovely new air rifle last week, I finally spent a couple of productive hours on the range yesterday afternoon zeroing-in and generally laying down a bit of lead (just over 100 pellets)

 

From a rested position on the bench (on a firm sand-bag, but certainly not clamped) my groupings at 25 yards were no bigger than a 2p with 10 shots.

 

Stablising the rifle by resting my elbows on the bench and that grouping went up to the bottom of a tin can.

 

Unsupported from sitting and I can hit within a 5" radius.

 

Standing shots and I'm just about on the same sheet of card as the target...

 

It's recognised as a heavy rifle (.20 HW97K) and I don't exactly have a lightweight scope (Hawk Pro-Stalk 3-9x50). Do I need to start weight-training?!

 

My main question is this - how do you maximise your stability (and therefore accuracy) in the field, whilst still maintaining a flexible hunting style?

 

Tips greatfully received as always!

 

LS

[SNAKEBITE]

I know this is not going to that helpful but I think the answer could be just ......... practise.

 

That and getting the breathing right.

There are however people better "trained" on this forum the answer that question.

[Axe]

Hi LS,

 

Best thing to do is try different postitions, if you do a search on here I think there is a link for HFT manual which goes through various stances etc.

 

I use Bi-pods for lying down, if you dont have bi-pods try using a bean bag or similar. There are quite a ew aftermarket gaddgets etc available for resting on. When seated get ya back against something solid and try resting the rifle on your knee or in between both knees. Standing, well I havent mastered this yet but with live quarry, I always try and rest against a fence post or branch of a tree etc.

 

One thing that does work for me is p[uylling the riffle in tight against my body. You can also user your rsling to do this by wrapping it round your extended arm.

 

Practise makes perfect.

 

Help this helps.

 

Regards,

 

Axe.

[roblade]

Hi LS,

 

1.Best thing to do is try different postitions, if you do a search on here I think there is a link for HFT manual which goes through various stances etc.

 

2. I use Bi-pods for lying down, if you dont have bi-pods try using a bean bag or similar. There are quite a ew aftermarket gaddgets etc available for resting on. When seated get ya back against something solid and try resting the rifle on your knee or in between both knees. Standing, well I havent mastered this yet but with live quarry, I always try and rest against a fence post or branch of a tree etc.

 

3.One thing that does work for me is p[uylling the riffle in tight against my body. You can also user your rsling to do this by wrapping it round your extended arm.

 

Practise makes perfect.

 

Help this helps.

 

Regards,

 

Axe.

Hi mate,

 

as axe has said a few things should just pint out a couple of things that he might not be aware of when shooting a springer.

 

with reference to point 1. he hit the nail on the head there practise practise practise is the key to accuracy.

 

2. springers dont react well to haveing a bipod fitted.

 

3. Sprigers dont like being pulled into the shulder either there is a fine art to being able to shoot a springers consitnently accuratly.

 

the best way to shoot a springer accuratly is to let it just rest in your hands not to be held tight. almost as if it were something very delicate. This is to enable the recoil to do what it wants to do, unlike a centre fire rifle where the recoil comes after the bullet has left the muzzel, an air gun recoils whilst the pellet is still travelling the length of the barrel.

 

as for which position the standard FT style sitting postion is what i use most failing that i always try to find somehting to brace my arm accross on and rest rifle on arm, never rest the spring rifle on a hard surface when shoting always have somehting soft between rifle and surface, arm, hand or cussion, they all work well.

 

when it comes to standgin shots you might be suprised at just how few people are able to be accurate every time this way, but with practise you will be able to get reasonable groupings best way to shoot any rifle standing is start with x hair above the target and slowly bring it down to the target pulling the trigger just as you reach the target you want to hit.

 

hope this helps you out a little

 

ROB

[dunganick]

practice

 

i do alot of running boar and clays, it helps to build the correct muscles which allow your body not to struggle with the weight it has to deal with.

 

other than that, a gun with poor ballence is more difficult to shoot off hand

 

one shot to practice is the HFT style sitting using either knee up with left hand rested on it holding onto gun, or you could do the sitting legs up side on with the left arm wrapped around the front knee and holding onto your right arm, gun rested on left elbow.

 

both of these i use in the field and have found that with my rimmy i can shoot bunnies out to 75 yards easily.

 

does require alot of control of breathing.

[Ferret Master]

Hi,

 

Whether ths is true or not but I have found resting my BSA Lightening on a bipod of 2 sticks tied together in a cross shape with the end of the stock on the 'pod' i can shoot some very nice groups at 35 yards.

Does this help or is it just me?

 

FM

[lord_seagrave]

Thanks for that, chaps.

 

I'll see if the range superviser will allow me to experiment... Mind you, if it was anything like last Sunday, I'll be the only one there anyway

 

LS

[mimic]

Some people may class this position as cheating...

Edited October 12, 2005 by mimic

[SNAKEBITE]

It's not cheating at all!!

O.k. at this time of year it means grubbing around in the wet on the ground but if it improves the chance of the shot then why not!! Don't forget you can use them resting on a fence in the standing position as well, very versatile indeed.

[Devilishdave]

Never pull a triger, just slowly increase the pressure until the weapon discharges. what you have to do is practice this until you know exactly how much pressure to apply and you can work this together with aligning the sights on the target. breath out bring x hairs down on to the intended POI and squeeze the trigger. Its not over here you must follow threw the shot maintain the position after the shot has been fired (follow threw) the x hair will jump then settle. if the sights are set properly whare the sight settles after the shot will be whare the pellet has gone. The 97 is a good bit of kit and the Record trigger on it is outstanding for the money. Eventualy with practice you will be able to hit the base of a 12 bore cartridge every time at 25m.

 

Dave

[roblade]

bipods and springer rifles dont mix too well at all. springers like to be able to reciol as much as possible to ensure each and every shot is fired in the same way. You start changing your hold your POI will change, no two ways about it.

 

If you want to test this, get yourself an accurate springer, then get yourself a nice comfy bench to shoot from, fire off 5 shots with a nice relaxed hold and check grouping size. then fire off 5 shots with the rifle pulled in tight to your shoulder i would be suprised if it groups better than twice the size of the relaxed hold (same principle applies to using bipod)

 

the only time a bipod will do any good fitted to a springer is if every single shot fired from the rifle is with the bipod fitted and in the same position as the shot before, they plain and simply dont like being held tight

 

but as dave said follow thru is the most importnt thing about any form of shooting, be it PCP, Spring or full bore fifles (maybe not some full bore rifles though LOL) it forces you to relax after the shot has ben fired.

 

ROB

[P03]

Eventualy with practice you will be able to hit the base of a 12 bore cartridge every time at 25m.

Stand well back everyone Dave's doin' a groupin'

PO3