Take two! (with picture)

[demonwolf444]

Went out tonight again with the XS78 and went to the same permission. (its a rather lengthy write up, scroll down for a picture)

Climbing though the hedge i came out onto the hedgeside of the first field, completely bare, but finely ploughed out, same as my previous outing there roughly 8 full grown rabbits visible in the field two 150 yards away on the far side that runs paralelle to a road, and the remaining 6 on the same side as myself at varying ranges.

 

The first rabbit was about 40 yards away as i came through the hedge, but my movements had upsett him and he was making for the hedge. I however hadnt yet got my air rifle out letalone loaded it, but as i fumbled he changed his mind and ran towards me several yards, as he paused and i was readying for a shot, he changed his mind and made into the hedge. With no cover and difficult ground to walk quietly on i gave this first field up and half heartedly stalked another rabbit which also ran for the hedge.

Approaching the ajoining field i made ready, this field was a pond that was then filled in with rubbish that was then a pond which then was turned for grazing after several years of none use, The arrival of the sheep made this land shootable when they left as the grass had been shortened. This field is chocca block full of rabbits and on an outing i usually see 7-8 full grown rabbits, 16-20 half grown, and many "bunnies". however the ground is varied, some bone dry, some complete marsh, other bits rough tall grass.

This makes for good shooting. Getting to the Gate i looked round for any likely suspects, alas there were none, and i was begining to think my shooting yesterday had made them a bit jittery as those i could see had already noticed me and put them selfs a few yards away from cover. However about 60 yards directly infront of me was a small halfgrown wieighing me up, i stalked in to about 40, lay down, put the bipod on, loaded and lined up, squeezed the trigger and THUK only the sound of the marksman pellet was heard as it made contact for a perfect headshot.

 

Stalking around the field i came to a marshy area, there was a rabbit there yesterday so just in case i used a small tree as cover, however i cocked up, i couldnt get a shot through the foliage due to a clump of nettles below and the foliage above, a pellet clipping a leaf or small branch would have resulted in a bad shot, and i didnt want to risk it, i carried on and no sooner had i taken my next step the rabbit ran.

i decided i would change tactic and set up just about where thr rabbit had been, about 40 yards off an internal fence which protects the sheep from the junk and water, that the rabbits use as a entry/exit point to the rest of the field. Something spooked the rabbits and several ran past me and stopped on the other side of the hedge, most obscured by more foliage but one had stopped two early, i could still see its ears sticking up, standing i took the shot when its head came into view, the shot was good and the rabbit dropped.

 

walking on i saw some small bunnies on the enterece to their hole at about 15 yards and held under one milldot on the reticle, the shot was good, but as i expected the bunnie droped back into the hole, and i failed to retrieve it.

 

Moving on i was getting to the area where the big rabbits normally sat out, they didnt stay around long and none i could see were in range bar one which bounced out right in front before quickly changing its mind.

finally rounding a corner where i expected to see some good sized halfgowns there was nothing, alas i set up any way, and as luck would have it one ran out accross the field, however it stopped and ran towards me and stood up on its hind legs to try and see me as i was lying in a dip in the ground, i thought it was about 45-50 yards away, i held one mildot over and missed. It was probably closer than i had originally thought and so the shot went high, the rabbit ran and here ends the chapter.

[danccooke]

Good write up. Sounds like a fun but infuriating session :-)

[secretagentmole]

Sounds like fun, but tell me have you chronoed that XS? If you have have a play with Hawke Chairgun and some paper targets. What was out of range might not be much longer!

[Ant8681]

Nice write up an pic!

[turbo33]

Good shootin Just passing on a tip..I tried one of those bipods that you have on my s410 and had wildly in accurate shots. It took me a while to twig that the barrel is supporting the weight of the rifle and the barrel flexes enough to to change the poi By no means a dig, just letting others know by my mistakes

Edited May 26, 2012 by turbo33

[demonwolf444]

Sounds like fun, but tell me have you chronoed that XS? If you have have a play with Hawke Chairgun and some paper targets. What was out of range might not be much longer!

Yes have crono'd it, im good friends with the guy who owns the shop where i bought it, and he has a crono, i tested it the two days before last on the first hot day, as i was worried it might have gone over with the temperature suddenly soaring, in the winter it was doing 10.5 ish and then now its doing about 11.3 ish but it varies as is the nature of co2. I used to have chaigun but when i had to wipe the laptop due to virus's i got rid of it also. To be honest i shoot allot of targets as i have a very large garden, and i have built earth backstops at 20 - 40 and 55 yards(i wouldnt shoot quary at that range, except the odd pigeon or two), so i have a good idea of my holdover/under. however i have trouble converting what i see when im practicing on the range and known ranges to large open flat fields with few things to gauge my ditance on, the AO scope helps rather allot, especially with lots of halfgrowns about, its hard to know wheather what your seeing is a halfgrown at 40 yards or a full grown at 60, i guess it just comes down to practice and my own eyesight, but the more i go out the more naturally it comes, thanks for your kind words and interests ( redownloading chairgun now to have a play)

 

Good shootin Just passing on a tip..I tried one of those bipods that you have on my s410 and had wildly in accurate shots. It took me a while to twig that the barrel is supporting the weight of the rifle and the barrel flexes enough to to change the poi By no means a dig, just letting others know by my mistakes

Know the feeling, when i use it the POI seems to shift up wards a little but not enough to ruin the shot so im not massively bothered by it, every guns different i guess mine just doesnt seem to flex very much, maybee because its only an half inch in front of the barrel band so there is less leverage?

But i take what you say on board and i am looking at getting a stock attatched bipod, mainly because the clip on one is cheap and nasty and a bit of a faf so im in two minds, either. A) a harris type bipod, but then im concerned about not being able to fit it in the slip and lugging round extra weight. Or B buy a small length of weaver/picatiny rail and attach it to the bottom of the stock and then buy a bipod that will attatch to the rail, giving me the option of taking it off so it will still fit in a slip, let me know what you think? money is a concern aswell as i simply dont have the cash to spend £100 quid on a bipod

Edited May 26, 2012 by demonwolf444

[turbo33]

Yup, with the bipod back that far it will decrease the leverage, but as you say it makes the shot fly high. I would go for a bipod. I have on mine and its a world of a difference. Pop a front sling stud in and the bipod has a clever inbuilt clamp that attaches to the stud so you can quickly take it off and pop it in your pocket. Mine stays in the car and if I am having a snipe, I just pop it on. Walk round, it comes off. Takes 30 secs. They weigh very little. I don't think you need to go mad and buy a Harris one. I bought a Deben 9-13" of flea bay for about £50, about £25 more and you can get the tilt version which is nice, but the fixed is just fine.

Hope this helps.

Edited May 26, 2012 by turbo33

[demonwolf444]

Yup, with the bipod back that far it will decrease the leverage, but as you say it makes the shot fly high. I would go for a bipod. I have on mine and its a world of a difference. Pop a front sling stud in and the bipod has a clever inbuilt clamp that attaches to the stud so you can quickly take it off and pop it in your pocket. Mine stays in the car and if I am having a snipe, I just pop it on. Walk round, it comes off. Takes 30 secs. They weigh very little. I don't think you need to go mad and buy a Harris one. I bought a Deben 9-13" of flea bay for about £50, about £25 more and you can get the tilt version which is nice, but the fixed is just fine.

Hope this helps.

 

Great advice i had no idea how they worked! Ill have a look tonight thanks mate

[turbo33]

No probs, if you want a link...pm me.

 

Atb

[Wharf Rat]

Nice one!

[demonwolf444]

thanks everyone, its mad, with the warm weather ive only been shooting the XS mainly, but did a quick bit of pigeon controll this afternoon and took the BSA mercury (good luck finding decent pellets) and that tinyest bit of recoil and extra noise makes all the differance, took me a while to get used to it!