Jump to content

Airgun or .22lr Target Shooting??


ph5172
 Share

Recommended Posts

I have found recently I’m not doing much shotgun shooting mainly due to other commitments and distance to the ground. 

I have found a local club in town who shoot on an old ww2 indoor range. 

The have an airgun (including pistol) section and a .22lr section. 

They shoot the same range on different nights   

I’m sure it’s a 25m Range so would there be much point in going through the whole FAC dance or just sticking to the old airgun?

opinions?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Graham M said:

Have you tried it with aperture sights. I have lost count of the people who claim to have shot a perfect poss only to find that they can't even get into the high 80s with open/aperture sights.

Every one to there own bud, I just think a 22lr is wasted at that range, you have your views, i have mine. End of.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Graham M said:

Have you tried it with aperture sights. I have lost count of the people who claim to have shot a perfect poss only to find that they can't even get into the high 80s with open/aperture sights.

And an official 25 metre target, if you are off by a few mm and break the line then it is a 9 not a 10. I've been shooting prone target 25M for just over 2 years now and my highest score is low 90s and it's the only time I have broke 90. 

Edited by Newbie to this
Link to comment
Share on other sites

May I suggest that you join this club as a probationary member? It should be able to provide you with a small bore rifle to try out, temporary jacket, glove and sling - and ear defenders are essential, too. You would probably only have the ammo to pay for to start with. If you like the discipline - and many find it almost addictive trying to shoot 'tens, rather like achieving 'par' at golf - then you could look for second hand equipment. This would be no more expensive than that needed for serious air rifle target shooting, which has the disadvantage that it has to be done standing whereas small bore prone shooting is a more natural and stable and easier sport.  

As to the merits of 25 yard small bore: it is arguably more challenging than shooting at 50 metres because you have ten targets rather than four and moving around them is both a science and an art, though admittedly 50 metres out doors may involve a tricky wind. Also, outward gauging of shots at 25 yards is more demanding than the inward gauging used at 50 metres. At 100 yards you have only two targets, so subtle movement between targets is even less of a necessity, though once again the wind may be a factor. (Personally I can't read the wind and find it a step too far.)

I took up small bore 25 yard shooting in my retirement and I have become completely hooked. It's real shooting and can't quite be equalled by air rifle, especially if the latter is done with  a compressed air cylinder on the rifle (preferred by the ladies because there is no recoil). It's worth remembering that small bore shooting was started in earnest after the Boer War as a semi-military sport because the British soldiers in South Africa had been shown to be such poor shots compared to the Boers.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

Edited by Cumbrian
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Cumbrian said:

 It's real shooting and can't quite be equalled by air rifle, especially if the latter is done with  compressed air (preferred by the ladies because there is no recoil). 

 

Good god man, you’re not being controversial with that statement are you? ?

all the rest of your post is spot on though, although I shoot LSR and br out to 100 and love it! It’s like shooting cf at 3-400m without the higher cost! ?

Edited by The Burpster
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, la bala said:

Every one to there own bud, I just think a 22lr is wasted at that range, you have your views, i have mine. End of.

I shoot all types of disciplines, from shooting rabbits with air rifle and .22rf, right through .223/.243 for fox and .308 for deer and I have yet to see anyone with a normal .22 sporting rifle shoot a perfect 100 at 25yds. 

Been doing it for nearly 40 years and was at my peak from 99-01. The poss's are few and far between now, but I still get the thrill when I do get one. 

 

Boring................no sir...........challenging very much so. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, The Burpster said:

Good god man, you’re not being controversial with that statement are you? ?

all the rest of your post is spot on though, although I shoot LSR and br out to 100 and love it! It’s like shooting cf at 3-400m without the higher cost! ?

Just trying to be factual and helpful, as I'm sure my wife would recognise(!)! 

And thank you. Yes, I should have mentioned Light Sporting Rifle as a growing sport/discipline, though at 72 I doubt if my sightly shakey hold standing  would be up to it. You are absolutely right about the cost, too: centre fire target ammo at £1 a bullet or is that  out of date?

Edited by Cumbrian
Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Cumbrian said:

Just trying to be factual and helpful, as I'm sure my wife would recognise(!)! 

And thank you. Yes, I should have mentioned Light Sporting Rifle as a growing sport/discipline, though at 72 I doubt if my sightly shakey hold standing  would be up to it. You are absolutely right about the cost, too: centre fire target ammo at £1 a bullet or is that  out of date?

Ahhh those days of £1 a pop! To be honest I have always reloaded not because of budget, but because I enjoy it and for accuracy.  Even recycling my cases I’m sure it’s way in excess of £1 a pop but then decent brass, bullets, powder and primers is not cheap! 

Rf is not as cheap as it was when I started using it in earnest 20years ago! The decent target stuff is more than factory cf is now! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Cumbrian said:

May I suggest that you join this club as a probationary member? It should be able to provide you with a small bore rifle to try out, temporary jacket, glove and sling - and ear defenders are essential, too. You would probably only have the ammo to pay for to start with. If you like the discipline - and many find it almost addictive trying to shoot 'tens, rather like achieving 'par' at golf - then you could look for second hand equipment. This would be no more expensive than that needed for serious air rifle target shooting, which has the disadvantage that it has to be done standing whereas small bore prone shooting is a more natural and stable and easier sport.  

As to the merits of 25 yard small bore: it is arguably more challenging than shooting at 50 metres because you have ten targets rather than four and moving around them is both a science and an art, though admittedly 50 metres out doors may involve a tricky wind. Also, outward gauging of shots at 25 yards is more demanding than the inward gauging used at 50 metres. At 100 yards you have only two targets, so subtle movement between targets is even less of a necessity, though once again the wind may be a factor. (Personally I can't read the wind and find it a step too far.)

I took up small bore 25 yard shooting in my retirement and I have become completely hooked. It's real shooting and can't quite be equalled by air rifle, especially if the latter is done with  a compressed air cylinder on the rifle (preferred by the ladies because there is no recoil). It's worth remembering that small bore shooting was started in earnest after the Boer War as a semi-military sport because the British soldiers in South Africa had been shown to be such poor shots compared to the Boers.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

Thanks for the info

they do indeed have a probationary membership for £25 and loan all of the equipment with the only cost being the ammo (around £5 for 50 apparently)

they all seem to use the open Olympic round ‘penny type’ sights but some people do shoot normal open or even low mag scoped

They are geared around competition shooting

im going to take a trip down when I get back home

 

thanks for your in-depth reply  

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, la bala said:

I once tried .22lr on a 25 metre range, what a bore.  A 22lr is made to be stretched a little bit more than that.

Au contraire! .22 indoor rifle shooting can be quite challenging and fun.

I shoot free standing and benchrest and they both take a lot of skill to get good results.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Graham M said:

Have you tried it with aperture sights. I have lost count of the people who claim to have shot a perfect poss only to find that they can't even get into the high 80s with open/aperture sights.

Anyone who has shot prone smallbore for any length of time will have met people like this. :) "Yes mate, I was a marksman in the army - done the sniper course"  - "There you go, hit them all" but the face drops a bit when you explain he's actually scored 72 and he's got to hit them exactly in the middle.

Keeping an average up in the mid to high 90's and getting rewarded by the odd possible is a great feeling and only comes with a good deal of practice. Doing the same with a pistol under NSRA rules was also a great challenge as is 10 meter airpistol or rifle and the 50 metre free pistol match could make grown men cry it's so difficult. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, ph5172 said:

Thanks for the info

they do indeed have a probationary membership for £25 and loan all of the equipment with the only cost being the ammo (around £5 for 50 apparently)

they all seem to use the open Olympic round ‘penny type’ sights but some people do shoot normal open or even low mag scoped

They are geared around competition shooting

im going to take a trip down when I get back home

 

thanks for your in-depth reply  

 

 

sounds like a lot of fun, not many shooting sports where you can try before you buy almost. Let us know how you get on and how long before you are addicted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I shot for years from the age of 14 till 30. Never hit a poss plenty of 99s just could not get that extra one. Gave up when my first son was born as I had too many other shooting commitments. Went to bisley in competitions as well which was great. If anything it certainly is a great training aid for other shooting as the slightest mistake will drop you points. Anything but easy 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, 1066 said:

 

Keeping an average up in the mid to high 90's and getting rewarded by the odd possible is a great feeling and only comes with a good deal of practice. 

 

My own feeling exactly, except that my best average for a season has been only 96+ and I've managed to achieve only seven 'tons' and two of those were on practice cards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Cumbrian said:

My own feeling exactly, except that my best average for a season has been only 96+ and I've managed to achieve only seven 'tons' and two of those were on practice cards.

Just about the same, my last year of shooting NSRA smallbore was 1978 with a 96 average after 15 years, with several possibles at 15, 20 25 yards. I then switch to NSRA/NRA pistol until 1995 with an average of 94 (NSRA PL14) achieving one possible (the only one I've ever seen). Shot several 300/300 on the Centrefire duelling stage but never near on the precision.

rwJkVwEm.png?2

7F7Nt6zm.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thing about .22 prone shooting disciplines is the word DISCIPLINE. It is the ultimate challenge. Anyone with short attention spans or seeking instant gratification forget it. Real skill, real ability, endless dedication and no excuses.

Most clubs run a different night for wannabe Rambos to shoot less demanding (but definitely more fun) action events.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, 1066 said:

Just about the same, my last year of shooting NSRA smallbore was 1978 with a 96 average after 15 years, with several possibles at 15, 20 25 yards. I then switch to NSRA/NRA pistol until 1995 with an average of 94 (NSRA PL14) achieving one possible (the only one I've ever seen). Shot several 300/300 on the Centrefire duelling stage but never near on the precision.

rwJkVwEm.png?2

7F7Nt6zm.jpg

Nice shooting. I have only shot on the 20yd cards once and I found it a real challenge. The shot hole is almost half the size of the bull and anywhere too far from the spot is a nine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...