doby Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Just got a s/h BSA xl with a gas ram and I'm hitting pigeons every time, the gun seems great, but all that I am getting is a loud thwack as it hits target and there off I'm using accupell .22 which are a good pellet, is there something else do I need to get the gun checked on power or just get closer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westbad Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 aim for the head and you wont have any problems then if you hit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_phillips95 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Same as above, only head or neck shots only with a sub 12ft/lb rifle, body shots will only injure and cause alot of pain and eventually death. Cheers Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perfect Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 headshot with HWS superdomes 4 me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doby Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I do go for the headshot, so I'd better improve, and maybe get some better sights, they do seem to loose vision and go to a small picture, if that’s the right term. So best pellet? And sights? My sights are unbranded one's 3-9x40 are they good enough Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyjaimz Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 3-9x40 is fine for general hunting mate. If you are certain that you are hitting them with headshots and not dropping them then i'd get your gun over a chrono to see what ft/lbs it's putting out. If you are uncertain wether you are acheivig a headshot or not - then that puts your accuracy and consistancy in question which means you need to go back to punching holes in paper until you can grop your shots well enough to acheive accurate pellet placemant in the kill zone of your quarry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doby Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westbad Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 or buy one of my high power air rifles i have for sale in the sale section Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacey Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 (edited) If the site goes small the eye relief on your scope is wrong. Try moving your scope backwards or forwards and this should help, cheaper than getting a new scope for the same problem to occur. Check your scope instructions and they will tell you the eye relief distance, this is the distance your eye should be from the scope when aiming comfortably. Edited June 2, 2008 by peacey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airssassin Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 (edited) I use a BSA XL with gas ram in .177 and they drop every time... a few things to consider Accupels don't group well in my gun - H&N field and trophy are good - check your rifle on paper until you get a nice sub 1 inch group. The XL is a great rifle but needs lots of practise to be of any use past about 25 yards. The furthest shot I will attempt with a live target is 30 yds. Know your limits and stick to them. Don't be tempted with long shots. NEVER shoot wood pigeons in the chest, no matter how tempting - they'll fly off every time and suffer in the woods. Try to shoot them from the side in the head or neck as has been said before. But be aware that they move their heads and necks quite a bit so wait for them to settle and aim for the base of their neck from the side (less movement). The only other shots you can take with a sub 12 ft/lb gun are between the wings from the back, preferably shooting downwards from an elevated position (between the shoulder blades). Or under the wings into the unprotected body about half way along the bird (you will need to be underneath the bird and there must be a solid branch behind it) - this is a tricky shot so only attempt when very confident of accuracy. Oh, and I always take my shots free standing, that way I can absorb the recoil. Sometimes I will lean against something to steady my body but never put the rifle on anything solid as it will go all over the place. I hope this helps.. Edited June 3, 2008 by airssassin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixer Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Oh, and I always take my shots free standing, that way I can absorb the recoil. Sometimes I will lean against something to steady my body but never put the rifle on anything solid as it will go all over the place. This is very good adivice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its_me_everyone Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 i have good results using accupells (supersport though), at the moment im using bsa interceptors in my lightning, immensly hard hitting literally takes the heads of pigeons i think airssassin pretty much covered everything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doby Posted June 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 More practice, and some new pellets thanks for the tips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Ok, time for "Mr Contraversial." I've shot plenty of woodies with plenty of guns. The biggest mistake people make with an air rifle is placing a body shot. The chest, ie heart lungs etc are actually placed where you'd expect the stomach to be. The "chest" area is just the crop, and pellets pass thru without causing a killing blow. If you're using a full power .22 air rifle out to 30 yards a well placed body shot will always result in a clean kill. Contrary to popular belief, a headshot can result in badly injured/maimed birds more often then a well placed chest shot. For any wannabe hunters out there, just check how professional deer stalkers and the like do it! Fluffed headshots can result in horrendously painful and lingering deaths, a well placed body shot wont. My advice is get a shot woodie and really study where the major organs are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 thats the piont. just below the crop. a .22 rattling around inside, it aint going to fly nowhere. my pigeons wont drop? are you sure they are dead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its_me_everyone Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Ok, time for "Mr Contraversial." I've shot plenty of woodies with plenty of guns. The biggest mistake people make with an air rifle is placing a body shot. The chest, ie heart lungs etc are actually placed where you'd expect the stomach to be. The "chest" area is just the crop, and pellets pass thru without causing a killing blow. If you're using a full power .22 air rifle out to 30 yards a well placed body shot will always result in a clean kill. Contrary to popular belief, a headshot can result in badly injured/maimed birds more often then a well placed chest shot. For any wannabe hunters out there, just check how professional deer stalkers and the like do it! Fluffed headshots can result in horrendously painful and lingering deaths, a well placed body shot wont. My advice is get a shot woodie and really study where the major organs are. a well placed headshot is as good as a well placed body shot is it not? i can't see a cocked up body shot being better then a cocked up head shot either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbum71 Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 a well placed headshot is as good as a well placed body shot is it not? i can't see a cocked up body shot being better then a cocked up head shot either. Agreed, but the killzone on the body is 4 times larger than the killzone on the head. Add this to the heads constant movement and you've got a much better chance of a clean kill. In the original post the guy states the pigeons wont drop. An unsuccessful lower body shot will at least give you a chance for a quick follow up shot whereas a pigeon flying off "sans beak" helps no-one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrier Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 (edited) If you imagine that the eye is the midlle point of a circle, you got 20% chance to shoot off the pigeons beak. It happend to me twice,-horrible!- I'l never do headshots anymore, only well placed back (above the wing base) or neck shots. Edited June 5, 2008 by terrier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airssassin Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 You can always aim for the middle of the neck.. 1 inch up or down in error and it is still a kill but at the end of the day you can still get a badly injured live pigeon with a neck shot too if you miss it's spine. The key is to hit a vital organ...but the wings and chest both act as armour plating absorbing the energy of the pellet. A body shot to a wood pigeon with an air rifle is difficult as I explained (having to shoot up under the wing into the right part of the body). I think the key is to be very accurate and only take the shot if you are confident. TIP: I often wait until the pigeon is facing me and fire when it bobs it's head forwards - the pellet goes through the top of it's head and out through it's neck. If I did make a mistake and blow it's beak off (this has never happened thankfully), the pellet would continue into it's neck and still obtain a clean kill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its_me_everyone Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 i can see your point. each to there own really, as long as its a clean kill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salisburykeeper Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 Calibre of the gun has a lot to do with it also for example they say .22 for fur and .177 for feather pigeons that have been eating acorns or beech nuts may as well have a bulletproof vest on! and as you know have a lot of feathers so for a spinning pellet it has 2 factors against it for a start! depending on where on the body of the pigeon you shoot it does depend on the shot you have to take its no good saying shoot it in the head if there is a 3" branch covering its head in the tree and vice versa with the body! try and find a group of trees where the pigeons come in to rest up and get right underneath where you will be shooting if you can get an angle where you are shooting up underneath the pigeon you wont go far wrong. aim an inch in front of the legs on an upward shot and they drop every time and shooting with a sideward angle aim just below centre of the wing this pic will help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airssassin Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 Thanks Salisburykeeper, I will try a shot like that. It's always good to have more options! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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