Reasonable expectations air rifle

[shakyjake]

Hello -
I’m looking for some insights on what would be a reasonable level of performance/ improvement.

I’m a Highpower shooter and I got a Crossman Challenger PCP a while back. Set up a 10m range in the basement. I shoot match quality pellets.

Other than the obvious- like a good shooter is better than the gun, can shoot any gun, etc - what would be a good reference score for a beginner air rifle shooter (standing position, 10m, NRA official 10m target?

To be clear the rifle shoots better than I do. I wear my Highpower coat and glove. And regular clothes otherwise since for sure the quality of my hold is limiting factor.

I’ve been tracking my scores over a few weeks and I do struggle to get the rifle referenced to the same spot on shoulder, etc, but other than that I don’t think I’m equipment limited. Basically, I’m going for being within a dime’s radius around the 10 hoping this will transfer to Highpower offhand a bit.

Thanks

[1845greyhounds]

If I did the math correctly, then the bottom table shows the aiming deviation angle from center to achieve each score with a bullet that just contacts the ring. Assumed 0.224" HP bullet and 0.177" pellet...

Roughly,
- a HP 200yd standing 10 is an air rifle 9
- a HP 200yd standing 9 is an air rifle 7
- a HP 200yd standing 8 is an air rifle mid-ring 5

[shakyjake]

Very nice! Thanks for this - excellent information.

[Richard144]

I am not as analytical as the above poster however I have shot lots of different disciplines and although I am certainly not a world class shooter my opinion is that 10 meter air rifle is the most difficult one to score will at. The SR high power target is a much easier target to score well on than the 10 meter air rifle target. I shot Expert Class in HP but in 10 meter air if I broke 500 i was thrilled. I now shoot mostly air rifle and smallbore. Don't worry too much about your scores with the air rifle and understand that it will definitely help your HP game.

[shakyjake]

Thanks I appreciate the reply!
Shot HP today and 200 yd standing went well. Definitely applied some stuff I learned this winter from the air rifle. Air rifle certainly helped over the winter.
Thanks.

[Griff557]

I shoot local 100 yard reduced SR rifle matches and then started indoor 4p small bore. I picked up a FWB 601 hoping to improve my other match scores. I shoot 10m AR 5/10 targets with match pellets in my garage. I think 10m air rifle is by far the hardest to shoot consistently. My high score is 90 and average about 80

[alpineboard]

Remembering 1988 and after a small bore match, someone let me try their fwb601. I think I still have those 1st targets. Approx 70 to 79 standing.
I recall thinking, wow this is tricky. A few months later and I had a 601. From there it took several months for me, to settle down and learn to completely relax. Then another 6 months to a year to get consistently in the low 90's, then another amount of time to get into the high 90's.
You need to relax and follow thru , this is so much more required with AR compared to smallbore, as the pellet is in the barrel longer due to 550 fps.
I like air rifle as it has next to zero recoil and noise, and this allows total relaxation to the point of keeping my eyes open before, during and after the shot, sometimes I see the pellet go down range and right into the ten.
My smallbore scores got higher due to AR training, when I shot smallbore , I would just pretend that I was shooting my AR.
It does take time and training, but if you hang in there it will happen for you.