TargetTalk

Hi,
A newbie here from India. Very recently discovered the joy shooting air rifle. I was happy with rimfire and 12 bore shotgun so far. A Chinese springer to start with. Looking forward to switch over to PCP.
Am getting the target good while shooting benchrest but standing position all the pellets groups 3 inches to the right of the bull at 10 mtr. Tried shifting the target (aiming) 2 inches to the left still the pellets goes to the right. I wear glass -2 both eyes, right handed. Don't know much about techniques . But curious.

Regards,
MicroShot

Sounds likely that your springer is jumping to the right as the piston launches. That's usually only a problem when one tries to hold the gun too hard. An 'artillery' hold is necessary with recoiling springers, that is, a light hold rather than a 'grip' such that the gun is free to move consistently as it will, rather than trying to restrain it. Efforts to control this motion are doomed to be inconsistent. I don't have a springer rifle, but this is absolutely the case with my two Webley spring-piston pistols, the Tempest and the Senior. A very modest grip which allows the barrel to duck on firing results in a consistent pattern, which I can adjust in the rear sight until that group is on the bull. Fighting it results in a wild spray of pellet impact points, with most going high and to the left for my efforts. So I've learned to just accept the movement and the results are rewarding. This effect might be less in a rifle, but every springer design is different so hard to guess.

Gerard wrote:Sounds likely that your springer is jumping to the right as the piston launches. That's usually only a problem when one tries to hold the gun too hard. An 'artillery' hold is necessary with recoiling springers, that is, a light hold rather than a 'grip' such that the gun is free to move consistently as it will, rather than trying to restrain it. Efforts to control this motion are doomed to be inconsistent. I don't have a springer rifle, but this is absolutely the case with my two Webley spring-piston pistols, the Tempest and the Senior. A very modest grip which allows the barrel to duck on firing results in a consistent pattern, which I can adjust in the rear sight until that group is on the bull. Fighting it results in a wild spray of pellet impact points, with most going high and to the left for my efforts. So I've learned to just accept the movement and the results are rewarding. This effect might be less in a rifle, but every springer design is different so hard to guess.

Hi , Thanks for the reply.
Yes it may be one of the reasons I usually hold the gun very firmly.Will try your valuable suggestion. On the other hand I was wondering as to why it happens only in standing position.Bench shooting is ok.

Regards,

The difference may occur because you are holding the rifle tighter when standing. You may not think you are, but if the rifle is rested you would need less effort to keep it steady than when you are standing.

As for your shots still hitting to the right after aiming off-centre, simple maths says this is right. Your group was 3in out, so aiming 2in the other way still leaves the shots 1in off.

Tim

p.s. Gerard is quite right, spring-piston air rifles do best with a light hold. Grip too tightly and it fights the recoil of the piston. You say you ahve a Chinese made rifle. Quality control may have improved over the last few years, but back when I shot airgun, these were well known for being "twangy". The internal fit and finish was much less smooth than desirable, which made them unforgiving of error in your hold.

See if this helps.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mnbI9Nfu4c

Manish

MicroShot wrote:Hi,
A newbie here from India. Very recently discovered the joy shooting air rifle. I was happy with rimfire and 12 bore shotgun so far. A Chinese springer to start with. Looking forward to switch over to PCP.
Am getting the target good while shooting benchrest but standing position all the pellets groups 3 inches to the right of the bull at 10 mtr. Tried shifting the target (aiming) 2 inches to the left still the pellets goes to the right. I wear glass -2 both eyes, right handed. Don't know much about techniques . But curious.

Regards,
MicroShot

Hi,
Thank you all. Tried what you all suggested and Archer videos in youtube
Artillery hold, now I get some improvements.
Have also got the re-crowning done.

Thanks once again for giving you valuable suggestions to a newbie.

Regards,