Spring gun shooting.

J-S mentioned people buying an airgun and then getting disheartened with it. I bet that happened a lot at the beginning of lock down. I remember reading in the paper about the trade that Gun City did on the couple of days before it happened. There was a photo in the paper of a big queue outside the shop somewhere in Auckland.

Most people buy cheapish airguns like a Norica or a Browning or Gamo thinking it is only an airgun and it will be good enough. They then buy a cheap tin of pellets, Gamo, and hope they are set.

Nobody from the shop tells them about the lateral movement at the barrel pivot. The not tight enough stock screws or the 500 to 1000 shots needed to brake it in. Nobody told them that it will take time and practice to learn to shoot any rifle accurately.

The new comer can't hit the target properly so the rifle gets rested on something. Maybe the window sill. Any spring gun or .22lr will not shoot well resting on a hard surface. I have seen it time after time at the small bore club.

Even the .22 lr target rifles get rested on a stand and the scores are woeful. The shooter thinks that because the sights appear steady all should go well. Trouble is the gun moves a lot before the pellet leaves the muzzle. Same with subsonic .22lr bullets. Doesn't matter as long as it moves the same every shot but on a hard surface it bounces around.

The spring gun must be rested on the hand which can then be supported by a stand if you want to. The place of resting on the forehand must be the same every time for consistency. That is hard to do and surface of the hand changes just about every time you shoot. Our hands are soft because we don't use an axe or shovel very often. The recoil of the rifle can be altered by just how much you cup the forehand. Remember the artillery hold; let the rifle move because you can't stop it no matter how hard you try.

.22lr target shooters overcome this buy using a substantial glove as a forehand rest. That glove is no good for springer shooters because it is stiff and bulky and that makes gripping the rifle awkward for cocking. I use a closed cell foam mitt that covers the palm and leaves the fingers free . The forestock lies on the same surface every time. Palm and fingers open, no grip.

You may think I am expert; well I am not. Not even the best air rifle shooter but I get the most fun. Maybe.

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Pauly5 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 Mar 2013 Location: Titahi Bay Status: Offline Posts: 1183	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pauly5 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Dec 2020 at 8:31pm
	You are right Nova, good detective work and summary. Have you done it before? Do you still have the Airgun book you wrote? Or does Davey have it? It would be a good read, and maybe put it on here.

Novagun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Location: Wellington Status: Offline Posts: 62	Post Options Post Reply Quote Novagun Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Dec 2020 at 7:52pm
	J-S mentioned people buying an airgun and then getting disheartened with it. I bet that happened a lot at the beginning of lock down. I remember reading in the paper about the trade that Gun City did on the couple of days before it happened. There was a photo in the paper of a big queue outside the shop somewhere in Auckland. Most people buy cheapish airguns like a Norica or a Browning or Gamo thinking it is only an airgun and it will be good enough. They then buy a cheap tin of pellets, Gamo, and hope they are set. Nobody from the shop tells them about the lateral movement at the barrel pivot. The not tight enough stock screws or the 500 to 1000 shots needed to brake it in. Nobody told them that it will take time and practice to learn to shoot any rifle accurately. The new comer can't hit the target properly so the rifle gets rested on something. Maybe the window sill. Any spring gun or .22lr will not shoot well resting on a hard surface. I have seen it time after time at the small bore club. Even the .22 lr target rifles get rested on a stand and the scores are woeful. The shooter thinks that because the sights appear steady all should go well. Trouble is the gun moves a lot before the pellet leaves the muzzle. Same with subsonic .22lr bullets. Doesn't matter as long as it moves the same every shot but on a hard surface it bounces around. The spring gun must be rested on the hand which can then be supported by a stand if you want to. The place of resting on the forehand must be the same every time for consistency. That is hard to do and surface of the hand changes just about every time you shoot. Our hands are soft because we don't use an axe or shovel very often. The recoil of the rifle can be altered by just how much you cup the forehand. Remember the artillery hold; let the rifle move because you can't stop it no matter how hard you try. .22lr target shooters overcome this buy using a substantial glove as a forehand rest. That glove is no good for springer shooters because it is stiff and bulky and that makes gripping the rifle awkward for cocking. I use a closed cell foam mitt that covers the palm and leaves the fingers free . The forestock lies on the same surface every time. Palm and fingers open, no grip. You may think I am expert; well I am not. Not even the best air rifle shooter but I get the most fun. Maybe.