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Pumper Bench Shooting Tips

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Yng@hrt:
Below are tips & techiques for bench shooting. Please do not hesitate to add your comments.

Pumper air rifle bench shooting tips for open sights or a scope scout mount (not for firearms)

If using a Scope;
 
•   Is the scope mount level & centered on the barrel before mounting the scope?
•   Is the scope level & centered on the mount & barrel?

Target;

•   Is your target level?
•   Are you using the hash marks (cross hairs) buried into the target to position your scope correctly? Targets with several small bulls have repetitive images which by nature have their own “buried” hash marks (see pic below). If your rifle is miss-aligned to the left your shot will be low & left & visa versa.
•   Are you adjusting the rifle & your position in-line with the target each time your target shifts to the left or to the right or do you only pivot the rifle? Your body must also shift or your trigger pull will change direction.

Rifle forearm grip position on bag;

•   Are you placing the forearm grip on the bag at precisely the same location each time? I place the end of the forearm grip of every pumper (2”) on the inside edge of the bag.
 
Shouldering the rifle;

•   I do not shoulder the rifle (this is why I specified not for firearms)

Rifle grip;

•   Light but firm enough to prevent the rifle from canting (pitching) left or right.

Free arm/hand location;

•   Where is your free arm/hand placed? I position my free hand palm side down (fingers grip trigger arm forearm) underneath the stock at rear of the rifle to simply guide the rifle into position for the shot.

Eye position (for scout mount scopes, & open sights);
 
•   Where do you position yourself for the shot? I position my eye as close to the center of the rifle at the back of the stock.

Trigger pull (the most important & the most difficult);

•   Our pumpers have some of the worst triggers for this type shooting. Set the hammer (WITHOUT LOADING A PELLET INTO THE CHAMBER) grab your trigger with two fingers & move the trigger side to side. It’s amazing how much side to side motion there is, making the correct trigger pull even more difficult.
•   How are you placing your finger on the trigger? This is a simple test; w/o setting the hammer, line up your rifle on point. Focus on poi & pull the trigger. Does the rifle move off point when you pull the trigger? Keep doing this drill until poi & trigger pull are in sync. There’s your correct finger position on the trigger. Keep in mind that avoiding a side to side trigger pull is half the battle. If you pull the trigger too high your shot will be high. If you pull the trigger too low, your shot will be low, & finally if you pivot the rifle left or right & not your body your trigger pull will change direction.

Trigger & trigger travel/creep;

•   How light or heavy is your trigger pull? The lighter the better. Most if not all our pumpers have mediocre trigger pulls at best. There are several steps you can take to improve trigger pull. Many of which are here on GTA. If you have questions ask & someone will help.
•   Travel/creep is the amount of pull necessary to disengage the sear. The more you practice the more you become familiar with the right amount of pull to place on the trigger just before the sear is released. This is where you want your trigger to be right before the shot.

Back_Roads:
 Some very good tips here, One thing I do to verify my shot alignment, is hold the gun on position, then look away from the scope then back into it , do the cross hairs / sights stay on target when you settle back into your aiming position, if not adjust your body to line the shot better and try again.

DanD:
Thanks for the tips, Marty!
I was curious if all your pumpers can shoot those 200 scores, or if you have any that simply are not that accurate?

Yng@hrt:

--- Quote from: Back_Roads on March 05, 2018, 09:17:00 AM --- Some very good tips here, One thing I do to verify my shot alignment, is hold the gun on position, then look away from the scope then back into it , do the cross hairs / sights stay on target when you settle back into your aiming position, if not adjust your body to ling the shot better and try again.

--- End quote ---
Good tip James. Which brings up a couple of other points; Right before the shot, I gently let off of the hold on the grip to make sure the butt of the rifle remains in line with the hold. If poi moves off course, I reset the hold.

The other point is that of backing off of the shot. Still working on this one. You go through so much effort to prepair for the shot that it's difficult stop & start over.

Yng@hrt:

--- Quote from: DanD on March 05, 2018, 11:11:45 AM ---Thanks for the tips, Marty!
I was curious if all your pumpers can shoot those 200 scores, or if you have any that simply are not that accurate?

--- End quote ---

Dan, I mentioned this before & it wasn’t an exaggeration; seems like I’ve used gallons of ink & truck loads of paper to get to this point. My wife would ask; need anything from Wal-Mart? Yes, ink. After about the 2nd time she said give me some money. After that episode I decided to pay attention to what I was doing.
 
Now that I have a better sense of the mechanics involved, I am amazed by the accuracy of these guns. So far, all those I have tested  have performed well. 

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