Gray #2 gets away... arg!

[timegoat]

I don't get it. Lined up for a head shot on another Gray squirrel, squeezed, and heard more of a 'pop!' than a 'thunk' as the pellet hit the critter. Squirrel did what looked like a death dance for a few seconds then stopped. Watched it for a minute... then it got up and ran up a tree like nothing happened not to be seen again!

Now, I put a JM spring in Dorina which, I understand, is not as powerful as the stock spring. Could that reduction in power make enough of a difference at @25yds with a CPHP to not penetrate a Gray very well?

Think I'll stick to pesting the Reds till I get the new scope mount for Mori, she still has the more powerful stock spring. Gave her a cleaning, tar and moly, and light tune this morning, but she ate the mount that came with her and needs glass to shoot. No open sights on the 34 pro compact.

Planning on thinning out the chipmunk herd out back too. Apparently they're one of the carriers of deer ticks, and their population has only grown on our acre+. Lyme disease prevention is a good enough reason for me to lock and load. So, get ready for some chipper pics. If Dorina can handle the Red Menace she'll definitely be able to handle their smaller cousins.

- Mark

[only1harry]

Hey Mark, I think you said your 34 was shooting the CPHP's around 880-890?  That's more than enough to take a Gray at 25yds.  

My 36 which has the 34 powerplant shoots CPHP's from mid-high 890's through 910fps.  Average is usually 899 to 902fps with a 10-shot string through the Chrony.  I have taken many Grays from 25 to 30yds with the 36 using CPHP's.  In 2008 I took almost all the Groundhogs with my 36 using CPHP's (and SD's) between 19 and 26yds.  They were all 1-shot kills.  The CPHP went all the way through some of the Groundhog's skulls at distances of 23yds or less.  At 24-26yds I did not get passthrough's but the G-hogs went down fast nevertheless.  A G-hog's skull is 2 to 2.5x the size of a Gray's.  I have also taken Grays and Groundhogs using 8.3gr Superdomes which only shoot 850-860fps in my 36 (or mid to high 13's FPE).  Any gun shooting low 800fps with 7.9gr and up should be able to take down a gray squirrel at 25yds.  Your 34 has plenty of power for the job, so it could be the squirrel moved a little at the last moment.  It happens at times as we are squeezing the trigger..  I also get a flier once in a while.  I can tell before I shoto because the CPHP will fit very loosely in the breach and it usually shoots high.  Not all CPHP pellets are 100% uniform in the tin, but for the price they are pretty decent.  You 'll get him next time

[timegoat]

Yeah, just getting a little frustrated and... not happy with wounding them. Ain't looking to hurt 'em, looking to eat 'em! I figure if the cphp can go clean through a Red at 25yds it should be up for a Gray, but you're right, the uniformity is definitely an issue. Might have to try a different pellet. I haven't done a proper pellet accuracy test since the tuning and I don't have a chrono so I really don't know how fast they're flying.

Oh! On the up side, I think that female was pregnant in August because we suddenly have at least three very young looking Grays out back.

Time will tell...

- Mark

[timegoat]

Oh... before I forget, is there a good way to estimate a pellet's power? Like, shooting at plywood or something along those lines? I've got a lot of scrap wood down in my basement.

- Mark

[dk1677]

It happens Mark , no way to predict what a critter will do after the trigger is pulled. I have seen them move just as a shot went out

[timegoat]

Very true, dk. I think my choice of pellet is an issue as well. Putting a hold on Gray hunting till I can do some more extensive accuracy testing. I still have a bunch of pellets from my SS Sampler and a nice selection of H&N Baracudas on hand as well. Judging from other people's pics I think we grow our Grays pretty big up here.

Accuracy and energy might be the answer.

- Mark

[only1harry]

Mark, do not use the Baracudas.  They are too heavy for the mainspring and power of the 34.  I recommend taking some time and reading Bob's (CDT's) web site about using heavy pellets.  Try the 8.3 Superdomes and 8.4 JSB Exacts.  They shoot very well out of my 36 which is the same gun as 34.  The CP's are deadly accurate in my tuned 36 as well, but 1 out of 10 or 15 are off because they are slightly smaller/lighter.  I don't like the way the SD's fit loosely in the breach but they are very accurate.

I would also recommend trying a different hold since you have a Maccari spring in it now (how about spring guide?).  The gun will still be hold sensitive still but a little differently.  If I leave the forearm on open palm, it shoots high (as most Springers do because of the recoil), but I can't get used to that and tend to hold the forearm with a mild grip and then it shoots 0.5" lower or on the bullseye as I have it zeroed like that.  If I hold a little too tight it will shoot slightly lower, but not more than 1/3".  Have you replaced the piston seal or was it in pretty good shape?  Anyway the SD's and 8.4 JSB's are a good choice for the 34 as far as pellet weight and will probably shoot slightly higher and to the left a little than the CPHP's but they are very consistent in my 36 and just as accurate without the fliers of the CPHP.  My gun didn't like the Beeman FTS as much.  I would like to try the JSB 7.9's one day too but these other 3 are all 1 small ragged hole at 25yds and even same hole, so I stick with them. 
Finally, I highly recommend a Chrony.  For $100 I have found it invaluable.  I would have paid more for it..  Actually around $150 with the indoor lights which I also recommend.  I don't go outside anymore with the Chrony after I got the lights.

[timegoat]

Harry, I'll definately stay away from the Baracudas. I did a quick accuracy test with the Baracuda Match, Baracuda Power, H&N FTT Power, and some CPHPs that I measured with calipers. The CPHPs I shot were 4.5mm +- 0.01mm. The variation in head size straight out of a tin ranged from 4.46mm - 4.54mm. Quite a spread. The Baracudas don't shoot well. The FTT Power and measured CPHPs both gave me 0.75inch groups (all 5 shots in the groups) at 30yds with my 4x scope. I'll have to try them again when I get the new mount for my 3-9x scope and see if they tighten up. This test was done with Dorina (the tuned 34)... Mori (the pro compact) shoots a little differently so I'll to run the same tests with her at some point in the future.

I don't want to have to measure all my CPHPs but it might be worth the time for accuracy's sake, and I have 2 full tins of them on hand.

I also d/loaded that ChairGun software to get more details about POI and energy and found (in theory) if I zero in at 35yds, I should be able to hit a 0.5" kill zone from 15-38yds, and still have enough power for a clean kill. Of course, that's by the numbers only, but still good to know.

Might have to take your advice and invest in a chrony, but that's a little ways off. Winter's coming soon and we're gonna need the $$. But the information would definitely be good to have.

Gonna have to run some more accuracy tests with Superdomes and the pellets I still have from the sampler. What are your thoughts on the light RWS Super Hollow Points? Too light for a 34 perhaps?

The piston seal had a little wear but didn't look too bad to my untrained eye. I do plan on picking up a few JM seals to have on hand. The spring guide is the original stock part. My hold is as you see in my profile pic. Rifle is rested on a pair of old jeans on my window sill. I have a rough time with the open palm hold in that position, it's very uncomfortable, but I do use it when shooting offhand or sitting with my elbow on my knee. But for critters, it's all windowsill position as it's the most steady. I don't pull the rifle in tight to my shoulder, but it is in light contact. I've found that it works pretty well.

Thanks for all your help and knowledge! Gonna go to CDTs site now and check it out.

- Mark

[timegoat]

Ran a second pellet test 4 shots each 30yds, windowsill and jeans rest 4x scope. RWS Super-H-Point (2" group), RWS Super Point (1"), Superdome (0.75"), Meisterkugeln (1.5"), Beeman FTS (1.125").

So that settles things, my best options are the H&N FTT Power, Superdomes, and measured and sorted CPHPs. I'm sure there are others out there, but I have all three of those on hand. We'll see I can do with those once I get the 3-9x scope mount.

Either way, no Gray hunting for me till I get it all worked out.

- Mark

[only1harry]

Sounds good Mark.  0.75" is pretty respectable with a 4x scope @ 30yds, stock spring guide, factory seal, etc, but the RWS seals are actually very good.  Many pro-tuners have praised the Diana seals even Jim Maccari in a phone conversation I had with him 3yrs ago and a couple of other very popular ones.

Just curious.  Did the SD's shoot a bit higher and to the left as compared to the CPHP's?

[timegoat]

Good to know about the factory seals. They looked pretty new considering how much I abused the rifle when I first got it. Dry firing, a little dieseling, RWS lube... everything you shouldn't do I did with her in the few years before I found GTA. Pure ignorance on my part. Still, gonna pick up some JM seals to have in my repair kit to go with the extra spring I picked up when I ordered her replacement. Figured a back-up was a good idea.

The domes actually hit just a touch lower and to the left of the CPHPs... we're talking maybe 0.25" in both directions... if that. When I get the new mount for the bigger scope I should be able to learn more about that. But at 4x, that could be shooter error, rifle resting slightly differently, etc...

- Mark