Dilemma of zeroing in!

[mtsheron70]

Okay here is my story.  I have a new Benjamin Trail NP with the synthetic stock in .22 caliber.  Installed is a GRTIII trigger (which by the way makes this gun a dream).  I have a scope other than the one that came with the gun.  It is a Leapers 3x12x44 AO with illuminted red/green and 36 color reticle.  Scope is mounted securely and I used blue loc-tite on all allen screws.  No budge in this scope!  I even used loc-tite on the three stock screws to make sure they don't loosen up and create fliers!

Now to my dilemma................sighting in the gun just isn't going!  I am doing so from 20-25 yards supported off a bench.   Every time I seem to get a few pellets zeroed in and wanting to set the zero on the scope I get a flier by 2-3 inches and sometimes better!!!!!!

I start adjusting the MOA and get it almost in again then that darn flier comes back!  I check all screws and allen screws and nothing!!!!!  A complete mystery to me. 

So here is my diagnosis.............I really think getting the barrel crowned is the fix???  I did the Q-tip test to see if there is any catch in the exit of the barrel but I don't feel any rough hangups or see any of the cotton content from the Q-tip remain behind.  I mean the gun is not even a month old and I can't seem to get 5 straight shots on top of one another or at least in the very very close proximity.

Any suggestions would be great! 

BTW-  Shooting H&N FTT 14.66 grain.

[amb5500c]

Try different pellets. Many different pellets.
Richard

[Mo.sniper342]

Try different pellets. Many different pellets.
Richard
x2

[Airik]

Are your pellets flush or countersunk in the breech, and are the pellets being seated at the same position every single time? My .22 Benjamin Titan GP has a tight fitting barrel, and I got sick of seating each pellet with the end of a marker, so I gently Dremel'd the breech until my pellets would seat completely into the barrel by hand. This might be your culprit. Another thing using the exact same shooting position every time. My Titan likes to be pressed firmly against my shoulder, even on a bench.

[mtsheron70]

There is a tight fit in the breech but I seat the pellets flush.  Should I countersink them each time?  Also, will be trying my JSB's next!

Maybe I should branch out to other pellets.

[RCTrax05]

I have a Trail NP .22 with synthetic stock -- it must be identical to yours, except I am still using the original Centerpoint scope...

My Trail is very hold sensitive -- when shooting offhand (that's how I do almost all my shooting), I have to use a semi-firm pistol grip, wih that hand pulling back toward the shoulder medium/firm... The offhand for mine needs to be forward, right at the front of the fore end, with the thumb/index finger lightly touching the sling mount. Consistency of hold seems to be very important...

I bored you with all that detail to propose that part of your "fliers" may be due to inconsistency with placement on your bench rest. Just as with the "hold", if you don't place the gun on the rest in a consistent position, the gun will not shoot consistently for you...

Just my 2 cents...

PS: FWIW -- I'm still using CPHP's with decent performance...

[Airik]

There is a tight fit in the breech but I seat the pellets flush.  Should I countersink them each time?  Also, will be trying my JSB's next!

Maybe I should branch out to other pellets.

Science and ballistics show/prove that maximum velocity is accrued when breech is flat and pellet is exactly flush... but that's in a perfect world. Try to blow through a cheap 500-count tin of Crosman Premier Hollow Point's first.

[bambazonke01]

From what I've read here , you are shooting Benchrest and probably off bags.
I had the same problem  as you did till I removed the rear sling swivel stud as it was catching on the rear bag and throwing the recoil off.
 Hope this helps.
"Hold into the wind"
Jim

[justindfish]

I have trail np also and I have noticed even with sand bags I get much better consistency if I don't let any part of the gun touch the bag and only use one bag.  I use a bag in the front with my hand on the stock then rest my hand on the bag and my trigger arm and shoulder support the rear.  I use a very very very light hold all the way around and I get good consistency, it took me over 1500 pellets to get my hold down to where it works best. 

If you don't believe how much the bench and hold effect that gun shoot standing off hand and see what you can do you will surprise your self I did.

 

[Nate the airgunner]

I agree with everyone who has posted so far, I mainly say you work on hold and try different pellets before using the dremyl.

[Fourxquad]

I had the same problem with my gun, found the screws that go threw the trigger guard had backed out and the stock was moving around enough to throw off my shots like that..
Good Luck

[Airik]

I agree with everyone who has posted so far, I mainly say you work on hold and try different pellets before using the dremyl.

I agree, despite my comment about the Dremel-tooling the breech. Just keep on shooting. I've only tried store-bought CPHP .22's in my only .22 pellet gun, the Benjamin Titan GP, since I haven't ordered any different online yet, and that my local WM supplies ONLY them for .22's.

[BenjiHunter]

Remember, even if you shoot of a bench , you need to have the same hold on all shots and the same concentration(focus).

[Rickey]

If its not a month old yet don't take apart call crosman.

[mtsheron70]

May be a combo of things.  This gun seems very hold sensitive.  I shoot from a bench but not with a sand bag.  I use a San Angelo gun vise and use just the front "Y" support to lay the barrel on and gently pull the gun butt to my shoulder then use my left hand (support hand) to gently hold up the gun for elevation up or down by holding it near the butt.

I looked at some videos on the artillery hold again to see others feedback and I need to experiment with a sand bag rest and place the gun on it about mid way of the stock forearm rather then resting the barrel on a "Y" support.

I will take your words to heart and experiment.

No dremel for me.  If it gets crowned it will be by a true crowning tool like the Borka that Dave Manson uses to crown barrels.  I am still thinking a crown job could only make it better even though it is probably a hold issue I am sure.

[Airik]

Don't rest that barrel on anything, especially a gun rest when shooting. I don't even lean mine against walls or in a gun rack. Use the stock for bench shooting. I use Plano brand gun cases with the foam inside for storage, and I store on its side.