Is 50 yards the new 25 yards?

[blackdiesel]

I've only been into airguns for about  a year and a half.  And it seemed that most shooters posted 25 yard groups and rarely 50 yard groups.  And forget about 100 yard groups, no one posted them except a select few.  Now you hardly ever see 25 yard groups from PCPs.  Did PCPs get better or did shooters get better? 

[Jr_Explorer]

Did PCPs get better or did shooters get better?

In a word...  Yes!  LOL!  I'm pretty new too (about a year like you) and am NOT that great a shot but I zero at 37 yds (nice even number right!) and shoot at ground squirrels out to 100+'ish.  And if I can do it then REALLY good shots can print those <1" groups way out there consistently. 

I think the nature of PCP's is to push oneself to get better and better at longer and longer ranges.

[vigilandy]

I'm pretty new to the PCP game.  Only recently have 50 yards become "normal."  Getting my hands on regged and tuned rifles has made a big difference in connecting with long range shots.   

At 25 yards I'm looking for a single single ragged hole from a PCP.  With a springer I'd be very happy with anything under 1.5 inches!

[Motorhead]

As pellet quality has risen these last 20+ years so have the guns that take advantage of there potential.
The modern Quality manufactured Spring or PCP rifles will in able hands nearly deliver hole in hole accuracy with the right pellet fed it at 25 yards.
Not much can be determined at 25 yards other than you or your gun can't / won't do it ... or it does and your groups look as good as the next guy with an able set up.
At 50 yards the game changes and consistency of the gun power plant and shooters ability to break shots cleanly separates the Very good to Excellent gun/shooters in dramatic fashion.   

[Bwalton]

I almost never shoot at 25-40 yards, I shoot 50 -100yards groups cause that is where my pest game is located, So I have to zero at 50 which is a basic shot, like a no brainer... and practice from 60-120yards. So I need a rifle that can accommodate that need.

[PakProtector]

50 yards is a reasonable distance for a pellet to fly. It only takes a wee bit of a wind to turn a hit into a miss if you're targeting a squirrel noggin. With the energy bleed from the low BC it does not take much of a solid skull to make one bounce off if hit obliquely. With skill and reasonable conditions a pellet gun is quite lethal much further away of course...
cheers,
Douglas

[Bullfrog]

I still do nearly all my shooting at 20-30 yards as that's where I make most of my hunting shots. I shoot 50 yard groups to check my scope's zero, especially elevation. However I don't use it to check my gun's accuracy. At 50 yards too much can effect the shot from a wobbly rest to a simple breeze. If I want to know whether my gun is shooting a pellet accurately I trust my 30 yard groups. A quick 50 yard group confirms and then I'm off. In other words, if I get a flier at 50 yards, I cannot rule out my own error and I can't necessarily draw conclusions. However I should never get a flier at 20-30 yards. If I do, I know to look hard at the gun or pellet.

[gator 69]

I would have to say that pcp air rifles and ammo have came around very nicely in the few years.  Don't get me wrong 7 years ago a Bsa really made a believer out of me. I was a army sniper and it is nice to see the groups achieved now days with the right combo.

[PaulFWI]

I'm nothing special as a shooter and all my shots are 50-70 yards (large yard; garden 60Y from house).

I can easily print .5" groups at 50Y from either my AA s500 or BSA R10, both in .22.  A decent breeze does open this to .75" or so. 

I find my new Air Ranger in .25 (50 FPE) a bit more challenging to shoot accurately - it jumps more.  But it also is extremely accurate.

So, in reasonably calm conditions, from a rest, hitting small critters out to 75 yards or so really is not that big a deal.  You do have to know the range pretty accurately as these guns are not really flat-shooting past 60 yards or so - not when "flat" means a tolerance of an inch at most.