First post - here we go :)

[Johnno]

Hi all,

Johnno here - first post to this forum - have been looking for a while to find a good international forum for airgun enthusiasts and to hopefully get a few questions answered...

Up to a month ago the only thing I knew about airguns was limited to a 60 year old air rifle (a ''Daisy'' I think it is from memory) that I inherited from my dad - I'm normally into prac pistol and long range target shooting (7.62/308) and service rifle which I usually shoot with my 105 year old Swedish Mauser...

I've since moved from Oz (Australia) to Argentina - to legally buy regular firearms here it will take me quite sime time because I have to get all my paperwork in order - and being someone who goes nuts without my regular range practice and the chance to shoot on a regular basis I looked at the other options - and the one really good thing about Argentina is you can buy any air pistol or air rifle you want without paperwork - so I've got myself a Crosman Benjamin EB22 for indoor practice - and I'm really enjoying using it - but I now have a few friends here I am going to be able to do some small/medium game hunting with so I've bought myself a Hatsan 125 (.22 calibre/5.5mm) and am EXTREMELY impressed with it and reckon I should be able to take down just about anything up to the 50 or 100 kg level in terms of game...

NOW - I've got no range nearby so the best I could do to zero the rifle was approximately 10 metres indoors (inside my apartment) - I've bought a Shilba (Argentine) Red Dot sight (not magnified) and at 10 metres I'm pretty much on/touching the 1cm bull...

[Johnno]

CONTINUED...

NOW - I'm using some really nice local 28 grain pellets that are meant to be the best/heaviest hunting pellets you can get here - but I DON'T have any chrony gear or anything else and what I am hoping is that some of you have done some chrony work on the hatsan 125 (.22/5.5mm) and have some ballistic data you can share with me - I won't get the opportunity to get to a range any time soon to zero at 50 metres which is the distance I expect to do most of my hunting at - does anyone on the board have a basic ballistic data chart for the hatsan 125 using 28 gr pellets or at least chrony figures to tell me what sort of muzzle velocity I will be getting using these 28 grain pellets so that I can then try to grab an online ballistics program to work out a BDC for myself ?

[Johnno]

Okay - don't want to be a pain - its taken 3 posts for me to get my story across and you'll be bored to death trying to read all of this but if anyone can help me out it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Johnno in Argentina

[deanda]

Welcome Johnno, sorry I can't help with the info that you are looking for.....but someone will jump in that can.
Just wanted to welcome you to the site, lots of good guys around here and very helpfull............so enjoy.
The library at the top of the page has some great info that might help also..........anyway...welcome aboard!!!

[dk1677]

Same here , can't help, but Welcome to the GTA

[jakerox43]

Hello and welcome to GTA!

You might find this helpful. Ask if you have any questions about how it works.

http://www.instructables.com/id/AirsoftAirgun-or-other-projectile-throwing-devic/#step1

[newguyontheblock (Nathan)]

Welcome to the GTA, the hatsan website says the 125 in .22 cal gets 1000 fps. Based on that being hooey, im going to guess 900? then add in a very heavy pellet, a best guess might be 750 fps.

Also a 2nd note, 50 meters with a heavy pellet on a springer might be too far depending on what your hunting.  I would have to guess inside of 30 meters being a safe distance to get a clean and painless kill

Good luck and hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about stops by soon

[Johnno]

Thanks for that guys Much appreciated I'm sure there will be a few more replies and I'll keep checking, put it all together and hopefully figure out what I'm doing. Yes newguy, I was wondering about 50 metres as well - because of weight of pellet and bullet drop - the shooting situation I am looking at though is kind of unique - where I live right now I have the opportunity to do some roof top vermin control fairly high up - I brought my range finder binoculars with me when I came here though and I know the distance I'd be shooting at is approximately 48 metres - so the trick is to get zeroed somehow when the only reliable zeroing option for me is the 10 metres inside the apartment option and since the vermin will be pidgeons and suchlike they are not very big targets so I am hoping to take some of the guesswork out of this so I know fairly accurately how many clicks I need to wind up the red dot to hit the target...

[newguyontheblock (Nathan)]

Im not sure if its more of a problem of pellet drop or moving off target, or if it will still give a clean painless kill at that distance with that heavy of a pellet. I think it should be fine but others know better than I

Good luck

[longislandhunter]

Just wanted to welcome you to GTA, it's very nice to have you with us

Make sure you post hunting stories and pics in the "Hunting Gate" if you can.  We love hunting stories...

Jeff

[Johnno]

Yes newguy - I hear you - I'd like to know the accuracy/zeroing is good enough to ensure a chest shot each time - and I'm going with the heavy 28 gr pellet assuming that will have the most impact on the target each time and using the theory that any lighter pellet will be more affected by the wind sheer between the two buildings - its not extreme but there is some... I've found one fairly reasonable free ballistics program online and started playing with it - maybe I should factor in a lower muzzle velocity along the lines of what you've said, print out a rough BDC and then if I can figure out how many clicks equals 1MOA on this red dot sight (it has no manual with it) I might be able to use the chart to ''dial up'' the correct amount from the 10 metre zero I have and see how I go...

[jakerox43]

Try what's in the poor man's chrono link I posted above and then try it at 48 yards, and calculate energy from there.

[Brutuz]

Welcome Johnno, I've tested this one a while ago:

[Frank]

You may have a program like this that you referred to:
http://www.airgunexpo.com/calc/calc_opbz.cfm?
This will give you the hold under/over from whatever zero point you choose.
Welcome to the GTA.

[Johnno]

Thanks guys - as expected some great info/leads - cast your eyes over this and see if it ''feels right'' for you all (?)

Simple Trajectory Program V2.0

Pellet Name:      28 grain pellet in Hatsan 125
Pellet Weight:    28.00 grns
pellet BC:        0.031
Pellet Diameter:  0.220 in.
Muzzle Velocity:  700 fps
Scope Height      1.890 in.
Click/MOA:        4 clicks/MOA
Zero Range:       10 yards



--------------------               --------------------

         ()                                ()       

--------------------               --------------------
Name:  28 grain pe                 Name:  28 grain pe
BC:    0.031                       BC:    0.031
Vel:   700 fps                     Vel:   700 fps
ScpHt: 1.890 in.                   ScpHt: 1.890 in.
--------------------               --------------------
|10   0:0||55   3:2|               |10   0:0||55   3:2|
|11 -10:3||56   4:0|               |11 -10:3||56   4:0|
|12 - 9:3||57   4:1|               |12 - 9:3||57   4:1|
|13 - 9:0||58   4:3|               |13 - 9:0||58   4:3|
|14 - 8:1||59   5:1|               |14 - 8:1||59   5:1|
|15 - 7:3||60   5:2|               |15 - 7:3||60   5:2|
|16 - 7:2||61   6:0|               |16 - 7:2||61   6:0|
|17 - 7:0||62   6:2|               |17 - 7:0||62   6:2|
|18 - 7:0||63   6:3|               |18 - 7:0||63   6:3|
|19 - 6:3||64   7:1|               |19 - 6:3||64   7:1|
|20 - 6:3||65   7:3|               |20 - 6:3||65   7:3|
|21 - 6:2||66   8:1|               |21 - 6:2||66   8:1|
|22 - 6:2||67   8:2|               |22 - 6:2||67   8:2|
|23 - 6:2||68   9:0|               |23 - 6:2||68   9:0|
|24 - 6:3||69   9:2|               |24 - 6:3||69   9:2|
|25 - 6:3||70  10:0|               |25 - 6:3||70  10:0|
|26 - 7:0||71  10:2|               |26 - 7:0||71  10:2|
|27 - 7:0||72  11:0|               |27 - 7:0||72  11:0|
|28 - 7:1||73  11:2|               |28 - 7:1||73  11:2|
|29 - 7:1||74  11:3|               |29 - 7:1||74  11:3|
|30 - 7:2||75 + 0:1|               |30 - 7:2||75 + 0:1|
|31 - 7:3||76 + 0:3|               |31 - 7:3||76 + 0:3|
|32 - 8:0||77 + 1:1|               |32 - 8:0||77 + 1:1|
|33 - 8:1||78 + 1:3|               |33 - 8:1||78 + 1:3|
|34 - 8:2||79 + 2:1|               |34 - 8:2||79 + 2:1|
|35 - 8:3||80 + 2:3|               |35 - 8:3||80 + 2:3|
|36 - 9:0||81 + 3:1|               |36 - 9:0||81 + 3:1|
|37 - 9:1||82 + 3:3|               |37 - 9:1||82 + 3:3|
|38 - 9:2||83 + 4:1|               |38 - 9:2||83 + 4:1|
|39 - 9:3||84 + 4:3|               |39 - 9:3||84 + 4:3|
|40 -10:1||85 + 5:1|               |40 -10:1||85 + 5:1|
|41 -10:2||86 + 5:3|               |41 -10:2||86 + 5:3|
|42 -10:3||87 + 6:1|               |42 -10:3||87 + 6:1|
|43 -11:0||88 + 6:3|               |43 -11:0||88 + 6:3|
|44 -11:2||89 + 7:1|               |44 -11:2||89 + 7:1|
|45 -11:3||90 + 8:0|               |45 -11:3||90 + 8:0|
|46   0:1||91 + 8:2|               |46   0:1||91 + 8:2|
|47   0:2||92 + 9:0|               |47   0:2||92 + 9:0|
|48   0:3||93 + 9:2|               |48   0:3||93 + 9:2|
|49   1:1||94 +10:0|               |49   1:1||94 +10:0|
|50   1:2||95 +10:2|               |50   1:2||95 +10:2|
|51   2:0||96 +11:1|               |51   2:0||96 +11:1|
|52   2:1||97 +11:3|               |52   2:1||97 +11:3|
|53   2:3||98 +12:1|               |53   2:3||98 +12:1|
|54   3:0||99 +12:3|               |54   3:0||99 +12:3|
|55   3:2||100 +13:2|               |55   3:2||100 +13:2|
--------------------               --------------------

         ()                                ()       

--------------------               --------------------

[Johnno]

PS - Don't ask why the program prints the BDC twice as two colums side by side but it does I just had another brilliant thought - in the old days in calculating firing solutions with the old 7.62 bolt gun for long range shooting we also had a ''slope doper'' or equivalent and last night when I headed off to sleep after more than the usual number of ''light ales'' I had a thought - the building top where all my targets land is probably on a 40 degree angle (up) from my apartment window I'll be shooting from - I'm wondering if I am now getting a bit ''anal'' or if I should just take my first few shots and see how I go:) lol There's no apartments or windows to worry about within metres of the target area and really the only concern is if I get it ''horribly wrong'' and do take out someone's window or something - but the BDC this program has done looks good to me (I think) - the only thing is I have sort of taken the lazy way out and not chronied for this pellet (or done the improvised chrony job suggested above my Jake - oh and I've also calculated the BC on the basis of the assumed MV of 700fps - so thats the other shortcut I've taken - although my gut feel is thats probably pretty close to spot on... What do we all think ? Its a bit wet today but hopefully I'll spot a few targets of opportunity and be ready to give it a go...

[Johnno]

PPS In the chart the first figure is the distance in yards and the second is the number of clicks - this red dot of mine did not come with instructions but I am assuming that each click is a quarter MOA (?) (I've used red dots in pistol shooting in the past but specific range target practice and interestingly enough with the Browning Buckmark .22 pistol I used the red dot sight on the competition was at 4 set ranges - 10, 15, 20, 25 (metres) - strangely enough I never needed to adjust the red dot as I hit the button to send the target out further each time - the red dot worked for each distance without holding under/over - I'm assuming I need to do all this because of the lower velocity of the air rifle pellet when compared with .22 LR (?) Okay - maybe I should have given myself a chance to wake up first and drunk a lot more coffee before I posted this - someone let me know if I am making sense or not lol

[Johnno]

PPPS The red dot is a ''Shilba RG Duo Tac'' made here in Argentina...

[Skonion]

Welcome to the Forum Johnno. I'm no expert but I'm wondering if that weight of a pellet wouldn't be a bit much for that Springer. Seems like it would put quite a workout on that spring and a 28 grain pellet would be more suited for a .25 cal.
 Maybe one of the guys with more hands on experience with that will give some better advice. I'm just always a bit leary of using too heavy or too light of a pellet and causing damage. Just my 2cents worth.  Good luck and enjoy!
Geno   

[larspawn]

Johnno ditto Gene's comment. Methinks 28 grain is way too much for your springer. 14-19 gr is more reasonable. I shoot 28gr but only from my Career 707. If you have access to springs then no prob and you can consider them consumables but you definitely will fatigue and break that spring faster than with a lighter pellet.

Welcome to the GTA. The greatest bunch of airgunners by far!