Slipping toward the "Dark side"

[Lefusil]

Help me out Everyone.  I have a Benjamin trail NP2, and I cannot get the thing to shoot with the precision I think its capable of.
Looking for some perspective.  I typically zero around 30 yards.  Dime sized groups are not in my experience, (more like silver dollar sized groups -  big silver dollars).  What's a reasonable group size expectation from a break barrel?  (with the forend on a soft rest)
I've lightened the trigger pull, and polished the sear.  I have polished the muzzle's crown (it was a little rough) and cleaned the bore with JB paste.
Is it me?  How should I practice?  What is the best way to determine the rifle's inherent capability?

[Roadworthy]

With a decent break barrel properly set up dime size groups (or less) are easily within the realm of possibility at twenty yards.  I think with your gun five shot groups would be reasonable on a good day.  I can do ten shot groups or smaller that size, again on a good day.  I've not tried thirty yards with a break barrel.  You've got me curious now.  I'll have to measure out thirty yards.  I know I've done 5/8" five shot groups at forty with a fixed barrel.  Obviously more play time is in order!!

[bear air]

I pulled my break barrel out this week and did some shooting with it. I almost forgot what it likes... almost. By the end of the session I was shooting the lettering on the targets at 13 yrds. Although I've literally shot thousands and thousands of pellets through this gun. And recoil wow, I cant say I miss that with the pcp's. I did take a squirrel at 50 yards once with my break barrel I was shocked lol.

[xtred1]

I have the same gun and cant shoot it for anything. It is far to powerful for me to learn the break barrel. Really it is far to powerful to do the type of shooting I need to do. I moved over to multi pumps and I can do the type of shooting I am in need of. 

[bear air]

I actually got frustrated with mine and modified it with a rail on each side and so I could mount a 2 piece stoeger bipod. Cheating maybe but now I can shoot it from a rest and actually hit something lol.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I try and rotate my break barrels in the mix but every time it is a "re-learning" session.
PCP's have spoiled me. AKA: "The Darkside is strong"

[Lefusil]

Ha!  I am feeling the pull of the Dark side.
Maybe my expectations are too ambitious for my gun/ my ability.  Today I was shooting cat food cans sitting on a 2x4 at about 30-35 yards.  They're 3.5 inches wide by 1 inch tall.  I was hitting around seven in nine tries (after warming up).  But I'm resting the gun on sand bags when I do this.  It is definitely sensitive to how you hold it.

[mav72]

Help me out Everyone.  I have a Benjamin trail NP2, and I cannot get the thing to shoot with the precision I think its capable of.
Looking for some perspective.  I typically zero around 30 yards.  Dime sized groups are not in my experience, (more like silver dollar sized groups -  big silver dollars).  What's a reasonable group size expectation from a break barrel?  (with the forend on a soft rest)
I've lightened the trigger pull, and polished the sear.  I have polished the muzzle's crown (it was a little rough) and cleaned the bore with JB paste.
Is it me?  How should I practice?  What is the best way to determine the rifle's inherent capability?

My friend has the same gun and I don't think he's ever got it shooting correctly for himself. Before he got the gun he asked for advice weather he should get it. I told him to get a Benji 39x. He was so star struck by the advertized speed of the NP2. Now when I ask him about his gun, he just gets quiet.

Anyway, with springers I start with my hold and what usually works for me. My heavier wooden springers (I only got four) like the artillery hold. BUT there were times where I've shot lighter less powerful lighter synthetic springers and I had to put a firm hold on them, otherwise I'd start missing everything. Hand placement on the foregrip can also affect the shot. Springers can be pellet picky too. With springers, you just have to get to know each one VERY WELL.

[longhunter]

I used to have a Hatsan 125, that I couldn't hit diddly with, until I figured out that it didn't like to be benched. The only way I could get it to group, was to shoot from either a sitting position, or, standing offhand. It was strictly a hunter. And, a darn accurate one, at that.
Youmay want to try a different shooting position, before giving up on the gun.

[robertr]

My friend has the same gun and I don't think he's ever got it shooting correctly for himself. Before he got the gun he asked for advice weather he should get it. I told him to get a Benji 39x. He was so star struck by the advertized speed of the NP2. Now when I ask him about his gun, he just gets quiet.

Haha, sounds like what my brother did, he saw the specs for the NPXL .177 and had to have it. Now it just sits in the closet.
 Of course I really should not talk, I bought my D350 Magnum for the same reason 20 years ago roughly, the difference is I shoot my 350 almost every day.

[JungleShooter]

Hey, as you're slipping toward the Dark Side –
here's some SoftSoap-WD40 mixture to grease your trip.   

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=156294
Subject:  "What Precision (Group Size) Can I Expect From My Springer?!?"

(Numbers from Dr. Beeman and Jock Elliott)

[BigBird]

So, if I understand, when you shoot artillery hold with your Springer you are basically free-floating the front end gun so the action of the piston moving does not affect your forward hold (your supporting hand) or at least to a lesser degree.
Why isnt there some device the allows you to do the same bench resting the gun?
This is my issue too.  I tried to see POI resting the gun right on the barrel and it is 10" low at 25 yds.

[Sfttailrdr46]

So, if I understand, when you shoot artillery hold with your Springer you are basically free-floating the front end gun so the action of the piston moving does not affect your forward hold (your supporting hand) or at least to a lesser degree.
Why isnt there some device the allows you to do the same bench resting the gun?
This is my issue too.  I tried to see POI resting the gun right on the barrel and it is 10" low at 25 yds.

There is it is called a paint roller rest and can be fabricated for cheap

[Lefusil]

"Hey, as you're slipping toward the Dark Side – here's some SoftSoap-WD40 mixture to grease your trip."

LOL. @Jungleshooter You're going to make me spend some of my hard earned money.  Actually the typical group sizes in your link are really a little better than I'm capable of with my gas ram gun.  Grew up shooting powder burners...

[SteveP-52]

Late to this but I own both spring and gas ram rifles (plus a couple pcp's) and at least for me, if I can park 5 under a quarter (which also happens to be roughly the kill zone on the little grey tree rats I occasionally have a need to shoot) at that distance, I'm a happy guy. Took a bit with all my rifles between finding that right pellet and the holds they like, whether artillery hold or firmer like a powder burner. I also don't always have good days shooting but I also never stop trying and the effort I put into shooting them carries over into shooting my pcp's.

Sfttailrdr has the right idea with the paint roller rest and although I've never done more than read about them, the shooters here that say they have had some very positive results with them since they let your rifle roll back and forth with the recoil. Not sure what pellets you've already tried, so there's one avenue to look at. The other is just keep practicing...shoot, shoot, then shoot some more

[19Sheridan57]

  I have more vintage pumpers than any other rifle, but I do own a few break barrels. I could not shoot one accurately no matter what I tried, in the beginning . Different pellets performed better, but still not accurate enough. [ pumpers have me spoiled !] One day, I picked it up & hit the target . I had to stop & think of what I did differently. I was holding it firmly, just like a high powered rifle ! I no longer try an artillery hold with it.
  I have another one that needs the artillery hold. Try this with your rifle. Move target in closer to start with . I first set at 10 yds & work on getting a good grouping. This rifle shoots the best with my open palm between the rifle & the sandbags. The sandbags restrict the motion of the rifle compared to your open hand.  Once I am happy at 10 yds, I go to 20 or 25 yds. That is the maximum that I zero in.
  Different rifles - different holds- different pellets . I have to remember how each one shoots. I am glad I don't own a lot of Twangers. It would be too confusing.

[mobilehomer]

I too have a Trail NP2. On a good, windless day, mine is capable of 1/2" at forty yards. Most days, I can do 3/4" at that distance. I use a rest just in front of the trigger guard. It does take practice. Practice. Practice.

[Lefusil]

So 3/4" at 40 yards is my new goal Ken.
Is it like golf where if you do it once, you call that your base level of performance, and consider everything worse is just an anomaly?
Gonna order some more pellets.

[Hoosier Daddy]

3/4" at 35 yards for me with 10 pellets out of an average spinger is a good day.
Quality pellets helped me get there consistently.
Then I stepped up to a "Quality Springer" and it was a game changer.
 If my Chinese Beeman, QB, or Crosman does it I am happy, but if my FWB or HW did that I would be frustrated...   
So my expectations change with the gun I am shooting and I have come to realize that.

[BigBird]

There is it is called a paint roller rest and can be fabricated for cheap

Where there's a will, there's a way.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  I used a springy pillow as a rest and it worked great!  I think it works about the same as a paint roller system maybe better as lateral movement is unrestricted.  I shoot out of the back window to snipe the "bad birds" so a paint roller isn't feasible.  Maybe this will help someone with a problem break barrel.  Also, I used some Crosman Premier Domed (10.5gr) in my F4 ($55 @ FS).