Scoring question, heads or tails?

[timegoat]

Hey guys, I've been using the head of a pellet to try and figure out if I nicked a line or not, but it's way easier to see if I use the tail... but the tail diameter is just a touch bigger.

Does it matter?

- Mark

[Jeff D]

I usually use the head of a wadcutter but I found that it's actually easier for me (as someone who puts many of my shots on the outer edge of the line) to use a small magnifier. I use an 'Eye Loupe' style.  See the link as an example (mine is only 6x). You can sit this flat on your target and in most case you'll be able to see lead on your paper in a nice clean circle. That's what I default to when scoring.

With wadcutters and clean firm backer you'll see just a slight edge of lead outside the hole, with a domed pellet it can be pretty dramatic as the holes can be (or appear to be) much smaller than the pellet but you will see the lead where the pellet touched the paper.



I'll see if I can get my camera to focus through the loupe and show you what I mean.

[timegoat]

When shooting pure lead (for the 10m standing matches), yeah, I can see the edge pretty well. But I'm shooting the copper plated pellets for the 30yd bench matches.... and I don't have a loupe. The holes they make are very clean.

[timegoat]

Ha! A solution has presented itself. Found a mutated copper plated pellet with a tiny skirt. The head is normal size, but the skirt has a smaller diameter. Dunno how that happened, but problem solv-ed!

[Big_Bill]

If you are interested in the professional method of scoring yous targets, Champchoice has Scoring Gauges, used in all target competitions, NRA etc. they make scoring very positive and foolproof.

http://www.champchoice.com/cat-Targets_and_Accessories-229.aspx

Bill

[timegoat]

Oh, very cool! Thanks, Bill. I'm gonna have to pick one of those up one day. Getting tired of erring on the side of a lower score.

[Jeff D]

Bill, have you used those scoring gauges? 

It seems to me that you need a good hole for them to be any more accurate than a visual through a loupe. Granted, if someone were going to buy one or the other I would try the gauge with magnifier as you might see the same thing I see under the loupe. I just don't always use a clean backer and therefore don't always get clean round holes to use to center the probe. And, I already had the loupe :-)

If I'm thinking wrong... I'll be ordering one tomorrow. I can handle the $10.

Jeff D

[timegoat]

Jeff, I gotta agree, $10.00 is worth taking a chance on. Nice clean hole or not, I think it'll work pretty well.

[Big_Bill]

Well Guys,

The post is exactly size .177, and they have a spring on the back to keep them from expanding the pellet hole into the higher or lower scoring area !

I have used them with round nosed bullets, pointed bullets, semi-wad cutter bullets, and they work very accurately with all of them. You hold the spring, place the gauge into the hole, it centers itself unless you push it to the side very aggressively, and shows what your score should be !

They are used in every NRA competition that bullets or air gun pellets are fired.

Bill

[timegoat]

Ordered one last night. Can't wait to see how it goes. I have faith in precision gauges.

The only thing is... they don't tell you how much shipping costs. It's gonna be a surprise charge.