Hello from KC

[kcrandy]

I am a complete newbie. Went to war with squirrels and rabbits this summer using a Crosman Quest 1000 and a cheap Simmons scope. I've had a nice number of kills, but I'm very unhappy with my hit ratio. And my longest shots are 25 yards. I've even hit a couple of chipmunks. I set the sights and they seem bang on, but then I miss and now wonder if the cheap Simmons just gets out of alignment too quickly. I'm tempted to do a laser scope but wonder if I'll have the same problem. So now ponder if a higher costing scope is the answer.

I also don't know how often I should be cleaning the barrel of the gun and how to go about that. Yep. That's how ignorant I am. It seems the Crosman pellets are more accurate than the Gamo ones I was using but when I went to Cabella's they didn't have any Crosman pellets so I splurged for some expensive German ones.

Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks.

[lizzie]

Welcome to the GTA kcrandy!
This is a good place to be, and to get information whether you are a newb or a seasoned veteran.

Shooting breakbarrel air rifles can be very challenging, and takes quite a bit of practice and refining skills to obtain consistent accuracy. This may be one of the problems you are having. As for the Crosman pellets, I buy the premier hollow points at Walmart, and for me, they perform very well in the guns I have.

I am far from being an expert in airgunning, but I've read that a general rule of thumb for cleaning the barrel can range from every 250 pellets up to every 1000 pellets. It varies from one gun to the next.

Your scope may very well be moving on the gun, which would affect your accuracy greatly. Scopes on springers have that tendency.

Glad to have you here, and please feel free to join in on the threads, start your own, or just learn all you can.

[dk1677]

Welcome to the GTA! We would love to see any hunts you do in the hunting gate

[RatRacer]

Welcome to the enablers asylum Randy. Pellets will now not be the only splurge
....(que evil laugh)

[Norm_m]

Welcome to the GTA Family. Lizzie was right on about cleaning the barrel of a AG as truly there is not set time. Seeing you had it for some time it would not hurt to clean it. Do not use a metal cleaning rod as that could damage the barrel, the metal of all air guns is soft compared to powder burners. The safest way to do this is by using a piece of lawn trimmer line, melt one end to form a small ball to prevent a cleaning patch from slidding off. Use Goo be Gone (get that at a Lowes, Home Depot or most any hardware store) and put a little on the patch and pull it through using the lawn trimmer line. Do this several time still the patch comes out clean. Now run several dry patches to dry out the barrel and you should be good to go. Before shooting it again check all the screws and bolts, like the ones that hold the gun in the stock etc. to make sure they are tight. Check all the scope mounting bolts as they may have loosened up. Never use any oil of any type as that can cause serious problems as with the high pressures and temps it can explode causing dieseling.
A good place to find all sorts of info is the GTA Library and that can be found at the top of the GTA home page, just click on the Library box and you will have answers to hundreds of questions.
We're very glad to have you and good luck with your rifle
Norm

[Lambchops]

I've always heard that if it's not broken, don't fix it. Meaning that if it's shooting accurately leave it alone.

[redone1992]

Welcome to the GTA

[Rico14]

welcome to the GTA. There is usually always someone here who can answer your questions. Don't forget to use the library, there's a lot of good info there

[amb5500c]

Welcome to the GTA.
Richard

[jonnnyboy]

Randy, welcome to the GTA.  We're right there with you buddy on the bunnys and squirrels.  Let me warn you, we love to see pictures of your quarry posing next to the rifle so get your camera out.

As far as accuracy from your gun, Norm and the others have given good advice.  Here's what I would do:

1.  Clean the barrel with the instructions given.
2.  Paper targets are your friend.  Print out some good targets; lots of them here on the GTA.  Put them out at 20 yards and sight your Simmons scope in.
3.  Now shoot groups of every type pellet you can get your hands on.  Sooner or later, you will find at least one pellet that your gun actually likes.
4.  If you notice your groups wandering over the paper, then your scope is suspect.

This is where I would start and in fact, this is the process I always go through with my guns when new.  Shoot lots of paper with increasingly smaller and smaller targets and at some point, hitting a squirrel's head begins to seem doable.  Let us know how things go and how we can help you.  Glad you are here.

joe

[crayfish]

Welcome to the GTA!

[gamo2hammerli]

A big welcome to the GTA forum and family Randy.  Don't over clean the bore, and try many different brands and types of pellets to see which ones your air rifle likes.  Stay in the 7.5 grain to 9.5 grain weight range.  Experiment with different ways to hold the rifle also.