Bored

[Methuselah]

I've always shot with 10 pumps...

Front sight needs paint, it used to have a scope but I knocked over the rifle and the rail broke.

[airgunaut]

As you just demonstrated, the 880 doesn’t need 10 pumps at all distances.

I’m interested what you find at different distances and different numbers of pumps! Please share results if boredom keeps you experimenting.

Here’s the match for pumps and distance that I came to, assuming the target is paper or aluminum cans. (I add another pump for shooting steel cans because I want the pellet to hole it.)

At 17’, 2 pumps.
At 25’, 3 pumps.
At 33’, 4 pumps.
At 42’ 5 or 6 pumps.
At 50’, 6 or 7 pumps.
At 58’, 7 pumps.
At 66’, 8 pumps.

I have less experience at 58’ and 66’, so those numbers are just what I’ve been using and might be changed upward by one more pump.

[avator]

I was out plinking hanging cans with an old 760 and BBs this morning. I was shooting at 10 meters with 3 pumps and sending BBs through both sides of the cans.

[Methuselah]

I was out plinking hanging cans with an old 760 and BBs this morning. I was shooting at 10 meters with 3 pumps and sending BBs through both sides of the cans.

Very cool!

[Methuselah]

As you just demonstrated, the 880 doesn’t need 10 pumps at all distances.

I’m interested what you find at different distances and different numbers of pumps! Please share results if boredom keeps you experimenting.

Here’s the match for pumps and distance that I came to, assuming the target is paper or aluminum cans. (I add another pump for shooting steel cans because I want the pellet to hole it.)

At 17’, 2 pumps.
At 25’, 3 pumps.
At 33’, 4 pumps.
At 42’ 5 or 6 pumps.
At 50’, 6 or 7 pumps.
At 58’, 7 pumps.
At 66’, 8 pumps.

I have less experience at 58’ and 66’, so those numbers are just what I’ve been using and might be changed upward by one more pump.

At close range the drop (and wind) factor in less. I predominantly depend on the 880 to defend the bird feed from HOSP invasion forces...

At 25 yards and 4 pumps windage played in a bit but I Kentucky'd it, and drop was about 4". Doable with a scope, but the irons are too crude on an 880 to be useful for a small target past about 12 yards (estimation) at 4 pumps.

I'd have nightmares trying to figure things past that based on less pumping, at least with the stock irons.

That posted target, at least to me, is quite bad. Maybe minute of HOSP, maybe not. Since it's shooting so different I decided to try pointed hunters. After settling in over 3 rounds it was better. It didn't like those when I first bought it.

Anyway, not good enough. The one before it broke behind the bolt and someone gave me a "carcass" condition 800. It appears I'll be doing some Frankenstein surgery so I can go back to using a scope...

[airgunaut]

How big is that target, 1.5”, 2”?

Yeah, open sights beyond that distance is tough to aim at tiny spots. I’m glad I got the scope, finally.

[Methuselah]

How big is that target, 1.5”, 2”?

Yeah, open sights beyond that distance is tough to aim at tiny spots. I’m glad I got the scope, finally.

It says 3", I'm thinking the group was at least 3/4", and I'd consider a half inch the worst case acceptable group for 10 rounds at that range, although I usually settle for 3 or 5 shot groups since I know I'll botch it going for 10.

I do OK with tiny aim spots if the sights are better, drilling out the ghost ring on the 1377 to 5/32 (and re-bluing), it will do better than that target I posted even though the trigger is stock, fairly heavy, and has a lot of creep.

[airgunaut]

How big is that target, 1.5”, 2”?

Yeah, open sights beyond that distance is tough to aim at tiny spots. I’m glad I got the scope, finally.

It says 3", I'm thinking the group was at least 3/4", and I'd consider a half inch the worst case acceptable group for 10 rounds at that range, although I usually settle for 3 or 5 shot groups since I know I'll botch it going for 10.

I do OK with tiny aim spots if the sights are better, drilling out the ghost ring on the 1377 to 5/32 (and re-bluing), it will do better than that target I posted even though the trigger is stock, fairly heavy, and has a lot of creep.

I dug through used targets from the last time I fired the 880 on a front rest while sitting on the ground, 10 shots per bull from 33’. Groups were about 7/8” spread, with the best one 1/2”. That was back in December, before I got the scope and probably before the air-retention decline started.

if I shoot it standing up offhand, I know it will be worse.

[Methuselah]

If you haven't done the tape mod I'll just say it was a big improvement on my 1st 880.

Removing the flat spring will lighten the trigger but I've never bothered.

[lillysdad621]

steve let me know what receiver you need... plastic, metal, which variant. I got a ton of 880 parts laying about. I can send you what you need and you can re optic your gun.

[Methuselah]

steve let me know what receiver you need... plastic, metal, which variant. I got a ton of 880 parts laying about. I can send you what you need and you can re optic your gun.

That's a very kind offer and I might just do that, but I should look and see if the "carcus" gun is compatible. I'm also stubborn and feel like I shouldn't give up on trying to make it better with the irons...

[Methuselah]

Another couple evolutions into trying to get this rifle back to full duty ...

The white tape I was thinking of putting on the front sight post, along with a couple slivers on the back notch, they didn't pan out. They just didn't make sighting any easier and depending on lighting conditions and background, actually made it worse. Tape removed.

Next, scope added. Tasco 4X15, not adjusted, using the parts of the rail that weren't damaged by dropping the rifle. I just wanted some cross hairs.

[Methuselah]

I don't know how to continue a post with pictures between text, so to continue...

When I'm evaluating, I shoot three, five, or ten round groups depending on how it does, and how I do. This was from a chair with wheels, rested on a porch rail, shooting downward. Not a particularly stable platform. First three, not great although the first round perhaps should have been a throw away. So five, looking pretty good but I choked. That's the flyer. Interesting read on that:

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=92066.msg862664#msg862664

So amending, that #5 shot was a "called flyer".

Not that good but with better scope, better rest, even at extended range I'd expect a little bit better.

I'm thinking the rifle will shoot, maybe some factors are in play since it was never capable of one-holing. Could be the barrel needs some cleaning, could be the tape mod would do it some good, could be the pellets I (just) switched to only seemed to do better and it was random luck since I based the switch on very few groups (maybe only one).

It's information, conclusion is premature, (next) course of action TBD. There's enough good railing left to mount the old scope farther back and it needed to be moved back anyway.

[lillysdad621]

if you want to use the open sight, i generally dab the rear face of the front sight with white nail polish. then i use a v file and run it a couple of dozen times on the rear notch. that gives me  a clear point of aim. Tape mod is generally very helpful, and also cleaning the rifling.

[WD Feese]

I have used white out Correctional fluid on front sights.

[avator]

I use white or orange paint markers.


Neither Betty Lou nor I use fingernail polish.   

[NorCal David]

I use the pen for marking my queen bees, 😂. Color depends upon the year, since there is a five year rotation.

[bantam5s]

Good shooting.
I can't remember the last time I've ran any of my pumpers on a full 8-10.

[Methuselah]

I use white or orange paint markers.


Neither Betty Lou nor I use fingernail polish.   

Funny that (not using fingernail polish), me too...
 

[Methuselah]

Good shooting.
I can't remember the last time I've ran any of my pumpers on a full 8-10.

Since it's also defending from crows, I figured I "owed it to them" to pump 10 times...

With 4 pumps it's about 2" low at 11 yards ish.