Looking for shooting tips

[NH air gunner]

Hi I'm new to the air rifle sport and got my first air rifle Monday which was a Winchester 1100 xsu also similar or the same as the Hatsan torpedo 100x. I have been shooting after work and trying to get a good group with this rifle is proving to be a little on the tough side. I was wondering if maybe its the settling in period on the gun or maybe the way I'm holding the gun. The amo I'm using is Kodiak Match 10.65gn, JSB Match Diabolo monster 13.43gr and Baracuda match 10.65gn. Im shooting off a good rest(shooting bags on a picnic table) and at a target that is at 20yards (checked with range finder). I have adjusted the trigger to about 2lbs and set it to have no creep. The groups I'm getting are in the 1.5" range. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Magman116]

I have the same gun and shoot Barracuda Match 10.65gr in mine.  Out of the box, I am shooting <.5" groupings at 20yrds.  After about 50 shots the groupings started opening up and found the rear stock screw was loose.  I tightened it back down and the groupings came back.  if I take my time, I can get groupings <.38" AT 20yrds.  I shoot off a bench with a shooting bag.  I do not pull it tight to my shoulder, but just barely touch.  I do not hold the front with my other hand, but just stabilize it from the side.  Sometimes I will use my left hand under the front stock in the artillery hold and it is just as effective.  If I pull it tight to my shoulder the rounds go all over the place.

[NH air gunner]

Thank you Chris, I checked the rear screw and it was a little loose but not too bad. We have a storm coming Thursday and Friday so I won't get a chance to shoot till Saturday. Did you have a settling in period with your gun or did it just shoot good right from the begining?
For the most part my groups were good from left to right but were not that great up and down. I was making alot of scope adjustments from one brand of amo to the next, do you think it is posible the scope didn't have a chance to settle in? I would say 90% of my adjustments were up and down. The scope I'm using is the one that came with it, I think its a 4 power Winchester scope.

[Magman116]

Nathan,

I am still using the Winchester scope what came with it.  I have a new Leapers on order for it. When I do make a scope adjustment, I give it a couple of light taps to set the scope before shooting then shoot three rounds to check it.  The scope did loosen up a bit at one point and my shots were constantly changing vertically until I realized the scope was loose.

Mine shot great right out of the box.  It is the most accurate rifle I have shot especially right out of the box with no work done.  Even the scope was close to being sighted in when I mounted it.

[Mike 4888blues]

Thank you Chris, I checked the rear screw and it was a little loose but not too bad. We have a storm coming Thursday and Friday so I won't get a chance to shoot till Saturday. Did you have a settling in period with your gun or did it just shoot good right from the begining?
For the most part my groups were good from left to right but were not that great up and down. I was making alot of scope adjustments from one brand of amo to the next, do you think it is posible the scope didn't have a chance to settle in? I would say 90% of my adjustments were up and down. The scope I'm using is the one that came with it, I think its a 4 power Winchester scope.

 hello just a reminder, careful not to over tighten the scope, it will dent the tube, i use my index finger and thumb and go back and fourth making the side's of the mount rings even, by using just my index finger and thump at the tips,  it seems to have the correct tork before i have no strength to  over tighten / and as I shoot I''l periodically check them again.

 Also if using lead pellets  i would wash them by soaking them is warm soapy water, then pour into a strainer, rinse them off, and dry them out on a towel etc.. carefully not to damage the skirts.

 Buy a bore cleaning kit, carefully run some patches thru the breech to they exit the end of barrel  till they come out clean, a dirty barrel will cause wide groupings.
Lastly get a pen and take out the ink cartridge and use  the empty pen casing as a pellet tool to properly seat your pellets in the breech
this is a great hobby, but with anything there's a lot of basic things to learn .
 yes pellet rifles need a very very lite hold with thee exception of a few models  but those are the exception to the rule.
 Enjoy
 Mike

 

[NH air gunner]

Thanks for the tips, I noticed yesterday afternoon and this afternoon the scope rings are moving all over the place no mater how much I tighten them. I have tried the ring stop in front of the ring and behind the ring, nothing seems to work so for. I think the only other option is to buy one of those one pc ring and base sets with the five screws on the sides. I have been able to shoot a few small groups but the larger groups seem to out number the small ones. Each time I notice the groups moving I look down and the rings have moved.
Thanks again for the tips, they are a big help being I'm a new air gunner!

[Magman116]

I removed my factory rings from the scope and replaced them with some leapers 1" High Weaver / picatinny rings. No more scope slip.  I did have to use removable loctite on the mounting screws to keep the recoil from loosening them.

[NH air gunner]

I ordered the BKL one pc ring/base with the six side screws from Pyramyd Air, should be here in 3-5 days. Im thinking this will solve my problems. Once I get things settled down I'm going to look at getting a new scope (2-7AO or 3-9AO not sure which one). I will turn to GTA members for their recommendations for brand.

[Magman116]

I have a leapers 3-9x32AO coming for it.  It will be good enough.  I have the 4-16x40IR AO on my Mod95 and it really adds a lot of weight.  The weight is more than I want to add to an already heavy rifle like the Torpedo100x (1100xsu).  It already performs exceptionally well with the 4x scope, so it should be much better at 9x.

[NH air gunner]

Hi Chris,
Just ordered my own Leapers 3-9x32AO scope, great reviews. Thanks for the heads up on a scope thats has great reviews and is easy on the wallet.
Do you have the Hatsan Torpedo or the Winchester 1100xsu? My Winchester xsu came with the quattro trigger but had socket head cap screws that were bottomed out and left the trigger at about 5lbs and had alot of creap, I got some 3.0mm x0.5mm 16mm long set screws and now have ability to get the full adjustment out of the trigger(great trigger).