Dejection and Redemption

[Mebits]

OK, I've been a bit disappointed in my BC. I missed some easy shots (13-15 yds), and decided to "fix it" on the range. The range being my 48' range in my basement. It is pretty much of a cluster-fork down there with ppor lighting, but I do have enough room to set up a chair, a tripod and get a clear shot at my target on the dug out end of of the basement.

Anyway, I must have shot 200 rounds, in all different ways, learned a bit about my hold (and the importance of properly seating at the shoulder), but the long and the short of it is that I've been unable to get consistent groups less than a nickle. Sure, I can put a couple in the same hole, but most land a tad off bull and I still get too many flyers. In disgust, I have begun to move away from the springer. I ordered a 2400kt. Perfect for under 30 shots and with a ldc, ideal for quiet starling and sparrow control.

But, disgusted or no, I've got a sparrow problem. Last year, they were afraid to come into the yard. It may have been because I wasn't feeding anything but sunflower seed (now I put out cheap stuff), or it may be because they are smart. No matter. They're coming in now. Lots of them. I've been trying to take a couple every day, but with my neighbor issue, that's not always possible.

Anyway, I don't feel great about my gun or my shooting but I'm still at it. I have missed far too many sparrows at 12-15 yds. Finally, I got some redemption. The other day, the close feeder was empty but just through the leaves of my dogwood, I spotted a sparrow on the feeder at 20yds. I carefully lined up and took my shot. The garden erupted with 20 doves and probably a like number of sparrows and finches taking wing. Nothing dropped. So, I shrug and set the BC aside. But wait! As I pass the window, I see but one bird in the garden. That sparrow, against all odds, is still sitting on the feeder. Same tightly framed shot. So, I set up again. Take a nice deep breath, seat the gun, loosen the grip, and let the air out. He is facing me head down, so I line up right on the top of his head. He looks up, and I squeeze the trigger. Down he goes.

I toddle out to get him, wondering why he was still on the feeder. I think, but I cannot be sure, that I grazed his head. I can't be sure because there was not much of it left after I hit him with the Crow Mags. Still, had I hit his body, he'd have been knocked off the feeder. Had I just missed, he would have flown with all the rest of the birds. Having hit a few birds in the head before and watching them sit, still alive but dazed before, I'm thinking that the most likely scenario is the grazed skull. So, two shots to the sparrow head at 20 yds.  That's redemption.

Then, today, I got a shot at a sparrow on the close feeder, dusting up a cloud of feathers, but no blood. I forgive that one as the feeder was swinging. I wait for a minute and happily a few more birds come onto the feeder. I line up on a female sparrow, and try to synchronize my squeeze to her swinging. I take the shot and get another cloud of feathers. A bit later, I'm glassing the fence and spot what appears to be a small rat. I quickly load up. It's only 13 yds. I take my shot and he disappears, then I see him scrambling on the ground, then trying to climb the fence again, only to fall back. I follow Rule #3 and take my second shot. He's still. I go out to collect him but am utterly surprised.

First, I got the sparrow. Clean shot, center mass. Right where I was aiming. It's not a great shot if hadn't been moving, but moving? I'm pleased. The big surprise? The rat. It wasn't a rat. It was a small mouse. The magnification and the shape of his head made him look like a rat, many times the size of this little guy. Seriously, the sparrow dwarfed him. He might have been able to hide behind a half dollar or smaller, with room to spare. That's a satisfying shot on a small target. Redemption!

[454 Big Block Chevy]

If your shooting Crow mags out of a springer, that might be a little too heavy.  will cause too much wear on your spring.  If those are the only pellets that the gun shoots accurately, then i guess your pretty well glued to them, and will ahve to accept the issues that it brings.  Is your Big Cat a new model with a plastic trigger?  Good shooting either way.  it will easily take over a thousand shots before the BC smooths out and becomes more consistent.  I have an older big cat, and it has been punching nearly nothing but CPHP's and Preds its entire life, and i have well over 3000 pellets through it.  Glad to see you starting to hit your mark.  Good job and good hunting!!! 

[Jonesin]

Ed said it all. You can get good groups with the BC, check out my thread about my hunt last week and the group was 35yds out and my scope is off. I can cover my group with my thumb. Good luck, bro.

Cliff

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,4364.0.html

[Mebits]

BBC,

I've put probably 2100 pellets through this gun, fighting with accuracy off and on along the way. Over a year now, and hundreds of Starlings and sparrows later, I'm still not super happy with my accuracy.

BUT, a day like today (got another one), and I'm happy. Two sparrows, hard, swinging shots both and a rather tiny mouse is just fine.

Jonesin,
I've seen others getting some nice groups out of their BC's, but I'm just not doing it consistently. I used to be a dangerously good shot when I was younger, and I've been studious about my shooting with the BC. I've got a nice new scope on it and a GRT III trigger, recently lubed. I regularly check the screws. I suspect that it's either just the way I interact with the gun or the gun may have another problem.

We'll see. I'll have another starling gun here for Christmas. If I can't put 10 shots under a dime at 20 yds, then I know it's me.

M

[Jonesin]

With over 2000+ shots I'd say it was broken in, for sure. Mine was broken in by around 500 or so. I did read somewhere that the factory seals go bad around shot 2000 or so (Ed can confirm or deny that) but mine is going great. You did say you did a lube so I assume you checked the seal...I dunno, bro. I hope you figure it out! Good luck.

Cliff

[454 Big Block Chevy]

Well, after a bit of research, a .177 crow mag is only 8.8 grains... not super heavy... so have fun with those.  but in .22 caliber there like 18 grains... WAY heavy for a spring gun.  I apologize for my earlier comment.

[Mebits]

NP, BBC.

I figured it was heavy, but not that heavy. They shoot pretty well. I may also be asking too much of the gun... I dunno.

Got two more today.

[only1harry]

Mark good shooting on that little mouse and Sparrow.  Springers can be very quirky and frustrating.  I think the main problem is scopes.  Most Springers are scope eaters.  It is not always apparent that the scope or the mount is the issue.  Scopes can start failing very gradually or give you small subtle POI changes.  If you have another scope, I recommend swapping it to see what happens.  If it's the same, then swap out the mount if you can.  Check the stock screws regularly.  It may be the gun needs a new spring, or a good lube. 

I had the same inconsistency issues until I started buying tuned guns or getting them tuned.  Now they shoot almost like a CO2 or PCP - very consistent without being too hold-sensitive.  For that reason I will not keep a Springer untuned around the house for too long.  To me the extra bucks for a JM spring and/or a pro-tune, are worth it over all the headackes and frustration that come with the accuracy inconsistency, misses, troubleshooting, swapping scopes, etc.  Again, that is just me, and what I do to get peace of mind and enjoyable consistent shooting... I break the bank

[dk1677]

Nice shooting!

[Mebits]

Harry,

What about a nitro piston? That may be the next step (after I get my new CO2 sparrow/starling gun set up). I may be doing some 30 yd plus shooting down at the vineyard this winter and I'll want more power for that, I think. 

BTW, something I notice occasionally when I'm working on a target. The gun just jumps. I'm on target, I pull the trigger, and when the gun settles back down I'm pointed well off. Does that sound like the spring isn't consistently traveling smoothly? As far as the other stuff, I'm on a new leapers scope. I'm not sure if I killed my Gamo freebie -- I thought I had, but when I took the mount off, I saw that I had installed it slightly akimbo, letting the dovetail cut a pretty good gash in one side of the mount. I replaced that with a one piece. I intend to pick up a new mount anyway, so I may go back and test the other scope. I'm also going to give all the screws a test again, just in case.

I really do feel like I ought to be able to put 5 under a dime at 60' and I'm not. I'd settle for a nickle at this point.

[only1harry]

When the gun jumps and comes to rest in a different position (left or right) it's usually torquing.  Do you feel the gun twisting at all in your palm at the forend?  That's usually the spring, and/or inefficient spring guide not being able to control its path and from twisting and laterally moving.  To correct this, you probably need a good lube tune, if the spring is ok, but to completely eliminate it, you would need a new (JM) spring with a custom guide, and possibly some aligment of the parts, along with a good debur/polish/hone of the chamber.  A not so well fitted and sized piston seal can also cause some of this, but it's mainly all of the above I mentioned.

A CO2 gun is perfect for Stalrings and Sparrows, which is why the 850 is my go-to gun when it comes to small-medium sized birds, but my precision-guided 36 does really well on them too

[dust]

I follow Rule #3 and take my second shot.

I just watched Zombieland for the upteenth time yesterday, and this comment made me laugh.

Which leads me to my second rule
"The Double Tap"
 
In those moments when you're not sure
that the 'undead' are really dead-ed
 
Don't get off stingy with your bullets.
I mean one more clean shot to the head.

And this lady could have avoided
becoming a human happy-meal.

+1 on the 850 for birds. CPHP + CP 4-16x40 + Roald touched RWS 850 = good medicine