question on accuracy with Trail NP

[Iron]

I'm new to these guns and enjoying it very much. i would like your input on a couple things..if you don't mind , i tried to search for my answers but didn't really find what i was looking for.

my shooting at 30 yds is pretty good for me, groups in a quarter.  Now I've read that's not acceptable to a lot of people but for just starting out with a new gun I'm happy for now.
I'm shooting Benji brand pellets i scaled them at 14 gr, i pushed the target out to about 55 yds and results weren't what i expected shooting 4" low 2"to the left  and the group is about 3" this isn't acceptable to me.

Now i don't have the trigger upgrade and the gun is just like it was out of the box. I've probably put 150-250 pellets through it (haven't counted just know my 500 tin is about half full). Am i expecting to much to early? I'll admit my steadiness could be better i don't have a bench to shoot from I'm using a camera tripod with a bean bag for a rest. I'm sure this could be part of the problem.

Do these guns need to be broke in? if so how do i know when it  is?  i haven't cleaned it at all
i just got a cleaning kit and a bottle of goo gone so i will tomorrow.... brass brush??  yes/no??

last i read on the Tuna's  site shooting heavy pellets can cause damage, i know he's very respected here, but i cant help noticing all the .22 cal pellets in the 20gr   range.

would a heavier pellet be better for longer range? anyone with a trail have a favorite to reccomend for me buy and try?

any knowledge you could share or posts, sites anything to get me the info I'm looking for would be great!

also, any good books for a beginner on AG's i would like another gun, but don't know what, so far like the simplicity of a break barrel, but for some reason a PCP intrigues me  (the costs involved scare me)..

That's it for now, thanks


Jason

[bndfishing]

I wasn't very happy with my gun when I got it, it didn't see very consistent.  I did the trigger upgrade, ditched the scope for the CenterPoint 4x16 and cleaned barrel.  It will now put 10 shots in a nickel group at 30 yards with .177 Barracuda 10.2 g pellets.  This gun likes a heavy pellet, if I get below 8g the accuracy goes to *(&^.

[Rico14]

Iron, every AG is different, even the same models. Some take longer to break in than others. Some take one tin, some take several tins.  I would strongly suggest the trigger upgrade. This will help shrink your groups. Your 30 yard group is good for a new rifle. It will only get better, the more you shoot. Put a tin of the Benji pellets thru the NP, then try some different pellets to find the one your NP likes the best. You will be surprised at the difference when you find out which pellet your rifle likes. For pellets, I would suggest trying H&N FTT, JSB and if you hunt, Predators. All three of these pellets shoot well in my NP

[Alan]

Consider including 3 equal distances on testing.  example: 20yd, 30yd, 40yd.  More info to analyze on what the POI is doing, and help determine if hold/scope/canting is involved, etc..

Some cool demos.  Demo 6, 8, 10 & 19.
http://www.arld1.com/

Enjoy!

[A_White]

Mine shoots dime groups at 35 with jumbo exacts and a little bigger with cphp.  Took about 250 shoots and a grt to get there. I've stepped out to 60 yards in 10 yard increments to get a idea on bullet drop. Mine drops a little bit over 2 mildots at 60 and is still pretty accurate. I was hitting 1x1 blocks about 75% at 60 with the jsb's. Find your guns favorite pellets and get a trigger for sure. My gun likes the cphp and jumbos but scattered the crow magnums and jsb predators which not worthy cause I really wanted to use those 2 pellets for hunting.


If your scope is not strait it could cause your poi to change and longer distances.

[SciGuy]

Iron, quarter size groups using the stock trigger is VERY GOOD.  If you upgrade GRT III trigger, your groups should shrink even more.

I would clean the barrel using Goo Gone, or Simple Green using a pull-thru type cleaner (weed wacker line and cloth patches, Crown Saver, ...).  Also, try some different pellets.  My Trail likes HN Barracudas and HN FTT.  I have never tried the Benji pellets in it.

Breakin can take a few hundred rounds and your gun should keep getting better during this time.

[Jman]

Try the H&N Barracuda math 21.14 grain pellets. I can normally get less than or equal to 1 inch groups with them at 50 yards. That is with stock trigger to, but I am very good with it. My scope is a leapers 3-9

[Scooter B]

Clean the barrel.  Mine was DIRTY, shoot it and clean it again.  I used the brass brush, should not hurt it if it is proper size. (Update:  I was told not to use a brass brush in in Airgun, barrel is not the same as a powder burner)  A trigger upgrade will not improve accuracy of the gun, but will improve the accuracy of the person holding it.  I did the trigger upgrade, because I prefer a shorter lighter pull, but it did not make the gun "shoot straighter".  After a rocky start with my Trail XL, we are working things out and I am really starting to like this gun.  It seems to prefer Predators over Crosman Premier HP's, of course it likes the more expensive pellet....Keep shooting/practicing and it will get better, you don't need a bench rest or gun vice to learn how to shoot, it just makes it much easier to sight in the gun.  

[Iron]

Thanks for all the responses, it really is nice to have guys willing to help....I wish there was an airgun club or something around. For now I will lean on all of you.

Thanks again, Jason

[Vortex]

Yes, a break in period is required, like all things. You are shooting a .22 right?, so your pellet drop will be more than the .177, even with a NP. But for the grouping, how you hold the gun, pellet type and gun movement( what you do in the .125 of a second it takes to shoot the round) all counts in the shot. I sugest a gun stand of sorts. Even a sand bag is OK. Try and keep the barrel free from contact with anything.

This is all in learning your gun. You need to spend quality time with her to learn how she shoots.