How very true and I am just as guilty.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Does Anyone Regularly Practice Shooting at Close Range with Air Rifles?
- Thread starter Ezana4CE
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 45
- Views 4K
Farmplinker2
HAM Wizard
<10 yards, sometimes. Usually 35-50 feet.
Last edited:
Dot sights are incredibly light and you can leave both eyes open to use them also they can be mounted at an angle with the mount coming out from under the scope. I have mounted flash lights that way as well. It can be set for close range getting on target fast with both eyes open.
CVLIFE JackalHowl green dot is a nice one I use. It has a 2moa dot and only weighs .3 pounds.
CVLIFE JackalHowl green dot is a nice one I use. It has a 2moa dot and only weighs .3 pounds.
Your range sounds amazing!
kcender
HAM Sharp Shooter
Same. The majority of my 'kills' have been within 10 yards on ground squirrels, which are my nemesis around here. I feed a local deer herd corn out the back door of my shop and there is an adjacent woodpile; perfect storm. I started out with a break-barrel .177 with open sites and even attached a cheap laser, but I usually overshot them. Ditto for gophers with just their tiny heads poking out of the ground. The other problem was ethical kills so I ended up buying a pcp rifle with a scope, but I also wanted to shoot further, so there was an issue.
Someone on this site straightened me out on scope vs barrel height and once I started using the next mil-dot below, it almost bc too easy. Now I use plastic "golf balls" for practice by casting them out the back door to simulate head shots. Zeroed at 20 yds, I can still cross them at 40 yds and bingo. It's weird in a way.
Someone on this site straightened me out on scope vs barrel height and once I started using the next mil-dot below, it almost bc too easy. Now I use plastic "golf balls" for practice by casting them out the back door to simulate head shots. Zeroed at 20 yds, I can still cross them at 40 yds and bingo. It's weird in a way.
Moose
HAM Specialist
Last edited:
I have been a member for all most 4 years on several air gun sites. Over a year ago I presented to ADMIN Steve, concepts for a new patented sight that fixes the close-range targeting problems. The sight can be used at 1-100 yards without hold-over or hold-under issues. This is dependent on velocity of projectile. I still have not found any companies that are interested in licensing this sight and the sight is not yet on the market. The concepts were unique enough that he chose not to pursue the subject. I suspect that he knew most people would not except new ideas if it goes against their core training and teachings, even if they have seen it with their own eyes. I teach very young kids how to shoot extremely accurate at close range with a pellet pistol for the purpose of building up a skill and instilling in them a confidence to tackle any targeting system they will use in the future. My goal is to teach them safety and that the equipment is accurate and they can be accurate as well. I am not teaching them how to hunt or do long-range shooting or any of the complexities associated with the shooting sports. That can come later by better qualified instructors. I have run a 15-yard indoor air gun range in Stevens Point, Wi. for almost 3 years and ALL of the kids that have used my sight are extremely good shots. Re-active target sizes start with a soda can at 15 yards and then we drop to 1/4" beads on toothpicks at 3 yards, then they start to shoot the small stuff at varying yardage. Within 10 shots I have the new shooter train the next shooter or they may even retrain the parents or grandparents. These kids have taught me that education is more important than practice to be a good shot. I have been fortunate to have a Marine that retired from county sheriff position and his friends shoot at my range and have been impressed with how well the system works. My goal is to get everyone to shoot as good as a 6-year-old! If it can't be proven wrong, it must be fact. All are welcome to come and shoot, if you have doubts.
duchunter007
HAM Ranger
It really is a fun place to shoot, it's at my buddy's house, I will try and get some better pictures tomorrow when I am up there.
Linehauler73
HAM Marksman
I can remember learning this the hard way when I shot competitive archery. At an ASA shoot they set a 3d deer target 7 yards away. I was like what, this should be an easy 12. Nope didn’t even get in the 10 ring. I forget exactly but I needed to dial like 40-50 yards on my sight. Was an eye opener.
Danman
Grand HAMster
Last edited:
Good topic here. I had no real issues with this....until I bought my Brk Ghost last year. My scope centerline to bore heights on both my AA rifles are an inch and a half if i recall.... well, the ghost is a whopping 2.75inches! I recall a starling needing a second round and I offhanded it off the back deck at about 10-12Y away thinking it was an easy shot....the pellet blasted an inch deep into my decks top rail
....that was quite an eye opener!
I have included 10Y into my dope charts now (yes i write it down!). With my TX200 the scope bell is juuuuust about touching the action, the way i prefer all my guns/scopes. All I have to do is simply aim a tad high for the close shots.
Also what I've been know to do is either carry a second (open sight) break barrel for close up dispatching or just walk back till I'm 20Y away or least favorite...wait till the pest (if its not a bird lol) walks out a bit farther.
....that was quite an eye opener!I have included 10Y into my dope charts now (yes i write it down!). With my TX200 the scope bell is juuuuust about touching the action, the way i prefer all my guns/scopes. All I have to do is simply aim a tad high for the close shots.
Also what I've been know to do is either carry a second (open sight) break barrel for close up dispatching or just walk back till I'm 20Y away or least favorite...wait till the pest (if its not a bird lol) walks out a bit farther.
Billm
Grand HAMster
I always wanted a Trijicon ACOG/RMR combo sight for my ARs, but the wife said no. It’s built for this situation. Scope for distance and reflex sight for closeup. I have a Gamo mt-1000 target system which would be great for closeup moving target practice with a .177-.22.
duchunter007
HAM Ranger
@Dogowski here are some pics of our shooting range in
Attachments
Wow! Thanks for the great pics and the detailed look. You have exactly what's needed to practice all disciplines of shooting. Awesome!
AnEnemyAnemone
HAM Specialist
I got back into airgunning because of back yard pest issues. My property is in a weird sort of shape, and my longest sight lines are about 30-35 yards. Where I have my "practice range" set up, I have 30yd shot, but I don't leave the chair and table set up there. If I'm just messing around, I sit at the patio table, about 10yds from the backstop. It's fun with the pistols, and perfectly suitable for chronographing.
I've had to figure a lot of things out on my own, because hardly anyone cares what happens at 3-5yds, but that's my distance to target through the side fence of my chicken run.
I've had to figure a lot of things out on my own, because hardly anyone cares what happens at 3-5yds, but that's my distance to target through the side fence of my chicken run.
- Original poster
- #36
@AnEnemyAnemone Now you're the type of airgunner I'd like to hear more about this from. Can you tell me more about your 3-5 yards shooting habits? Which gun(s) aer you shooting at that distance? What sort of optic(s) are you using?
Moose
HAM Specialist
Last edited:
Most people would say that it should be easier to make a close shot than a long shot. That statement applies starting from the equipment's first zero adjustment. Many first zeros may be from 10-30 yards or more. Vertical offset distances vary on many guns from 1/4" to over 4". Hold over calculations that change constantly, according to distance, apply to the "before first zero" zone and after the "second zero" zone. The zone between the zeros requires a "hold under" calculation that most people do not address. Many experienced shooters struggle with this type of conversation. I don't even try to explain any of this to kids under 12. When you said you had to "figure a lot of things out on your own", you accomplished a feat that I was never smart enough to be able to apply well while shooting. It took several months to develop a better system. It took me a number of years to understand the differences and explain why it is better. I eliminated the "hold over" zone to first zero and the kids shoot much more accurate now. The equipment always exceeds the operator. I keep changing things for the benefit of improvement.
AnEnemyAnemone
HAM Specialist
Last edited:
The chicken coop is about 20yds from my back door, and I have a wireless IR camera set up that forewarns me about my target. At such short ranges, I try to minimize my sight-to-bore separation. For rats, I usually use my Crosman Drifter (2289) (open sights). I have it sighted in at 10 yards, pump 7x, and I hold about a half-inch high. It works well as long as I keep the fence wire in mind.
Unfortunately, that gun isn't powerful enough for foxes and raccoons. I'm glad to say no fox has climbed my fence yet, and the raccoons haven't been able to penetrate the coop itself, but they love to raid the chicken feed. Groundhogs, too. I've been using my Avenge-X bullpup in .22 with a night-vision rangefinder scope (Oneleaf Mars MT1000LRF). I haven't had to shoot one raiding the feed yet... They run off when I come out. I have had to shoot one trying to break into the coop, and the ballistic calculator was very helpful at short range. It doesn't like to range-find within about 7yds or so, but the reticle showing my holdover at 8 or 9 yards making the 5yd shot much easier (nearly identical). I'm really bad at judging a 3-inch holdover in the open space, without some sort of reference point in the target plane. When I have a paper target with nice clear rings, and maybe even a 1in grid, I'm fine. I REALLY hate taking a bad shot, so since I don't have nearly enough pests to get the practice in that I'd need, the digital scope is a great help when it counts.
I recently picked up a Weirauch HW77 because it has open sights very close to the bore. I'm still getting the feel for it, it being my first serious springer. I was thinking it might be a good option for quick dispatch work, when I don't want to mount the digital (which doesn't fit in the rifle case) and wait for it to boot up. The quick-detach mount has been doing great holding zero, though. The HW77 is certainly capable enough for rats and squirrels, but I'm not yet sure I would trust it for the chonkier groundhogs.
Ultimately, for me, the delta between sight axis and bore axis is a problem that tends to grow with airgun power, and I have yet to find a perfect solution. A digital scope takes most of the guess work out, but adds a lot of cost, weight, and bulk. Open sights minimize the guess work at closer ranges, but are much more difficult to use at night, especially if you're not lamping your target. And a LOT of airguns don't come with them and have no option for adding them these days.
ernroe
HAM Sniper
Great question! I am going to try it at 7 yda and report back.
Yes, The Diana Chaser KIT and HW30s gets regular workouts in the Basement.
Granddaughter can sit there almost as long as I can.
That's 15 yards. We can get back to 18 yards if needed. I start my morning here every day. If things go well I'll hit the Range(40 minutes away)
Granddaughter can sit there almost as long as I can.
That's 15 yards. We can get back to 18 yards if needed. I start my morning here every day. If things go well I'll hit the Range(40 minutes away)
Attachments
Create an account or login to comment
You must be a member in order to leave a comment
Create FREE account
Create a FREE account on our community. It's easy!
Log in
Already have an account? Log in here.
