Learning about my rifle

[mickyatch 37]

alright lads ive had an air arms s200 in .177 calbire and ive had this gun for around 14 months but have only really shot rabbits/pigeons/crows etc upto 30 yards and i want to learn to use my rifle so that i am capable of taking shots upto 45 - 50 yards or should i say the maximum limit of my gun i have recently bought a 'rabbit' nock down target and am going to use my usual rws feild and trophy pellets all i want to know is have you any hints and tips for me ?

[Acuspell 329]

Just take it a stage at a time. You might get frustrated if you get constant "tings" and few knock downs with the rabbit target. Put up a sheet of A4 card (cereal box when it is empty - I get 4 good targets out of a cornflake box, because I am a cheapskate!) Mark yourself a target on it, closer to the top than the bottom, say 2/3rds up. A 5 pence as a circle to draw round, or the inside hole of a CD are what I use (inside a cd now, the hole where you put it on the drive) that is about a 10mm target. A good size to get used to. If you can hit that, you can kill a rabbit.

 

With your target set out, again a cardboard box is a good way of putting it up. Just sellotape the target sheet onto the bottom of a box, set it up and use a stone to hold the box in place. Pace out 40 yards and take a few shots. AIM AT THE TARGET. Then when you have a few holes about an inch below the circle you drew (and coloured in so you can see it!), line the cross up on the target circle, but note where on the reticle coincides with the pellet holes. THAT is your aiming mark at that range. If you have a mildot type scope it might be the first dot down, it might be between first and second.

 

Do the same at 45 yards - the aiming point will change, even by 5 yards, another 1/2" or so and you need to learn the difference between 40 and 45. Once you can group around the 15mm mark at 40 yards, then use the rabbit knockdown. The reason I say to use paper first is because you can see the result.On the tin sheet you won't, not once you have knocked the paint off it! You need to see how much you need to aim off. On paper the tell tales are there for you to see and adjust to. That way, when you go on to the knockdown you will get more success, that will give you more confidence. Go straight to the knockdown and you might get your confidence dented, which will set you back in your advancement of shooting.

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hi Micky.

 

I think I would rather measure the distances than pace them out, give you truer readings when calibrating your mil dots on your reticule.

A piece of string knotted or marked off at the 5yd intervals will do it.

[Elmer_Fudd 28]

I use a cheap tape from one of the pound shops, usually have some unknown brand tapes, I got mine for 9 quid and its 50M (CHECHED IT AGAINST A STANLY TAPE TO BE SURE). Spent ages out seeing what is best for me, I still am leanring again how to hold, shoot and get the feel for the gun. But as the first reply states, confidance is everything else you will second guess you shot and over think it (My biggest problem) missing shots the gun and your self with right application of shooting technequ ar capable of. Try the videos that Si (ziniroom on youtube helped me loads) posts of shooting tips might help you out mate!!!.

 

ATB

 

GAZ

[Phantom 631]

9 quid from the quid shop, lemmie guess you shop in Chelsea :laugh: :laugh:

 

The rifle is certainly capable of those shots, my baby in .22 has taken a bunny at 68 yards (my longest shot in ideal conditions).

 

As said above, build up your confidance in 5 yard increments. To give you some idea of trajectory (if you know the power of your gun) download Chairgun Pro and play with it. It's pretty accurate but the best method is to calibrate your scope with your pellet and gun

Again, Si (Zini) has done some very good tutorials on how to use CGP and how to calibrate your scope

 

Tony