Bench rest air rifle power - 8 or 16 Joule

[wellhouse0]

I shoot 20 yards pistol (PL15 Target) with a Steyr LP5, the power is approximately 4 ft lbs 480 - 500 FPS with a 7 grain pellet.
The pistol is capable of maximum scores at this range, but unfortunately my ability isn’t!

A 6ft lbs rifle like the LG400 should be equally capable at 25 yards on an indoor range.

pistol targets are much bigger

[silversurfer]

pistol targets are much bigger

Yes they are, but the discipline is MUCH more difficult

[Discocom]

Interesting comments.

I’ve also shot 20 yard air pistol (Hendon league) on PL14’s.

One big difference is benchrest is outward scoring whereas pistol is inward.

So simplistically a pistol score of 100 would only be 90 on benchrest assuming the same target size.

Our club .22 LR Anschutz will put every shot literally through the same hole at 20 yards, as per comments above an air rifle needs to do the same to be competitive.

Ive tried my Walther LGM-2 at 20 yards and I can’t group as tightly as I can with the .22 Anschutz.

[silversurfer]

I have shot 25 yards benchrest with an air rifle and achieved a score of 100.
There are many shooters regularly scoring tons in 25 yard benchrest league competitions, but, there are very few pistol shooters at club level who achieve 100 ex 100 regularly, especially at 20 yards.

The reason why pistol targets are inward scoring and rifle outward is because of the difference in the degree of difficulty.

I do agree with you though, it is much more difficult to score 100 on the 25 yards benchrest target with an air rifle than with a .22 rimfire. With an air rifle your technique must be spot on, probably due to the lock time (the time the pellet/bullet is in the barrel).

[Powderfinger]

10metre rifles have been used for benchrest at 20yards with no problem getting high scores. You could even leave the diopter sights on it. Not sure what a 10 metre rifle would do at 50 metres.

[XDRIVER]

I shoot 25yd benchrest using .22 lr anschutz rifle. Several club members also use air rifles. When it comes to scoring the cards, they use a .22 gauge so sometimes a card shot with an air rifle in .177 looks like a 100 but when gauged it is not. I can’t see the advantage in using a low powered air rifle at 6 ftlbs. There are many very good regulated super accurate field target rifles available but you still come up against the scoring using the .22 gauge. I tried a steyr lg110 but it could not compete with the rim fire in consitent accuracy.

[silversurfer]

I agree, there is no advantage in using a 6ft lbs rifle but if you shoot 10m air rifle and have invested a fair amount in your kit, you may not be able to afford a .22 rimfire, plus the expense of a FAC.
If you want to also shoot benchrest, it is doable with a 6ft lbs rifle.

Scoring and gauging isn’t really an issue, the NSRA can supply the correct gauge, it’s a .22A “Used to score.177 holes to .22 when using air rifles on .22 targets.”

[schony]

Interesting comments.

I’ve also shot 20 yard air pistol (Hendon league) on PL14’s.

One big difference is benchrest is outward scoring whereas pistol is inward.

So simplistically a pistol score of 100 would only be 90 on benchrest assuming the same target size.

Our club .22 LR Anschutz will put every shot literally through the same hole at 20 yards, as per comments above an air rifle needs to do the same to be competitive.

Ive tried my Walther LGM-2 at 20 yards and I can’t group as tightly as I can with the .22 Anschutz.

Lock time counts with firearms like 22lr That is where air rifles are at a disadvantage

[gordon]

Lock time counts with firearms like 22lr That is where air rifles are at a disadvantage

In practice today I've shot 250 x 250 and 18x that's a PB for me ,that's with an Anschutz 54 Match in a BR stock . I'll guarantee when I put the comp sticker on my next cards I won't be near that !! BUT it won't be for lack of trying

[robthedog]

I intended to try my reduced power 99 at 50m today, but the fullbore rifle boys were shooting alongside me, so couldn't concentrate !

[mrgeoff]

I was shooting 25m springer Benchrest with both a FWB300 and Original 75, both 10m power levels, no issue.
A 10m match PCP at 25m indoors would be no issue too im sure. Just need to pick your pellets with care. Dont expect just any old pellet to work.