MPL shooting with scopes?

[robthedog]

Anyone else started shooting the scoped rifle comp yet ?, i have just shot a couple of cards, then i lost the light, just wondering what folks think

[zooma]

I hope to get started on mine this Tuesday and use my HW97K

What did you decide to use?

[robthedog]

Full length 77, tuned by Paul Short, thats fitted with a hawke endurance 5-15x50, just a little bit of over kill....

[zooma]

Full length 77, tuned by Paul Short, thats fitted with a hawke endurance 5-15x50, just a little bit of over kill....

Sounds good - you will be a few inches closer to the target that I will be with my HW97K

[robthedog]

I was surprised to find the 77 likes the AA wadcutters

[robthedog]

Mixed thoughts on this, i have just shot my January cards, & while i didn't get the perfect score, i came fairly close, & it took very little effort to achieve this, i don't want to come across as being big headed, but 10m is in my opinion having just shot it too short a distance, it needs to move out to 15 or 20m .
I'm very interested to hear others thoughts on this, but for me future cards will shoot with open sights from a rest at 10m, or i may try moving the cards out further, if i use a scoped rifle.

Rob

[zooma]

Mixed thoughts on this, i have just shot my January cards, & while i didn't get the perfect score, i came fairly close, & it took very little effort to achieve this, i don't want to come across as being big headed, but 10m is in my opinion having just shot it too short a distance, it needs to move out to 15 or 20m .
I'm very interested to hear others thoughts on this, but for me future cards will shoot with open sights from a rest at 10m, or i may try moving the cards out further, if i use a scoped rifle.

Rob

Hi Rob,

I think 10 metres is just about the maximum distance that most home shooters would be able to stretch to, and also the standard distance that most airgun clubs can offer to anyone who is fortunate enough to be able to be a member or to visit one so we will be staying at 10 meters for this competition to make it accessible to as many home and small club shooters as possible.

We already have another entry from a shooter with a vintage BSA who wants to shoot it with open sights (no scope), so this could also be an option for you if you are finding the competition too easy when using your scoped HW77, but for most of us with "kickers" we have found this to be a nice distance to shoot with a scope at 10 meters on the smaller 6 yard airgun targets.

As a matter of interest, what sort of power are you getting out of the HW77 that you are using?

The HW97K's that we did our testing with are all standard air rifles that are running close to the legal limit (all 97K's seem to be pushing towards 12 ft/lbs in standard format without tuning).

By shooting the rifles loosely rested on anything that comes to hand (including elbows etc) or free standing (another option for you to consider perhaps?) with a standard spring powered recoiling air rifle it is an enjoyable competition and one that we are looking forward to shooting.

As a matter of interest - in the MPL Supported Air Rifle Competition (no scopes) there has been a few "possibles" scored, but this has done nothing to reduce the enthusiasm of the shooters concerned - if anything it has made it even more competitive (and enjoyable) as all the scores are VERY close, and when everyone can score within a few points of the top score it gives encouragement as the gap is so small and keeps the leaders on their toes!

For those of us that have scored "possibles" the pressure to try to repeat a "possible" after scoring one is a challenge in itself - and can add to the interest!

Stay with it Rob - you may not be the only high scorer - and the closer the scores are, the more interesting the competition will become for everyone shooting in it as there will be no "run-away" leaders (we hope!)

[Paul55]

Once you start the comp does it have to be the same rifle shot each round?

[zooma]

Once you start the comp does it have to be the same rifle shot each round?

Hi Paul,

You do NOT have to stay with the same air rifle for the duration of any MPL competition.

You CAN shoot as many different types of spring powered recoiling .177 air rifles as you like. You can even change them during the same round if you want to !

Many of us enjoy the MPL "as the best excuse going" to give some exercise to our collection of vintage and modern spring powered air rifles.

Also (it goes without saying) that the main person to beat every time will always be yourself, and the challenge of seeing how close you can get to your best score with a different air rifle can be the biggest challenge of all!

I hope you will join us in this competition and use as many different recoiling spring powered air rifles as you fancy!

Bob.

[robthedog]

Hi Bob,

The 77 is a tuned rifle so power delivery is smooth, its running about 11, so not low powered, it does however have a trigger problem, it was this that stopped me getting a better score, seams to change between very light to very heavy, so sometimes goes off at a touch, other times i have to really squeeze it, but this going off at a tangent.
I have just tried a test card with open sights at 10m, with the rifle zeroed in for 6yds, i still scored a 44, so not bad, leaving room for improvement !

[zooma]

Hi Bob,

The 77 is a tuned rifle so power delivery is smooth, its running about 11, so not low powered, it does however have a trigger problem, it was this that stopped me getting a better score, seams to change between very light to very heavy, so sometimes goes off at a touch, other times i have to really squeeze it, but this going off at a tangent.
I have just tried a test card with open sights at 10m, with the rifle zeroed in for 6yds, i still scored a 44, so not bad, leaving room for improvement !

Hi Rob,

Shooting an air rifle at 10 meters with or without a sight will not show too much difference in scores - once the shooter has got set-up and practiced with both!

We usually shoot 10 meters with diopter sights and when switching directly from a scope to a diopter the sight picture is so much more stable compared to the "wobbly" picture that the scope gives as it magnifies all movements - especially from the free standing position!

Scoring is also similar - better with a diopter (in my opinion) as the sight picture is so much more stable.

This situation would decrease and then reverse itself in favour of the scope as the distance increases and the telescopic scope takes over - but at 10 meters there is not much in it and is why i am not too concerned if somebody prefer's to shoot with open sights because at 10 meters there is not much to choose between the two - but it does give another element to the MPL competition options that I am pleased to include for the first time this season.

We have never been able to include scoped air rifles in the MPL before, and as more people shoot with a scope than without one these days I am pleased to open the MPL series up to include them - even if we had to move out to 10 meters to make a realistic competition for them.

Keep the faith Rob - springers are forever!

[XDRIVER]

Sounds very interesting bob, might have to come and have a look . Enjoy shooting benchrest at 25 yards with .22lr but this sounds good. May see you soon.

[zooma]

Sounds very interesting bob, might have to come and have a look . Enjoy shooting benchrest at 25 yards with .22lr but this sounds good. May see you soon.

Always good to see you Mark, I can imagine that this would be "right up your street", but you will find that shooting with a spring powered "kicker" is a little different (probably more skilful in some ways ?) - but very enjoyable.

Let me know when you are coming over - I can let you borrow a spare HW97K to see how you get on.

Bob.

[PhatMan]

Rob,

WRT Rekord trigger : try screwing the trigger weight screw in a bit - a half turn or so - sounds like the sears do not have enough pressure to set properly.

Have fun

Best regards

Russ

[robthedog]

Rob,

WRT Rekord trigger : try screwing the trigger weight screw in a bit - a half turn or so - sounds like the sears do not have enough pressure to set properly.

Have fun

Best regards

Russ

Thanks Russ