Self Isolation - a Good Time to Shoot at 6 yards?

[zooma]

Many of us are unable to get away from home as often as we would like at the moment due to restricted movements and self isolation, and so we cannot get to shoot as often as we would like either!

The 6 yard MPL competitions have been designed to be shot at home and could be a good thing to have a go at if you are unable to get out.

We have good competitions for basic spring powered air pistols and spring powered air rifles that have been designed to be shot from home.

Just about anyone can find a 6 yard space at home that can be adapted to become your own safe personal MPL shooting range.

When you have shot your targets, you score them yourself and submit your scores to PhatMan by email - so you can compete and self-isolate at the same time!

Over the years that I have been involved with the MPL, I have never failed to be impressed with the ways people have found or made the space to shoot over 6 yards at home, and these have included:-

Shooting in the garden with a secure and safe backstop.

Shooting into the garage with a target holder hanging on the back wall and using the garage as a giant and safe secure pellet stop.

An adoption of the above by shooting into a shed or any suitable outdoor building.

Shooting along the hallway with a target holder hanging on the back of the front door. (sometimes known as the I.J. method!).

Shooting into the kitchen from the hallway.

Shooting from the lounge into the dining room (or the other way around!).

Shooting from the hallway into the toilet (target holder on top of the loo!).

Shooting into a cupboard with a light rigged-up over the target holder.

Let us know if you have found a novel way of rigging-up a 6 yard range at home (or anywhere else) that I have failed to list above as your ingenuity is often beyond belief.

Send you entry to PhatMan and we will find a way of posting your targets to you.

Every MPL competition is only shot over 36 targets (6 targets per round x 6 rounds) - and this can soon be shot when you are stuck at home and bored - so multiple entries are welcomed!

Have a go - it can be addictive........

[PhatMan]

Bob,

Oh my yes

Many of you may scoff at shooting at six (6) yards - wait until you see the size of the ten (10) dot - not ring, dot

And then try it standing and un-supported - quite challenging

Have fun & a good Sunday

Best regards

Russ

[RobinC]

I would heartily recommend that you do it, many clubs are responsibly shut, and its a fun way to continue your sport!

Although we support and coach Air rifle (See "the book" in the stickies), we no longer shoot air, but we do have a 10 mt range used for coaching with an electric returning target, with the firing point in our conservatory shot through the open door into the workshop/garage, over the top of our (fortunately!) very low sports car!

We both shoot a lot of small bore prone, and full bore prone, our club is shut, we are both in the age risk group so we spent the week end rearranging the workshop/garage so we could shoot 10 mt prone air! Not returning, but I think we can manage to walk 10 mts! With the sports car in the garage parked towards one side there is a 12 inch gap though to the target holder, I think we can trust ourselves not to hit the car!

I've set up my LG400 Alutec for prone, but plate reset up, fore end off and a sling swivel, and voile! Prone practice!

Have Fun
Robin

[robthedog]

I can't understand why more folks don't shoot the MPL

[PhatMan]

Rob,

A few years ago, we had ca. twenty to thirty entrants or there abouts per cycle.

It is the last couple of years that we seem to be in the wilderness

I have tried, until my nuts have dropped off, to get chappies from my Club interested, but they just are not

Have fun

Best regards

Russ

[Wheelieneilie]

Loft space might be another safe place!

[damas]

Must admit have been looking at my home and garden with new eyes of late with a new interest in target shooting and have to admit to scrambling about the loft with tape measure in hand earlier
Think this is an excellent idea for people in light of the current circumstances just wished I had something suitable to participate.

[zooma]

Loft space might be another safe place!

Mine would be ideal - if I could stand up in it

[I. J.]

Mine would be ideal - if I could stand up in it

Ha!

Yes !

Serves you right Lanky.

[zooma]

Must admit have been looking at my home and garden with new eyes of late with a new interest in target shooting and have to admit to scrambling about the loft with tape measure in hand earlier
Think this is an excellent idea for people in light of the current circumstances just wished I had something suitable to participate.

Hi Damian,

You only need a basic springer to shoot in the MPL at 6 yards.

I know your interest is mainly with air rifles and this competition could be shot with any basic air rifle with open sights, or with a diopter sight. Nice shooting older .177 spring powered air rifles do not sell for much so you could pick up a bargain for very little.

There are plenty of used springers out there for sale and almost every one of them could be more than good enough, and any make you fancy from any manufacturer you prefer to shoot with would be OK - as long as it has a front sight !

A basic springer pistol is not the first thing that "springs" to mind for target shooting, but most can be shot with some accuracy (after a lot of practice) - and remember you are mainly competing against yourself, and others will have the same sort of air pistol with similar challenges to overcome!

I have a 1972 HW35 listed for sale at the moment, and it has the option of buying it with a matching diopter for target shooting. If it does not sell in the next few days you would be welcome to borrow it and use it in the MPL rifle competition. It may be old, but it has aged gracefully and shoots really well!

I have an even older HW35 (1970) that I had re-blued and tarted-up a few years ago, but it does not shoot any better (possibly not as good!) as my '72 model, and I also have a diopter for that one too, so I am considering shooting one of them in the 6 yard series.

An El-Gamo Centre under lever air pistol is superb for target shooting - and has been the best performing "kicker" in previous MPL air pistol competitions, and again, they do not fetch a lot so are well worth considering and along with Original Model 5's cam make some of the best bargains.

Let me know of you would like to borrow something - the post is still working so I should be able to get something to you.

Bob.

[damas]

Hi Bob
That’s very kind of you what a true gent you are and is very much appreciated. May well take you up on your offer but sure someone will be along to purchase it as I know what great condition your rifles are in.
Was lucky enough to have a hw35e back when I was young and they are great rifles.

Alas I suffer the same fate as you Bob with not much space in the loft but if I stand directly in the middle with my head in the cobwebs then maybe just maybe

Also got caught in the hallway with said tape measure and am asked is that to do with DIY or guns
Still as mentioned just gotta get creative and look at things a bit differently and you find a space you can have a lotta fun to throw some lead around.

Damian

[DAVALI]

Lots of practice on my Bell target, trying different rifles to see how they compare, with all the spring air rifles I have that should keep me busy for some time.
Dave

[zooma]

Lots of practice on my Bell target, trying different rifles to see how they compare, with all the spring air rifles I have that should keep me busy for some time.
Dave

Another good 6 yard discipline - if you fancy a change you would be welcome to join the MPL series using the same rifles.

Your bell target centre hole is 3/8", the centre dot on a 6 yard Air 7 rifle target is tiny in comparison so it is a good challenge - and a change is as good as a rest