Long range advice

[Retnuhtibbar]

Question for those of you with long range experience, I had twenty minutes free time today which coincided with near windless conditions and finally got to have a shot at a 100 yrd biscuit tin which I'd set up a month ago. I fired 15 shots and never missed it which made me happy, when I had a closer look most of the pellets struck within a two and a half inch vertical strip but were evenly strung out over the eighteen inch height of the rectangular tin. So do I ...

A. Weigh my pellets and group according to weight.
B, Head size my pellets .
C. Do both of above.
D. Just be happy to be hitting the tin.

I'm using a HW77 SE ( which has never been touched) in .177 firing 10.3g Airarms field heavies at 10.4 ft/lbs

[Retnuhtibbar]

Well thanks for pondering it anyways, it has me stumped too

[247sniper]

What is your set up?

[severnsider]

Well thanks for pondering it anyways, it has me stumped too

Perhaps it was the thought of a 100yd biscuit tin lid. that's a huge tin of biscuits!

Never tried 100 yards but I would have thought that there were so many variables - particularly with a springer, and including the way you hold the rifle, slight cant etc, that (for a decent pellet like the JSB Exacts) any tiny variations in pellet weight would have an insignificant effect on the end result.

Perhaps the question might be "what would you be happy with" at that distance? I don't know, but for me an inch spread at 50m off a bag on a calm day with a normal PCP and pellets straight out of the tin would be good, based on what I get with my FAC Rapid. That would probably equate to over two inches at 100 yards. I would be very satisfied with what you've achieved with the HW, but then I'm easily pleased

[kmahow2]

Just so I understood correctly, a vertical spread of 18”, with a 2.5” horizontal. If that is correct then it’s called vertical stringing, usually related to variable velocity of shots or aim.

You need to run your chosen pellets out of your gun over a chrono. The extreme spread (ES) & thus standard deviation (SD) need to be small like <10fps ES, then the vertical string will be small. The smaller the ES/SD number the better. Weighing pellets should help get the best numbers here.

The other critical thing is the repeatability of the aiming mark & your ability to hold steady & repeat it. A springer requires a complete break of hold & movement of the gun to cock & load, so repeatability is difficult. That’s one reason a PCP off a bench with bags etc is more repeatable, no movement of the gun &in hold reloading.

Start with the chrono, if good numbers, then make sure you have an aiming point that can be centred on your scope.

[Dagwood]

At 100yds with the results you achieved I'd be assuming there was little or no variation in cross winds. However a variation in fore and aft wind would quite possibly have had an effect on the vertical disposition.
The weight variaition in the pellets may also have had an effect as you have suggested. How much variation is there in the fpe your rifle produces between shots and is it a springer or pcp?
So many factors; if it was me I'd just enjoy the results achieved and have another bash.
Jim
ps Which biscuits come in an 18" tin?

[Sonny200]

I agree that we probably need to be realistic with our expectations. Hard to expect a half inch group out at 50m+ unless you have some beast of a gun!

Just out of interest, have you tried 177 and 22 out at that range? I’d be interested to see if there’s a significant difference.

[Dan762]

Question for those of you with long range experience, I had twenty minutes free time today which coincided with near windless conditions and finally got to have a shot at a 100 yrd biscuit tin which I'd set up a month ago. I fired 15 shots and never missed it which made me happy, when I had a closer look most of the pellets struck within a two and a half inch vertical strip but were evenly strung out over the eighteen inch height of the rectangular tin. So do I ...

A. Weigh my pellets and group according to weight.
B, Head size my pellets .
C. Do both of above.
D. Just be happy to be hitting the tin.

I'm using a HW77 SE ( which has never been touched) in .177 firing 10.3g Airarms field heavies at 10.4 ft/lbs

.
That is great shooting. I would cross my heart, run to the nearest lottery store and buy a ticket. I have the same gun in .22. I intend to go out and see if I can do nearly as well.