increasing springer accuracy

[Tom21 0]

Hi guys,

 

Well I've recently bought my first air rifle (97k) and am chuffed to bits with it. My main aim is to use it for hunting rabbits ( and wood pigeon, magpies, crows) so I want to make sure that i can get a clean kill - requiring a lot more accuracy. I've heard the words ' hold sensitive' applied to spring rifles but don't really understand what this means? So I was hoping that someone would be able to give me some tips or explanation for this.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[pianoman 3,587]

Hi Tom. Welcome to the section.

 

"Hold sensitive" is a simple term that describes a spring rifle that requires a carefully worked-out, correct, gentle or sensitive hold, consistently applied, to get the maximum accuracy performance out of it.

 

Unlike PCPs which are very forgiving due to their recoiless firing character, a spring rifle recoils in two directions simultaneously, with the sharp vibration of the piston slamming forward pushing it's charge of compressing air under tension of the spring, through the narrow transfer port, to slam hard into the skirt of the pellet causing a little back-push into the butt as felt recoil at the shoulder. This is the typical characteristic of all spring rifle recoil. And this characteristic has to be controlled and managed correctly or, it will not group it's shots.

 

It is this recoil aspect of even the finest spring rifles that makes fitting ANY type of bipod or artificial rest to a spring rifle, utterly futile. It just wont work. End of!

 

The Weihrauch HW97 is a superbly accurate rifle, whichever calibre you have. To get the best of it you need to learn how to use what is called the "Artillery Hold". Think of a field howitzer artillery piece. When it fires a shell, it recoils back under compression of blast ignition but, the gun-carriage supporting it stays put. You have to become the gun carriage and let your rifle recoil in a natural sense without it bouncing in your hands and throwing the shot off-target.

 

To accomplish a correct hold, shoot from a prone, stable and comfortable posture. Use a beany bag or whatever to rest and support your forearm. It will help you manage the weight of the rifle. Do not allow anything else but your hands and shoulder to touch your rifle. your hands are now divided into two supporting units. Leading Hand and Controlling Hand.

 

1.With the butt gently resting at your shoulder, allow the rifle's weight in the forestock to rest into the palm of your leading hand. Now gently bring your thumb and fingers to lightly come to the sides of the forestock, making a very gentle "cup" around the sides. There should be no pressure contact, just enough to be secure.

 

2.With your controlling hand, place the palm over the palmswell of the 'wrist' or grip of the rifle. The butt of your palm should just rest against the raised hump of the chequered surface. Rest your thumb up the spine of the wrist or grip, your trigger finger ready for the trigger and the remaining three fingers around the base of the opposite face of the grip. Again, do not apply any unecessary pressure with your hand or push the butt deeper into your shoulder. You only need to use a very light, restraining hold on the grip to stabilise and control the rifle in your aim. Hence, it's called the controlling hand!

 

3. Do not snap-pull the trigger or you'll be all over the target. Press the trigger and the shot gently always. And always apply good follow-through. Your shot hasn't finished untill it's hit it's target and you can fully judge it's accuracy.

 

4. PRACTICE! PRACTICE!! PRACTICE!!! Till it's second nature and you'll hit a penny at 50 metres every shot!

 

Nothing to it Tom!

 

All the best with it mate.

 

Simon

 

Edit to add. It's a complete myth that a top quality pcp is more accurate than a top quality spring rifle Tom. They are just as accurate as each other. It's all in the shooter! If you have a bang centre correct zero with your pellet on your scope's retical, regardless of the zero-range, you can park another pellet into the hole and on top of the first, again and again with your HW97. All it requires is how well and closely accurate you can replicate everything from the first shot to the last shot.

Edited April 10, 2011 by pianoman

[kobidog 1]

So pianoman, would a partly deflated rugby ball act as a good rest for a springer by helping cusion the recoil or would it make the bounce even worse?

[pianoman 3,587]

Nothing makes a better rest for a spring rifle but your hands and shoulder kobidog. If you zero your spring rifle on a deflated rugby ball the surface tension of the ball's skin means you are still resting it on a non-compliant, artificial surface. Even a soft cushion will only help you so much. You may get a decent group in both instances. But then, watch what happens when you have to switch aiming position to using your hands! The whole harmonics of the rifle is changed and the point of impact will change with it.

 

 

This is why, as I stated in my post, I use a soft beany bag to rest my leading hand's forearm into and support my hand as it supports the rifle in a prone position. I never allow anything else to come into contact with the rifle. If I decide to leave my prone position hidey hole and take the rifle mobile stalking a while, I know my shot's point of impact will not change unpredictably if I have to snap into a kneeling or standing posture to shoot a target of opportunity. My hands and fingers remain the controlling contact with the rifle in the aim.

 

Simon

[Tom21 0]

hi pianoman i was hoping you would reply to this thread.

 

Thankyou very much for your reply, i will learn this artilary hold and practise, practise practise.

 

( if this post makes no sense im sorry, ive had alot to drink this aftrnoon)