Posted: 2/4/2012 7:19:36 AM EDT
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I've said it before but it;s worth repeating.
Shooting is a perishable skill. I'm lucky, my job allows me to get to the range as often as I can afford ammo. But ammo is expensive, even for a reloader like me. Plus it takes time to produce. So I don't shoot as much as I would like. I went to an appleseed a few years back, and found that my field shooting skills were , to say the least, lacking. What to do. I set up a 50 yard target range for the pellet gun in the back yard, targets at various ranges, mostly tin cans, pop tops, a minature steel pig, pie plates and such. at 7 yards, a 2 X 4 frame to staple paper targets on. So now, everytime I go to my shop for any reason, I stop and take five shots, more if I have time. The results have been amazing. I went from having trouble hitting a 4 inch coffee can top to tiny groups over the last year or so. I knock over standard size soup cans at 50 yards with startling regularity. It makes me giggle.Practicing the fundementals for thousands of shots works! You can do this in your moms basement even in the winter. A pellet gun that costs less than your latest tacticool AR accessory, and a cheap pellet trap from Wally World. Then when you do make it to the range with you mackdaddy AR, you will actually be able to shoot it! 
Two five shot groups from the offhand, 7 yards with my Benjemin/Sheridan .20 cal Pellet rifle. Crappy scan of old pizza box target. Can't do it every time, and I know there are much better shots out there, but for ME, this is really good! 
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I believe a Red Ryder and several thousand BBs are a cheap investment into shooting skills that will pay highly disproportionate dividends considering the cost and simplicity.
Likewise, even some Airsoft guns can keep your gun handling habits from spoiling and help remind you of the rules when you can't even get outside. If you can't afford to shoot thousands of rounds from your firearms, shooting them from your airguns will still help keep the muscle memories alive. |
At about 10 yards, I can 100% hit match heads. One time, on a dare, I shot a live .22 LR cartridge. Yes, it went bang. .I've "hammered" many nails. Start the nail in a board and see how many hits are needed to drive it home. The real challenge is to keep 5 inside a Life Saver candy. Accuracy comes with practice. |
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Quoted:
At about 10 yards, I can 100% hit match heads. One time, on a dare, I shot a live .22 LR cartridge. Yes, it went bang. .
I've "hammered" many nails. Start the nail in a board and see how many hits are needed to drive it home. The real challenge is to keep 5 inside a Life Saver candy. Accuracy comes with practice. Offhand?
I'll be impressed! |
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Im thinking along the lines of crossman 760 here, the dog could fart in the yard and throw the pellet off course. My brother has one of those. It's a smoothbore. Accuracy is non-existent with that one. An inexpensive rifle that will actually do the job is the Daisy 880. A small investment with some pellets will get you doing some decent shooting at home. It's one of the easiest to pump of the currently available models. There are others with higher velocity, but the 880 has plenty for across-the-yard shooting. This is mine, I've used it to make a lot of head-shots on rats. The accuracy is much better than most people give it credit for. 
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Quoted: Yes. Sitting is my go-to position for field use but if I'm feeling good, standing works.Quoted: At about 10 yards, I can 100% hit match heads. One time, on a dare, I shot a live .22 LR cartridge. Yes, it went bang. .I've "hammered" many nails. Start the nail in a board and see how many hits are needed to drive it home. The real challenge is to keep 5 inside a Life Saver candy. Accuracy comes with practice. Offhand? I'll be impressed! 25 yards sitting:  |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Yes. Sitting is my go-to position for field use but if I'm feeling good, standing works.
Quoted:
At about 10 yards, I can 100% hit match heads. One time, on a dare, I shot a live .22 LR cartridge. Yes, it went bang. .
I've "hammered" many nails. Start the nail in a board and see how many hits are needed to drive it home. The real challenge is to keep 5 inside a Life Saver candy. Accuracy comes with practice. Offhand?
I'll be impressed! 25 yards sitting: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/weisseluft/IMG_1769.jpg Inspiring! 
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I used my 1970-vintage Sheridan Blue Streak to train breathing, sight picture, and trigger control when I was shot Service Rifle in the early '90's. I could shoot a ragged hole at 10yds in my apartment when I was "on". These days, I've graduated to higher end PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) pellet guns that are accurate to 70yds (Russian-made .22 Edgun, Hawke 5-20x Sidewinder Tactical scope). Plus, it has a "shrouded" barrel that makes it exceedingly quiet, and very back yard friendly. I get a heck of a lot more trigger time on the pellet gun than any of my powder burners, and it really helps.
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