Cost of Competition and Pracitce

[BobZ]

This does sound like it will catch on sooner rather than later with Eley Red Box pushing $20./box and rising rapidly....... so if you "fill" your rifle with air from a scuba tank how many shots can you fire before you need a re-fill?

The Theoben Rifles come in a couple of configurations some with a removable cylinder (factory bottle guns require removal to fill). Some models have the more standard smaller diameter cylinder with a quick fill. A regulated gun will normally be filled to the max allowed pressure (generally 200 bar ). A fill depending on the caliber and desired velocity will deliver somewhere between 35 and 50 shots. A 12 ft lb rifle which is the standard in Europe for the most part will get 100 plus shots.

An Un-regulated rifle will vary in charge pressure and shoots the average of the air in the cylinder. These rifles have a sweet spot that produces the largest number of shots at the peak of a pressure curve. The sweet spot normally produces 20 to 30 extremely accurate shots. Accuracy is not quite as good outside of the sweet spot. I have a 299,00 entry level pre charge that has produced outstanding groups at the sweet spot. The USFT rifle and American made rifle first built as a pupose built Field Position rifle normally sitting, later made as a Hunter and a bench rest rifle has a double size cylinder and charges at a very low pressure it can produce substantially more shots on a fill.

I personally have only regulated pre-charged rifles. I charge the 12 ft lb at about 3000 psi as well as the 20 ft lb. The 30 ft lb rifle I charge at 3200 to 3400 psi. I get about 50 shots per fill. There is little or no competition for the High power (over 20 ft. lb match.) Shop carefully with hands on shooting. The better the gun in my opinion the better the resale.

These rifles are great multi-discipline shooters for NRA sihouette for Field Target and Bench Rest. Most any good air rifle will group 1/2 inch at 50 yards. On the air rifle bench targets at 25 meters A .30 ctc group witha 22 cal. could win a match if the shooter can keep that group centered while the wind whips those light projectiles around.

Best way to pick is to watch match reports and visit a club with an air rifle match any of the above and you will be able to hold and probably shoot a couple. Air gunners are recruiters to the game and will invite you to compete and furnish the ammo and air.

THE KEY TO THE GROWTH OF AIR RIFLE BENCH REST IS TO CONVINCE MATCH DIRECTORS HOLDING 22 RIM FIRE MATCHES TO ALLOW TARGET FRAMES AT 25 YARDS OR METERS AND LET THE AIRGUNNERS HOLD A SEPERATE MATCH SHOULDER TO SHOULDER OR ON A DIFFERENT RELAY.


Good ShootN'

Bob

 

[twentytwoguy]

Bob,

Thanks for the tutorial.... learned alot

 

[BobZ]

Update from a crazy old man. I was explaining to my wife why the TM1000 at about 2,000.00, I have coming is a bargain. I just had to ask if she remembered all of the evenings I sat at the table hand loading 30 cal. ammunition for the weekend shoot. I think I managed to load about 200 through the week, That would be about 120.00 at average of about .60 cents a round. Honey, I said I can purchase 5000 rounds for the air rifle for 120.00. The truth is I can buy the rifle and a 1000.00 scope with the cost difference and have just as much fun. Every time I shoot 5000 pellets I can buy another.

Even though it is the truth I do not think that she saw the logic.

Of course the cost is less and the accuracy is the greatest. I shoot enough for the math to work, but another thing is range time. There are, I think. three ranges around Houston Texas, the 4th largest city in the U.S, with 300 yards or more distance available. We are recruiting air rifle competitors in Houston. Come join the fun.

Bob

 

[HovisKM]

Oh yeah...my 15.00 Norinco break over will shoot .25 groups at 50yds all day long.....don't know why you need some air gun that costs that much. Scopes...my 10.00 2-7x tasco works as well as a 45x leup competition. This must be a rich mans sport.........


Hovis

 

[Buddy Ross]

Kevin!!

You ol' pot stirrer!! Here, let me hand you this canoe paddle.

Oh yeah...my 15.00 Norinco break over will shoot .25 groups at 50yds all day long.....don't know why you need some air gun that costs that much. Scopes...my 10.00 2-7x tasco works as well as a 45x leup competition. This must be a rich mans sport.........


Hovis