Best method to sight in?

[Bidgee]

What's the best technique to sight a springer? I think I read somewhere that shooting them over bench rest give mixed results.

Scott

[stinkitup]

I have been sitting my R9 on a sleeping bag and nothing for a rear rest and seems to shoot the same like this or out of my hands.

[adonn223]

don't sight them in off a bench rest as it does not give the best results, I like to sight mine in standing off hand with a steady lean on a fence post, car bonnet or similar something that allows you to hold the rifle steady
cheers

[fenring]

You can rest a springer, but it has to be on something really soft like a pillow etc, and even then depending on the gun the point of impact may change a little when shooting offhand. Some guns are more "hold sensitive" than others. A springer will bounce if held on a solid surface, and your shots will go all over the place. I sight mine in from a standing position - it's important to hold the rifle the same way each shot - and the best way seems to be as lightly as possible. Don't try and sight it in too far away (like say 50 metres) as unless you are very steady your spread of shots will be hard to judge and you won't really know what's going on. 20 metres is a good starting point, then work out where your shots are landing on a further target. So I might sight my rifle in to be smack on at 20m, then I know for example it will be 1" low at 50m, etc.

[daisy]

With a springer I always have my left hand between the rest and gun as I'm right handed.
Not like a well known powder shooter/writer said, something along the lines " Cause air guns recoil they need a hard rest"

Daisy

[Predator]

Not like a well known powder shooter/writer said, something along the lines " Cause air guns recoil they need a hard rest"

Daisy

[fritz]

Check out Hawkeye77's thread "Acceptable Accuracy"... I posted my method of benching. Make sure you use the same pellets in the field as you do to sight in. Cheap pellets don't work, also. Buy Beeman pellets, maybe if you're lucky GAMO pellets will work for you, they are consistant, but the magnum ones are a POS, use GAMO Match. I always use match pellets in my D34 .177 because accuracy is more important to me than the fancy damage.

Make sure you have a good back stop when shooting, never shoot targets on top of a hill, if you miss high you don't know what's on the otherside.