Any help for a newbie?

[Charles E]

I have started to shoot a little rimfire. So far, all indoors, at a good range, where there usually isn't much air movement or mirage. (I think. Should take some wind flags with very light tails sometime to be sure.) All shooting free recoil, trigger NOT pinched. As close a test for the capability of the rifle without the skills of the shooter as I can think of.

After adjusting the tuner, I added an old Henrick device I had laying around. I know this is backwards from the general instructions for the Henrick, bear with me.

While figuring out it's best position, I could sit there and shoot 5-shot groups on the rather generous IBS target, and if the groups were centered up, no shot would touch the 10-ring, all shots would be inside it. But shoot a card! With the down, left, right, & more down movement, the rifle would shoot some scratch 10s. Particularly worse when I had to drop a row. And I did take the time to push the rifle back & forth on each bull, & even tap it a bit when dropping a row.

My thinking is this was due to the sandbags; still using the rather flat front bag I use for CF.

More experienced thoughts?

 

[Carp]

The movement of the rifle in the rest from bull to bull will have an effect. I will pretend that you are outdoors and can always without a doubt shoot in the same condition for a moment...that would be the VERY best way to test the rifle. I've never shot indoors but can tell you that really squirrelly things happen with no air movement effecting the bullet. Don't be discouraged with the craziness of indoor score shooting. I would be very happy with the groups you shot and satisfied that the gun is in tune enough to test outdoors now. But even outdoors the movement from bull to bull will have an effect on the performance of the gun. Many folks shoot one peice rests with delrin tops that shouldn't be effected as bad but there is still something there from time to time that cannot be explained. I hope this helps a little bit. I am not much of a writer.

John M. Carper

 

[Charles E]

Thanks John, it does help. Perfectly clear writing, too.

Actually, this indoor facility also has a 100-yard CF range, and I've shot IBS (CF) score at it, and I'm not new to that sport. As you say, there are some squirrelly things that happen. After a time, you can figure most of them out. Not all.

BTW, just a tip on "no air movement," like at 8:00 a.m. You can usually see a bit of mirage to help. For example, put the sight on the nine ring (first thin one) of a CF target, take several seconds, and watch it move. It will usually move most the width of the ring, and that is all due to air movement changes. It can be enough to miss an X, esp. at 200 or 300 yards. For RF, I'll just have to learn.

 

[tim]

First, there's probably more mirage in an indoor range than pepole realize so don't hesitate to check outside with any reasonable test weather. What kind of stock and rest? First place to look IMHO would be rest/bag setup. I've found .22 tracking to be super critical.

 

[burtona]

Charles, I've shot a lot at both Tuckertown and Aquadale in the past. Indoors is not a good place to test/practice IMO. Stuff happens you just can't see a reason for. It's like throwing a knuclkeball down range. I've spent a lot of time and money trying to find barrels, twist, bullets, etc. that would shoot consistently in there. Never have! One day or one target it's really good, next day or target and nothing seems to work - and no explanation or reason is apparant. I think shooting in a steady light breeze is much better conditions than dead air indoors to test and shoot in competition. It is fun to go to the indoor ranges in the winter to shoot, but much more for the fellowship with other shooters and to get some trigger pulls in the wintertime than for the actual competition.
Dave Burton

 

[Bill Wynne]

Charles,

I have found that indoor shooting pretty much removes the wind factor from the equation and is the very best way to test other things. When I use to shoot off of a two piece rest I noticed what you are describing, the scoring on targets were not as good as the groups would indicate.

When I changed to a James Pappas rest that changed. There are many well thought out features about the Pappas rest but I believe the ability to keep the rifle and the whole rest in the same plain while you aim at different targets is the main advantage.

The difference that you observed are small and you might not have been able to detect it in outside conditions.

I hope this helps.

Bill

 

[Charles E]

First, there's probably more mirage in an indoor range than pepole realize so don't hesitate to check outside with any reasonable test weather. What kind of stock and rest? First place to look IMHO would be rest/bag setup. I've found .22 tracking to be super critical.

The stock is a circa 1995 McMillan carbon fiber stock. The action was first bedded, then glued.

I have tired several rests, an old Farley with the Edgewood bag, which has a wide, flat surface I imagine is a long way from ideal. The other was a Hart, with a Bald Eagle top & Protekor cordura bag, somewhat rounder.

Two rear bags, both Protektor, one with wide stitching and mid-ears, where the butt touches, but not hard, the bottom of the bag. The ears do support the side of the stock.

The other another Protektor with bunny ears, and no stitching.

None of this strikes me as right for RF.

I just learned from the unlimited post that while sandbags are required for RF, the rests can be mechanical at both ends. Unless someone can save me some time with recommendations, I assume a sandbag more in the shape of a roll would be better; would present the same shape to the stock regardless of attitude. Well, no it won't, sand moves & builds up edges, but a roll comes comes closer.

I take "tracking" to be the way the stock slides & moves forward in the bag, & have another word for the way the stock is loaded at rest, and the inertia it exhibits before the rifle actually moves. Forgot the word, though. Always figured that was more important than tracking per se.

Any of that make sense?

Edit:

Thanks Bill, I'll probably get a Pappas rest pretty soon now, but believe I can only use it for unlimited.

 

[Carp]

Tracking, as far as I'm in knowledge of, is the straight rearward recoil of the rifle after firing. Sandbags could pose a bit of difficulty in doing so.

John M. Carper