Rifle for Airgun Benchrest?

First Match now recorded...

Folks, its been a busy albeit successful month following the AGBR Match on Feb. 7th. as I see it now that my first AGBR match on March 7th. shooting with all my own equipment is behind me and recorded in the AGBR records...

While not as spectacular as my first match shot with Paul Bendix's gun and equipment on Feb. 7th, Yesterday I was able to shoot a 242-3X for first target, 248-3X for my second target, and a 246-4X for my third target... I'm very pleased with this result for all new equipment (with the exception of the scope) purchased during the past month since the February 7th match.

To summarize,
Airgun = Air Arms S400MPR-FT from Jim Stanis at Precision Airguns in Michigan.
Air tank = 88 cu ft. from Airhog
Filling adapter = Pomona Air Guns setup from Steve at PAG
Rest = Von Ahrens one piece purchased from another shooter.
Rest adapter plate = custom made for S400MPR by Jeff at MWerksLLC.com (two weeks to delivery!)
Scope = Sightron SII Big Sky 6X-24X with FC/Dot and target turrets (Borrowed from one of my rimfire target guns)
Stool = Tama HT-30 Drummer's throne purchased locally.
Pellets = JSB Exact Heavy 10.2 gr .177 cal. from Jim Stanis at Precision Airguns

While the results are not earth shattering or record breaking, I think they are very respectable under the circumstances and I'm most pleased with the outcome...

Thank you all for your interest and advise in helping me to accomplish this...

Happy Shooting, Y'all...
Mitch & Shadow...
 
March 7 shoot

Mitch,
You have some good looking guns and equipment. You did execellant for your first shoot. Considering you had only shot the equipment at 10 meters at home and only had a short sight in time. Your be shooting 250's soon. I hope you get your stock from Don Stilh for the Outside April 19 th shoot. If you get it by the indoor April 4 shoot you can try it out.
Work on training Shadow to retrieve and set targets so we won't have to for the outside matches.
See you in April. Looking outside it's snowing real hard but should be gone in a day.
Paul
 
Paul,

Thanks for your help and advise... The match was great fun and I'm really pleased that I was able to put together a setup in the time available between the monthly matches and have it work as well as it did.

I also learned a lot at the match, for one thing, the pellets I had chosen that work best in a gun at 10 meters doesn't mean they will be the best at 25 yards... I'm glad I had the foresight to bring what I thought was second best on my 10 meter range as they turned out to be the better choice for 25 yards...

I still have a lot to learn and am looking forward to the April Matches already and hopefully will have the Air Arms S400SL .22 in a benchrest stock by then...

Shadow would be very happy to be trained to retrieve targets on the outdoor range except that I'm not sure the folks doing the scoring would appreciate the extra .22 cal. holes to plug. Her canine fangs guarantee a few extra holes will get punched I fear...

Thanks again to you and the others for your help and assistance... Hopefully I'm being a good student...

Happy Shooting Y'all...

Mitch & Shadow...
 
rod3.jpg



Anyone remember this stock? While it was sold as a Gary Lemons' designed stock, it was not. I designed the stock on cad and machined the stocks on cnc for Gary. He seems to have dissappeared.

I am willing to make a run of these stocks, unfinished only and they can be made from either plain walnut or cherry, both quite good enough to sand and clear coat, or they can also be painted.

I have been away from the broad for a long time working on other projects and taking care of my wife who had breast cancer.....by the grace of God, cancer free, I might add.

My site does not work and my old email is never checked. I eventually will get both back working. I need to recover some of my investment in this project and thus the reason for this post.

Mike
 
BR stock shape

I think we should take note that most oof the reason BR stocks look the way they do is because of a desire to keep (stock) weight to a minimum.

Since there is no such weight concern in airgun BR, those abbreviated stick-like shapes are not as appropriate, and, in fact, may be detrimental, since in actuality, a heavier gun, to a degree, helps accuracy. I find a 20fpe airgun moves a little in the bags during recoil if it weight less than around 15lbs ... the movement of a 12lb gun VERY small, but its there. Of course, if your gun is low powered, this is much less of an issue ... but again, there is no power limit in the unlimited class that I'm aware of, so I tend to go with what my barrel/ammo combo "likes".
 
New BR Airgun update 24 Mar...

I have two bits of news to add to my quest for an precision airgun to be used for AGBR shooting.

The first is that the more I shoot the Air Arms S400MPR-FT using it with the aluminum front rest adapter plate made by Jeff Madison at MWerksLLC.com with the Von Ahrens rest, the more impressed I am becoming with this rifle. Yesterday in a practice session I shot the most amazing target, a 250-25X... Now before you get too excited about this, I have to put this in perspective.

My practice range is a 10 meter range in my basement and I have generated my own version of the AGBR BR target that is scaled to 44% of normal size to compensate for my shorter than normal indoor range being 11 yards.

This scaled target has a .054" diameter 10 ring and a .208" diameter 9 ring. While the scale of the rings is correct in comparison to shooting the normal target at 25 yards, the one thing I can not scale is the ratio of the diameter of the .177 pellet to the fact the 10 ring is .054" meaning that my target is a lot easier to score "X"s with as compared to shooting in AGBR matches.

However the exciting thing to me in shooting this target is seeing the consistency that this Air Arms S400MPR-FT gun shoots for not having any customizing or special work other than mounting the adapter plate to the factory stock accessory rail to allow the gun guides of the Von Arhens rest to work with the S400MPR-FT as it comes from the factory. This is one awesome gun!!!


The second bit of news is the development of a benchrest stock for the Air Arms S400SL-FAC .22 airgun to be used for outdoor AGBR matches. I have solicited the services of a popular stock maker (who shall remain unnamed at this point until I can solicit his agreement to release his name) to develop a Benchrest stock for this gun. Last week this gentleman shipped me a prototype stock to test inletting for fit of the action and mechanism and over the weekend I was able to fit the gun together and shoot it for a bit on my test range. I'm pleased to say at this early stage, I think we have a winner in the making. While this prototype stock is a softwood pattern to be used in a duplicator, it is a functional stock at least for a bit of testing and let me glimpse over the weekend of just how much of an improvement there will be in having this S400 gun in a good stock that fits properly in the rest and allows the full potential of the marriage of the S400SL and the rest to be seen...

Monday AM, I shipped the prototype stock back to the stock maker and I hated to see it go back however the thought of what is to come of it is plenty of motivation to return it to him as quickly as possibly...

Obviously, there is more to come of this thread...

Happy Shooting y'all...
Mitch & Shadow...
 
I shot my metal stocked CRX in the backyard today. The conditions were very shootable. The only weird stuff happens when the flags are showing NOTHING. Sure to shoot a 'way out there' nine in those 'conditions' :eek: The best was a 249 with a couple of 248's and a 247. 6x was the best x count.

I did shoot until the gun started throwing low shots because of low air pressure. Didn't happen until more than 75 shots were fired.

Now if I can just get some guys to show up at the April match !!!!

Ray
 
crb said:
Now if I can just get some guys to show up at the April match !!!!

Ray
Click to expand...

Hi Ray,

Well, I had to get out a map and look and shucks!!! Buford is just too danged far away!!! 1125.5 miles to be exact according to Street Atlas... Otherwise I'd come shoot with you, that would be great fun... Maybe someday once I get the mooring lines dropped from this fogbank south east of Boston...

Happy Shooting...
Mitch & Shadow...
 
The USFT is the best I've seen. They shoot 2nd to none and the craftmanship is excellent and Tim, at Mac 1 Airgun, (who builds them) will help you with any questions that you may have. They will last you a lifetime. I believe the world champship was won with these rifles. They are hard to find and there this a long wait time to have one built. There is a man who has one for sale that has everything you will need to start shooting (tank, fill adapter, dolly for tank, pellets, two barrels, 1- 22cal and 1-17 cal, Leupold quick disconnect rings and much more ) I have seen the gun shoot and it really is an execllent rifle. He is selling it because we can't get enough air rifle shooters in our club. This gun is practically new and has had excellent care. If you are interested call 903-793-0683 and ask for Floyd.
 
Usft

PTHOM or Floyd,
If you can post the USFT Number and test targets (tunnel test 51 yards) and is it a Hunter or FT model ? Most interested in the .22 test target.

Thanks

Paul
 
Update & Windflags...

Since I last posted, the more I shoot these two Air Arms S400 series airguns the more convinced I am that I made the right choice in the guns I chose. The S400MPR-FT is amazingly consistent for accuracy, the Sightron SIIB 6X-24X scope with fine crosshair/dot reticule is about as close to perfection on this gun as I could want. The second gun is the Air Arms S400SL-FAC in .22 caliber with the Weaver T-36 scope is deadly accurate and while I wait for the benchrest stock that is being made for it, Sunday, April 19, I shot it in the Holbrook's first AGBR outdoor match of the season and inspite of the tippy canoe round bottom factory sporter stock, I came away from the match impressed with what that gun has the potential of doing.

Last Sunday's match at Holbrook was a horror show of wind conditions and it was my first time shooting AGBR in an outdoor match and my first match using windflags as most of my prior match shooting experience has been indoor matches. Several weeks prior to the match I had ordered a set of four "NorthWind" windflags from DeadwoodDick and I have to say, they worked great. Easy to assemble and set up for me as a first time user and they performed flawlessly for me.

The first target, I concentrated on all I'd read and been told, not shooting until there were stable conditions or a lull, and managed to shoot a 236-2X in winds gusting as high as 50 mph at times. That was good enough to tie me with Paul, who also shot a 236 but 3 X so he got the privilege of having the high scoring target for the first relay.

That first target really bolstered my confidence and from that point on, I started experimenting by trying to adjust my point of aim by moving the rifle to what the windflags were showing me and trying to learn what I could do. My second and third target scores were not as good but not bad, and I learned a lot in the process and for me, for my first outdoor match in windy conditions, I came away from it well satisfied, I learned a lot about shooting in the wind.

One of the key things I learned besides what the wind flags could do for me was that a good benchrest stock is a very necessary requirement. At one point, a strong gust of wind caught me unawares as I was getting ready for the third relay, it actually blew the gun out of the rest and fortunately I was sitting right there and quick enough to grab it before it hit the cement. If you look at the picture of me and my setup in the thread "Results, Holbrook AGBR April 19th", you can see how the S400SL-FAC with the factory sporter stock sticks up above the rest and with the round underside of the forearm sitting in the front support, its a very precarious and tippy arrangement to say the least. From now on, I will use a shock cord tether to be sure the gun stays in place until the new benchrest stock arrives...

Still and all, wind included, the match was great fun and I keep learning....

Happy shooting Y'all...
Mitch & Shadow...
 
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rifle for airgun benchrest

good shooting ! looks like you hit the jackpot huh? just can't beat those air arms guns. there the best bar none for the price..keep up the good work and keep us posted on your shooting with these .ok? :D
 
The AGBR project gun...

As those of you who have been following this thread know, back in Mid February, I purchased an Air Arms S400SL-XTRA FAC in .22cal. to be the subject for a conversion project into a benchrest gun for the outdoor AGBR matches at Holbrook... This gun has been three months in the making and now its ready for its unveiling:

S400SL_0054f.jpg


S400SL_0055f.jpg


S400SL_02f.jpg


Preliminary tests of the assembled gun show great promise however the real test will be in the June AGBR matches in a couple of weeks...

Thanks for your interest,
Mitch & Shadow...
 
Looking good Mitch!

I have always liked those laminated stocks. I'm hoping to get to the range and shoot some early next week.
I also went ahead and purchased a Crosman Marauder to try out in benchrest and expect it to be here on the 26th or 27th. I have seem a lot of good things written and just got the itch to buy one. Some of the peeple that had signed up to receive the first 100 didn't follow through so they made a few available.
I still haven't heard back from Airguns of Arizona on when the new FX gun is expected so getting the Crosman will occupy me for a little while.
 
looking for benchrest airgun.....

must have good credentials........



have an EV2 FOR SALE CHEAP........ modified for benchrest
 
Shadowalker123 - details on the EV2 please... What are the modifications for benchrest done to it?

I like your username, I'm curious about its meaning?

Mine's because I have a 2 1/2 year old Black Labrador that I rescued when she was 8 months old. She came from a fellow who'd divorced and wife and daughter wanted nothing to do with a hyper puppy and the fellow worked two jobs and simply didn't have time to care for a bright, mischevious, hyper young dog. As a result of being left alone long hours every day, she developed separation anxiety which for me, is no problem, I'm retired, live alone and she sticks to me like glue 24 hours a day and is a great companion and is a very happy if precocious dog. Hence her name is "Shadow" and I'm always chasing after her...

Happy Shooting,
Mitch and Shadow...
 
deliterman said:
good shooting ! looks like you hit the jackpot huh? just can't beat those air arms guns. there the best bar none for the price..keep up the good work and keep us posted on your shooting with these .ok? :D
Click to expand...

Poo.
 
hitting the jackpot

one of these days you just might hit the jack pot, with a ?
 
to Mitch, Shadow, and Shadowchaser
I had a Gordon setter much the same as Shadowchaser, who recently went to the big hunting land in the sky. Like your lab I aquired her inmuch the same fashion and same seperation difficulties. Maybe more so as If I did have to leave her at home or at the shop for a time she would just yodel these awful mornful sounds the whole time I was gone. Never more than a few feet away from me unless we were hunting. One of the sweetest pups I have had over the years. All my customers miss her also and are sad to hear of her demise. She was 14.
 
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