Being “PICKY” about springers….doesn’t really matter if they are cheap springers or expensive ones, just being “picky” about a “cold start” (say it’s been sitting in the safe for 4-5 weeks unshot).
Pretty much the problem: from a cold-start, what is “me” and what might be the rifle’s fault after a long lay off where the rifle just sits in the safe for a month or two.
Brought 3 out….haven’t been shot in about a month (which is common for me and springers….just too many other types of airguns to play with).
Shot 4 5-shot groups with each of the rifles. That's not common here....a lot of one-group pictures, but not a lot of "cold start" progrerssions.
WORST groups were the first and second for all of the rifles.
Was that “me” getting back into the springer-groove…..or was it redistribution of lube….piston seals getting more flexible/sealing better with use...metal settling into it’s stock bedding...getting use to different triggers…..whatever.
Don’t know of a way to tease those things apart to test them separate….the one factor that is always the same is ME doing the shooting….so I just think of it as “my bad” and try my best to get into the springer groove.
It takes something like 5-10 shots. Not that the first and second targets are terrible, but they are larger and often not where targets #3and #4 end up centered
Rifles: (left to right would be A, B, C …..177/.22/.25)
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51135406761_287109b29b_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51135406761_287109b29b_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2kUEjUa ]DSCN0156[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/144930793@N07/ ]Robert Dean[/url], on Flickr
Targets: (actually, this is better than expected….but I was “on my game” this AM):
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51135620853_81f2dd4cd3_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51135620853_81f2dd4cd3_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2kUFqxp ]DSCN0157[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/144930793@N07/ ]Robert Dean[/url], on Flickr
Not a world class shooter….do take some pride in what I can do with just one springer session a month...but can tell some things.
Average of the first two groups (over 3 rifles) is close to .75””
Average of the last two groups (over 3 rifles) is closer to .5”
“A” shifted groups up as I went along.
“B” shifted groups down .
“C” shifted groups up
Looking at placement, using any of the 3 as a “grab and go” rifle (counting just the number of dime sized hits).
Not that the groups are “bad’..they just weren’t centered where I expected them to be when I left them last month.
“A” 18 of 20
“B” 14 of 20
“C” 4 of 20 (really suxs..but the scope could have been "clicky-cliked" after the first 5 shots to make it better).
There is a psychology/philosophy going on here.
1. If you think you are perfect...then blame something warming up in the rifle. Changing the rifle might just be a placebo. Do the tune/work...think it should shoot better….so by expectations it does...which brings you back to the human element….expectation rather than any real mechanical change.
2. If you know you aren’t perfect...then blame the biologic element (the shooter) relearning how to hold. Maybe I just re-learn quicker, wouldn’t get the worst targets as my first targets.
3. If you are (as I am) and “is what is” kind of guy, then just dump 5-10 shots before going on paper.
THINKING…..I could just cock/decock these rifles without firing them….just moving the “guts” back and forth to limber them up/spread the lube without actually firing them.
None of the 3 have a self-set safety...can hold the trigger back and “pump” the barrel as may times as you’d want without actually cocking it.
Do that “pumping” maybe 12 times...THEN see if the first groups are much worse than the last groups. If it’s lube distribution, that would at least mitigate it (but also make “grab-n-go” less attractive).
