I am setting up a 25 meter range at my house to do informal 25 meter benchrest shooting. My house is in a residential neighborhood that has neighbors close by, but I have a safe, secluded area to shoot in. Although I will not be competing, except against myself, due to living in Ohio where there do not seem to be airgun clubs, I would still like to be sure my rifle won't hold me back from shooting the best scores I'm capable of. With all that said, here are a few questions I have for the experienced shooters:
1. Is the 25 meters measured from the rifle loading port or is there just a line the entire rifle needs to stay behind?
2. Being that I need this rifle to be as quiet as possible, would a 12 ft lb rifle be adequate, or do I need it to be closer to 20 ft lbs to be competitive?
3. I am considering a Steyr LG110 with Huggett silencer added or a Raw BM500. I have heard the Steyr rifles are loud in stock form, but not sure if this applies at 12 ft lbs.
4. Where can I buy official 25 meter targets?
I realize a BM500 with T-36 scope and Bald Eagle rest would be a great setup, but I'm considering all options, hence the Steyr I could use for field target or casual shooting as well. Any/all suggestions are appreciated.
Lastly, is an FX Royale or Crown out of the question for getting competitive scores? I am assuming yes, since I don't see any results with the winners using these rifles.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
I am setting up a 25 meter range at my house to do informal 25 meter benchrest shooting. My house is in a residential neighborhood that has neighbors close by, but I have a safe, secluded area to shoot in. Although I will not be competing, except against myself, due to living in Ohio where there do not seem to be airgun clubs, I would still like to be sure my rifle won't hold me back from shooting the best scores I'm capable of. With all that said, here are a few questions I have for the experienced shooters:
1. Is the 25 meters measured from the rifle loading port or is there just a line the entire rifle needs to stay behind? measured from front of shooting bench
2. Being that I need this rifle to be as quiet as possible, would a 12 ft lb rifle be adequate, or do I need it to be closer to 20 ft lbs to be competitive? if you want to compete in LV it has to be 12fpe and HV is 20fpe and open is as much as 35fpe
3. I am considering a Steyr LG110 with Huggett silencer added or a Raw BM500. I have heard the Steyr rifles are loud in stock form, but not sure if this applies at 12 ft lbs. both guns will work fine
4. Where can I buy official 25 meter targets? click the following link https://www.usairriflebenchrest.com/target-scoring/
I realize a BM500 with T-36 scope and Bald Eagle rest would be a great setup, but I'm considering all options, hence the Steyr I could use for field target or casual shooting as well. Any/all suggestions are appreciated. there are many just look at any results
Lastly, is an FX Royale or Crown out of the question for getting competitive scores? I am assuming yes, since I don't see any results with the winners using these rifles. most likely
Thanks in advance for any advice!
I would not get too antsy just yet in wanting to buy a high dollar PRETTY LOOKING FX gun until they get their bugs sorted out namely with their regulators and o-rings. If you keep up with your due dilligence and read the forums about new owners complaining of having their brand new straight out of the box FX leaking or not shooting straight or wild errant flier from time to time you will understand my word of caution. I wouldn't want to be one of the statistics who spend two grand and be disappointed having to send the gun back and fourth for repair work taking all of the fun away from your shooting time. Don't get me wrong, I do like and own FX guns but stay away from specific new models until I hear only the sound of crickets as though no more rants or complaints for at least a year. Why do you think a major company in the UK refuses to sell any FX guns? Too many returns and complaints. BUT on the other hand if you are one who LOVES to tinker and constantly fix things yourself then go ahead and buy it.
My suggestion is to buy once cry once and go get yourself a Thomas. It is the most versatile Bench rest field target 12fpe 20fpe user friendly one gun do it all gun.
Not a single complaint that I know of.
I know folks who had Steyr LG110s who sold had sold them after
getting their Thomas.
Go and check the match results to see what the top shooters use.
If cost is a prohibiting factor then get yourself a RAW.
I cried THRICE in this instance so this is not just speculation here.
If you have to absolutely go cheap then get yourself a Benjamin
Marauder Field and Target with the Lothar Walther barrel from
the Crosman Custom shop with a warranty.
I have a pre field and target do it yourself version and it is fine.
LW barrel, HUMA Reg and only thing I need to do is add secondary
gauge at the end of the air tube since the factory one shows reg pressure.
Also have an untouched aside from an extended LDC and lawyer spring
removed Gen1 Marauder also in 177 that is fine-good enough. I may have been lucky on
that one however the other one with the LW barrel will out group it. I may eventually replace that barrel too some day. I am wanting to buy a Challenger which already has the LW barrel and replace the transfer port
to .089 to get it to shoot 12fpe and it should be interesting to see how
well it does with a HUMA regulator. Ray Team USA shoots one.
HA
Thanks for the reply. I bought a Bald Eagle, Sightron sii 36x42, and ordered a RAW BM500 from Ken Hicks at SPAW. Kinda hard to swallow that up front cost, but at least I won't be left wondering if I should have done it from the start.
Fear not. Your BM500 will hold its value pretty will in case you decide to pursue some other dumb hobby like golf.
Depends on where you are at but there are three airgun clubs in Ohio
Central Ohio Airgunners (COA) near Columbus and Northeast Ohio Airgunners (NOA) near Cleveland and Wyandot County Airgunners out west (you can find them on Facebook).
http://www.centralohioairgunners.com/
https://ohioft.wixsite.com/noa-twinoaks
Between the clubs, I can guarantee that there are members that own all of the rifles you've mentioned.
You already bought the RAW, but another rifle that does really well is the USFT. Popular on the west coast. I have several and the triggers are much better than the trigger on the Thomas. That said, the barrel makes the rifle, and the USFT is super easy for barrel swaps.
Hey Jim - what revision Thomas? I know he's done a lot of work on the triggers.
Jim i wonder where you get your info ?
i have both USFT and Thomas rifles
the Trigger is the worst thing on the USFT
the Thomas trigger is 10 times better
You already bought the RAW, but another rifle that does really well is the USFT. Popular on the west coast. I have several and the triggers are much better than the trigger on the Thomas. That said, the barrel makes the rifle, and the USFT is super easy for barrel swaps.
