Canadian Airgun Forum

Standing position needs a LOT of work...weak muscles or improper breathing I don't know but this is why I don't hunt with airguns...Its only 45 feet and groups have to be tight in the standing position or I won't shoot at game......can't blame the gun, wind (barn shooting) or ammo...its gotta be me...

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The cave you fear to enter....holds the treasure you seek

Holy frick, actually holding the gun is ridiculously difficult. I'm so bad it's embarassing. I have to time my swaying back and forth and shoot when I know I'm going to have a chance in hell of hitting near the bull... Quite difficult with a springer...
Yes, practice is needed...

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Shawn


Fully rebuilt Benjamin .22 classic
Some other junk rifles

That's why I'm really hesitant to buy a full gun rest. I feel like it's just cheating. It's not really you hitting the target, it's just you nudging the gun around until it rests on target. (yes I realize the irony of that too being quite difficult with a springer...)

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Shawn


Fully rebuilt Benjamin .22 classic
Some other junk rifles

I use a front rest only for bench testing. It's hard coming away from the bench and going back off-hand~ for me it's something that has to be done. The whole shooting idea is purpose driven- hunting. It's like anything else that requires practice. The time has to be put in...
Most of my off-hand practice is from the standard kneeling position. If I'm hunting tall grass, next best is standing with my left elbow pushed into my chest and a short open hand hold on the forearm. I still connect with what I want to hit more than I miss

One of the good things about bench testing is that it will instill confidence in a tight gun and pellet combination. That always helps, and I can use it....


-D.S.

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"Ain't no half-way"
-S.R.V.

Eye Protection!

Well...for me the purpose of bench shooting with air rifles began years ago for testing and tuning gun/pellet combinations.Using a bench takes one of the variables out of the mix.…unsteadiness and if you have a large indoor area..…you also get rid of wind interference so what's left for the most part is just finding how each type of pellet performs for your gun...WITHOUT the influence of wind or swaying.....Indoor bench is a good way of testing pellet/gun performance but its not a test of skill.....its for checking out what your gun is CAPABLE of doing in its present state of tune..…Doc is right for sure.…once the gun is good.....lots of practice should be done.….kneeling..etc.....I'm fine with the rimfires in the hunting season..but there's something about springers when standing.....maybe they're too heavy...…

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The cave you fear to enter....holds the treasure you seek

I never thought of tucking my elbow into the lower chest area...kind of like a prop....I've always held the elbow away from the body.....I'll go out today and try it....blackflies be damned.

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The cave you fear to enter....holds the treasure you seek

Maybe because with rim fire you’re not so worried the same as springer. I’m the same way with rim fire. Point, pull, bingo (most of the time). Usually that simple. But with my benji, yes, considerably heavier, I’m so focused on where I’m aiming, how I’m holding, realizing I’m holding too tight, compensating for the crappy trigger, then wind up all over the target. I suppose I need to sort out that stock trigger and I’ll have removed every excuse for bad shots and can really get to work on accuracy and form standing up.

I was going to build a tripod that suited me, but that doesn’t seem to be materializing. I’m going to go out and get this today.
https://www.sail.ca/en/vanguard-support ... aim-240641

That’ll keep the butt in my shoulder at least.

I actually wanted this, but it’s not available around me. Would facilitate any position from sitting on the ground, bench, kneeling, etc.
https://www.sail.ca/en/primos-trepied-t ... urt-172339


But there still seems to be a rather stark difference between my bench accuracy and my missed rabbits in the back yard... I too have to practice and test my standing/holding accuracy...

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Shawn


Fully rebuilt Benjamin .22 classic
Some other junk rifles

Well I guess one COULD hunt from a bench or with a tripod.....there's been more than a few times I was out bench shooting when rabbits....squirrels or partridge would appear in the scope when I was targeting my usual soup cans..lol..

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The cave you fear to enter....holds the treasure you seek

That's why I was looking at those standing tripods/sticks.

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Shawn


Fully rebuilt Benjamin .22 classic
Some other junk rifles

I got this tripod for shooting upstairs. Had it for years. Camera screws on one side and gun rest on other side. Have it on a camera tripod and camo taped it. Works well sitting in a chair because of my bad back. CHEERS!

Nice tripod...never used one....…always shot from a bench for testing and target practice but I'll pick one of those up today and try it out....I always thought they would be too shaky for springers....

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The cave you fear to enter....holds the treasure you seek

I had been thinking the same thing... I have a camera tripod for my laser level at work and it's relatively light weight for construction grade.

I grabbed this yesterday.
https://www.sail.ca/en/vanguard-support ... aim-240641
With a small tripod style folding hunting stool.
Seated at my little folding table it's all quite comfortable. The rest is also short and tall enough to shoot from the ground. Being 6'4" I need to be a bit higher off the ground laying down than just a bag can provide. I still would have preferred one that would allow me to kneel, but, can't be too choosy.

I found the crotch of the bag grabbed a bit too much but if I turned the bag to the side and rested on the tops of the wingy thingies on the bag just behind the breech, it was perfect. Nailing bulls left right and center.... Mostly center.... Then I ran out of good pellets. *Sad face...*
But it was all accurate enough to allow me to figure out where various other pellets hit at specific distances using the mil-dots. Then I wrote it all down... I'll see what happens next time I shoot.
When I started shooting yesterday I had to re-zero my scope... It was a mile off... I hope it got bumped and that's not how each new session will work out. It'll make hunting with that rifle completely ineffective... Hence the search for a new scope.

But, in light of the actual purpose of this post. I shot 5 shots total from various holding positions. I shot one laying down holding the gun with my elbow on the ground. Bullseye ..
Shot one kneeling both with my elbow resting and floating. One bull and one on the line. Then two standing up. Both out by an inch at about 10 yards. Just'a weeble-wobbling around... Embarassing... Haha. Had to time the wobbles and pull the trigger.

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Shawn


Fully rebuilt Benjamin .22 classic
Some other junk rifles

We all do. Just some wobbles are smaller than others.

In my shooting sometimes I have that perfect moment where all the wobbling stops and I shoot dead center as if I was on a rest. This unfortunately is bad. I can time my wobbles. I cannot time when that perfect moment ends and if I don't catch it before I shoot very poorly.

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I have some guns.

Well, that's a relief...

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Shawn


Fully rebuilt Benjamin .22 classic
Some other junk rifles

Well ..I don't think I'm going to be any good as a small game hunter if I'm shooting while standing....I'm more of a Sniper hunter...with a tripod...just set it up and wait for some critters....I seen a hunter with a tripod on his backpack so I assume that's how he hunts......he had a couple birds...

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The cave you fear to enter....holds the treasure you seek