I finally did it

[North Country Gal]

We use a lot of reactive targets that you shoot to reset. Be careful with some of those tiny, very light spinner targets if ricochets are a potential issue. You will get them with these targets when a pellet hits them a glancing blow and fails to flatten. The heavier the metal target, the better, for avoiding ricochets.

Here's two of our favorites. Both shoot to reset.

[BigAl52]

I looked at some of the small silly wet targets that airgun depot has. Im thinking about a couple sets of those and one of the resetable targets.

[BrokenolMarine]

When the kids were all still home, I had them shooting down from the deck into the back yard at 1" blocks and soft drink bottles. Then pieces of the blocks and bottles. Worked well with both BBs and 177 pellets.

Okay, before you all stroke out about shooting bottles...
I filled thin plastic soda and water bottles with tap water and froze them, then cut away the thin plastic. The square blocks? Ice cubes.

They were stacked in the freezer until needed. You can take them to a range in a cooler.

Best part? Mr. Sun handles your cleanup.
Want to get fancy? Add a little food coloring for tint.

[Ernie]

Thanks for the input NCG. I emailed the LGS, which is by appointment only now, but did not get any response so I too am leaning toward the rifle Al bought. You guys are real enablers.

[Ernie]

Soooo...I ordered the Lexus in .177. I was between the Field Pro and the Lexus and the decision was made simple because the Field Pro was out of stock for at least a month. I prefer the open sights but I could put a scope on it later and the suppressor was not a big deal for me.

[BigAl52]

Congrats Ernie. They told me about 2 weeks but maybe its changed. So be it I still want the Field Pro. Will see when it comes in.

[North Country Gal]

By the way, the standard open sights on HW rifles are as good as it gets with open sights. You gain a little switching to a peep sight, but not that much.

[daytime dave]

Congratulations Al, you and Ernie have purchased one fine rifle. NCG has summed up a great primer on springer rifles. They are some of the more difficult air rifles to master, but once you do, you can achieve great things with the higher quality rifles.

AOA deals in some fine merchandise. 20 yds is a bit short to sight the scope in. I always used a 32 -34 yd range at my parents farm. I found that to be a good distance for my target and hunting shooting with airguns. With a mil-dot scope it was fairly easy to adjust for range.

I have never owned one of that brand of air rifle. I have two Diana 48's I purchased from a reseller who bought them from an estate sale. He had three, .177, ,20 and .22. I bought the .177 and .22, having no interest in the .20. Anyway, they had BSA scopes mounted and I wanted to see if they were close at the 34 yard range. I fired two pellets through each. I went down range and the .177 had a decent group almost dead center. The .22 only had one hole, dead center. I thought I had a lemon. I went back to see how the pellet had gotten stuck in the barrel and how I would get it out.
It wasn't in the barrel. I went back and looked at the target again. Sure enough, it was same hole accuracy. I have never adjusted those scopes. One piece of advice I haven't seen yet. Don't leave the springer cocked for too long a time. I have always been told it's not a good idea to compress the spring for hours at a time. I don't hunt with mine for that reason.

Al and Ernie. I am sure you will get the same level of accuracy from your new rifles. Gather a variety of pellets and break your rifles in and enjoy doing it. Once they are broken in, find the right pellets and dial them in. The dieseling is pretty cool if you do it indoors in low light. You may not see it, but others might wonder about your new "air" rifle. As I age, I find a scope on any air rifle helps. I don't take them out of the rack as much as my nitro piston rifles or PCP's, but they see some shoulder time.

I envy you that you can make a range in the back yard. I have too many neighbors for that and too many ricochet possibilities.

[BigAl52]

Thanks Dave for chiming in. I have a neighbor to the west of me but there is a big easement between our houses. My range is setup so that my own house is in the way of anything going that direction. The neighbor to the east of me is the one who is going to be shooting on mine with me. My backstop is reinforced with several sheets of plywood. The backstop is also setback quit a ways away from the road out front I dont see anything going that direction if one is not careless.

[Ernie]

Thanks for the words Dave. My rifle arrived today and I had to put 5 shots through it just because. Did not have targets up but hit the spots I was aiming at, seems very accurate. Like the wide fore end and it has a good weight but the sights seem a little low however they will work. I can put a scope on it if it gets onerous. It is a windy 40 degrees and supper time so I am putting this up for now.
It will be well worth the wait Al.