Springer Air Rifle Technique

[308win]

I have seen several references to the correct technique to hold a springer air rifle. What is the correct technique and what is an artillery hold?

 

[cat_IT_guy]

I'll be following this one. I had a couple springers and never could get them to shoot groups as well as I could my $40 Daisy Power Line 880 (multi pump).

 

[SDC]

The "proper" technique with most springers is supposed to be with a loose forward hold, with the rifle simply cradled in the supporting hand; this allows the rifle to recoil consistently with each shot, which translates to consistent accuracy. This is because of the "back and forth" recoil that spring piston air guns have, and trying to get rid of that effect is what led to designs like the Diana 54, with dual pistons.
There's a decent video with explanations at http://www.pyramydair.com/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63

 

[JohnKSa]

In a spring-pistol airgun, the trigger releases a large, heavy piston that is held back by the sear. That piston is violently driven forward by the spring and that motion compresses the air behind the pellet. When the pressure reaches a sufficient level, the pellet is fired.

What all of that means is that the gun recoils as a result of the forward motion of the piston BEFORE the pellet even starts moving.

Clearly it's important to hold the gun consistently so that the motion of the recoil moves the gun consistently from shot to shot. Since it's nearly impossible to insure a perfectly consistent hold if you grip the gun like you would a normal firearm, the best approach is to minimize the shooter's interaction with the gun as much as possible.

Tom Gaylord's short article and video provided in the link in the post above mine have good information on the topic.

 

[pardiniman]

SDC
Thanks for that great vid on the artillery hold, now I can hopfully tame my springer and tighten up my groups.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'd always heard that you were supposed to use a loose hold on a spring gun for the best accuracy, but I didn't know you weren't supposed to pull it back into your shoulder.

That video offered a very good explanation

 

[Nomad]

The artilley hold http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=043C31A15A3C97CEF1C1043C31A15A3C97CEF1C1

 

[9mmepiphany]

The artilley hold http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=043C31A15A3C97CEF1C1043C31A15A3C97CEF1C1

That is the same video as linked in post #3

 

[308win]

Thanks everyone. Any other tips from experienced air gun shooters? What about pistols; same principle, as light a hold as possible?

 

[HankC]

I am curious about bipod and springer. What is the technique about shooting a springer with a bipod, where is the right place to put the bipod at? I always hold my springer at the balance point but that would be a weird place to put a bipod at!

 

[JohnKSa]

What about pistols; same principle, as light a hold as possible?

Frankly, I find spring-piston air pistols that aren't recoil compensated/recoilless very difficult to shoot consistently. I've tried a variety of different techniques and none of them have worked well enough to satisfy me. I still do some shooting with a recoiling spring-piston air pistol, but primarily as training because it makes me work very hard to get even reasonably consistent results--not really so much because I find it fun.

What is the technique about shooting a springer with a bipod, where is the right place to put the bipod at?

I would think you'll have to experiment with your gun to determine what particular location works best. Maybe mount some kind of rail on the bottom of the stock that allows you to vary the position of the bipod until you find something that works.

You may have some issues getting a springer with a bipod to shoot accurately as the vibrations from the firing cycle can create some accuracy issues when the gun is rested on something hard--and a bipod would probably qualify.

 

[Mousegun]

n a spring-pistol airgun, the trigger releases a large, heavy piston that is held back by the sear. That piston is violently driven forward by the spring and that motion compresses the air behind the pellet. When the pressure reaches a sufficient level, the pellet is fired.

But it doesn't end there. When the piston reaches the end of its travel, it faces a wall of compressed air that stops it FAST and due to the rebound characteristics of a spring, it actually springs back a bit causing a recoil in the forward direction as it bounces off the compressed air column. These are the motions that kill scopes that are not designed for air guns. That reverse motion is not designed into most scopes. Even some of the most expensive ones.

It becomes easier to see how important consistency is when shooting an air gun.