Baltimore_900
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2015
- Messages
- 45
Few of us can bypass a yard sale, flea market or garage sale. There's always that chance some hidden treasure at an unreal price can be had.
Recently, I came upon a small yard sale and came away with a few items. Among these were two board games. One was a checker board with a few missing plastic playing pieces and a chess game in the same condition. $1.00 got me both.
How does this connect to air rifles?
Everybody loves plinking and as shooters, we all love a challenge. We set up the black and red plastic checkers on their edges glued to a 2x4. The plastic chess pieces (black and white) found their places on a small pile of peat moss in the back yard.
A friend recently purchased a brand new Daisy 880. This left me with no choice but to pull out my brand new Bear River Sportsman 900. We stepped back to the 25' mark. We agreed to five shots each and then step back and let the other person shoot. I went without the scope on my Sportsman 900 and relied on the fiber optic three dot sights.
The checkers went first. Five pumps with a pellet shattered five in a row and I have to say my buddy with the Daisy 880 was keeping up with me. So, we changed the rules before we got to the peat moss pile. We both began shooting at the chess pieces at the same time until all were gone. The Kings and Queens went first but the real challenges were the pawns. Especially the black pawns as they were difficult to see against the dark brown peat moss.
This was one time we both really wished we had a camera worthy of a good YouTube video. Both of us were firing from different positions just to keep it interesting. The sight of checkers getting shattered into pieces from a single pellet was instant gratification at its finest. This was what we both thought until we got to the chess pieces. For those not familiar, the pawn is the smallest playing piece on a chess board and is generally less than an inch in height. At 25', These were the real challenge. A direct hit with a .177 air gun pellet backed up by 5-6 pumps left tiny fragments along with the thrill of actually hitting them in the first place.
Although both of us are long time big bore shooters, the fun and enjoyment we both experienced was great! For just a few dollars worth of pellets a piece, the accuracy and power in both the Sportsman 900 and the Daisy 880 kept it interesting.
The first priority is always safety. Eye protection was worn by both of us and safe weapon handling is always paramount. For as much fun as they can be, today's modern air rifle is not a toy and can seriously injure or kill a human being. Air rifles were once thought of as just a gateway 'stepping stone' into the world of 'real' firearms. They were used to train new shooters in basic marksmanship techniques, firing positions and all involved. For the most part, the air rifles and ammunition offered in the current marketplace offer exceptional accuracy and power.
The Sportsman 900 is very light in weight. Those who equate weight with quality may be tempted to pass it by. Don't. The advances made in the chemical makeup of modern plastics have resulted in the Sportsman 900 being a very well made air rifle with steel where it needs to be such as the bolt and rifled steel barrel as examples. It is a joy to carry in the woods and handles very well on the firing line. The fiber optic three dot sights are windage and elevation adjustable. At 25', I used a six o'clock hold on the checkers and chess pieces with no misses. I did not get a chance to fire my friend's Daisy 880 though he was also getting tremendous results.
So, what's the connection between yard sales and air rifles? With a bit of imagination, you can get great plinking targets that offer a real challenge and a whole lot of fun. It won't cost you half your paycheck, either. The Sportsman 900 can be purchased at most Walmarts for under $50 and even less at other retail outlets. Pellets can be had for literally pennies per round. Make no mistake, though. Both the Daisy 880 and the Sportsman 900 are fully capable of small pest control such as rabbits, squirrels and yes, even rats.
If you already have an air rifle, what are your favorite challenging plinking targets? If you don't already own an accurate and powerful .177/.22 air rifle, roll on over to www.bearriver.net or www.blackopsusa.com. Stop by your local Walmart or your favorite online source.
Not all ornaments make it from the store to the tree. Just a thought. Have fun!
Recently, I came upon a small yard sale and came away with a few items. Among these were two board games. One was a checker board with a few missing plastic playing pieces and a chess game in the same condition. $1.00 got me both.
How does this connect to air rifles?
Everybody loves plinking and as shooters, we all love a challenge. We set up the black and red plastic checkers on their edges glued to a 2x4. The plastic chess pieces (black and white) found their places on a small pile of peat moss in the back yard.
A friend recently purchased a brand new Daisy 880. This left me with no choice but to pull out my brand new Bear River Sportsman 900. We stepped back to the 25' mark. We agreed to five shots each and then step back and let the other person shoot. I went without the scope on my Sportsman 900 and relied on the fiber optic three dot sights.
The checkers went first. Five pumps with a pellet shattered five in a row and I have to say my buddy with the Daisy 880 was keeping up with me. So, we changed the rules before we got to the peat moss pile. We both began shooting at the chess pieces at the same time until all were gone. The Kings and Queens went first but the real challenges were the pawns. Especially the black pawns as they were difficult to see against the dark brown peat moss.
This was one time we both really wished we had a camera worthy of a good YouTube video. Both of us were firing from different positions just to keep it interesting. The sight of checkers getting shattered into pieces from a single pellet was instant gratification at its finest. This was what we both thought until we got to the chess pieces. For those not familiar, the pawn is the smallest playing piece on a chess board and is generally less than an inch in height. At 25', These were the real challenge. A direct hit with a .177 air gun pellet backed up by 5-6 pumps left tiny fragments along with the thrill of actually hitting them in the first place.
Although both of us are long time big bore shooters, the fun and enjoyment we both experienced was great! For just a few dollars worth of pellets a piece, the accuracy and power in both the Sportsman 900 and the Daisy 880 kept it interesting.
The first priority is always safety. Eye protection was worn by both of us and safe weapon handling is always paramount. For as much fun as they can be, today's modern air rifle is not a toy and can seriously injure or kill a human being. Air rifles were once thought of as just a gateway 'stepping stone' into the world of 'real' firearms. They were used to train new shooters in basic marksmanship techniques, firing positions and all involved. For the most part, the air rifles and ammunition offered in the current marketplace offer exceptional accuracy and power.
The Sportsman 900 is very light in weight. Those who equate weight with quality may be tempted to pass it by. Don't. The advances made in the chemical makeup of modern plastics have resulted in the Sportsman 900 being a very well made air rifle with steel where it needs to be such as the bolt and rifled steel barrel as examples. It is a joy to carry in the woods and handles very well on the firing line. The fiber optic three dot sights are windage and elevation adjustable. At 25', I used a six o'clock hold on the checkers and chess pieces with no misses. I did not get a chance to fire my friend's Daisy 880 though he was also getting tremendous results.
So, what's the connection between yard sales and air rifles? With a bit of imagination, you can get great plinking targets that offer a real challenge and a whole lot of fun. It won't cost you half your paycheck, either. The Sportsman 900 can be purchased at most Walmarts for under $50 and even less at other retail outlets. Pellets can be had for literally pennies per round. Make no mistake, though. Both the Daisy 880 and the Sportsman 900 are fully capable of small pest control such as rabbits, squirrels and yes, even rats.
If you already have an air rifle, what are your favorite challenging plinking targets? If you don't already own an accurate and powerful .177/.22 air rifle, roll on over to www.bearriver.net or www.blackopsusa.com. Stop by your local Walmart or your favorite online source.
Not all ornaments make it from the store to the tree. Just a thought. Have fun!
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