30-Yard Challenge

[mreynolds]

Went outside about 3:30 this afternoon with the intention of mowing only to find that the wind had subsided for the first time in what seems like the last three weeks. My mind quickly dispatched the mowing idea and I put out two wind flags and a 30yd Masters target to see if I might improve on my existing score. My answer came on the very first bull as I managed a nine before finishing with a 199-18X on the card. I immediately decided to remove the cover from my 40yd trap, for the first time this year, and give it a go on a 40-yd challenge card which resulted in a 195-10X score as the wind conditions became more unpredictable. I decided to give it one more try with a different pellet lot and placing a third wind flag at about 25 yards. By the time I started the wind had settled to probably 2-4 mph and shifted to a mostly head wind ranging between 10 to 1 o'clock. It was the 12:00 -1:30 shots that caused me problems as they usually do. Anyway, I submit the 199-16x for the leaderboard.
Marvin

 

[tommyb]

Went outside about 3:30 this afternoon with the intention of mowing only to find that the wind had subsided for the first time in what seems like the last three weeks. My mind quickly dispatched the mowing idea and I put out two wind flags and a 30yd Masters target to see if I might improve on my existing score. My answer came on the very first bull as I managed a nine before finishing with a 199-18X on the card. I immediately decided to remove the cover from my 40yd trap, for the first time this year, and give it a go on a 40-yd challenge card which resulted in a 195-10X score as the wind conditions became more unpredictable. I decided to give it one more try with a different pellet lot and placing a third wind flag at about 25 yards. By the time I started the wind had settled to probably 2-4 mph and shifted to a mostly head wind ranging between 10 to 1 o'clock. It was the 12:00 -1:30 shots that caused me problems as they usually do. Anyway, I submit the 199-16x for the leaderboard.
Marvin

View attachment 555061

By the looks of it, those head winds didn’t hurt you too bad. 195-10X and 199-16X at 40Y

 

[tommyb]

Got out today, beautiful weather.

I brought out the Taipan again, but this time I wanted to try 30Y Masters .

192-12X ( first card )
195-14 X ( second card )
196-11X ( third card)

197-14X ( **Leaderboard submission** ) One eight and one nine cost me a 200 30y Masters. Never shot one of these but I’ll keep at it. I think the Taipan can do it even with the knuckle head at the helm.

** I shot four sighters and one pellet ( first sighter) nicked the 5 ring on 10A. My POA was the sighter circle, but went way high.**

Wind started out light, but as usual picked up at 10-11 am.

I’m pleased with how the Vet 2 is shooting. Really makes a solid “thwack” sound at 935 fps with 22.07g.

 

[EPG]

Leaderboard Submissions:

30-Challenge: 196 13X
Rifle: Daystate Huntsman Regal .22 (Huma installed, Custom HS, no barrel band)
Pellet: FX 15.89 @ 797fps
Scope: Athlon Midas Tac FFP 6x24 @ 24X

40-Challenge: 193 10X
Rifle: Taipan Veteran 2 Standard .22 (Huma regged at 150bar)
Pellet: JSB 20.83g @ 925fps
Scope: Athlon Argos 10-40 SFP @ 40X

The 30-Challenge submission is actually a Masters card. It was such a nice Masters card but definitely a flyer pellet cost me (scored an 8). It was actually one "X" lower than what I already have on the Masters leaderboard with the Regal - so I'm submitting as a Challenge card.

The Taipan card would have been great - except I forgot to check air fill level and wound up wasting row 2 when it fell off the reg. By the time I filled, the wind had picked up significantly for the last half of the card. I usually just shoot Masters cards with the Taipan, so this will put something on the 40-Challenge leaderboard that I can try to beat when the weather gets better here.

-Ed

 

[EPG]

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Leaderboard Update - Submissions through 4/15/25​

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Challenge Shooters, this is our 3rd leaderboard update of 2025...

Weather is still sub-optimal here in Connecticut, but we have had some really good submissions from other parts of the country – and from some new rifles.

Notables:

30-Challenge:
TommyB shot an awesome 200 18X (!) in the 30-Challenge with his new Taipan Veteran 2 Classic 700mm on 4/8 – that’s more Xs than I’ve ever had!

Greg (NAProf) shot his 3rd all-time 200 on 3/19 using his .22 FX Crown Nordic Wolf with new AEA pellets.

JimmyD is inching up the leaderboard about 1 point each day with his Snowpeak P-35 .177. He keeps switching between 9.57 and 10.65g H&N pellets.

Greg (NAProf) on 3/20 got on the 30-Challenge Leaderboard with new .22 FX DRS Classic 500mm.

Rick Cope (RCope) got his new-to-him beautiful .25 FX Royale 500 on the leaderboard with a 194 shooting JSB 26.5g Hades pellets.

30-Masters:
mreynolds posted an incredible 200 18X on 3/24 using his trusty .177 Thomas . Congrats on the great card Marvin.

TommyB got his brand new .22 Taipan Vet 2 Classic 700mm on the leaderboard on April 1st with a 196 13X on it’s initial shoot.

40-Challenge:
“Taipan” TommyB got his new .22 Taipan Vet 2 Classic 700mm on the 40-Challenge leaderboard with a 196 10X using JTS 22.07g pellets.

Greg (NAProf) shot a 194 with those AEA 21.9 grainers and his .22 Crown Mk2 Nordic Wolf .

40-Masters:
mreynolds (Marvin) posted an almost perfect 199 16X using his .177 Thomas and little 10.3 grain pellets . Last year he posted a 200 16X 40-Masters with the Thomas and 13.4g. So, he has shown that 200 is possible at 40-Masters – keep going for it Marvin.

nomojo65 (Joe) posted a 190 10X 40-Masters in the wind with his RAW TM1000 – using 13.4g redesigneds. Rarely see the 13.4g redesigneds on this leaderboards – never mind at 40 yards!

EPG (Ed) learned that switching wind makes the 40-Masters really tough with little 10.3g pellets and his .177 Akela – but managed to post a 187 6X on 3/19.


Marvin, Greg and Tommy - Congratulations on the 200s !

Keep getting that lead downrange!

-Ed

 

[tommyb]

Quick Post.

Shot some 40Y and 30Y Masters today. One for the 40Y Masters leaderboard for May.

192-10X with AEA 21.9g at 915 fps range.

The Randolph front Mechanical rest actually was a big help today.

 

[TheAirgunnero]

Great shooting guys!

I’ve been busy for several weeks and had a chance to shoot one card today using my FX Panthera 700mm Superior Heavy Liner, JSB 18.13gr unsorted @970fps average, Vector Optics Sentinel X Scope @30X magnification, Accu-TAC bipod and Protektor rabbit ear bag.

Leaderboard submission: 40 Yard Challenge Master Class (with backup video and tape measured distance from firing line up to target stand)
Score: 198 14X

Video:

 

[tommyb]

Great shooting guys!

I’ve been busy for several weeks and had a chance to shoot one card today using my FX Panthera 700mm Superior Heavy Liner, JSB 18.13gr unsorted @970fps average, Vector Optics Sentinel X Scope @30X magnification, Accu-TAC bipod and Protektor rabbit ear bag.

Leaderboard submission: 40 Yard Challenge Master Class (with backup video and tape measured distance from firing line up to target stand)
Score: 198 14X

Video:

View attachment 556298View attachment 556297

Really nice card Ricky! One “8” (or shot) away from a 200 40Y Masters.

 

[EPG]

Great shooting guys!

I’ve been busy for several weeks and had a chance to shoot one card today using my FX Panthera 700mm Superior Heavy Liner, JSB 18.13gr unsorted @970fps average, Vector Optics Sentinel X Scope @30X magnification, Accu-TAC bipod and Protektor rabbit ear bag.

Leaderboard submission: 40 Yard Challenge Master Class (with backup video and tape measured distance from firing line up to target stand)
Score: 198 14X

Video:

View attachment 556298View attachment 556297

We missed ya Ricky. Excellent 40-Masters!

I’ve been watching your 50 yard benchrest cards on Facebook.

Did you install a pellet liner in your 700mm Panthera to shoot the 18g pellets - or does it shoot pellets well with a slug liner?

-Ed

 

[TheAirgunnero]

We missed ya Ricky. Excellent 40-Masters!

I’ve been watching your 50 yard benchrest cards on Facebook.

Did you install a pellet liner in your 700mm Panthera to shoot the 18g pellets - or does it shoot pellets well with a slug liner?

-Ed

Thanks @tommyb and @EPG

My Panthera 700mm came with the 1:16 twist Superior Heavy Liner and I can shoot both slugs and pellets. 90% of all my videos using my Panthera are done with pellets.

-Ricky

 

[JimD]

This is not a leader board submission, just an update. I've been having little lapses and had one on my P35-177. I replaced the starter battery on my pontoon when cleaning the connection was an issue (but it was 6 years old). Then I discovered the rear tires on my convertible were bald with the belt showing on one of them. But those things are now fixed.

My P35-177 hasn't been shooting well. I normally use H&N Baracuda Match pellets for pesting but have gotten a little higher targets from H&N Baracuda FTs. I shot 4 targets in a row 190 or better but then scores dropped to 170s. I switched to the Match pellets and shot as high as a 192, only one point worse than my best FT target. Today I think I figured it out. I shot the 176 late yesterday in low wind, kind of cleaned the barrel, and shot the 185 close to noon. I shot the 190 a few minutes ago in light wind. The barrel was really dirty with lots of lead dust inside the shroud. It may have had over 1000 pellets through it since the last cleaning. I should have checked that first.

 

[EPG]

This is not a leader board submission, just an update. I've been having little lapses and had one on my P35-177. I replaced the starter battery on my pontoon when cleaning the connection was an issue (but it was 6 years old). Then I discovered the rear tires on my convertible were bald with the belt showing on one of them. But those things are now fixed.

My P35-177 hasn't been shooting well. I normally use H&N Baracuda Match pellets for pesting but have gotten a little higher targets from H&N Baracuda FTs. I shot 4 targets in a row 190 or better but then scores dropped to 170s. I switched to the Match pellets and shot as high as a 192, only one point worse than my best FT target. Today I think I figured it out. I shot the 176 late yesterday in low wind, kind of cleaned the barrel, and shot the 185 close to noon. I shot the 190 a few minutes ago in light wind. The barrel was really dirty with lots of lead dust inside the shroud. It may have had over 1000 pellets through it since the last cleaning. I should have checked that first.

View attachment 556636

It’s always a challenge to know when a barrel needs cleaning. With JSB/FX soft lead pellets, I don’t feel the need to clean very often.

When using H&N, JTS or Crosman, they are harder and it seems the barrels need more frequent cleaning.

 

[nomojo65]

Submit for 40yd. Master class 196-13x very light wind

 

[nomojo65]

 

[nomojo65]

Don’t know what I’ve done but you get the jist!

 

[NAProf]

Nice shooting Joe! That is a killer card for a .177 at 40 yds. Looks like that RAW is dialed in. How fast were you shooting the 13.4gr pellets? Also, what scope are you using and at what power? That info helps populate all the info on the leader board. I find it useful to see what other shooters are using and doing to get great scores.

I am still in the tuning process on my DRS Classic 500mm .177. I am having trouble with the 22 round .177 FX magazines from my Crowns sliding out of the DRS. They line up fine but are not held in tightly by the one rubber o-ring. The one mini-Mag that came with the DRS (and uses 2 o-rings) stays in better but doesn't feed the rounds any better. Using my calipers I get 15.3mm for the mag opening on the DRS, but 15.0mm on the Crown MkII. Hum, that's an 11 thou difference. I would think that the computer controlled milling machines at FX should be good to 2 or 3 thou.

Despite that difficulty I am posting, for the Leaderboard, my latest DRS 30 yd Challenge - 196 - 12x

I am going to work on the barrel some more to see if I can get rid of the occasional flyers that keep showing up (2nd shot on #4). Ed has inspired me to spend the effort to really get the barrel inlet and inside well polished with all edges smoothed.

This next photo is of the new stock for the DRS. This is an American Walnut Caro stock from FORM Stocks in the UK. The adjustable cheek riser wes desperately needed and the full length Anshutz UIT rail on the forstock makes it easy to add my palm rest (for HFT) and a Pic rail for target shooting.
I 3D printed an adapter for the butt stock to allow me to use the Saber Tactical monopod.

Cheers,
Greg

 

[mreynolds]

Ed, please remove my 4-12-25 (post 3081) from the 40 yd Masters Leaderboard. There are two issues, one the target was actually a Challenge card and secondly, I incorrectly showed the pellet to be 10.3 gr. when it should have shown 13.4 gr. Don't have an answer/excuse for that one.

We experienced very pleasant conditions today with gentle breezes and warm temperatures. I managed to get in three cards, two of which I submit for the Leaderboards. Forgot to show the pellets as .177 cal..
Marvin

 

[nomojo65]

Thanks NA, I really haven’t done any tuning to the gun they come pretty set from Martin. It shoots the original 13.4 jsb’s at around 815fps, I put an air stripper on it “barrel likes it better than a moderator!” I have a Athlon 15-60x56 Ares ETR scope on it, it’s ok! But better choices out there for just a little more$$ “think sightron”.
I do want to say that at 40yds with a .177 much wind especially a switching or variable speed wind your already behind the Eight ball! That’s why I normally post what my flags are doing because people can understand why I might shoot a score like tonight, mind you this might be the best 40yrd card I ever shoot with this gun and barrel!.

 

[TheAirgunnero]

Disaster!

Used my FX Panthera 700mm Superior Heavy Liner and JMS-Pro 18.3gr unsorted pellets. Without the two remaining wind flags that I have left, this would’ve been a horrible card.

Wait a minute… why am I the only one documenting everything from tape measured distance starting at the firing line up to the target, actual shooting and actual wind conditions that are not weather app based?

 

[TheAirgunnero]

30 Yard Masters submission: 200 18X

FX Panthera 700mm, one 18 round magazine, JMS-Pro 18.3gr, Vector Optics Sentinel X @20X mag, Accu-TAC FC-4 G2 Arca Spec bipod and Protektor rabbit ear rear bag.

Weather app is BS Wind gusts was only around 9mph