30-Yard Challenge

NAProf said:

Hi Guys,
A really nice day here near the beach and for a change light winds. Decided to try out the NW Crown with some new pellets. I shot the AEA 21.9 gr .22 pellets (because I ordered them by mistake instead of the 18.3 gr). I had shot a lot of H&N Barracuda Match 21.4gr in my Maverick with the 500mm STX Superior barrel with a lot of good results. So, what the heck.

For the leader board -
30 Yard Challenge - 200-15x. I think that is only my third 200 in the almost 3 years of this challenge. So I guess I found a good tune for the Crown with the 500mm .22 barrel. It's the same tune I was shooting the 18.1's, but at 820fps instead of 870fps. The cool part is that it was giving me an ES of 7 and an SD of 1,9 for the 30 or so shots for this target (including sighters).

Not quite that good, but also for the Leader Board - 40 Yard Masters - 192-8x. After shooting the 30 yard card the breeze had not really picked up so I thought I would give it a go. Really only 2 bad shots (the two 8's). The pellets seem to be really consistent. I am going to do my 200 shot analysis of these to see how good the numbers really are.

I also got some 13.4gr .177 AEA pellets of the JSB "trash can" shape I am going to try. It would be nice to have another source of really good .177 pellets.

Cheers,
Greg

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Congrats on the 200 Greg - basically 24 darn good shots on that card!

Excellent 40-Masters as well. I’ve got a bunch of JTS 22.07 pellets and a bunch of JTS .25 cal 29.63g coming.

I think its hard to improve on the match between FX barrels and JSB/FX soft lead pellets…

… however, I’m hoping that the JTS do well in my LW (RTI and Daystate) and CZ (Taipan) barrels. The only other 30g option in .25 is H&N. That pellet showed some awesome results on very low wind days, but perhaps due to its slightly pointed shape, it doesn’t do well in any wind. Of course, I’m using it at 75 and 100 yards.

AEA and JTS seem similar….

-Ed

Had a short window with low wind. I actually planned my day off around that window...shot a bunch of cards and did well. But, unfortunately no better than my previous attempts. This was my best 30yd Masters Challenge, 195, equal to my previous best but less X's. So nothing for the leader board. But I still enjoyed the challenge..

RCope said:

Had a short window with low wind. I actually planned my day off around that window...shot a bunch of cards and did well. But, unfortunately no better than my previous attempts. This was my best 30yd Masters Challenge, 195, equal to my previous best but less X's. So nothing for the leader board. But I still enjoyed the challenge..View attachment 548841

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Nice 30-Masters Rick ! Zero “8s” is always an excellent card.

Stick a dime on our target and note that it covers almost to the 7-ring…

… so you just put 20 shots INSIDE a dime at 30 yards.

That’s how this Challenge improves your shooting. When you start, you have 7s and 8s and think to yourself “must have been the wind or a bad pellet”. As you get better, you realize that 98% of the time its you.

You don’t get the kind of feedback we get when shooting 5-shot groups. When shooting groups, if your 1st two shots touch you think you are shooting well… however the 1st shot was barely a “9” wide right and the 2nd shot was actually an “8” - even wider right.

Precision target shooting like our Challenges teaches you to hit exactly where you want to hit - and to make appropriate adjustments shot to shot.

We’ve been watching your progress with that Red Wolf - you have consistently improved. Keep at it.

-Ed

now that it is nicer outside , i need (yes need is correct word) to shoot 30 and 49 yards again .

Thought I would try my hand again at 30-40yd. Challenge. 30yd Masters, very unfavorable conditions! But told myself I would shoot one card only at 30 and 40yd today. Posted 30 now will post 40 later today “wind blew my target frame over!” Gusts to 30mph today… shot with the TM1000 but with different barrel

EPG said:

Nice 30-Masters Rick ! Zero “8s” is always an excellent card.

Stick a dime on our target and note that it covers almost to the 7-ring…

… so you just put 20 shots INSIDE a dime at 30 yards.

That’s how this Challenge improves your shooting. When you start, you have 7s and 8s and think to yourself “must have been the wind or a bad pellet”. As you get better, you realize that 98% of the time its you.

You don’t get the kind of feedback we get when shooting 5-shot groups. When shooting groups, if your 1st two shots touch you think you are shooting well… however the 1st shot was barely a “9” wide right and the 2nd shot was actually an “8” - even wider right.

Precision target shooting like our Challenges teaches you to hit exactly where you want to hit - and to make appropriate adjustments shot to shot.

We’ve been watching your progress with that Red Wolf - you have consistently improved. Keep at it.

-Ed

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Yep - real good shooting Rick. Your RW can shoot 200. Keep at it

nomojo65 said:

Thought I would try my hand again at 30-40yd. Challenge. 30yd Masters, very unfavorable conditions! But told myself I would shoot one card only at 30 and 40yd today. Posted 30 now will post 40 later today “wind blew my target frame over!” Gusts to 30mph today… shot with the TM1000 but with different barrelView attachment 549005View attachment 549004View attachment 549006

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Amazing Joe! How on earth did you manage that score in the wind that you had?

It took extreme patience! Waited for each flag to at least point in the same direction… pulled the trigger and prayed
Company dropped in so I didn’t shoot the 40 last night, will today.

nomojo65 said:

It took extreme patience! Waited for each flag to at least point in the same direction… pulled the trigger and prayed
Company dropped in so I didn’t shoot the 40 last night, will today.

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I can relate. Getting a bit better at waiting for either L-R or visa versa crosswinds. Both flags have to be in same direction.

My flag positions are affected by my shooting lane. To go beyond 25 yards I shoot from a side porch. That means the first 10 yards are less than a yard from my house. I put the first flag at 15 yards, a bit away from house effects and the next at 25 or a bit more. The 25 yard one has a few holes in it. It's somewhat hard to find a good position for it where I can see it but not hit it. I find the 15 yard flag is a much better indictator in my setup.

JimD said:

My flag positions are affected by my shooting lane. To go beyond 25 yards I shoot from a side porch. That means the first 10 yards are less than a yard from my house. I put the first flag at 15 yards, a bit away from house effects and the next at 25 or a bit more. The 25 yard one has a few holes in it. It's somewhat hard to find a good position for it where I can see it but not hit it. I find the 15 yard flag is a much better indictator in my setup.

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For 30 Y Target Shooting, this is my observation with flags: YMMV…

One flag is better than no flag. And, if only one flag, the near flag is most important, for me anyway.

FWIW - Much of the time I use one flag, about 10-12 yards from the shooting bench. The 2nd flag really should also be used, but the wind affects pellets as soon as it leaves the muzzle. I have heard ( or read ) that this wind effect in the first several yards can have the most adverse impact on wind drift.

I also think that for 50y/ 75/ 100y BR shooting, two or more flags are necessary.

All that said, in an ideal setup, if both flags are in opposite directions, I wait until both agree.

Hi Guys,
I shot this card the other day but didn't get around to scoring and picture taking until today. It is my first card with the FX FDR Classic 500mm in .177. I am getting closer to a good tune as I was able to shoot a 30yd Challenge - 192-8X. So put it on the Leader Board so I have something to aim to beat.

Not bad as it was a bit breezy, 4-5mph gusts. The breeze was from my 8 o'clock so I think I got a couple of spirals (how else do I explain the 7 on 7).
I was shooting at 795fps but still think I am getting too much air out of the barrel. I will probably dial back two or three clicks (yep clicks, the hammer spring adjuster on the newer DRS's now has a ball detent and 15 clicks to a revolution for about 0.67mm/click) to see if the pellets fly any better.

Cheers,
Greg

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Hi Guys,

I shot these cards back on 3/19/25. I had shot that 195 40-Challenge with the Akela using 10.3g, so my confidence was higher than usual with .177 at 40.

This day was a "better" wind day than the Akela 197 10X 40-Challenge day... or so I thought. As Joe and TommyB were discussing, its better to have a consistent breeze in one direction than a lighter breeze that keeps switching directions - as I was humbled on this day.

However, I will submit for the leaderboard, as they are good scores at 40 and will give me something to try to beat later this year...

Benjamin Akela .177 using JSB 10.3g at 850fps
40-Masters: 187 6X
Scope: Arken EPL-4 6x24 FFP @ 24X

My four 40-Masters with the Akela were 180 7X (3/18/25) 177 5X 187 6X and 186 7X. When the wind was occasionally still, the Akela would put the pellet right on the X - so I think I could shoot 193+ 40-Masters with the Akela and 10.3g indoors, or outdoors in perfect still conditions. 40-Masters with lightweight pellets is TOUGH !

FX Dreamline Classic .177 using FX 13.4g @ 815-820fps
40-Challenge: 188 8X
Scope: Athlon Midas Tac 6-24 FFP @ 24X

FX Dreamline Classic .177 using FX 13.4g @ 815-820fps
40-Masters: 189 9X
Scope: Athlon Midas Tac 6-24 FFP @ 24X


The Dreamline cards had somewhat better wind conditions than the Akela. The Dreamline also was using heavier 13.4g pellets than the Akela's 10.3g. I don't want to change the Akela's hammer spring setting, so I won't be trying the 13.4g in the Akela anytime soon - since it is a laser with the current 10.3g tune.

After shooting these 40 yard cards with .177, I shot other rifles - .22 caliber with heavier pellets - it seemed so much easier at 40 and 30 yards. So, I think the practice at 40 yards with .177 really helped my wind reading and patience. I even took a couple of sighters mid-card as I was really focused on trying to shoot a 190 40-Masters with .177.


-Ed

I shot a 179 at only 30 yards yesterday with my P35-177 shooting H&N Baracuda FTs at about 880 fps. I dialed them back from about 915 right before this target but I don't think the speed was the issue. The wind wasn't very high but was changing directions and I just did not adjust well. Sometimes it was blowing one way when I checked it and a different direction a few seconds later when I pulled the trigger. Just wasn't a good day. I think that's the lowest I've shot this year but I am confident I can do worse. If I shoot a few more targets less than 185 I will speed them back up. (or slow them down some more).

Even shooting a disappointing score is better than not shooting.

The weather finally improved sufficiently today to motivate me enough to put out my sixth card for 2025 along with a sight-in card which was placed at 25 meters. The temp. showed to be 71 degrees and the winds were supposedly at 7 mph with gusts to 13 ranging from 1-5 o'clock. After shooting five shots on the sighter target, I decided the best course was to try to shoot the lulls between the wind switches when the flags indicated the same condition as the previous target. It took about twenty minutes to find the twenty opportunities, but the results were worth it.

Great shooting

mreynolds said:

The weather finally improved sufficiently today to motivate me enough to put out my sixth card for 2025 along with a sight-in card which was placed at 25 meters. The temp. showed to be 71 degrees and the winds were supposedly at 7 mph with gusts to 13 ranging from 1-5 o'clock. After shooting five shots on the sighter target, I decided the best course was to try to shoot the lulls between the wind switches when the flags indicated the same condition as the previous target. It took about twenty minutes to find the twenty opportunities, but the results were worth it.

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Your patience ( with the wind ) really paid off.

Marvin, what was your prevailing good wind condition for waiting to shoot? I.e., Head wind, tail wind, cross wind? Trying to understand which wind calls you used.

Hi Again,
Really nice day today here so I got a bunch of shooting in. I am evaluating the AEA 21.9gr .22 cal pellets in the Nordic Wolf Crown. The 500mm .22 barrel has given me really good results with the FX and JSB 18.1 gr. To do the evaluation I measure and weigh 192 pellets (eight 24-shot cards worth) and then single shot load them and shoot at one of our cards (the 40yd challenge in this case). I then measure the POI of each shot and collect all the data. I can then sort by weight groups, or velocities, or scores to see what gives me the lowest vertical dispersion. I am not interested in windage as I have no way to control for that. So I just always shoot at the bull and don't try to account for wind (in this experiment).

Because I shoot 24 in a row, no adjusting for wind, and I come off the rifle between each shot to reload, I usually don't get top scores. In four cards shot today I got better than 190 only once - and this is it. For the Leader Board 194-11X 40yd Challenge. I think the NW Crown likes these pellets. I will have to make a serious try for a score at 40yd with them.

Cheers,
Greg

NAProf said:

Hi Again,
Really nice day today here so I got a bunch of shooting in. I am evaluating the AEA 21.9gr .22 cal pellets in the Nordic Wolf Crown. The 500mm .22 barrel has given me really good results with the FX and JSB 18.1 gr. To do the evaluation I measure and weigh 192 pellets (eight 24-shot cards worth) and then single shot load them and shoot at one of our cards (the 40yd challenge in this case). I then measure the POI of each shot and collect all the data. I can then sort by weight groups, or velocities, or scores to see what gives me the lowest vertical dispersion. I am not interested in windage as I have no way to control for that. So I just always shoot at the bull and don't try to account for wind (in this experiment).

Because I shoot 24 in a row, no adjusting for wind, and I come off the rifle between each shot to reload, I usually don't get top scores. In four cards shot today I got better than 190 only once - and this is it. For the Leader Board 194-11X 40yd Challenge. I think the NW Crown likes these pellets. I will have to make a serious try for a score at 40yd with them.

Cheers,
Greg

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194 11X is a great score at 40 - nice shooting Greg!

Were you falling off he reg on your bottom row? That row is way different with vertical dispersion vs. the other rows.

EPG said:

194 11X is a great score at 40 - nice shooting Greg!

Were you falling off he reg on your bottom row? That row is way different with vertical dispersion vs. the other rows.

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Thanks Ed!

Yes, it sure looks like that could have been the problem. However, I still had plenty of air as I shot two more cards after this. I am going to look at my pellet measurements for those shots to see if they fell into a certain range and I will check the velocities to see if there was a shift. But all 24 shots had an ES of 7 and an SD of 1.5.

It also could be a combination of wind and me. I came off the rifle after each shot and had to get my head repositioned each time. It is possible I am seeing a bit of parallax error if my eye position wasn't as good as before.

I suspect the last shot was a pellet flyer. It just didn't fit well with the other shots on this card and only saw maybe two more like that in all four cards.

Cheers,
Greg