"Best?" PCP for offhand shooting...

[MartinT]

The CARM mags are less than half the price of a Daystate and they work fabulous! I am not sure if the "old" type mags (after which they are modeled) work in the revere though. But maybe CARM has modeled mags after the new blue ones already...

 

[keithyb115]

For $500.00, I like the Air Arms T200. I don't shoot 80 yards with it,but offhand with it out to 30 max some what regular. It now has a scope on it,my iron sight rifle now is a pcp 98 Diana.Both rifles have humbled me quite a bit.

 

[Michigander]

Not to beat it to death, but this rifle, the AA Ultimate Sporter XS, has the features I would be looking for in an offhand/silhouette rifle.

• Deep forend all the way to the bottom of the trigger guard for the support hand
• Strongly curved and adjustable butt pad to keep the rifle located on the shoulder
• Adjustable cheek rest for use with high rings
• Semi-vertical grip
• Good weight and balance for me, although this is a matter of personal choice

But as in all things shooting, there is only one rule: Whatever works for you! Have fun no matter what you decide.

 

[bandg]

I've found the Diana Stormrider to be a very easy to carry and shoot rifle. Certainly not the same quality as the AA or some others noted above but they shoot well, are very light and easy to carry, and offhand shooting with them is easy.

 

[Oregun]

My favorite/best off-hand shooter is the gen1, Wildcat in .25. It's topped with a Leupold VXII 3-9X33 (windplex reticle) and a custom dial.

Lightweight, easy to shoulder, and cycles quickly. Great for backyard pesting (when necessary). 

 

[Nutcracker]

I have owned about 15 or so PCP rifles in the last decade. Favorite offhand rifles are, the 1.Colibri .22 cal, with a MTC Connect.. 2. My FX wildcat in .22 is very close. Currently my best off hand gun is 3. FX Compact Dreamline .22 cal. With after market stock & grip, MTC Atom. The Connect & Atom, give you an edge offhand, as your brow makes another contact. Works for me. 

 

[Odoyle]

Apparently the best off hand gun is the new Cattleman rifle. Just watched a YouTube video where shooting offhand at 100 yrds, he put 4 pellets in the same hole. Oh yeah Cattleman gave him a free gun with his initials engraved in the stock to do a review for them. The problem is 2 different camera shots. One focused on him shooting, the other camera on the target. Never believe a review from a guy with a gun "given to him for free to review."

AND WHY NOT? EVERYONE BELIEVES. YOUTUBE SCOPE REVIEWS WHATS THE DIFFERENCE?

 

[Feinwerk]

Have a look at the Benjamin Marauder pistol (PROD). It comes with a skeletonized plastic shoulder stock, to which you can add an adjustable cheek rest. It's light, handy, and surprisingly accurate, with less fatigue. I added a Crosman pellet pouch and a DonnyFL Sumo, which add back some mass for stability and improved balance. It has a smallish air reservoir that's easy to recharge with a simple hand pump. This is a fun, magazine-fed gun. The compromise, of course, is limited shot count between fills.

The cheek rest is made from a section of pvc pipe, pipe insulation, and some long #10 screws with multiple nuts and washers to achieve height adjustment. The top rail of the stock simply has 2 drilled holes for the screws. 

 

[MikeVV]

Most bullpups.

The heavier ones get a little harder, but with no weight hanging way out there from a LONG barrel, of a full sized rifle, yeah, bullpups are the way to go for offhand shooting.



Mike

 

[kkarmical]

My favorite off hand shooter .25 Taipan Shorty & NSA 26.8 HP

 

[Nutcracker]

Most bullpups.

The heavier ones get a little harder, but with no weight hanging way out there from a LONG barrel, of a full sized rifle, yeah, bullpups are the way to go for offhand shooting.



Mike

Exactly, not only are the easier to hold steady for many people ( my self included). If the barrel is moving a fraction, a couple inches in front of your hand that is holding the forend of your bullpup, imagine how much more distance the muzzle moves say 15 inches or so more rifle length. . The more distance the muzzle of the barrel gets away from the body the more your shot is off. Unless for some reason you can hold a long rifle better than a shorter one, Well I know I can shoot my BP more accurate off hand than any of my full length rifles. 

 

[Hobbyman2007]

Of the many rifles I’ve owned , I prefer the HW100S ( old style stock ) so I can shoot thumb up. The other thing no one seems to mention is at what power level. I am more accurate standing with a low powered tune 12fpe in .177 or 16 FPE in .22 seems to be a good balance point. That is purely subjective and is actually masking my poor technique and lack of follow through. After the HW100 I’d say maybe a peep sighted Benjamin 392 with a hair trigger. I’d love to test a BSA R10 as I've heard they are a great platform. 

 

[Quad82]

Having both rotator cuffs repaired twice, most any BP is more accurate offhand for me. I just can’t hold a full size rifle for crap any more. Loved my .25 Marauder with the after market stock and large scope. But at 13 1/2 pounds, it’s a bench gun now. I was a black gun hater. Had no use for a short semiautomatic type PB rifle. If it wasn’t a long blued barrel walnut stocked rifle, it was considered worthless to me. BUT, after shooting a BP air rifle, I find myself being a bit of a hipacrit. I have no desire to go back to a full size AG rifle. I will be making a walnut stock for my MK3. 

 

[JungleShooter]

I was a black gun hater.

Had no use for a short semiautomatic type PB rifle.

If it wasn’t a long blued barrel walnut stocked rifle, it was considered worthless to me.



BUT, after shooting a BP air rifle, I find myself being a bit of a hypocrite.

I have no desire to go back to a full size AG rifle.

Quad82,

thank you for your honesty. I'm glad you've seen The Light.

Now, whether hypocrite or full-fledged convert — all are welcome in the fold! Glad you made it to the other side. And as you say, once you're there, you "have no desire to go back."

You're in good company.



Black guns, as you call them, when viewed through the eyes of nostalgia and tradition seem worthless — because they go against the look of centuries past.

However, just as technology advances, so does the look!

Exciting times to be an airgunner!

Matthias

 

[scallen2112]

Now, that topic got my interest! Thanks for asking the question!



Beyond the brand and model recommendations —

Are there any general principles that are either favoring or hindering offhand shooting?

One of the simplest would be:

▪a very heavy gun is hard to hold for a longer time



But what about other, more subtle principles, like stock, scope mounting, LOP, bullpup or full rifle or carbine, and the other things I don't even know exist?

Thanks!

Matthias

I want my fore hand holding a stock. Not a bottle, and certainly not a pic rail.

 

[JungleShooter]

I want my fore hand holding a stock.

Not a bottle, and certainly not a pic rail.

The OP, leadfoot, asked for the best PCP for accuracy when offhand shooting. 



Could you help me understand in what way holding a bottle affects accuracy when compared to holding a stock?



If it's your personal preference wanting to hold walnut rather than carbon fiber — you're definitely entitled to that!  



The OP wanted accuracy for offhand shots — so what gun features will give us that?

Matthias

 

[oldsparky]

I certainly would like to try a bull pup for myself. Consider this. Three position shooters win or lose matches on the offhand target. Metallic silhouette shooters only shoot offhand . They spend hours of practice and lots of money on rifles. I have never seen them shoot a bull pup. But they do have my interest 

 

[scallen2112]

I want my fore hand holding a stock.

Not a bottle, and certainly not a pic rail.

The OP, leadfoot, asked for the best PCP for accuracy when offhand shooting. 



Could you help me understand in what way holding a bottle affects accuracy when compared to holding a stock?



If it's your personal preference wanting to hold walnut rather than carbon fiber — you're definitely entitled to that!  



The OP wanted accuracy for offhand shots — so what gun features will give us that?

Matthias

It's my opinion that a gun that isn't comfortable to hold is not going to be as effective for offhand shooting as one that is with all other factors equal. I don't find having a pic rail digging into my hand to be comfortable. And yes, I am entitled to my personal preference - as is every other person who posted to this discussion, even you. I personally find a little heavier of a gun easier to hold still off-hand, and thus more accurate. I can always put a sling on it if I am going to carry it in the woods for an extended period. Didn't you ask this question: " But what about other, more subtle principles, like stock, scope mounting, LOP, bullpup or full rifle or carbine, and the other things I don't even know exist?" ? I would think that most anything dealing with the stock is going to be about comfort in shooting.

 

[JungleShooter]

Clark,

that picatinny rail digging in your off-hand — I'm with you! That would definitely distract from the shot!  

I'd think even a carrying sling stud would be uncomfortable and thus influencing accuracy! Thanks for your comment — you made me think of a rifle on which I installed a giant sling stud — now I wonder how smart that was....

Matthias

 

[Quad82]

I have a WC MK3 with a pic rail. The sling stud is one of the screws holding it to the stock. I do not have my hand on it while shooting. Just on the stock. I do have a hand grip I sometimes attach to the pic rail. Makes it easier for me to hold the for-end like the old Tommy-guns with my arm straight out instead of being turned up under the stock.