I shot the USFT a bunch today. Since I'm just getting it set up for Hunter class and that entailed a scope swap, I decided to play around with the zero. I previously had worked out actual trajectory from 10-55 yards but was needing 0.6mil holdover for 20 yards, 0.4mil holdover for 22 yards, and 0.2holdover for 25 yards, getting to the beginning of the zero range at about 26-27 yards. I didn't like that because I was having a hard time getting the Midas Tac to range accurately in those early 20 yard distances. I shot the actual trajectories with a slightly further zero, and of course it only compounded the problem of needing to be accurate to the yard in that 20-27yard range. Eventually I re-reset the turrets to coincide with the beginning of zero at 21-22 yards. This gives m a 0.2mil holdover for 20 yards, and no holdover for 22 yards an on. I effectively eliminated the need to be to-the-yard accurate with my range-by-focus in that tough area of 20-25 yards. Essentially, my eyes are able to more repeatedly land in the same place on the wheel for 45, 50, 55 (5 yard increments) than they were for the 1 yard increments from 20-25.
Take home message-your zero range is incredibly important, and matters even if it only shifts your zero holdover ranges by a couple yards. A fringe benefit to this was less holdover for the 10, 11, 12 yard shots than I had with a zero of only a few yards further out.
Because we often play the silhouette game out to 70 and 80 yards, I always took enough shots at my steel (squeezed in some for the 90 yarders too) that I'll include that holdover data on the dope sheet.
So, now ready to print up a dope sheet and call it good.
I also decided to run some shots over the chrono. The USFT is the gun that I shoot the least over a chronograph. In my 7 years of USFT ownership it has been stalwart in the consistency (among others) department. If I haven't adjusted anything, it shoots to the same spot, with the same fps. Always. So I took random breaks from the trajectory plotting to throw a couple over the chronograph. Made it a point to take some at the top, middle, and bottom of the fill. And, as expected, fps as consistent as the sunrise, right in that window of fps I have come to trust from the gun. Probably go another couple years before shooting it over a chrono again, lol.
I've decided to put the shorter barrel idea on the backburner for who knows how long. The barrel that came in my USFT is simply so amazing that I've decided it's worth the hassle of the gun being long. Furthermore, I went back to the 7inch long Hogan Decimeater instead of the 3.5" Huggett Atom. And for sort of the same reason, but in this case for the report. The Hogan makes the USFT one of my quietest airguns. The nearly non-existent report is worth another 3.5" to the length of the gun.
As for the report and shot cycle.....as I've had the opportunity to shoot more and more airguns in the last 12-13years, I've come to really enjoy a refined shot cycle. Similar to how I used to get along with just about any old trigger but now get a little grumbly about one with a break of more than 5-6ounces, at this point in my airgun journey, I've come to REALLY appreciate the nuance of how a gun feels/sounds/acts when the trigger is pulled. With the USFT, the length/weight/trigger/tuning/moderator/etc? combine to make a super mellow shot cycle. And that shot cycle is a large part of why I love the funny looking thing so much. It is so surreal to be able to watch most pellets on the shots past about 40 yards sink right into their desired impact point. SEEING that pellet make its way to where I want it to go is amazing. And with a sufficient moderator, there's no obnoxious blast of air to ruin the moment. If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on the lack of action noise relating directly back to the absence of the ubiquitous hammer-in-a-tunnel firing mechanism. There's simply no sloshing around of a weighted cylinder in a tunnel when the trigger is pulled.
