The oppressive Fourth of July Texas heat always reminds me how much I neglect my Co2 guns in this age of PCPs, big-bores, slug-shooting to hundreds of yards, and $5000 field target rigs (both rifle and pistol). So this afternoon I took a couple real gems out of the mothballs for a stroll down Nostalgia Lane. And for me, there's no more vivid stroll than hand-in-hand with the gun that brought Pistol Field Target to the world. FrankenPistol proved capable as ever of shooting impressive groups, especially considering wind conditions ill-suited to the purpose; those being gusty, medium strength winds.
Nevertheless, and despite the fact I often deviate from my usual accuracy-testing protocol of at least 5 consecutive five-shot groups when testing Co2 guns, with dusk closing in I decided to just ENJOY a session of 5 consecutive five-shot groups at 25 yards; even though FrankenPistol's velocity starts to fall after 20-22 shots on a 12 gram cartridge charge.
Sure enough and as expected on the fifth five-shot group, the muzzle-report reflected a continual fall in velocity. Though holding progressively higher with each shot, the last group on lower-right confirms I did a good job of correcting for the falling velocities until the VERY LAST (25th) shot.
So summoning a combination of common sense and "poetic license", I can either ignore the last group in the average group-size calculation, or include the first 4 shots of the last group in the average and ignore the very last, very anemic shot of the Co2 charge... or quote averages calculated both ways.
Excluding the last (fifth) group, four consecutive five-shot groups at 25 yards shot with the 1950's-vintage Crosman 180 Co2 rifle butchered into The Gun That Brought The World Pistol Field Target averaged .57" center-to-center. Including the last group except the last shot brings the average down to .54" c-t-c. Though not FrankenPistol's best effort, still pretty impressive stuff.
For more insight into Frank's history and capabilities, here is an excerpt from Custom, Classic and Otherwise AWESOME AIR PISTOLS!
"Shooters only somewhat familiar with airgun ballistics might not be especially impressed with the 180 pistol, but consider this. A .22 pellet at over 500 FPS shoots right through big jackrabbits (broadside). However the 180 pistol’s tack-driving accuracy is so confidence-inspiring as to make brain shots entirely possible. For additional perspective, few shooters have shot a pistol that can average .33” groups at 25 yards, and .74” at 50. If so, chances are they were shooting a Thompson/Center Contender.
Matter of fact that custom Crosman 180 pistol conversion shoots so well that it became my first field-target competition pistol before air pistol field target competition even existed! I was so inspired by the fine performance of the 180 pistol that I felt field target competition for pistols would be the best showcase for its capabilities.
So I started a pistol program at Texas’ only field target club at the time, the Yegua Airgun Club. Then when our club hosted the 2009 U.S. Field Target National Championships, I publicized the fact there would be a pistol event with awards for Scope-Pistol and Iron Sight/Red Dot classes; including National Champion in both classes. Several shooters that enjoyed the pistol event at 2009 Nats subsequently started pistol field target programs at their home venues, and pistol field target grew from those beginnings.
If it seems I’m inferring my Crosman 180 rifle-to-pistol conversion is responsible for the existence of pistol field target competition, that’s not the case. I’m not inferring that at all; I’m declaring it absolutely so! Fact is, pistol field target competition would not exist was it not for my home-made Crosman 180 custom pistol conversion."
Nevertheless, and despite the fact I often deviate from my usual accuracy-testing protocol of at least 5 consecutive five-shot groups when testing Co2 guns, with dusk closing in I decided to just ENJOY a session of 5 consecutive five-shot groups at 25 yards; even though FrankenPistol's velocity starts to fall after 20-22 shots on a 12 gram cartridge charge.
Sure enough and as expected on the fifth five-shot group, the muzzle-report reflected a continual fall in velocity. Though holding progressively higher with each shot, the last group on lower-right confirms I did a good job of correcting for the falling velocities until the VERY LAST (25th) shot.
So summoning a combination of common sense and "poetic license", I can either ignore the last group in the average group-size calculation, or include the first 4 shots of the last group in the average and ignore the very last, very anemic shot of the Co2 charge... or quote averages calculated both ways.
Excluding the last (fifth) group, four consecutive five-shot groups at 25 yards shot with the 1950's-vintage Crosman 180 Co2 rifle butchered into The Gun That Brought The World Pistol Field Target averaged .57" center-to-center. Including the last group except the last shot brings the average down to .54" c-t-c. Though not FrankenPistol's best effort, still pretty impressive stuff.
For more insight into Frank's history and capabilities, here is an excerpt from Custom, Classic and Otherwise AWESOME AIR PISTOLS!
"Shooters only somewhat familiar with airgun ballistics might not be especially impressed with the 180 pistol, but consider this. A .22 pellet at over 500 FPS shoots right through big jackrabbits (broadside). However the 180 pistol’s tack-driving accuracy is so confidence-inspiring as to make brain shots entirely possible. For additional perspective, few shooters have shot a pistol that can average .33” groups at 25 yards, and .74” at 50. If so, chances are they were shooting a Thompson/Center Contender.
Matter of fact that custom Crosman 180 pistol conversion shoots so well that it became my first field-target competition pistol before air pistol field target competition even existed! I was so inspired by the fine performance of the 180 pistol that I felt field target competition for pistols would be the best showcase for its capabilities.
So I started a pistol program at Texas’ only field target club at the time, the Yegua Airgun Club. Then when our club hosted the 2009 U.S. Field Target National Championships, I publicized the fact there would be a pistol event with awards for Scope-Pistol and Iron Sight/Red Dot classes; including National Champion in both classes. Several shooters that enjoyed the pistol event at 2009 Nats subsequently started pistol field target programs at their home venues, and pistol field target grew from those beginnings.
If it seems I’m inferring my Crosman 180 rifle-to-pistol conversion is responsible for the existence of pistol field target competition, that’s not the case. I’m not inferring that at all; I’m declaring it absolutely so! Fact is, pistol field target competition would not exist was it not for my home-made Crosman 180 custom pistol conversion."
