Do you folks think the average person shooting informally, off hand at 10 meters can gain any advantage by shooting a dedicated 10 meter rifle? I own currently 3 air rifle rifles. I only own 2 that I consider higher end than the Daisy 880 I’m experimenting with, an RWS 45 that I’ve had since the 80s and an FWB 300s I’ve had for several years. Both of these rifles are very accurate with the 300S being extremely accurate. I would say for me on a good day I can shoot the RWS nearly as well off hand as I can the 300S. Probably over all in my hands the 300s edges out the RWS but not by much. I know I’m not a good enough shooter to take advantage of the superior rifle, especially dealing with the weight. I am just curious as to what you folks think.
Strictly off hand…
- Thread starter Steve Milbocker
- Start date
I was never good enough to warrant a "better rifle". I shot a lot of 100/200m offhand, ages ago. Nothing short of inertial guidance would have bettered my scores. There's a lot of psychology in shooting offhand. Once your confidence starts leaning on "I need new stuff", it is hard not to feed the monster.
That said, I started out shooting cheap 'user grade' equipment. It was hard to recognize when my abilities exceeded the equipment. It was also hard to recognize when my abilities peaked and equipment no longer mattered. I have spent too much money on better equipment...but I had a lot of fun doing it!
That said, I started out shooting cheap 'user grade' equipment. It was hard to recognize when my abilities exceeded the equipment. It was also hard to recognize when my abilities peaked and equipment no longer mattered. I have spent too much money on better equipment...but I had a lot of fun doing it!
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I don't know how long you've been shooting the FWB 300 and your RWS 45 and I haven't looked at your form/posture.
If I had to guess, you probably own both for less than 5 years?
you are probably fighting the weight of the 300 instead of using it to your advantage. The FWB 300 is designed for 10M (this is your go to gun for 10 M).
The other aspect is proper attire and accessories...shooting jacket and shooting glove (some say shooting boots...that's one step beyond me).
If you are serious about 10 m ...invest in a new or used shooting jacket and shooting glove.
Then there's breathing...trigger control ...cheek rest...bio feedback/heart rate control...learning to shoot with both eyes open...etc
or just enjoy as is. In general, I would shoot and keep the 300 if I had to sell my air rifles.
The advantages you gain from the 300= better off hand position, appreciation for a match trigger, confidence in you off hand shots.
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Ive owned the 300 for around 5 years the 45 since the mid 80s. I’m talking informal. I shoot strictly for fun and I’m not going into to invest in a jacket , glove etc. I understand the difference between the rifles. I just want to know if the average for fun 10 meter shooter will gain much over a decent shooting sporter type rifle.
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The real key to shooting well offhand, is to do it a lot. Nobody is a great offhand shooter at first. Get some guidance on form, technique, and practice. Did I mention practice?..When I shot competitively, daily practice, and some days more. It’s definitely a perishable skill..best of luck in your endeavor. John
PS the 300 is a fine choice.
PS the 300 is a fine choice.
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I have two I bought specifically for 10 meter competition, a 2078A and an Anschutz 2002. I started with the 2078A and did reasonably well but I learned very quickly that a jacket or suit, gloves and shoes are common among the more experienced shooters. So are dedicated competition guns. Most of them are age maybe 13 to 30 with a few old guys like me taking up some spaces. The Anschutz is easily the better competition gun, that’s what it was built to do. It’s also a bit heavy. The 2078A is more adaptable to other uses but is much less expensive. Because I do this for fun I don’t practice as much the younger and very dedicated competitors and it shows. I have several other rifles and they all shoot well but the two comp guns are more accurate and consistent as long as I am too. It’s funny but when I was competing with center fire rifles I worked hard. Usually did well too.
Rick H.
Rick H.
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Yes indeed,comfort and fit.I see people shooting with shoes with no support,you have to have support,you need to feel "locked in" Practice a lot.Also you need to learn from watching or studying how it is done. I bet there,I know there are "young people " that can beat all of us quite easy.Why is that? They have been taught right and practice a lot.
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I’m pretty sure my 2-3” groups sizes at 20y shrink by 1/8” when I use a match rifle.
Also I hang around some very (very!) experienced 10m shooters. Don’t buy the jacket or pants if you want to improve as a shooter. Only buy those if you want a quick boost in score and wish to slow developing your skills.
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I'm primarily an off hand plinker and pester that does a bit of squirrel hunting.
Plinking is great because you can use any hand held projectile weapon at any distance at any (safe) target. Except for safety, there's no "rules".
I plink with airguns, bows, slingshots, rimfires and centerfires - though as much fun as it is, shooting tins with a 30-06 can get expensive fast!
By my personal definition, Plinking is a casual discipline: you, the gun and the targets. The second you add "special performance enhancing accessories" it stops being Plinking. I have no problem using my 10 meter airguns for plinking but things like shooting jackets and special glasses crosses the line from plinking into "something else".
Don't have an issue with "accessories", each to their own, I just feel that it defeats the basic intent of plinking, kinda like cheating if you know what I mean.
Full transparency here, I do enjoy bench shooting and target shooting and appreciate the skills required to be good at those disciplines. But to me, the real measure of shooting skill is to be a consistent off hand shot.
The way I see it, shooting off hand removes the equipment from the equation and shows what the shooter can real do.
Any time I get too cocky about some extra fine groups shot from the bench I stand up and shoot a couple of dozen shots off hand, the humility does me good.
Cheers!
Plinking is great because you can use any hand held projectile weapon at any distance at any (safe) target. Except for safety, there's no "rules".
I plink with airguns, bows, slingshots, rimfires and centerfires - though as much fun as it is, shooting tins with a 30-06 can get expensive fast!
By my personal definition, Plinking is a casual discipline: you, the gun and the targets. The second you add "special performance enhancing accessories" it stops being Plinking. I have no problem using my 10 meter airguns for plinking but things like shooting jackets and special glasses crosses the line from plinking into "something else".
Don't have an issue with "accessories", each to their own, I just feel that it defeats the basic intent of plinking, kinda like cheating if you know what I mean.
Full transparency here, I do enjoy bench shooting and target shooting and appreciate the skills required to be good at those disciplines. But to me, the real measure of shooting skill is to be a consistent off hand shot.
The way I see it, shooting off hand removes the equipment from the equation and shows what the shooter can real do.
Any time I get too cocky about some extra fine groups shot from the bench I stand up and shoot a couple of dozen shots off hand, the humility does me good.
Cheers!
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Short answer = no
long answer = train like you operate so train with the gun you want to shoot offhand frequently.
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The short answer to the original question is YES. Anyone that has shot a 10 meter rifle will tell you that.
Rich B.
Rich B.
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I'll second that!
A 10 meter rifle is designed specifically to be a precision off hand piece. Its ergonomics, mass, sighting system and trigger are ideal for deliberate aiming and shooting paper. That doesn't stop me from plinking and even pesting with my FWB 300S and FWB 603 though.
At the opposite extreme, I think the HW30 is the best "all day plinker" available. It's light weight, east cocking and smooth shooting is great for fast shooting tins and spinners.
But then I think that plinking with a slingshot is fun as well so feel free to ignore me
Cheers!
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I believe the answer is yes. I’m in nearly the same situation as you. I’m just a casual ten meter shooter. I don’t compete formally but I have a lot of fun in my yard trying to improve my skills. I shot an HW30 first, then I got a Beeman AR2078B, then a FWB 601. Each one helped me shoot a little better. Then I finally save up a bit and sold an Impact and bought a Walther LG400. This rifle is really a big step up and can be configured to really fit me perfectly. It is really awesome and my shooting scores are improving. It is such a nice fit that I shoot it almost every day. I use it for ten meter and also for silhouette. Both disciplines require standing so I’m building the same muscles and skills. I also love that it gets hundreds of shots per fill. Have you ever checked out the “Casual Matches” over at the GTA forum. It’s a fun was to “compete” with a few other shooters. Extremely informal and friendly with very lax rules.
Kenny
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