It took me 3-days, but I finally read through this whole thread. I did skim some of it but I got enough to follow along with you regulars in here and enjoyed reading of your match competition and banter with each other (good stuff).
Since I am only just beginning to form an interest in Airgun BR I decided today I would print an official target and see how I might do with my small game rifle??? My rifle is of course similar to the sort of rifle the majority of airgun enthusiast shoot. 30fpe, .22 caliber, suppressor, 12X optic, etc.
I live rural so I can shoot right here at the house every day if I want to (like CD does). During the Winter when there is snow on the ground (like now) I shoot my air rifle off the bench right out of the garage and down our long driveway. I measured exactly 25yds with a tape, printed two official targets off the Phoenix club site, and went after it.
My support was off a rock sold home-made bench, and a Harris bi-pod (no adjustable front rest) with a standard 'bunny ear' leather rear bag.
I don't have a scoring plug so I set my calipers to .224" and did the best I could to center the jaws over the pellet hole and then scored the highest touching scoring ring. I have no idea if my method was even close to accurate, but judging from some of the targets you guys have shown, and how scoring was explained in this thread, I did the best I could.
Pellets were unsorted but lubed JSBs (of course).
Anyway, for my first ever attempt at an actual Airgun BR 25-target card I shot a 231-1X. I had five other '10s' that may have gone as an 'X" with a scoring plug but I don't have the experience to call it confidently so I didn't.
The conclusion of this is that I can see the amount of detail and precision that goes into the near perfect scores you guys often shoot! I am inspired to continue toward learning more, and do what I need to in order to get myself into a match at the nearest club (3-hrs away).
If any of you average airgun hunters or backyard plinkers have looked at an official Airgun BR target and thought to yourselves, "Heck, I could shoot a 250 easy"! I would say that you should actually try the target at measured range. You will be a bit humbled ( as I was) at how accurate 'YOU' and your rifle actually are!
I 'get ' the challenge in BR competition.