http://www.airgunshooting.co.uk AIRGUN WORLD 83adjustable features not seen previously on
guns intended for field use. The best example
I can give is the superb Air Arms Ultimate
Sporter, but without resorting to buying new
rifles, there are a few things that can be done
to allow better fitment, all of which are unlikely
to break the bank.
The humble adjustable butt pad is a simple
accessory that can make a world of difference
to gun fit, by helping scope eye alignment, and
providing a secure shoulder anchor by virtue of
a deep concave profile. Fitting should not be
too difficult to those adept in the use of a drill
and file, and priced at around £20, it makes
sense to fit one to all your rifles.
For those of a more adventurous nature, it is
possible to make an adjustable cheek piece by
cutting the existing one from the stock and
refitting on adjustable rods. If that scares you
too much – it certainly does me! – it’s worth
considering a custom stock with all the
adjustments built in.
Coming back to simple DIY work, I find that
fit can often be improved by fitting a set-back
trigger. This is particularly effective on the
Weihrauch range of springers, where I find the
length to trigger pull quite long. Regular
readers will know I am a fan of the Rowan
Engineering range of blades that offer super
quality and perfect fit, which I am convinced
elevate the Rekord trigger to the next level.DON’T SPOIL THE SHIP ...
The saying ‘don’t spoil the ship for a ha’porth
of tar’ dates from a time when ships were
made of wood and sealed with tar, and pretty
much translates as ‘don’t spoil the finished
article by scrimping on the final details’.
Further translated for we airgun types, it could
read, ‘Don’t buy the cheapest pellets and
scope to complete your combination’.
I have forgotten the number of times I have
stood in a gunshop when a customer has
come in and asked for pellets.
“Which ones do you want?”
“What are the cheapest you’ve got?”
Airguns are very much like our bodies, in
that the performance they give is very muchlinked to the fuel they are given. A bad diet
results in poor health; cheap-grade pellets
usually give mediocre results, at best.
If you are shooting tin cans in the garden,
the use of cheaper pellets is absolutely fine,
but if you want to wring every last bit of
performance from your gun, and by reading
this article I assume you do, then good-quality
pellets suited to your barrel are an absolute
must.
The same rules relate to scope choice. There
are scores of different brands and models
available today, all offering differing levels of
performance. Generally, the more you pay the
better the glass quality, so my advice is to buy
the very best you can afford, and aim for a
mainstream brand, which generally means you
will have a long warranty period.
So there you have some ideas to get you
busy in the workshop and improve your airgun
without having to spend a mint of money. Next
time, I’ll be looking at a rifle that is big in every
sense of the word, but until then – safe
shooting. HOME TUNING
Adjustable butt pads should be standard equipment.
If you haven’t got one, maybe it’s time to fit one.Target shooters know how to target the bullseye.
They are aided by the adjustability of their stocks.Never be tempted to scrimp on essential accessories. This Hawke scope was marked up for £200, but it was end of line and bought for £100. Good-quality
pellets will complete the outfit, making any errors down to the user.