Shooting a spring gun part 1 MC

Traditional spring-powered design offers the shooter total independence, with no need for cumbersome diving bottles, pumps and the like. Plus the fact that this type of gun still accounts for a huge slice of the airgun market, speaks volumes for its enduring popularity. Simplicity of design is the key, but they still take some mastering! Let’s start by stating that the basic underlying principles of marksmanship still apply, regardless of what type of gun you shoot. Those basic principles are often broken down as the following:

1. The position and hold must be firm enough to support the rifle

2. The rifle must point naturally at the target

3. Sight alignment must be correct

4. The shot must be squeezed off and followed through without disturbing the shooter’s position

The above are laid down by military instructors and the like and they offer a good starting point for anyone interested in becoming a better shot; regardless of their chosen discipline or equipment. But as we shall see, there’s a wealth of subtle input that influences down range performance; and spring guns especially place very specific demands upon the shooter!

EXPERIENCE

Experience plays a big part in successful shooting and my formative years were all done with spring powered airguns, long before the pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) revolution had taken a hold. Shooting with one regularly honed our skills and there really is no doubt in my mind that many quality spring powered rifles can shoot just as accurately as a PCP, it just takes a higher level of concentration, effort and oh yes; marksmanship!
Getting the best out of the humble springer is the tricky bit though, since they are inherently harder to shoot than their pre-charged counterparts.

So why is that? Why is it that a newcomer down the local club can just roll up, pick up someone’s loaned pre-charged pneumatic, and start downing targets like they’d been doing it all their life. Yet at the same targets, with a comparable spring gun, they fail to shoot anywhere near as well? Well, ignoring that unwritten law that means you can’t miss when using someone else’s gun (oh that’s so true!), the problem lies with what’s going on inside.

COMPRESS AND EXPAND

On firing a PCP, the trigger releases a tiny hammer which knocks open the valve inside the main air cylinder, to release a pulse of air to propel the pellet. There’s very little significant movement going on inside the action and the end result is that the vast majority of PCP’s are near recoilless. I say ‘near’, as it is extremely rare that absolutely no movement is felt; with the phenomenon of ‘muzzle flip’ and a very slight ‘rocket effect’ backwards, can be experienced.

In stark contrast, the action of the average spring gun is somewhat more violent. Pull the trigger, and the sears release a comparatively heavy piston which then surges forward under extreme pressure from the mainspring. How the piston comes to a stop is dependent upon how that particular rifle is set up! The more sophisticated designs are the result of precise calculations, to try and ensure that the piston comes to rest with the minimum of fuss. Ideally a cushion of air builds up in front of the piston and will act as an air brake, before the propelling air completely escapes via the transfer port.

If it escapes too soon, the piston may ‘bottom out’ – in extreme cases hitting the end of the cylinder with terrific force, causing secondary recoil as it surges backwards again. This in part, is the classic two-way recoil of the average spring rifle, and coping with it is half the art of shooting this seemingly basic system. I hope by now you are starting to get the idea that this apparently simple mechanism is a harsh task master indeed.

At this point, it should be noted that gas-ram rifles are obviously subject to similar recoil characteristics and, to all intents and purposes, should be treated in the same way as spring guns, where any meaningful approach to shooting technique is concerned.

CONSISTENCY… CONSISTENCY…CONSISTENCY

When I began shooting back in the late 70’s, one of the first lessons I had hammered home to me, was that accurate and therefore successful shooting is all about consistency. CONSISTENCY = ACCURACY. It’s a basic point and it’s labouring the point, but what it really means is that everything has to be the same - EVERY time. Everything about your approach needs to be thought through and replicated, time after time. In practise, this can even mean wearing the same clothes when shooting.

Recoil is our enemy, yet understand that it can cause trouble and take steps to counteract it and we needn’t fear it! We need to acknowledge that we can’t eliminate the recoil and that the energy has to go somewhere. Basic physics dictates as such, so we really do need to get our approach right.

ENERGY TRANSFER

As a spring gun recoils and kicks backwards into the shoulder part of that energy is transferred to the shooter. The gun will move and kick to a greater or lesser degree and this is dependant upon how sophisticated or tuned the action is. A highly tuned rifle may have surprisingly slight recoil characteristics; whilst an entry level gun may kick like a mule. Both guns need to be respected and the same approach adopted.

A highly padded shooting coat will help to absorb some of the recoil and arriving at a super comfortable jacket that also allows freedom of movement and a level of support, is the ideal. Many Field Target shooters now use the stiff leather shooting jackets and if these feel comfortable, then go for it. They do nothing for me, but as always, personal taste comes into the equation. Whatever main shooting jacket you settle on, the key thing is that it is then worn EVERY time you shoot - come rain or shine.

If you zero a recoiling spring gun wearing a padded jacket and get everything precisely set-up then come the first competition, shoot wearing only a thin T shirt, due to hot weather, the rifle will suddenly have no padding to take up some of the recoil, and the impact point will almost certainly change - albeit slightly.

Differences in impact point with many aspects of shooting can be slight, but if results are important and ultimate repeatable accuracy is the goal, then attention to detail is the name of the game. Differences can also be quite marked, so thinking about your whole approach will pay dividends, whatever type of shooting you do; be it outdoor silhouette competition shooting or live quarry situations.

FAMILIARITY

My early FT days saw me compete in the same old quilted jacket and the same old Wellington boots and whilst I was sweltering in the height of summer, everything felt totally familiar and ultra comfortable. Confidence grew from this familiarity, and I didn’t have to think about what to wear on a particular day. It was single minded and obsessive if you like- but success soon followed.

Next month I’ll be looking at the different positions and stances, again, with a view to how we can maximize consistency, and therefore accuracy.