The HW 30S over the old-style HW 30 stock.
This report covers:
- The test
- Why rest the rifle?
- First bull
- Consider…
- Second bull
- Third bull
- Next
- What I learned
- Fifth bull
- Today’s lesson?
- Summary
Today I shoot for accuracy the .177-caliber HW 30S that I put into the old-style stock. Yes, the open sights still come up to my eye as they should. Remember — this is a rifle I’m trying to turn into my go-to pest rifle because we learned in the report titled, The fool with 100 airguns, I was a man with too many airguns and none that I knew how or where they shot, or even what pellet worked best.
The test
I began the test from 10 meters with the rifle resting on a sandbag. The best pellet I’ve found so far is the JSB Exact Heavy, so that’s what I used for this report. It’s also the pellet I put into the Wilkins pellet pouch that’s now attached to the triggerguard of the rifle.
I paired the small Wilkins pellet pouch to my HW 30S. It holds plenty (hundreds) of pellets.
I’m shooting 5-shot groups today. I’ll explain as we go. For the entire test I’m aiming at the base of the black bull with a 6 o’clock hold.
Why rest the rifle?
The goal of this endeavor is to have a rifle I can shoot at pests. So why am I resting it on a sandbag when I’ll never get the chance to do that when I shoot at pests? Well, I have removed the scope and am using just the open sights, so this is a different sort of test. And the first thing I need is to do is to sight in.
I’m now going to show you the whole sight-in target with all the bullseyes I shot. Then I’ll show each one and talk about it.
These are the three bulls I used to sight in the HW 30S.
I will not measure these groups, because they aren’t accuracy groups. They are just sight-in and sight-adjustment groups.
First bull
Let’s look at the first bull. I shot 15 shots at this one. The first 5 shots hit below the bull. After adjusting the rear sight up 6 clicks the second five shots hit just below the bull at 6 o’clock. Six more clicks up and the third five shots went up into the center of the bull and a little to the left.
The first group is the lowest. The second is at the bottom of the bull and the third group of five moved up into the bull.
Consider…
These groups will be larger than you have seen this rifle shoot because I’m now using the open sights. I’m also NOT using the reading glasses I would normally use for an accuracy test. I’m wearing my normal prescription glasses because they are what I would wear if I was shooting a pest. I’m trying to make this as close to the real world as possible, yet still get this rifle as ready as possible. If that sounds confusing it may clear up as we progress.
Second bull
I’m still sighting in and this second bull is also shown in the first picture. I adjusted the sights up by two clicks from the previous 15-shots and shot another five shots. This time the group was almost perfectly centered for height, but clearly off to the left of center.
The second bull has five shots that were fired after a two-click-up adjustment.
Obviously the group was okay for elevation but off for windage. I adjusted the rear sight three clicks to the right and went to the third bull.
Third bull
The first three shots landed LEFT of the center of the bull (blue arrow), even though I thought I had adjusted the rear sight to the right. So this time I adjusted it six more clicks to the right, just to be able to see the rear notch moving because the HW-30 rear sight does not have an adjustment scale for windage adjustments.
The fourth shot hit this bull on the right edge (yellow arrow)of the black in the 4-ring. Seeing that I adjusted the rear sight back to the left three clicks and shot three more times.These three shots hit closer to the center with one of them off to the right a bit.
The three shots on the left (blue arrow) were the first. Then I adjusted the rear sight 6 clicks to the right and the next shot (yellow arrow) was fired. The three shots closer to the center of the target were fired after a three clocks to the left adjustment.
Next
Now that the rifle was sighted-in, I stood up and shot five shots offhand at the same 10 meters. This was the point of today’s test, but I first had to get the rifle sighted in. Now we will measure group size. Five pellets went into 1.422-inches at 10 meters.
Five JSB Exact Heavys went into a 1.445-inch group at 10 meters when fired offhand.
What I learned
I learned many thing from this first group.
1. The light trigger is ideal for me shooting this rifle offhand.
2. I can see the front sight well enough when I wear my prescription glasses.
3. This rifle is lightweight, so I need a steady stance to keep from wobbling around.
4. All my shots were to the right and three were higher than the center of the bull, even though I held at the same 6 o’clock as I did for the sight-in.
5. I sniped each shot, and the light trigger allowed this without moving the rifle upon firing.
Several readers said they would take a rest if one was available when they shot at pests. I would as well. So the next test was from about 12 meters, where I had a doorjamb to rest against. But I had to stand a few inches away from the doorjamb to see the target. So I also used the UTG monopod to rest the rifle on. What did that do for me?
Fifth bull
Surprisingly, this group was ever-so-slightly larger than the last! And this one was also to the right of the target! This time five shots at 12 meters went into 1.48-inches between centers,
When I used a doorjamb and a monopod as a rest the group was 1.48 inches at 12 meters. The two blue arrows show two of the shots. They intruded into the initial 15-shot sight-in group.
I don’t consider this group to be any larger than the first one shot offhand. But the point is, it isn’t any smaller. And it’s also mostly higher and to the right of where I expected it to hit.
Today’s lesson?
I learned that I LOVE this HW 30S. I love how light it is, how easy it cocks, and how light the trigger is. I learned that my offhand zero differs from my rested zero, or at least that’s how it looks at this point. I learned that I’m just as accurate with this rifle in the full offhand stance as when I use a semi-support — as long as I take the time to get into a good stance.
But there is one thing I also know about today’s test that I PURPOSELY did not mention. It’s something that has a big impact on going forward. I want you guys to tell me what I didn’t mention that makes a big difference in my success.
Summary
I am so glad I bought an HW 30S. I’m also glad I tuned it with a Vortek PG3 SHO kit. It no longer vibrates when fired; it has a lot more power, yet the cocking remains light at the same 22 pounds of effort that it had when it left the factory. And, once you figure out what I DIDN’T do in today’s test, we can have another one!
B.B.
Do open sights have the same stiction problems that scopes do? Do you need to shoot a few pellets before you can be sure the optic has moved?
-Y
PS wouldn’t shooting a small 4X scope be easier to use when wearing your regular glasses?
Yogi,
One of the beauties of open sights is that stiction is not possible. However, you cheek weld must remain consistent.
Sure a lower-powered scope would work, but open sights are even simpler. For this rifle I prefer the simplest approach.
BB
B.B., something about this is not right, yet. You always wrote that for humane kills, it is all about shot placement, and that one should limit one’s shots to the distance at which all shots are within 1″. But you are shooting 1.5″ at 10 yards. At what range are you shooting these pests? I figured you would want to be able to take out pests at the limit of your property.
I think you also need to test at various ranges to know the chosen pellet’s trajectory (both zeros) and to confirm that the pellet is not spiraling, and how it is affected by wind. There is a lot to know.
I have a question. For hunting/pesting, is a six o’clock hold the best way? You are essentially always aiming about an inch or so low. To me, that’s just another thing I can do wrong. May I suggest the front sight be a bead (perlcorn?) and simply aim directly on target rather than the 6 o’clock hold?
I just received a set of Diana front globe sight inserts and I’m excited to try the aperture and true post inserts (no more make-due measures with the standard issue pointed insert) for target shooting and the perlcorn for pests. So I’m following this series closely.
Roamin,
Oh my gosh! You are correct. I did say that, didn’t I? I guess I just have to get better! 🙂
BB
Roamin,
Oh my gosh! YOU FIGURED IT OUT!!!!!
YES, I have to adjust my aim point so the pellet goes where I aim — not to the center of a bullseye!!!
This may mean I have to consider using a different front sight element. I’ve been shooting at paper targets so long I have to change my ways.
See? Even BB has to adapt.
BB
BB
You will hate me for this but maybe a front glowing sight with a rear aperture might be your best bet. I don’t know if the Wheirauch fiber optic front sight is small enough but the Truglo certainly is. With such a set up you can easily hit within that one inch kill zone in 10 to 20 yards.
Bill,
Ouch, ouch, ouch! Please say it ain’t so!
BB
BB
No mercy; it’s exactly just like that RG described down below. Very fast and accurate in short distance. I will be experimenting with this set up on my HW 90 in the next period of time. Anyway who are we all to disagree with RR’s choice for his grandson!
Bill, I agree with you. In the early days of my return to airguns, I bought a used Beeman R7 (HW 30S), and I wondered how I could get a red dot sight-like effect without the batteries, and I ended up with the same concep: fiber optic front with a rear peep sight. I ordered the Weirauch Fiber optic front sight from P.A., but the fiber optic element is relatively very large and not good for any precision shooting. It appeared way bigger than the 10 meter bullseye at 10 yards. I returned that front sight and tried that TruGlo sight. I think Pyramyd should carry it. For the benefit of others, the post is very thin (appearing thinner than a ten meter bullseye at 10 yards. It has a square-topped post with a fiber optic element, and a sunshade that can be used to adjust the brightness of the dot. Indoors, with the shooting bench dimmed and the target lit brightly, the fiber optic goes dark and the sight appears as a narrow post. I can shoot 0.2 inch groups easily from the bench at 10 meters. In the daylight, the tiny green dot glows brightly.
The only drawback I see is that the “globe” is extra thick, but I think one gets accustomed to that. It is think because it houses the wrappings of a rather long fiber optic element. Many sights you see only give you less than a half inch. This has a looonnnnng fiber optic element that is wrapped inside that hood many times to absorb more light since the element is relatively thin.
I’m not advocating this sight, just reporting on it as a viable option for quick target acquisition and versatility. RidgeRunner has this set up on his grandson’s HW30S with a Williams peep in the rear, and I have it with an Air Venturi Peep in the rear with a custom drilled and tapped hidden scope stop pin. I’m thinking of adding a Merit Adjustable Aperture to it.
Here is one of my best 10 meter targets with it.
Thanks for the pictures of your setup and the Truglo. A picture says more than a thousand words…
You are welcome. I tried to show the coils of fiber optic material and the sunshade in different positions, and you can see the dot is dimmer when it is closed. I’m looking forward to testing her at more than ten yards and reporting back after B.B. does with his, of course, to add to our collective education.
Funny thing, your HW 30 looks exactly like my HW 90! Small difference, the size and the FWB 300 rear aperture.
Or mount a low powered scope!
Seriously, which do you see better with, for shooting anyway, when you wear your regular glasses?
-Y
“I’m so glad I bought an HW 30S.”
Amen!
I’m glad you bought one, and I’m glad I bought one.
These little rifles are just so sweet!
…with the old-style stock. 😉
Brother dave,
I really do appreciate this rifle! This one, as it is right now, is the one air rifle I would want to keep if all the others went away.
BB
BB
Uh oh! Your Diana 27 just jumped up on its hind legs.
Deck
Ha ha Deck, love the imagery. The 27 is still B.B.’s favorite, but sadly it is not precise enough for pesting purposes.
Roamin,
I guess that’s the case.
BB
BB, my Christian brother, I feel the same way. 😉
Hello Tom,
I am intrigued by two facts: 1st the pellets go off to the right offhand and with support, the same place more or less, and 2nd they remain relatively grouped when supported (even though I have to admit the off hand group is way better than what I would achieve 🙂 )
I would say there is a difference in hold which makes this effect, maybe a bit of cant as you shoulder the rifle differently, but it looks as if you were doing it consistently. Maybe also cheek weld and follow-through not being as consistent on pure off-hand as in the other stances.
Off right could also be trigger finger placement though I’d rather think this is more than muscular memory for you.
Not sure whether I did the correct analysis but that’s what I look for when this happens to me.
Looking forward to read from you.
All the best
Jens
Jens,
I don’t know yet why this happens but it’s something I have to work on — in Part 3! 🙂
B B
Yes, great, we’ll have a part 3 to come – yee-ha!!!
Was reading through the other comments on pulling the rifle into the shoulder or not. The issue here is to do it consistently with the same force, I think. What I found worked for me is to position the rifle in the shoulder without pulling into the shoulder. The direction of the trigger squeeze or rather pull goes towards the shoulder and it’s this force I use to maintain the rifle shouldered. Trigger breaks more or less at the same resistance so force of pull into the shoulder is likely to be very similar from shot to shot, as well. As for artillery hold, I keep the rifle on the rather open hand at the same spot of the stock every time.
In summary, I let the rifle do it’s thing maintaining external influence as small as possible (trigger pull, cheek weld and rifle support, only … ideally).
Ah yes, this works for the HW50 .22 Vortek as well as for the HW97K .22 & .177 Vortek. I found the .177 a bit trickier to shoot consistently, though.
Did I really write HW50? Oh my… she is a HW35 with Vortek spring in .22.
Tom,
How did you hold the rifle when you were shooting from the doorjamb? Is it possible to shoot it using the artillery hold? Is shooting offhand considered an artillery hold?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
I think, by its very definition, that the artillery hold is impossible when shooting offhand. We do many things, llike balancing the stock on the tips of our off hand, and yes, I did that. But the butt of the rifle has to be pulled into the shoulder for offhand, and that’s the antithesis of the artillery hold.
BB
Siraniko: I disagree. My RWS Diana Model 36 taught me the loose grip when shouldering that thing. Because one pulls the rifle up to the shoulder, preferably in the same place each time, does not mean that one does it with a death grip. The M-36 punishes a tight grip with a sting to the cheek if one does that.
The point of what Tom Gaylord termed the “artillery hold” is to let the natural bounds and rebounds of the piece happen WHILE ONE RETAINS THE SIGHT PICTURE. That also means learning not to flinch and to keep the shooting stance while all the motion is going on.
I do find that the couple of gas ram rifles I own seem to eliminate a twisting movement of the piece since there is no coiled spring imparting an attempt at rotary motion to the piece. Maybe that’s just me?
Part of the problem is organic, or actually to overcome what is natural and organic; one has to use cognitive or mental control over the body’s desire to react to the stimulus of the rifle (or pistol) as it sends motion to the shooter. The natural reaction is to try and control what is going on; but in springers, one needs to mentally tell the body to “let it happen.”
BB,
Oh my gosh! You figured it out! This is why I like the old style sights with the V notch at the rear and the Perlkorn at the front! The V notch helps me line up the front sight and the Perlkorn gives me the exact aimpoint of the POI. I level the very tip of the Perlkorn with the top of the rear sights and adjust to where my POA and POI are the same to whatever range I am shooting, usually ten yards. I learn to compensate at twenty-five yards. Beyond that I use a scope. I hate those new-fangled squared off blocky sights.
https://www.amazon.com/TRUGLO-Globe-Sight-Airgun-Green/dp/B001V8NL7E/ref=sr_1_2?crid=35X5ZMEIIYWOF&keywords=truglo+globe+sight&qid=1687167414&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=truglo+globe+sight%2Csporting%2C145&sr=1-2
https://shop.williamsgunsight.com/ecommerce/p/fpgr-009683
These are the sights I have on the HW30S that lives at RRHFWA. The TruGlo is adjustable for glow amount and I have the target knobs on the Williams rear. It is almost impossible to miss a 3/8-inch spinner at 10 yards.
I hold the 30 lightly and do not pull it back tightly into my shoulder. I shoot as cross body as I can with my left elbow resting on my ribcage. I allow the air rifle to rest lightly in my hand. My trigger thumb is vertical and gives a good “anchor” for trigger pull.
Tom,
So you have an air rifle that looks like an HW30s, shoots like a really smooth HW30s, cocks like an HW30s, but it is more like an HW50s in power? I think what you have there is a new model, a Weihrauch HW40s!
Yes, you are right to keep optics off this little right and ready air rifle, although it might like a nice aperture rear sight. :^)
Michael
Michael
I’m with you on the aperture rear sight. Even a ghost ring if quick target acquisition is desired.
But the power (energy) of my .22 caliber HW50S is more than double that of my .177 caliber HW30S.
Deck
I know you want to keep this rifle as simple as possible, but I think it would be interesting to try this same test with a similar scoped rifle, and then make a judgement call on which is better suited for the pesting job. Thanks for all you do
I would say the general point of this and other recent blogs have left me a little confused.
The long comment I was writing mentally is now unnecessary as enough as been said in earlier comments about open sights. Personally I would go with a scope. If you forget the arc of the pellets trajectory for a 20 yard POA; at the muzzle you aim two inches high (if that’s how high your scope is above the bore) and at 10 yards one inch. I used to swap between 20 yard and 10 metre ranges and it worked for me. The holdover for other distances can be estimated easily if you are working with say a half inch kill zone. Example ignores the use of multiple pellet types.
How to hold a springer is my other topic of concern. I have recently been trying to assess lead free pellets; (as we will likely as not have a lead ban eventually in the UK), using my HW95.
Trying as many variations of support as I can think of; it will not group off a rest. So I have to test offhand. Given Olympic selection is not on the horizon, this makes testing a bit more subjective shall we say. I do not shot rimfire, PCP or springer with a tight hold, but have seen online shooters taking, to my mind, extreme steps, in a sitting position, to keep springer body contact to a minimum. Since as you have pointed out, shooting offhand does require some body contact those measures are not practical. (I normally only shot offhand.) But to muddy the waters you are now promoting cheek weld, of course it is a term open to interpretation, but it sounds incongruous with a “loosey” or artillery hold. I personally favour light cheek contact and am happy to move my head slightly to get a good sight picture.
Snipe the shot is something I must also question. Personally I do this. Given a light trigger which fires the gun as soon as it is touched, (figuratively speaking) squeezing is not easy and one adopts stabbing the trigger continually. It is hard squeezing a light trigger, but I have found results are better if it can be achieved. I am talking about target shooting since I don’t hunt and I accept given the time constraints of hunting, sniping is likely acceptable. Because of the benefits I perceive from squeezing I am gradually increasing the weight of my rifles trigger pulls to make it easier. Strangely I don’t find light trigger pulls an issue with pistols.
BrummieMick,
I hunt and also do controlled culls of Urban Deer. I have never used a change in my trigger control to take a kill shot. Personally i see no benefit of quickly pulling the trigger compared to squeezing off a shot either from a timeliness or accuracy advantage. I believe this is well covered by the Make Haste – SLOWLY concept. Pesting and hunting seems to bring out higher degrees in impatient shooting that must be trained out of most folks.
If shooting off hand the proper use of a sling is a lost art it seems.
One final thought on the Artillery Hold is that it only does it for unruly spring piston guns (does nothing for other powerplants) and reduces the need for shooters to master consistency in their griping pressure and hold.
Cheek Weld is just another technique to try and master eyebox control. There are other very effective methods as well as aides that will give consistent eye alignment to the Sight Line regardless of the sighting system.
Just for fun: what do rubber or cloth Ocular cups do for proper eyebox acquisition?
Just my opinion for what it is worth.
shootski
BB, and everyone else, good morning!
I am having a problem with squirrels building nest and chewing wires in my wife’s vintage Miata. We spray the engine compartment and truck (which contains the battery) every week or so with peppermint oil, sprinkle Fox urine granules under the car, and have plastic owls near the car but that has not been enough to deter the squirrels. My lot backs up to woods which are full of squirrels. I have declared war on squirrels that venture into our yard. In Texas you can hunt squirrels year round so I am not violating game laws. My weapon of choice for this battle has been my Kalibr Colibri 22 cal airgun. It has a 4-14 Burris Timberline scope mounted on it. So far, most of my shots have been from the back door with my hand supported by the door jamb and the shots have been at 40 to 45 yards. I leave the Colibri on a bipod in front of the back yard window next to the back door. So far, I am 100% with clean kills.
We see the occasional fox squirrel in our backyard and neighborhood, but yesterday, I saw 10 fox squirrels congregating in a neighbir’s yard. I wish I had a picture. It was eerie. Made me start thinking about a SAM (semi-auto Marauder).
RG,
Makes me think of Alfred Hitchcock for some reason.
No FEAR!
But do you hear any scratching at night?
shootski
Ha! I was thinking the same thing, but “Squirrels” doesn’t have the same impact as “Birds.”
Try getting a large, flat Tupperware container and filling it with mothballs. When you park, open the lid and slide it under the engine compartment. Before you use the car, slide it out and close the lid. Replenish as the mothballs sublimate. My mom’s car had a similar issue, but it was field mice who built a small nest on the inside of the passenger compartment air filter. Nasty! I threw some mothballs in the trunk and in some of the places they may get into, no problems since. And mothballs smell a little better than fox urine.
Roamin Greco and Readership,
GREAT advice but…
The mothballs are a go to in our families efforts to keep RODENTS out of our vehicles and outbuildings.
That being said there are precautions and SAFETY measures that need to be in place when using NAPHTHALENE.
KNOW the hazards of NAPTHALENE and deal with them:
https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/16120.htm
shootski
Good advice, Shootski. Here’s what I got out of the info you linked to:
“If inhaled, remove to fresh air….
Notes to Physician: Individuals with a glucose-6-phosphate dehyrogenase deficiency are hypersensitive to the effects of naphthalene.”
So perhaps wait a minute or two to let the engine compartment air out once you put the lid back on the container of moth balls?
DavidEnoch,
I’m with you totally on this pesting with optics topic. The better the scope the greater the chance to extend the pesting day into Civil Twilight(s) when many pests are moving out of or into their nesting locations. Find the nests or bed down locations and access trails and pest elimination becomes a “turkey shoot” or perhaps even like shooting fish in a barrel.
Good Pesting!
shootski
B.B.,
“I learned that my offhand zero differs from my rested zero, or at least that’s how it looks at this point.”
Practical Shooting is the cruelest discipline.
I’m just not certain about your objection to scopes.
I use a prism scope/red/green illuminated BDC (Bullet Drop Compensation) reticle equiped optic. You can choose between 0 and 3X depending on your maximum distance requirements. What you purchase that will do the job isn’t going to be cheap probably twice the cost (or more) of the rifle. Yes, it will have one or more batteries but it will shut itself off and perhaps even turn itself on when purposefully moved and run for thousands of hours.
shootski
Shootski
You reminded me that BB has access to the latest utg red dots with the automatic on/off feature. The battery life is around 50.000 hours or something like that. On the plain Jane HW 30 this dot sight would solve his problem without further expenses for special stock, sights or whatever. But then what we would talk about?
“…talk about ” this a little bit please?
Recently bought a new HW30S Dlx in cal. .20. w/ old style deluxe stock (no cutaway/ no swirly lines in checkering, etc.
Comments please re. expected performance vs stock, with the Vortek kit discussed here often.
Worth doing? By myself? … or send it out to someone competent(who?)
I have zero airgun mechanic experience, but am a relatively smart bear, who can follow directions.
Thanks for any reply,
CBS
A free airgun magazine associated with a competing airgun business wrote an article about just that subject. The conclusion if I remember correctly was that there was not much gain in performance, which speaks volumes about the HW30S. The author basically said, tune if you want to, but you don’t need to.
But I’m as interested in others’ opinions as you are. B.B.’s HW30S is tuned, I believe.
Roamin,
From the end of today’s report
” I’m also glad I tuned it with a Vortek PG3 SHO kit. It no longer vibrates when fired; it has a lot more power, yet the cocking remains light at the same 22 pounds of effort that it had when it left the factory.”
BB
That is something to consider, but then again FM is happy with how his HW30S shoots, so maybe it is a case of leaving well enough alone. Now here is a crazy notion – just received the PA catalog and they’re carrying the Beeman R7 version so…buy one and apply the Vortek conversion to it? It comes with the old-style stock though the “notchy” one does not seem to have any adverse effects on FM’s shooting. Maybe best to just stick to “ain’t broke, don’t fix.” In fact, “Dirty Thirty” got its first iggy yesterday, seeming to confirm previous statements. Granted, it was maybe a seven-yard shot though curiously, had to use a doorjamb for a brace, as Tom discusses here. It worked. FM held the rifle lightly, adhering to the “artillery rule” as much as possible.
Unrelated, yet related subject: eye health. Hope all of us with older eyes are taking our vitamins to help keep the old headlights functioning as well as possible. My dad’s opthalmologist recommended the AReds Preservision vitamins to him to at least try and slow down his macular degeneration. He refused injection therapy for the MD because by then, being almost a centenarian, he did not see any point in it and can’t blame him.
BB,
Just to add my two cents worth (much depreciated, due to inflation). Have you considered a McGivern style front sight, or maybe just a bead-style like used on the old Marlin 39? The last 39 that I shot had a Williams peep with gold bead front sight and I found it hard to miss anything that I plinked at. Failing that, a fiber optic front sight just might be the ticket.
Happy trails.
Bill
Let’s let B.B. find the ideal open sight solution for him, then he can compare knocking out pests with optics.
B.B. and Readership,
For all of you that didn’t get a Lab Radar Doppler Chronograph here is the competition and PA is going to carry it!
/product/fx-outdoors-true-ballistics-chronograph?a=13379
Cheep…and bullseye bucks too.
shootski
Shootski,
That looks to be a little more expensive than the lab radar, but perhaps BB can get one to compare with his lab radar, could be a good test.
Mike
Siraniko: I disagree. My RWS Diana Model 36 taught me the loose grip when shouldering that thing. Because one pulls the rifle up to the shoulder, preferably in the same place each time, does not mean that one does it with a death grip. The M-36 punishes a tight grip with a sting to the cheek if one does that.
The point of what Tom Gaylord termed the “artillery hold” is to let the natural bounds and rebounds of the piece happen WHILE ONE RETAINS THE SIGHT PICTURE. That also means learning not to flinch and to keep the shooting stance while all the motion is going on.
I do find that the couple of gas ram rifles I own seem to eliminate a twisting movement of the piece since there is no coiled spring imparting an attempt at rotary motion to the piece. Maybe that’s just me?
Part of the problem is organic, or actually to overcome what is natural and organic; one has to use cognitive or mental control over the body’s desire to react to the stimulus of the rifle (or pistol) as it sends motion to the shooter. The natural reaction is to try and control what is going on; but in springers, one needs to mentally tell the body to “let it happen.”
LFranke,
I do quite agree that shooting an airgun from off hand does not mean that I have to hold it tightly. I hold my Webley just firm enough not to slip off my shoulder with the finger tips of my left hand in front of the trigger guard supporting the rifle (may have to make a hamster like extension one of these days). Not quite an artillery hold but not a tight hold either. I just let it recoil as normal. More follow through is demanded though for consistency.
Siraniko