Today reader RidgeRunner, shoots his Webley Tomahawk air rifle for accuracy at 25 yards. If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog, please email me at blogger@pyramydair.com.
Take it away, RidgeRunner
RidgeRunner’s Webley/Hatsan Tomahawk: Part Four
by RidgeRunner
Webley Tomahawk.
This report covers:
- At the 25 yard range
- GTO 11.75 grain pellets
- H&N Excite Hammers 14.66 grain pellets
- JSB 18.13 grain pellets
- What’s next?
- At the 25 yard range
At the 25-yard range
OK, let us see if this Tomahawk will dance for me at twenty-five yards. Once again I will be resting the sproinger directly on my bags.
GTO 11.75-grain pellets
I thought I would start off again with the alloy Predator GTO pellets that weigh in at 11.75 grains. Ten of them made a group of 3.19-inches CTC. That is horrible, but the first pellet is what opened this group up so much. The next nine made a group of 1.5-inches CTC.
What is going on with shot #1?
H&N Excite Hammers 14.66-grain pellets
H&N Excite Hammers did not do too bad at 10 yards, so I thought I would give them another try. I only shot four of them, though, as the group was over 2 inches already and was pretty spread out.
What happened?
JSB 18.13-grain pellets
The next pellet I shot in this sproinger was the JSB 18.13 grain pellet. Ten of them made a group of 2.0-inches CTC. Six of them made a group of 0.81-inches CTC. Why did four of them open this up so much?
So what happened here?
What’s next?
I am going to have to give this some thought. I will also shoot this old gal some more and try to get a better feel for her. I may even try out a different scope. After a bit, I might tell you folks a little more about how we are dancing together. We shall see what the future holds.
So, there’s a reason this model is discontinued?
OP,
Very likely it was the profit margin. I suspect that the new Webley consortium believed their name would automatically make them rich. Though this is really a very nicely made sproinger, it was selling for about twice what any other nice sproinger was selling for at the time.
I have not looked for one, but I strongly suspect you would have great difficulty in finding a Hatsan made Webley Tempest right now either.
RidgeRunner,
If you ever decide to cut down the coil spring I think we can rename this as “The Taming of the Screw”
Maybe too much coffee?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
That is a good one. I will attempt to remember and use that if I go that route.
As far as the coffee is concerned, you can never have too much of that. 😉
” Ten of them made a group of 2.0-inches CTC. Six of them made a group of 0.81-inches CTC.”
RidgeRunner,
It seems like those JSB 18.13-grain pellets wanted to shoot well.
Perhaps give ’em another chance, maybe with some different holds?
A ten-shot group under an inch would give you a nice hunter/pester air rifle.
Hoping for this ol’ gal,
dave
Dave,
This “old gal” will most definitely get another chance. Very likely it will take something like the “artillery hold” to help her dance well.
As for hanging on to her, I am not so sure. I have some real nice low powered airguns that are very accurate at close range. I also gave up hunting back in ’85 as I no longer have to feed my family that way. If I should need to go there again, I have a couple of real nice candidates around here for that.
The truth is this air rifle and a few others will be on the market soon. Why not let others enjoy what I have over the years?
“The truth is this air rifle and a few others will be on the market soon. Why not let others enjoy what I have over the years?”
“Sound wisdom.” — Jeremiah Johnson 🙂
Dave,
I just have too many to deal with them all. Sound wisdom or not, some of these gals can really stand to find another place to live.
I’m certainly no expert in this field of dreams, but have you considered giving this poor old lady a few warm-up shots before you put her through the paces? Both my HW97K & TX200 appreciate 5 or so warm-up shots before getting serious. Couldn’t hurt, right? Orv.
Almost every springer I own wants, no demands, a warm up shot or two. Same thing when switching pellets. This is not theory it’s reality.
Deck
Deck,
As I told Orv, when I find THE pellet for a particular “old gal”, I like to feed her only those from then on. I really like Wilkins pellet pouches. They are expensive, but they sure are nice.
🙂
Orv,
Quite often the sproingers, and the PCPs for that matter, are given a few “warm up shots” before I shoot for groups. I have to get the feel for the “old gal” and how she might like to dance.
Now, as Deck mentions, I do not necessarily fire a couple off before switching to a different pellet. What usually happens here at RRHFWA is once I find that “old gal’s” favorite pellet, I stock up on such just for her and that is all I feed her.
Though, like BB frequently does and I do when I write about these “old gals” some, I do not constantly seek a better pellet to shoot in an “old gal” here. If I find a particular pellet that works well in a particular airgun, I tend to stick with it.
Breech seal? No doubt you’ve addressed that; otherwise FM has no friggin’ idea how to improve your frustrating experience – other than sticking to the best-performing pellets and trying a warmup per Orv’s advice.
FM,
I have not given this air rifle a breech seal test, but everything looks to be just fine in that department. One thing I have not done is try different holds for this “old gal”. She might like to be held gently instead of just lying on the bags. We will likely see.
Looks like it just doesn’t like being rested on the bag. I’d try shooting only the JSB pellets with the artillery hold and maybe remove the Limbsaver to get a baseline.
Good looking rifle. You’ll figure her out.
Derrick,
She is a rather nice looker. Yes, I will likely figure out how she likes to dance. I just have to spend some time with her and let her tell me what she likes.
I’ve got a “Webley” Patriot Hatsan in .25 cal. Actually shoots quite accurately–esp with thin skirted soft lead pellets that flare out to fit the oversize bore.
Will she get a sling if you do end up keeping her? I can’t imagine not being able to throw a rifle over the shoulder to get both hands free.
Its interesting to read what the regulars here consider “must haves” for their favorite airguns.
Derrick,
The truth is I doubt I will keep her. She is nice and she is pretty, but there is nothing really special about her.
Hopefully the twist isn’t her favorite dance. Orv.
I hope not. 😉
RidgeRunner,
Minute of Slungshot?
Note: not a misspelling of Slingshot.
Some might know it as a Monkey’s Paw/Fist.
Seriously: on the JSB’s you wrote, “Why did four of them open this up so much?” Perhaps something had changed?
Were the Outlier first? Last? Scattered throughout?
MightCould tell you something.
shootski
shootski,
Hopefully she will do better with a different hold. The four shots were at different times in the grouping. It could be a subtle difference in the way the trigger was pulled. The pellets may have been defective in some way. I do not really care. I will try to have it group better, but in the end this sproinger will likely be finding a new home anyway.
I find that I have just too many airguns here at RRHFWA. Some of these “younger gals” are just going to have to find new homes, hopefully with someone who will take the time to understand them.
RR
I know you know how to shoot but I figured I would ask this before you try the artillery hold.
I found that with springers if I follow through on trigger pull (keep applying pressure on the trigger till the projectile hits the target) I have better luck with accuracy with the springers.
Who knows maybe your gun needs the artillery hold and trigger follow through.
Let us know if you try it out.