Shooting for Effect - What is Acceptable?
For the majority of air gun shooters, when you shoot at the target, if it falls over, or bounces, or shatters with a satisfying result, then you are happy! Hurray! I hit the target!
Now transfer the satisfaction of that accomplishment into either a hunting situation or a contest situation, and you have a new definition to happiness. Because bagging your game can be a matter of a 1/2" on small game, you need a better idea of where your pellet is going to hit. And winning a contest that is often decided by tenths of an inch or even smaller measurements.....well, just hitting the target no longer brings the same level of happiness it once did in the past when you were just plinking!
Zeroing your scope so that it shoots at the optimum point blank zero gives you peace of mind when shooting through a range of yardage possibilities. It is possible to set your scope so that you can hit a target of a predetermined size with no hold-over or under if you have the correct information. Take a look at this link below:
http://www.airgunexpo.com/calc/calc_opbz.cfm
This link brings up a calculator provided by Steve in NC (as he is known on one of the airgunforums) which calculates for the shooter the range of distances at which you can aim straight at the target each time and expect to hit a pre-determined bullseye. Let's say you are shooting at a squirrel that has a killzone of 1" in the chest area. Fill in the information concerning your gun at the link provided, and it will give you a short-and-long range at which you can expect to hit your target by aiming straight at it....no hold-over, no hold-under.
An example:
Let's say you are shooting a QB-78 in .177 caliber that is pushing a pellet at 630 fps. The heighth of your scope above the barrel is 1.5", and the ammo weights 7.9 grains ( a Crosman Premier). You get the following information to use.
Optimum Point Blank Zero - 36.14 yards
Trajectory Apogee - 22.14 yards
Secondary Zero - 8.14 yards
Point Blank Range - 41.93 yards
Near Point Blank Range - 2.34 yards
Based on the above information, you would set your scope's zero at 36.14 yards. If you are satisfied with a hit within a 1" circle, then every range between 2.34 yards and 41.93 yards would be hit based on what you find acceptable. Every shot, if you do your part, from the nearest to the furthest measurement, would find its way into the "killzone". That gives you a bullseye range of nearly 40 yards that you don't have to adjust your aimpoint at all. Neat, huh?
To refine your acceptable killzone, just change the variable in the calculator. Do this for each of your guns, and you will find your airgunning pleasure soaring as you hit the target, whatever it is, more and more often.
