MiniSniping - A Fun Game of Skill
If you've ever read any books on African hunting and safaris in general, then you've probably run across the name of Peter Hathaway Capstick. Mr. Capstick has left this world now, and we do miss him and the stories he told in his many books about big game hunting and living life on the African continent in the pursuit of game. However, as avid airgunners, we can enjoy one of his gifts to the shooting world.....specifically the airgunning world.....minisniping!
Now, just what is minisniping? Basically, it is a game he invented to play against his friends, fellow hunting guides, and guests as they relaxed after a day of hunting, or whenever they had some down time to kill....or in this case, to shoot.
It was in October of 1984 when Peter H. Capstick, as "Guns & Ammo's" African correspondent, published an article detailing the game of minisniping. It is a deceptively simple game....all you need are spent 9mm brass casings, and a pellet gun....that's it! But the trick is to hit the 9mm casings at 35 yards! That's where the challenge is! The guns that Capstick used were some of the most accurate guns of their day.....the FWB 300 series, the FWB Running Boar, and Anschutz LG match rifles were what he had on hand. Combined with the correct pellet, they were the cat's meow in the 1980's.
Now, many might think that hitting a 9mm case at 35 yards isn't all that big a deal. But consider that it is the equivalent of hitting a man's torso at 1,336 yards, and all of a sudden, the significance of hitting that 9mm casing takes on new meaning. With a little imagination, you can start your own war.....and reign supreme over the battlefield as you search out your enemy and take them out, one at a time, with supremely accurate shots from your cold steel beauty of a weapon!
It is truly an addictive shooting discipline, and you simply have to read the original article that appeared in "Guns & Ammo", written by Capstick himself, to get some more perspective on it. Here is a link to an authorized reprint of the article for your enjoyment:
A wonderful side-issue to minisniping is that you can use whatever target you wish. Crackers, popsicle sticks, mints....whatever your heart desires. It is a game that the entire family can enjoy, and though you won't find new FWB300's anymore, you can scale back your investment by trying out an HW-30 from Beeman. If pistols are more your style, consider the IZH-46M competition pistol.
As addictive as the game of minisniping can be, you are sure to enjoy many hours of fun pursuing whatever target your imagination comes up with when sighting downrange at the 9mm cases....or another similar-sized target. And to help you out with the game, here is a link to the official organization tasked with spreading the word about this fun, airgun-based shooting discipline.
Check out Airgun Depot for the gear you'll need for this style of shooting. Great prices and selection are yours for the taking.
Comments
Great article! I do a similar thing with an Airmaster and BB's with pine cones as I wander around in the woods for an animal-safe way to practice my riflemanship.
The basic rules for the simulation: if you miss the pinecone with the first shot, it means you would have gone hungry that day.
It really wakes you up to taking extreme care with that first shot...
Posted by: Grant | January 28, 2008 08:51 PM
It's probably a good idea to always fire a test shot at an inanimate object before hunting....you never know when your sights are going to be off.
Posted by: Randy | January 29, 2008 11:17 AM