Realistic shooting accuracy

It depends.
Well, it's a little more complicated than that!  I am not a master shooter; on my best days I shoot better than most folks, even pretty good shots.  I just wish I had more of those "good days".  When I watch some of those videos online of folks making really long shots, I have to put things into perspective. Also keep in mind that almost nobody uploads videos of them missing their shots...so we are led to believe that these long shots are the everyday, not the "good days". Let's take a quick look at why we all need to consider what PRACTICAL accuracy is.

There are so many variables in shooting and hunting that we could spend all day just listing them - winds, temperature, visibility, ammo, action type, barrel length, barrel weights, rifling twist rates and so on.  Did we shoot at the target using a bench rest or a bipod with support for the stock?  Maybe our intended game forced us to shoot in the kneeling position, or even standing offhand...is it fair to compare our conditions with others? 

I would love to smack English Starlings using only head shots at 70 yards with my air rifle (check out Ted's Holdover on YouTube - amazing!).  But my air rifle does not have the inherent accuracy to do so reliably - see my previous post!  Also, I am not yet skilled enough on this particular spring-powered air rifle to shoot half-inch groups at 70 yards...from a sitting or kneeling position.  Where I hunt starlings ( an invasive nuisance species in my home state), I can't use a bench rest or set up a bipod.  I have to move frequently, and taking a shot from whatever position I can get into before the birds spook.

So, practical accuracy depends on a few criteria; your target, your equipment (and its limitations), your skills as a shooter, skill as a hunter and environmental conditions, including your shooting site.  You have to evaluate all of these to determine just how accurate you must be to be successful.  Once you determine what you and your equipment are capable of, let's say a one inch group at 50 yards with an air rifle - you can determine if that is good enough for your plans.  If your plan is to head shoot starlings at 70 yards consistently, you need to take a look at where you can improve your accuracy. Can you shoot that well if you used a bipod?  If so, what can you change so you can utilize one in that situation?

Everyone wants to make those "impossible" shots!  Take some time now (as hunting seasons open up soon) to determine what YOUR practical accuracy is and put that knowledge to good use!

Matching pellets to airguns

I love airguns. I have a few Red Ryder BB guns, collectible editions; I prefer to shoot more powerful air rifles. I will save discussing airguns for another time.


Airguns, especially the more powerful versions, can be very particular about the pellets they are fed. Like firearms, each gun is an individual, and will shoot well with some pellets and not as well with others. Yesterday I was reminded of this during a particularly frustrating shooting session.

I have a new Ruger Airhawk airgun, imported by Umarex, in .177 caliber. Spring-powered airguns like it need a break-in period of 200-300 shots before they reveal their best performance. I bought a package of inexpensive pellets containing 300 pellets; the package was on sale, and seemed to suit my needs. I was more concerned with cost since I didn’t expect the rifle to do its best until these pellets were used.

The pellets were packaged in lots of 100, so I shot the first hundred a week ago and the rifle performed well, eventually achieving dime-sized groups at 20 yards when I did my part. These pellets were pointed in shape and average weight, about 8 grains.

Yesterday, I opened the next partition of 100 pellets and began to shoot them. I was shooting at twilight, and rushed to get some shooting in before dark. After checking the first group of ten shots, I found not a grouping, but something more like a shotgun pattern! Thinking back, the pellets did feel a little looser in the barrel and felt a little lighter.

Turns out I was now shooting a lightweight hollow point pellet intended for lower-powered pump airguns. These pellets were not designed to be shot at speeds exceeding 1,000 feet per second. My rifle certainly did not like these pellets!

The lesson I was reminded of is how important it is to match pellets with the airgun. My gun is too powerful to shoot lightweight pellets well, so I need to stick with heavier pellets from now on!

Virginia Boating Safety instruction requirements

In 2007, Virginia passed a law requiring boating safety education for operators (drivers) of personal watercraft (SeaDoos, WaveRunners, JetSkis, etc.) and motorboats with a 10 horsepower or greater motor. The operator MUST have a boating safety education course completion card on board when operating a PWC or motorboat.


As of July 1, 2010 all operators of personal watercraft 35 years old and younger must meet complete a safety course. No one under 14 years of age may operate a PWC in Virginia.

PWC operators 50 years of age AND motor boat operators 20 years old and younger must meet the requirements by July 1, 2011. 40 year old operators have until 2013, while 45 year olds may wait until 2014. By July 1, 2016 ALL PWC and ALL motorboat operators must meet the boating safety training requirements.

Just how do you prove you met the education requirement? The operator MUST have on board a card to show he/she met one or more of the following:

- Complete and pass a boating safety education course approved by NASBLA and accepted by the Virginia DGIF.

- Pass an equivalency/”challenge” exam

- Possess a valid license to operate a vessel issued by the Coast Guard ( a Merchant Mariner document)

- Posses a rental agreement from a rental business which lists the person as the operator AND has also completed the dockside safety checklist(must be onboard)

- Operates the boat under the direct supervision of a person that meets the compliance requirement

- Is registered as a commercial fisherman under the Code of Virginia or is under the direct supervision of the commercial fisherman while operating the fisherman’s boat

- Has assumed operation of the craft due to the illness or physical impairment of the operator and is retuning the craft to shore.

Non-residents of Virginia may operate boats in local waters for up to 90 days if they meet the requirements of their home state.

Make sure you meet the requirements before you head out this spring! Even if you are not subject to the requirement, take a safety course, and bring your family along! Boating is supposed to be fun, and being safe keeps boating fun!

Hiding my guns

I don't mean hiding my guns in case of a government takeover or zombie apocalypse.  Rather, two of my most-used guns are the same as they came from the factory long ago, with stained wood stocks and blued steel/alloy parts.  Since I take these two out in the field more than the others, I want them to be less conspicuous to critters.  I don't care for camo films or dips on the stocks, maybe on the metal parts.  I just want a dull nonglare finish.  On the wood, I want a dull finish there also, and maybe something to break up the outline some.  The problem with camo "patterns" is they don't always match where you are or the season.

I plan to work on two guns for this project; my old Mossberg 500 shotgun in 12 gauge, and a Umarex air rifle that wears the Ruger Airhawk logo.  Whatever I decide to use must be durable and easily touched up so the weapon remains protected and still "hidden".

More updates as this project goes on!

Where have I been?

Want to know where I have been? Check out www.pontoonboatadventures.blogspot.com.  Since the barge is up for sale, I have will return here. Want a deal on a great pontoon boat? 31 feet of fun and adventure!
Only $11,000 and you can come get it!