My air rifle came today. Let me just say that "pellet guns" have come a LOOOOONG way since I was a kid. Some of these now cost more than a motorcycle! I ended up getting a fairly basic model, that still cost $250!!!
Thanks again so much for the advice. I can practice with a real trigger (it is adjustable, by the way - some of the $250 going to good use.) and shoots real (sort of) bullets on a real target. So I can practice my offhand shooting every day! Now I'm really looking forward to my next silhouette competition in a few weeks. I plan to use my 44, but it's a CLA competition, only. I think that's legal, right? In any case, I know they will let me shoot. The 50/100/150 should be reasonable, but am seeing about a 34" drop at 200 yards. Those rams will be interesting. Good thing they are pretty big!

You do plan on adjusting your sights, right?

semi-buckhorn, yes.

I have made about every mistake there is in this sport. My advice would be watch and talk to successful shooters. There are plenty of "expert" shooters, but watch and talk to successful masters. When I watched and emulated Robert Massey's shooting stance and hold my scores picked up. I have picked Al Foust's brain with many stupid questions and he has GREAT advice. My scores are always better after I spend some time with my scoped pellet rifle in practice...something I learned from Cathy Winstead and Dustin Flint. You don't need hot loads for this sport..especially chickens. Talk to folks shooting your cal. guns and try loading theirs. THE #1 thing is to have fun. If most of us did this for a living we would be skinny and hungry. If you are going to be at the Nationals in Raton Look up Jeanne and I. You can shoot any of our guns and we'll give you any load info we have.



Glen

I joined up on steelchickens in Jan of 2014 and to me, this is the best and most helpful thread yet. This type of discussion is very beneficial to hold on to new shooters. I have talked with the top shooters mentioned and their excersizes do work, but only if one sticks to it. But when I started seeing improvement, that just made the addiction worser and better. Thanks to all involved with this thread an keep them coming. Also, Tlee can I get copies of those PDF's?

Tim Lee sent links to the 2015 Texas State matches. Fun to watch and a couple of interesting techniques noted:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... ToSffSJEld

http://youtu.be/1rLWJr3tYt0?list=PLE-y2 ... JDY3VZTTSc

Look closely how the different shooters hold their rifles - might help you.

Michael

PS: Thanks to Tim from a displaced Texan.

Thanks to Wayne Harlow for taking/generating those videos. Definitely educational!

-Tim