New to Shooting and could use a little help

[Derwood]

I bought a Gamo Socom pellet gun to pop chipmunks around the yard. It has a scope on it. Before I bought this, I was using my friends Gamo (not sure of the model) and it also had a scope. I got to the point with his gun where I could locate the chipmunk, raise the gun, see it and pop it in what I felt was a relatively short time. I didn't miss much.

But with my new gun, I miss all the time! I am shooting Crossman Destroyer pellets (same as in my friends gun) and have taken a couple of stabs at dialing in the scope. I put the gun on a solid surface, drew an X on a paper plate and began shooting at it from roughly the same distance my chippy's usually are. I tried to shoot about 5 rounds before adjusting the scope. I'm not certain, but I think I may be "dialing" the wrong way on the scope when attempting to correct. If I miss low and right, do I turn the top knob "up" and the side knob "left?" in order to shoot a little higher and to the left? Or does it mean IF you're missing to the left TURN it to the left...??? and if you're shooting low turn it DOWN? I'm sure some of you are laughing at my ignorance on this, and frankly that's okay with me... If I can make someone chuckle now and again, I'll chalk that up as a good deed for the day haha. Also, I remember in my PE class at school when we shot bow and arrow that it was important to have an "anchor point" with my hand. Do you do something similar with your cheek and how you hold the gun?

I have used some blue loc-tite on all the scope screws also to hold everything in place. Does it matter where on the barral the scope is mounted? I have it where I feel it is comfortable to look through. Thanks for any help anyone cares to offer.

I have shot about 400 rounds. It's a 1200 fps rifle.

[caffeineforall]

I've had scopes that said "up" but really moved the cross hairs "down" and visa versa. To figure out whats going on you first have to "group" your shots, they should be nice and tight without a lot of variance for that type of pellet gun.

When you are shooting at your target make sure to either switch targets after adjusting, or what I like to do is what my drill sergeant showed me is to use felt tip markers and use a different color for each series you shoot. You can also circle them with a ball point pen and label each "group".

Makes tracking where the pellets are moving easier. Once you know the direction the scope is adjusting it will be a lot easier to dial it in. Remember shooting form has a lot to do with it. If you start flinching or breathing wrong your groups wont be tight and it will make zeroing near impossible.

Side note, took my cross bow scope off my bow and threw it on the old pumpmaster and dialed it in. Took less than 15 minutes to zero down to a dime sized 3 shot group at 25 yards.

[AllenW]

Air guns can be hard on scopes, I finally went with a scope designed for them.
Might be your problem.

If the scope and rest are staying stable, set up a target at about 5 yards, use some sort of a bench rest and shoot 5-6 shot groups till you get a tight group in the center of the bullseye, then move out a yard or two and repeat, more yards..repeat.

Maybe if the gun came with iron sights do the same with them, might check the scope that way

If your group widens much more than what the manufactur says the gun will shoot, it could be pellets, scope, or a flaw in the gun.

Al

[Derwood]

Thanks for the advice. I will move closer tomorrow afternoon. I was set up at maybe 17-18yards. After making a couple of adjustments opposite what I just assumed with the respect to the scope, a couple of shots were better (I only took a couple of shots and had to stop). I'm not sure what pellets to use then, either. The gun came with Raptors. They actually make the gun sound much louder... don't know about accuracy because I've never hit my varmint when I've tried (haha).

I do appreciate the help, though... You know sometimes I wonder if my eye is just lined up differently from shot to shot????????? Maybe I should shoot with someone who really knows about these things and have him smarten me up on the matter.

[Texeye]

Allen is right on about air rifle scopes. You need the ones designed for them. It has something to do with the way they kick and vibrate when shot.

I think on most scopes , you move the screw the direction you want the bullet to go. If you are hitting to the left of your mark you need to move it to the right so move the screw whichever way indicates to the right.

[caffeineforall]

Originally Posted by Derwood

Thanks for the advice. I will move closer tomorrow afternoon. I was set up at maybe 17-18yards. After making a couple of adjustments opposite what I just assumed with the respect to the scope, a couple of shots were better (I only took a couple of shots and had to stop). I'm not sure what pellets to use then, either. The gun came with Raptors. They actually make the gun sound much louder... don't know about accuracy because I've never hit my varmint when I've tried (haha).

I do appreciate the help, though... You know sometimes I wonder if my eye is just lined up differently from shot to shot????????? Maybe I should shoot with someone who really knows about these things and have him smarten me up on the matter.

Changing your eye position can change your shot, usually more with iron sites than a scope.

If you know an ex-military guy they can coach you. I used to do it all the time for buddies to point out what they were doing wrong. Trigger squeeze was the biggest issue usually.

They are also right about the scope, I stopped messing with the 1000fps break barrels because of this and go with the good ole pumpmaster. lol.

[hawg]

I've had trouble with all the heavier pellets if that's what you have. I use pointed crossman and get consistant shooting.

[Derwood]

I'll look into those, thanks.