target shooting..practice makes perfect

The only way to get good with an air rifle is with practice. Lots and lots and LOTS of practice. Never fire at live quarry unless you are sure that you can produce a kill at that range and under those conditions. But- paper punching gets boring. So, what do you shoot instead?

Basically, you can shoot anything. Paper targets, bells on string, fungi, leaves, twigs, toy soldiers, yogurt pots, coke cans, old books, old posters... I mean, anything- as long as its safe, you can shoot it. A friend of mine has so many free Internet access Cd's that he uses them as targets! (There are always bright patches of colour to aim for, and if you think you're really good, you can try and get the pellet through the centre hole!). You should wear shooting glasses if plinking hard targets at short range, as ricochets can be evil. Another trick is to put a line of caps or "throw downs" along a concrete ledge, go to 10 metres or so and try and hit them. Once you get your eye in, its very satisfying! (Shooting glasses should be worn, because the explosion of the cap combines with the ricochet and sends the pellet back at you). Another satisfying target is old film canisters. (Usually available in large quantities from your nearest camera shop). Put about a teaspoon of flour into the pot, and put the lid on loosely. Laid on their sides, the base is about the same size as an airgun quarry kill zone, and its easy to tell when you hit- clouds of flour fly out. (Experiment to find out how much flour is best- a full pot is too much for most non- FAC rifles, as it will just stop the pellet).