Air Arms Owners Club

I haven't picked mine up for ages except to wipe it down. Lack of pigeons on the stubble, low rabbit numbers and afternoons gardening, busy weekends have all contributed to me losing interest a bit. Yesterday I had a free afternoon so I finally decided to get the Prosport and the S200 out for a session of plinking and checking zero. I took the car down to one of my favourite fields, there is a long section at the bottom of a hill, surrounded by hedges on 3 sides so sheltered from everything except northerlies. I can park the car in one spot and there is a long earth bank that gives me ranges from 30 to 50 yards, a few trees give me targets ranging from knotholes and leaves to thistle heads and small pebbles. I usually add in a few bits of my own like corks, sugar cubes and bits of pasta. (the best use for pasta!)
Feeling particularly idle I didn't bother with a seat, I just sat in the car with the sticks rested from passenger seat headrest to dashboard and the window open, gunbag over the sticks and started with the S200. The combro showed an average 773 over 3 shots from 150 BAR.
The first few shots were wayward but gradually settled to a group about an inch from POA at 35 yards, 3 mags worth of AADF and it was settled but I was still annoyed at the zero shift, I hate that because it makes me doubt the rifle/scope.
The S200 went back in the bag and I got out the Prosport. The combro showed it slightly higher to start at 780 fps but when I checked later it was back to the normal 772 fps.
The first shot was at a large leaf with a pale blemish about the size of my thumbnail, I appeared to miss but fired a couple more then decided to to set up a cardboard box and rezero. When I'd put the box out I went to the tree to look at the leaf I'd aimed at and found a neat cloverleafed hole through it!
Why did I doubt the Prosport? It has never let me down except when I've dropped it or done something stupid! Anyway, I spent the next 2 hours happily making holes in leaves, shattering pasta (muck) and bouncing pebbles all over the place.
A love affair is rekindled, my Prosport really is something special, maybe one of the best, it still cocks and fires like something running on oiled silk, its proved its accuracy and reliability yet again despite being laid up for a while, I can trust it to do what its supposed to do first time and that makes it something out of the ordinary. With my shooting getting less I can see one of the rifles being shifted to leave just the best for the future.
No need to ask which one is there?

Tim, this comes as no surprise really. You have always had a certain something for the pro sport. You can tell when someone writes with feeling, it becomes tangible, that feeling passes on to the reader. Once again the same applies. You may like your S200 but not love it. This also has been apparent in your posts about the 200, you always praise it for it's accuracy, but the love is not there, a respect for it yes, but love no. Of course should you pass one on, you will keep the one which gives you something back. We know which one. Great to hear you post again.
Gary.

Nice to see you picking up your rifles .... and posting, Tim

Thanks Gary and Raj, a little break often does you good and refocuses the things that are important. I don't think I'll ever get back to shooting as much as I used to but I'll enjoy it when I get the chance.

After reading your write up tim I finally decided it was time too get the s200 out for a serious plinking session well it has been about 3 years I had forgotten how much I love shooting this rifle I can't say how many pellets I shot but I had too call it a day when it vented its self.
The rifle is now charged and another session is planned for sunday
Will it replace my rimfire,no but I had forgotten how much I enjoyed shooting it and it will be out after bunnies this winter

That's what it's all about Brian, sometimes we forget the simple pleasure of just enjoying "playing" with an air rifle.
I'm not really thinking about live quarry right now, just the satisfaction of putting pellets where I want and getting back to something that was a great stress buster when I needed it. I'm going to make a concerted effort to get out at least once every week in future.
The S200 is going to be oiled and wrapped up for now and tucked away in the wardrobe, no decision yet!