Air Gun Home :: View topic - Air Hawk=2, Chipmunks=1 (Updated Air Hawk +2)

Engineer · Member

I’m trying to learn all this air gun stuff and been struggling with a Ruger Air Hawk as some of you have read in introduction thread. I’ve trying the advice that everyone has been giving me and Thank You, it is helping. I was up at the in-laws cabin this weekend and found that critters had attack the loft above the garage. Several mattress pads, pillow case, air mattress, and comforters were destroyed over the winter. I decided a few of the chipmunks need to die.
I tried re-sighting the gun without a gun rest and just my left (forward) arm on a rest. The POI was little high and to the right but was able to quickly adjust the scope. First chipmunk in sight at about 15 yards, crosshairs on the head. I shoot and it is a little low but a heart shot. I was thinking that the distance was too close since I sighted at 30 yards and the pellet was still rising. Next chipmunk in sight about 15 yards and crosshairs about 1” over its head. I shoot and the pellet goes underneath the little guy. Back to the target and check the POI. It’s about 1-1/2” low at 15 yards so I checked it at 30 yards and I’m shooting 4” low. So I re-sight at 30 yards. Next chipmunk in sight at 12 yards and cross hairs on the top of the head. I shoot and the pellet enters the front of the left shoulder and exits the right hip. No more visible chipmunks so I go back the target. It is now shooting 1-1/2” to the left at 15 yards and 3” to the left at 30 yards.
More shooting at targets revealed that I can get two or three shots to group and then POI moves. Any suggestions? I don’t have another air gun scope and really don’t want to mount a $400-$500 rifle scope on it and possibly damage it. I can buy a new UTG 3-9x40 AO for about $70 and one piece mount for another $30 locally if you think it is the scope.

yourdaddyjoe · Supporting Member

Come on.... share the Varmint carnage!

SMP · Silver Status Member

Well it could be simple parallax errors that are causing your problems. I know I've been driven round the bend because of parallax.

Check your stock screws. They should be very tight.
Check your muzzle crown by passing a qtip in and out of the muzzle. If the qtip leaves fibres on the muzzle you need to recrown. If the crown is not visually concentric you should recrown
Test lots of different pellets. It's quite amazing how differently each rifle will shoot a different pellet. Find the perfect pellet and you can go from 4" circle to ragged hole. This is really important if the speed could be close to transonic.

SMP · Silver Status Member

Oh and here is a parts diagram for the Air Hawk
http://www.umarexusa.com/umarex/images/partsdrawings2/AirHawk.jpg

yourdaddyjoe · Supporting Member

I still want pics!

Mark5043 · Silver Status Member

Engineer · Member

The carnage is is 130 miles away right now but I promise to get pictures next time out. There is not much to see as they are not very big and the whole chipmunk including tail fits in my hand.

The crown looked ok but I just spent an hour re-crowning it. No Q-tip fibers and the stock screws are tight with Loctite 242 (blue).
The parallax is set for 30 yards and has about a 1/4" max shift at 10 yards. I'm seriously thinking about an AO scope and one piece mount.
Thank you for the break down link.

I have six different kinds of pellets and the Crosman Premier Hollow Points shoot better than the Diabolo Exact and Heavy but are starting to fly everywhere. I had to cut the test session short as I was attacked by mosquitoes. There was more of them than I had pellets. For some reason they are attracted to the rifle. I have about 600 pellets through this gun. It still may be the pellets but soon I'll have as much $ in pellets as the rifle. LOL BTW, what do you do with the pellets that don't shoot well in your gun?

Jr. Squirreler · Veteran Member

If you really do need a new scope, the Hammer 3-9x32 is a really nice scope for about $60 at Amazon. It even comes with a one piece mount!

SMP · Silver Status Member

Hahaha to be honest I hoard them in order to justify the next gun that may shoot those pellets well.

Here is one last thing to try. I have had great luck adding weight to the end of the barrel of a couple unruly springers. I use 5/8" shaft collars (the type used to keep pulleys and gears in place) they are 1.5 oz each and are only 1 or 2 bucks each. remove the front sight and gradually add weight firing groups with your best pellet.

Rsterne takes the credit for that trick. you literally can watch the groups change size as you add and remove weight. My phantom likes 5oz's.

Once you have your ideal weight have someone turn you a cosmetic (muzzle break) that matches the weight

Engineer · Member

SMP · Silver Status Member

sounds awesome...Let us know what the progress is

Engineer · Member

one shot · Member