Shooting Advice
( Taken from www.crosman.com)
Zero In

An easy-does-it procedure for adjusting your sight.
The procedure for adjusting airgun sights so they are properly aligned with the point of impact is called "zeroing-in" or "sighting-in." The gun will be accurate at the distance at which it was sighted-in. Note: Accuracy is dependent upon the quality of the gun. If you follow the procedure below you will be able to best sight your gun in based on it's performance specifications.

In the best of all worlds, a perfectly sighted-in airgun should be able to shoot three or more shots at a paper target and make one hole. However, since your heartbeat or a slight puff of wind can impact the flight plan of the pellet or BB, a tight cluster, or "group" is adequate. At a distance of 50 feet, an acceptable group could be covered by a quarter.

To sight-in your gun, establish the correct "sight picture," or bullseye, in proper perspective to the front sight, and the front sight in proper perspective to the rear sight. Resting the gun on a sandbag can help steady the rifle or pistol while maintaining correct sight alignment and sight picture.

Place a paper target 20 feet away from the firing line, and fire a group. Next, find the center of the group, and adjust the sights accordingly. If the rear sight is moved to the left, the point of impact will move to the left. If the rear sight is moved down, the point of impact will move down, and so forth. Consult the owner's manual for your gun to know how your particular sight is calibrated. Once the group is reasonably centered on the target, place a new paper target at the distance you actually want to sight-in your airgun and repeat the procedure. The degree of accuracy with which a sight is calibrated is almost always related to the cost of the sight.

Setting up a Range
You can build a home shooting range that will allow you to practice all year round, indoors or out. Here's what you need to do for a safe place to practice.

Select a Safe Area. When designating the area, take into account the range of your airgun, penetration of the ammo, amount of traffic in the area, and likelihood of ricochets. You must be able to prevent people and pets from walking into the range.

Know Your Airgun. When shooting BBs, the distance from the firing line to the target is usually 15-25 feet. With pellets, that distance increases to 25-33 feet. There is no reason to exceed these distances because the accuracy begins to decrease.

Build a Proper Trap and Backstop. In combination, a trap and backstop can stop pellets or BBs without risk to shooters or spectators. The trap can be constructed from a sturdy cardboard box filled with materials like newspapers, magazines, or telephone books. Avoid materials with a hard surface or foam rubber because these could cause a ricochet or bounce-back. In the front of the box, use loosely packed or wadded material, followed by a series of tightly packed material in the rear. Be sure to test this box before positioning it with your backstop. The backstop is a hanging carpet or loose-hanging canvas, a sheet metal angled at 45 degrees, or hay or straw bales. The purpose is to stop any wide shots that miss the target. Again, test this backdrop before you put it in place.

Attach the Target. Tape a paper target in place on the front of the box. Hard-sided items like clothespins or paper clips can cause ricochets.

Establish a Defined Firing Line. Establish a definite line or barrier and allow no one to pass it when shooting is taking place. Make sure you store your guns away and they are not in your hand or the hands of other people when someone passes across the line. Leave enough room for shooters to safely move about and to accommodate the various types of shooting you will do.

If you choose not to build your own trap, consider a Crosman Target Trap, model # 0850, which is safe for use with BBs or pellets.