This is the new chassis system of the RAW HM-1000X.
This report covers:
- Long story
- UTG to the rescue
- Let’s talk
- Mounting the rings
- Droop is built-into the HM-1000X
- Align the scope
- Couldn’t see the image!
- Where did that put me?
- Sight-in
- No alibi
- Summary
Today I mount a scope and start sighting-in the RAW HM-1000X precharged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle.
Long story
I have been waiting on a new whomptydoodle Meopta scope to test with this rifle. I was signed up to receive it and I even told them to give me the writer’s pricing, in case I found it to be wonderful, which everything from Meopta so far has been. Unfortunately, the first batch hit American shores and vanished, as the dealers bought every single one!
Now, that may have been a “toilet paper” reaction to the Kung Flu that is still slowing things down at the ports, but the results are the same. No scope for BB until late October or even November. That’s my story.
UTG to the rescue
Fortunately, I have a good supply of top quality scopes from UTG in reserve. I selected an 8-32X56 with illuminated reticle and I mounted it in their two-piece 30mm high POI rings.
Let’s talk
The RAW is meant to be scoped. Since it is considered a contender for 100-yard benchrest matches, it needs a powerful scope in a high quality mount.
Before we move on, let’s talk about mounting the scope I chose. It’s a big one and the rifle has a rotary magazine that sticks up above the top of the receiver. Both things force you to make careful choices when mounting the scope.
As you can see, the scope I chose is not small. But this rifle was made to be scoped and it will accept it with ease — provided the right things are done.
And there is one sticky wicket. The rotary mag sticks up above the top of the receiver. You have to use two-piece scope rings if you use a larger scope.
Mounting the rings
The rings that were on the scope were the ones I wanted to use. They have T25 Torx screws in the caps and also in the bases, so only a single tool is needed. They were not positioned correctly for this rifle, so both rings had to be moved, and moving the POI rings is a simple task. The base jaw has a coiled spring that pushes it out as the screw is loosened, so no more fiddling with a bunch of parts, trying to get them to fit. Two small bars keep the jaw parallel to the rest of the ring base, so all you have to do is loosen the screw until the ring base pops into the base on the rifle and then cinch it down. Easy-peasy!
Droop is built-into the HM-1000X
The Picatinney scope base on top of the rifle’s receiver has a 20 minute of angle (MOA) downward slant machined in. Remember — this rifle is built to shoot at long range, and pellets lose velocity as they travel downrange. Therefore they drop as they go and that built-in angle should take care of all the drop you will encounter. We will find out.
Align the scope
Once the scope is mounted you need to position it for your eye and also to get the vertical reticle straight up and down. If you don’t, pellets will move left and right as you shoot at different distances. I do this by eye, bisecting the receiver with the vertical reticle. Since I’ll eventually shoot at 100 yards, if there is any left-right pellet impact shift when I move from 50 out to 100 yards, I can correct for it then.
Couldn’t see the image!
I got the scope positioned and because it is so powerful it’s a bit fussy about having your eye aligned with the exit pupil — especially at 32 power — it was giving me fits. However, this is a RAW and the stock is also adjustable. I lowered the cheekrest about 3/8-inch and then the scope aligned fine.
This scope has an extremely fine bead in the center of the reticle, which is perfect for shooting bullseyes at 100 yards. It’s also illuminated with UTG’s 36 colors and levels of brightness, so there won’t be a problem seeing where the center of the reticle is. I just have to remember to always use the same color and brightness if I illuminate the reticle, in case there is any movement when the colors are changed or when I turn off the illumination. There shouldn’t be, but 100 yards is anal territory for pellets and air rifles.
Where did that put me?
After spending some time adjusting the position of the rings and the scope I wondered where it put me. Now I’m going to show you why high rings are necessary with this rifle.
The UTG scope is now mounted, positioned and secured. Is the bottom of the scope turret touching the rotary magazine?
The thousand-word picture. You can’t see it in the picture above but now you see why high rings are essential with this scope. There is this much clearance between the bottom of the scope turret and the rotary magazine. This macro shot was hand-held at 1/20 second with my Canon G11 camera, which is more proof that camera was so essential for me.
Sight-in
Now that the setup is complete, it’s time for sight-in. Unlike some other airguns that I limit to 25 yards, the sight-in of this rifle will begin at that distance. But before I shoot at that distance I need to make certain that I don’t shoot the couch! This is a 50 foot-pound air rifle and my couch is a new leather one that reclines. I’m taking special care of it, these days.
I used Air Arms Field Heavy 18-grain domes to sight in. The first shot was from 12 feet. I can’t even see the bullseye that clearly through the scope, so I’m not too worried about where the pellet hits — as long as it is on the paper somewhere.
And it hit the paper about two inches to the right of the aim point and two inches high. With that I am good to go for 10 meters, so I back up to 10 meters and shoot once more without adjusting the scope. The pellet moves about a half-inch to the left and remains almost as high as it was on the first shot. I crank in a little down elevation and shoot again. The pellet hits just below the last one.
Now I crank in lots of left and lots of down adjustment. Shot 4 hits the top of the bull I’m aiming at and right in line with the center. I crank in about 20 more clicks of down and the pellet is almost a pinwheel — meaning it takes out the 10-dot and touches the 9 ring all around. That’s good enough for me.
Using that last shot as the first of a 5-shot group, I fire shot two and open the group to the lower left ever-so-slightly. When looking through a 32-power scope at 10 meters the world gets really big!
I could not see the next three shots, except that shot five did seem to make the group a little rounder. Five shots went into 0.091-inches at 10 meters. Now this RAW isn’t for shooting at 10 meters, but isn’t it nice that it does so well?
I’m showing you all the sight-in shots, plus the first group in this picture.
The five-shot group is below. I left the shot just before the group to show the size of a single .22-caliber pellet hole. Five shots went into 0.091-inches at 10 meters.
Of course that group earns the coveted 13mm gold dollar for size comparison, but it dawned on me that a group smaller than a tenth of an inch really deserves its own special coin. I’m torn between a California quarter dollar gold coin (of which most these days are reproductions) or a widow’s mite (a Lepton). I’m leaning toward the widow’s mite, since it’s much less less expensive and also less counterfeited (though they are faked).
No alibi
And by the way, by shooting a pinwheel on the first shot, please note that I removed my aim point. That gives me the perfect alibi for a larger group. But you’ll notice that I’m not making any excuses. Apparently with this RAW I don’t have to.
Summary
I spent a little more time explaining how I mounted the scope for today’s report. I did that because we are going to take the RAW out to 100 yards, which is beyond the distance at which I usually shoot. For shooting that far the scope needs to be spot-on, and I explained that as we went.
B.B.
Are those UTG scope rings as well?
Whenever you get your Meopeta, please do a very though review of it.
At some point perhaps you could do a FFP vs SFP discussion? Maybe you have and I missed it?
-Y
Yogi,
/blog/2016/10/sun-optics-4-14×44-tactical-hunter-first-focal-plane-scope-part-1/
shootski
Yogi,
I cannot see any reason or advantage for the FFP scope. I think it’s a sales gimmick.
BB
B.B.,
Nice set up!
You did send them past the leather couch with ease…but:
“For shooting that far the scope needs to be spot-on, and I explained that as we sent (went).” Might work better at the end of the last sentence.
shootski
shootski,
That was a strange one. I don’t know where it came from.
Thanks,
BB
B.B.,
I hope you receive the Meopta scope and can mount it for the the 100 yard tests of the RAW. I have been thinking of ordering one.
My .22 caliber RAW likes the JSB Redesigned Monster Pellets 25.39 gr. at 944 fps and the H&N 25 gr slugs at 919 fps the best of all the ammo I have tested. The slugs did better than the pellets at 100 yards. I have been wanting to try the JSB KnockOut 25.39 gr slugs in both .216 and .217 caliber, I think they may also be good.
I have both the right and left hand magazines; the right hand one works with a focus wheel on the left side of the scope.
Do you know if the single shot tray is available yet?
Don
Don,
I don’t know about the single-shot tray, but I’m having dinner with them tonight and I will ask.
BB
BB,
See if they will make a single shot tray for the .357 please.
Thanks
Cool rifle. It looks like it could shoot lasers. How loud is it? Do you use ear pro when shooting that bad boy?
Roamin,
It’s pretty loud — over 100 dB.
BB
how can it be loud with that giant drain pipe on the end of it? what is it for
B.B. and readership,
I won this Swift Model 821 spotting scope at a local estate auction. Does any one else have this, and if so, do you have the manual, and may I have a copy? I figured out that the piece marked with a green arrow in the attached picture is screwed on first and then the individual ocular lenses are screwed on next. The part indicated by the green arrow turns to focus the image. I can focus on my targets at 10 yards.
However, what does the ring marked with a red arrow do?
RC,
Wild guess, but i would say the green arrow. is for focus and the red arrow is for zoom. Another possibility is the red arrow is coarse focus and the green arrow is fine. Try it and find out.
Thanks. I will try again to see if it makes any difference in the focus.
B.B. and readership,
I’m sorry for posting this twice, but my question was buried in other matters yesterday and may have been lost in the shuffle.
My one daughter was shooting our Umarex Embark (a spring piston break barrel), and a few times when she pulled the trigger, the gun sounded much louder, with a sharper “crack” rather than the normal report, and I found that the pellet never left the breech. When that happened, I re-cocked the gun, and it would shoot normally. Any ideas what is happening? Is this essentially a dry-fire that will damage the gun over time? Perhaps she did not cock it all the way?
The only thing I have done to this gun is apply a modest amount of TIAT to the mainspring through the slot you can see after taking off the stock, to smooth the shot cycle a bit. The gun was logging pretty good groups until the peep sight aperature started moving around on its own (waiting for a replacement to be delivered from P.A.) and I put the rear open sight back on. Your thoughts are welcome, because I don’t want to damage the rifle or me when I shoot it tonight.
Roamin,
I saw this and din’t answer because I have no idea what caused it. The only time it happened to be it really was a dry-fire.
BB
Thanks, B.B.
RC,
I ain’t never seen that before. I have had detonations before, but the pellet did not stay in the breech when that happened. It could possibly be the breech is not properly closed. Your daughter may not be getting the barrel to lock up all the way.
I have had a catastrophic detonation before in my Gamo CFX. It made a very loud bang, smoke came out of the muzzle and breech and every seal was destroyed. No injury to me but my shooting sessions were ended for a bit.
Inspect the breech seal. That sounds like where the issue is. The barrel is possibly not getting locked up.
When it comes to being injured, do not be afraid of having a catastrophic detonation. The rifle will vent such out of the muzzle and/or into the compression chamber where it will dissipate. Just do not look down the barrel when you pull the trigger and you should be fine.
“Just do not look down the barrel when you pull the trigger and you should be fine.”
Sage advice, Ralphie. Wink, wink.
Seriously, though, thanks. I will check the breach seal and the barrel lockup.
RG,
You would be surprised.
I don’t doubt it at all. I saw a YouTube video once of a very lucky fellow who was shooting his .22 firearm in the woods, and the rifle misfired. He looked at the gun for a long moment, and then as I cringed in abject horror, he turned the still-loaded rifle around to peer down the barrel (as if he was expecting to be able to see what the problem was from THAT end). Well, of course, the gun went off. Why was he very lucky? He managed to shoot only his hat off his blessed head!
Folks, especially you younger shooters and newbies, DON’T EVER look down the barrel of a loaded gun!!! That’s rules number 1 and 2 of gun safety:
1. ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.
2. NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY.
And of course, always wear shooting glasses!
“Poison seal”? Are you not the one who is always correcting BB? Shame on you. 😉
RidgeRunner,
Well the gun is not firing as it should be? 😎
Durn autospell.
Siraniko
Thanks, Siraniko. Indeed, I have been testing all kinds of pellets through it since we purchased it last year. At the time these strange “misfires” happened, we were using the Predator GTO (JSB Journey) wadcutters, 5.25 gr., which the gun was designed to shoot. But I have also shot even lighter HN Match Green 5.0 gr. Wadcutters through it with no issues. Will try to check it out tonight and report back. Maybe if nothing else, a drop of chamber oil down the air transfer port will be in order. Will inspect and test first, as it is not making any noise on the cocking stroke, which is one indication that the piston seal needs oil.
Roamin
Maybe you have a tin of pellets that have some undersize pellets in it. It does happen even with quality brand pellets. That could be sending the pellets out the barrel faster than normal. Just a thought.
Thanks for the thought. I’ll check the rest of the pellets in the tin. I don’t have a pellet gauge (yet), but I can line them all up and take a look. I can also test my relatively new digital calipers and see if there is any difference. But the curious thing is that after the “misfires,” I took the gun, re-cocked it, and it fired normally. So I think Ridgerunner’s original theory is the most likely answer. But I will consider all input received.
Roamin,
I have had this happen to me with old English pellets. The die that the firm was using must have been really worn because a number of the pellets had holes in the nose. The result was the equivalent of a dry fire. Inspect the pellets your daughter is using to eliminate that as the cause.
Fred formerly of the Demokratik Peeples Republik of NJ now happily in GA
Thanks, Fred. I’ll check. These non-lead pellets come in a small tin of 200 or 250 pellets, and have been so clean, that I would bet they were machined on a lathe rather than swaged. But I’ll check into it.
Roamin
I have had happen what Fred said also with certian brand pellets. I recovered the pellets fired and some had the hole in the front and others didn’t. And some were almost blown through the top.
But also I seen happen what RidgeRunner was talking about. When you close the barrel a non seated pellet or loose pellet would get flipped out of the barrel on break barrel guns and you never know it until you fire the gun unless your really paying attention.
I have mentioned this at different times on the blog before also to eliminate that pellet fling I’ll call it. When I load a pellet by hand into the breech end of a barrel I take my thumb and roll it around the pellet once it’s in the barrel to seat the pellet. That usually will eliminate the pellet fling on a break barrel gun. Plus you start to get the feel of how hard it is to seat the pellet. That kind of gives you a idea how that shot will hit. It even works with sorted pellets.
Hope you get it figured out. Let us know how it goes.
Roamin
Just to add. Even under lever and side lever air guns will loose the pellet out of the barrel if you don’t roll your thumb around after you put the pellet in the barrel.
Seating the pellet like that helps in a few different ways.
Unless you are shooting at long range, these air rifles are so boring. You should be able to take that group out to 25 yards and clover leaf it at 50. Once you find “the” pellet and get a good feel for this monster, you should be able to shoot 1 MOA at 100 yards.
I have to admit to being surprised. Most often when streamlining a production, quality usually declines. It has to be done very carefully. John deserves a lot of credit for understanding how to bring craftsmanship into production.
B,B.,
I’m so impressed with the 1/20 sec. close-up photo. In my youth, with a heavy camera (Speed Graphic) I could hand hold slow shutter speed shots. Doing so with a light camera is quite a feat. Today I don’t even think of trying low speed shots without a tripod. Try as I might, there is always a little “fuzz” in the photo. These days, for most things I’m steady enough, but low shutter speed photos are the gold standard and they always show a tiny bit of instability. So, WELL DONE, B.B.!
Dan
Dan,
To be honest, I sharpened it in PhotoShop. 🙂
BB
Have heard there is a freebie version of PhotoShop-like software called GIMP; have not tried it so can’t offer a critique about it. If you already use PhotoShop and are happy with it, all is good.
DOODAADOOOOH!
Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Please stand by for a very important announcement!
Due to the release of the Chinese Bioweapon and our poor attempts to bring it under control, The 8th Annual North Carolina Airgun Show has once again been cancelled. For any further information you may contact the sponsor here.
https://www.tmacsairgunservice.com/
Shucksydarn!
Shuckysdarn is right!
Fred formerly from and so on
So, will next year’s event still be the “8th Annual” or the “10th Annual” since years 8 and 9 were canceled? Or perhaps just the “8th” and drop the “Annual”?
Sorry, I can’t help it.
:o)
LOL! It will likely be the 8th Annual. You have to admire his determination.
RR
What on earth are you talking about? A China bio weapon.
You don’t want to know what I call it.
GF1,
It is a biological weapon that was being developed by the Chinese that got loose.
RR,
How did the Chinese get loose? 😉
BB
BB,
On Sanpans.
BB
“How did the Chinese get loose? 😉 ”
🙂
RR
“It is a biological weapon that was being developed by the Chinese that got loose.”
No way. 😉
GF
If you guys watched the South Park “Pandemic Special” you would know where the plague came from.
tt
TT
I haven’t watched TV for a long time now. When I did all it did was make me sad or piss me off. Mostly the latter.
Wasn’t going to make it to the NC show this year, but the bad news still sucks; Kung Flu does us in again!
Maybe next year. If so, maybe will even get to meet some of you face-to-face. Be forewarned you may have to look down to find FM and not step on him.
I guess the pandemic is like a pellet trajectory….
When you “flatten the curve,” you lengthen it.
Still wish some curves would just go away.
Roamin
Seems like they got the wrong sight on their projectile to me.
If they don’t get their sight right soon I’m afraid there won’t be anything going on for them to grab from.