more things going on

right now there's a lot going on that demands a great deal of attention on my part but i still manage to get in 'play' time.

i have an Air Force Talon in .22, to say the least it's a very well designed, but yet simple piece of air gun technology that has a great deal more "power" than my springer magnums have. I've made no changes to it from "stock" insofar as the valving goes and it has more than enough power for the average air gunner, yet I'm going to do some modification to increase that power in the very near future.

right now, i have open sights on this fine rifle. i know that in order to exploit it's potential, i should employ a scope; which i did purchase with the rifle when it was new. however...like bow hunting, air gun hunting is a 'close in' sport. seldom is a shot taken over 40-50 yards. most of the airguns used are NOT capable of taking game beyond those ranges...oh, there are those available that will, but the average air rifle, even the magnum springers, are dubious at ranges beyond that.

if a person is pursuing game larger than fox, he should go to a "powder burner" or a big-bore air rifle, OR undertake modification to one (air rifle) that will be capable. IMO. the Air Force is one such air rifle that will take to being modified for the taking of coyote and similar size game.

keeping in mind that air gun hunting is a close in sport, i feel that the accuracy afforded by decent open sights is more than adequate for game the size of fox all the way down to the average wood rat in this area at ranges out to 40-50 yards. i, normally, have no difficulty hitting a 2" target within 50 yards with the sights i now use. when you consider the damage done to a body cavity of a creature the size of a rat by the introduction of a .22 caliber size, 14 grain or heavier, projectile traveling at near supersonic speed, it's no wonder that "pinpoint" accuracy is not really a "must"...it's quite desirable, but not a "must". the damage is usually massive and lethal within seconds or instantaneous, especially with some of the newer hunting pellets; for smaller game and target shooting, a good scope is just the ticket.

all to often, IMO, airgunners underrate the power of the 'magnum' air guns and want more. not that I'm against that you understand, it's just that if what you have will accomplish the task at hand, why bother with all the upgrades and such for what sometimes is not measurable anyway. i can't see spending hundreds of dollars for what would amount to a negligible change in performance.

it's been my experience that most factories do produce an adequate product in more cases than not...if you wish to 'upgrade' then that's up to you. and...conversely, if a minor 'adjustment/modification will net you a big gain...why not?

that's where this particular rifle comes into it's own. it has enough factory adjustment to make it very versatile and yet enough to whack most fur balls around here with a great deal of authority. all i have to do is to find that level of peformace that will put it over the top.