Above: I am replacing the scope rings with this set from NcStar.(on the left and below) The new rings have six machine screws each, as compared the the standard rings that have 3 machine screws each. The NcStar scope rings are wider than the standard rings as well. Hopefully these new rings will hold the scope firmly in place.
Above: Now that the scope is mounted, I am ready to go out in the garage and sight it in at 8 yards. Eight yards is absolutely the farthest distance I can achieve inside my garage without moving a ton of stuff. It is winter here and we just had 12 to 13 inches of snow. I'm not complaining, just not the best weather to be sighting in a rifle outdoors.
Above: After about ten or twelve shots at one of those 3 inch RangeMaxx orange spot targets, I had it sighted in well enough to put up a splatter target. The "Shoot N-C Target" has an 8 inch diameter with a penny size Bull's eye. I took three shots and only made 2 holes! So I decided that this was about as good as it's gonna get until I get more comfortable with the Air Hawk. A 1/4 inch 3 shot group first time out. I am more than satisfied. Paul Capello aka Airgun Reporter was very impressed with how this rifle performed "right out of the box". It was his video review that sealed the deal on me purchasing the Air Hawk.
Above: I brought the backstop outside to photograph it. It is a box about 24" tall and 20" wide and about 12 " inches deep. I have packed it full with cut pieces of card board. To see how well it would stop the Crosman .177 lead hunting pellet. I fired one shot off target, to make the pellet easier to find. After about 6" inches deep into the backstop there was only one hole. I pulled out sheets until I found where the pellet had stopped, about 8 inches in. I wasn't sure how well my backstop would handle a pellet traveling at an estimated 900+ fps. The pistol silhouette target on the backstop was from me shooting the custom 2240 the night before, at about 22 ft standing semi rest position.
Above: Once I pushed the bulging cardboard back, the penetration measured about 8 inches. The box is packed much fuller with cardboard sheets than it looks in the photo. I thought I would show this because it is an effective backstop that is fairly easy to make and replace. And I should mention you will need to move your targets around a bit as you will shoot through the backstop eventually. Behind my back stop I keep another made from pieces of 4x4 lumber, just in case I should ever shoot through, and I have. Multiple adhesive splatter targets about 4 inch to 6 inch (depending on your skill level) is a another good way to get the most out of your backstop.
Above: On the left is the .177 pellet I dug out of the cardboard. On the right a pristine pellet. I was a little surprised how much the cardboard deformed the pellet. But at 900+ fps I guess I should have expected this result.
Above: If you are looking for an affordable soft case for your Ruger Air Hawk, you can find this on on e bay. I paid $18.00 for it including delivery. The Brand name is Pit Bull model BD 101.
Above: As you can see it is a really nice fit. Besides the Pit Bull tag there is another that says simply "It Floats". I don't think I would bet the farm on that claim.
Above: While searching for upgrades or mods for the Air Hawk I ran across this muzzle brake. It is available at Archer air guns. I believe Mr Archer said on the Archer web site that the muzzle brake can be used to improve or tune the harmonics of the rifle. There is also an interesting review on the Archer site about how one shooter used the muzzle brake to tune his air rifle.
At one point I stood up an old sports plaque in front of the backstop. I had removed the photograph for sale on e bay. I was sure it was just some cheap particle board and the Crosman pointed hunting pellet would pass right through it. So I placed one shot onto the center of the plaque board. I felt the pellet graze my coat sleeve when it bounced right back at me. I turned to look around and there it was laying on an old towel I had spread out on my portable work table. As always when shooting I was wearing glasses.The pellet had bored a shallow hole in the board and bounced back. I say bounced because it didn't have much speed. It had grazed my jacket sleeve and just dropped onto the table. The lesson here is, be careful what you choose to shoot at. What I thought was cheap particle board turned out to be something much stronger. You can see the flattened pellet above next to an unused one for comparison. CAUTION: Airguns are Not Toys and must be handled with Extreme Caution and Safety at All Times. Handle any Airgun as if it were loaded. Always keep it pointed down range or away from any people. Read all directions and cautions before handling. Adult Supervision is strongly advised. Make sure your back stop is adequate to stop any stray rounds or flyers. Never shoot at a hard surface as your bb or pellet may ricochet and strike someone or something unintentionally.
I have (since I started working on the blog post) ordered the muzzle brake from Archer Air for the Air Hawk. I also would like to upgrade the scope. For very little cash I can upgrade to a much more functional scope. Then I plan to reinstall this scope (above) on my 1377 American Classic. After shooting the Backpacker with the Hammers Tactical circle dot scope again and still hating it. So it looks like I'll be selling the Hammers tactical circle dot sight on the e bay. Before wrapping this blog post up I would like to give the new NcStar scope rings a thumbs up. I have not had any trouble with the scope moving around. I would also like to say the Ruger Air Hawk is really a nice shooting rifle. There are a few things that could be better on the Air Hawk for sure. The scope that comes with it is ok but not great. The scope mount rings that come with the rifle are cheap. But for this price range the whole package is a good deal.
So even though you will probably want to make a few upgrades, you really get a lot of bang for your buck with the Ruger Air Hawk Combo. And the scope will be fine on one of my less powerful air rifles or carbines. Who knows? I might even mount it on my old Crosman 66 PowerMaster (above). That's all I got for now. until next time, Shoot Safe. I'm Out, Hugh
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