Air Gun Home :: View topic - Pellet Accuracy

rsterne · Moderator

I have been keeping track of the accuracy of different pellets in some of the guns I have had.... The guns used were a Magnum Springer (BAM B-28), a 30+ FPE PCP (my regulated 2260 HPA Conversion), a non-PAL 2289 Pumper (with FTP), and a Medium Springer (PAL rated Phantom/Quest).... When sorting pellets and chronographing them through a gun, I shoot indoors at 20 feet, and divide the targets into three groups.... Although the chart says "under a dime", "between", and "over a quarter" that is not necessarily the criteria I use for all guns.... Often the guns shoot consistently better than that at such short range, and I use washers of 3/8" OD and 1/2" OD instead of a dime and a quarter to do the sorting.... The net results are the same, however, for all guns.... the pellets are sorted in to the "keepers" (green), the "terrible" (red), and the "others" (no colour).... When I move outside, I don't test the worst pellets, I test all the best pellets, and I re-test some of the ones in the middle group that match the intended use of that gun.... Here is a chart that displays my results....

First off, this is not intended to condemn those pellets I haven't had any luck with.... In some guns, they may perform well, or even be the best pellet for that particular gun.... I still test all the pellets I have, even though some I don't expect to perform well based on past experience.... In my earlier guns (2289 and Phantom) I didn't have as large a selection of pellets to test, so there are blanks in the chart.... I'm not into serious target shooting, and I don't have a huge selection of Match pellets.... so you will note they are conspicuous by their absence in the above chart....

I will make one comment, however, based on not only the testing documented above.... but also my experience with guns not listed above.... I can't say enough about the JSB Exact series of pellets.... Basically, they have become my "go to" pellets for virtually every gun I own.... Not only are the consistently in the "green" group for accuracy.... their true round-nose shape retains velocity and energy better than any other pellets I have tested in the same weight range.... I have never, as of yet, owned a gun that doesn't have at least one weight of those pellets in the final "short list" of the most accurate pellets for that gun....

I hope some of you will find the above information interesting and useful.... However, the only way for you to find out what works in YOUR gun is to test as many pellets as you possibly can....

Bob

SMP · Silver Status Member

This is a nice piece of data Bob, thanks for posting it. It certainly would be useful as a starting point for people. I can say that for the phantom column my experience is a mirror of what you have posted.

donec · Senior Member

I got a different some what perspective from your data. What I see is that the pointed pellets have the worst grouping followed by the wadcutters. It kind of surprises me since they use the wadcutters for competition at greater distance. I understand your results are not a definitive work on the subject but they do show a trend. I guess the clean circle left by the wadcutters is more important to competition judging than accuracy seeing as everyone uses wadcutters.

rsterne · Moderator

I have never found a pointed pellet that I like.... and with some the accuracy is downright attrocious.... On the other hand, I find many wadcutters to be quite accurate at ranges out to 15 yards.... The trick is to find one that your gun likes.... Fortunately, there are a TON of different wadcutters on the market in extremely good quality pellets (JSB and H&N) with a variety of weights and head diameters.... I've never chased them 'cause I'm not a paper-puncher.... When I do want to cut nice little round holes, I generally can find one my gun likes, especially at the ranges involved....

Bob

rsterne · Moderator

I have added the data I did yesterday with my B-26 and made a few corrections to the chart.... If anything, the B-26 reinforced the previous data for the most part....

Bob

Jetronic · Member

It seems the B-26 and B-28 consitently shoot better than the same pellets in the Phantom. Since the Phantom is also made by BAM, I doubt this is a quality issue, but most likely that your shooting technique got better?

If so, you might need to redo some testing....

rsterne · Moderator

This was not meant to compare guns, but pellets within the same gun.... groups shot on the same day under the same conditions.... While the groups SIZES might well vary with my technique, the relative performance (ie which were best or worst) should not.... The groups sizes will also vary from gun to gun, and barrel to barrel.... I don't have the Phantom any more anyway....

Bob

garththomas · Veteran Member

I agree with your results, the only pointed pellet that I have had any success is the RWS super point so as a rule I stay away from pointed completely.
Thanks for posting this, I haven't tried all of these pellets but it has confirmed my thoughts on ones I'll try in the future.

Jetronic · Member

Slavia · Moderator

I also have never had good luck with pointed pellets. The only exception is my Hakim - it's a taploader. Maybe the point helps guide the pellet into the bore.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

radar · Silver Status Member

Not a fan of pointed. They are not very stable, usually. In my many tests, they almost never penetrate soft tissue better, or usually even as well, as domed pellets--which is their whole purpose. An exception might be SuperDomes with their rather flat dome. The "points" are almost always very obtuse, and the relatively sharp corners they form at the circumference of the heads, as compared to most domed pellets, seems to act as a drag brake in animal tissue, ballistic gelatin or clay. At least that's my take on it.

Never underestimate the effect of the drag effect on the sides of a projectile as it passes through a media. I believe that's one major reason that round, lead balls tend to penetrate so well for a given power level.

The shape of a pointed, diabolo pellet also seems to create instability in the air. The RWS SuperPoints are among the best pointed pellets I've tried and they are not up tp par with domed accuracy past short range (for me).
cheers
Rob