Pellet Rifles

hunterjoe21 · Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 9:32 pm Post subject: Pellet Rifles

Let’s discuss...

The good the bad and the ugly. What works and what doesn’t.

Go...

Elvis · Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 1:20 am Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

hold then tighter than a big centrefire magnum or they bounce and wont group worth a damn...flat target pellets work far far better on rats than pointed hunting ones as they deliver energy not penertration (Ive shot thousands of them) starlings n blackbirds dont notice the difference at 10 yards....the rats were average of 30 yards.

next...

Aloysius · Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 2:53 am Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

Pointed pellets: no good.
Flat target pellets (I like H&N most): excellent upto 20-25 yards.
Good round nose pellets (and in our country it's usually the czech JSB-pellet) give the best accuraty for all distances, but will transfer it's energy less good that the flat pointed target pellets.

In England they say: 5,5 mm for fur, 4,5 mm for feathers and I have to agree, but as always: shot placement is the key. Shoot dove in the head or on the chestbone (is it called so?) and you have them in your pocket. Shoot them anywhere else and they still fly about 100 yards (so it's lost).

Most of the time I shoot the BSA Scorpion in 5,5 mm with JSB Exact 15,89 grainss at a velocity of about 280 m/s (= 919 fps?).
Inside farmhouse I do doves with a Theoben MFR in 4,5 mm with H&N flat target pellet at 240-250 m/s. Outside on larger distances I don't use the H&N, but I take the JSB Exact of 8,44 grains at 240 m/s.

Did I mention that the 5,5 mm JSB Exact is actually 5,52 mm and the 4,5 mm is 4,52 mm?

Don't know if you have Field Target and/or Hunting Field Target matches in your neighbourhood. If so you should have a look and be amazed of the things these shooters do... and they are all using round nose pellets... (but they don't botther about energy transferring to the target, only about hitting the hit-zone)

Deer Sniper · Super Member Joined: Apr 26, 2007 Posts: 539

While not fancy, I shoot a Gamo Whisper Fusion Elite .177 caliber air rifle. It wears a 3X-9X-40mm scope that came with the gun...

The stock has an adjustable cheek piece...

As long as there is NO wind blowing, accuracy to 75 yards is good enough to head shoot rabbit and squirrel...

I have shot and killed a lot of game with my air rifle, and shoot it more than my 22 rim fire rifles and handguns, because I don't have to worry about dangerous ricochets hitting someone's house or animals...

I'll get on my computer this evening, and post a couple of pictures of my air rifle, target and velocity readings from gun. Right now though, I've got to get back in the shop and start making metal chips...

slimjim · Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

round, flat, or pointed nose doesn't matter if you can't hit the vitals. I tried multiple pellets including a Gamo trial pack and found the tipped red-fire grouped best at an inch at 25 yards. I also had limit pellet selection to a heavy pellet so I stayed subsonic. The Gamo Whisper I have (given to me) was rated for 1300 fps with the 5gr alloy pellets but the sonic "boom" would wake up the neighborhood.

Looks like a good quality pellet rifle is the best start. I have .177 but maybe a .22 would be better except then I might have to worry more about a heavier pellet leaving the yard.

Next would be selection of an effective pellet. The point on the red fire is plastic so maybe it acts like a flat because I don't find many pass throughs. I've been getting 1-shot DRT on about 50% of engagements, maybe a little less.

English Mike · Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 3:27 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

I've a Sharps Innova pump up I use for ratting & with careful pellet selection, it'll keep shots inside 1" @ 40yds.
Change pellet weights & the POI can change by 2" @10yds.
I've also a 1960's Bavaria BSF (sold as Wischo in the US) springer in the cabinet that i really must get round to checking out. By all accounts, they're up with Weihrauch for quality & accuracy.
Oh & I keep rat shots inside 50 yds & rabbits somewhat less. Anything more & for rabbitses the CZ 452 comes out, with subsonics to 70yds & HV hollow points out to 140.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Ah air rifles.

What type are you considering? There are the springers, the gas propelled... and even a version using a nitrogen filled bladder that compresses under load after cocking to propel the pellet. Recoil is only an issue with the springers.

You can get great accuracy out of quality guns and pellets. Youtube is filled with videos of +100 yard kill shots.

I just bought a pellet pistol for grouse when hunting deer and I dont want to make alot of noise. I got a crossman 1322 and its very surprising with its accuracy and domed pellets.

-DallanC

slimjim · Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

One aspect I wish I could have besides good accuracy is a quick follow-up shot. The first shot often hits and stuns the squirrel - they stay in place momentarily - then they start to move up a tree to get away. By the time I cock the rifle, pull a pellet out of my pocket, insert into the breech, close and look for the next sight picture they can get away or present a very challenging shot. It would be beneficial to have the quick second shot to anchor them so they stay in my yard. My backyard neighbor detests the "rats with tails" and has given me the ok to shoot and recover on his lot but he is the only one.

Aloysius · Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 12:38 am Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

SJ, a rubber band (a piece of innertube) with little holes that hold pellets can shorten your reloading time. You can put this band on your left wrist or on the stock of your rifle.

English Mike · Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 1:50 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

slimjim wrote:

One aspect I wish I could have besides good accuracy is a quick follow-up shot. The first shot often hits and stuns the squirrel - they stay in place momentarily - then they start to move up a tree to get away. By the time I cock the rifle, pull a pellet out of my pocket, insert into the breech, close and look for the next sight picture they can get away or present a very challenging shot. It would be beneficial to have the quick second shot to anchor them so they stay in my yard. My backyard neighbor detests the "rats with tails" and has given me the ok to shoot and recover on his lot but he is the only one.

Webley Raider 12 PCP with a rotary magazine.
Either 14 shot .177 or 12 shot .22

SingleShotLover · Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 5:18 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

I have this one: www.pyramydair.com/m/RWS/44 and added a Hawke 3x9 Mil-Dot .22/air rifle rated scope. Adjustable trigger can drop down to just a breath and with RWS round nosed pellets can group 5 into .25" at 30 yards from a rest.

Vince · Posted: Wed May 23, 2018 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

I have a Wembley Valuemax Powr-Lok in spring powered rifle in .22 calibre. I have yet to find the ideal pellet for it, even after trying about half a dozen different weights, styles and brands. The most likely contender at the moment is the cheapest of the lot...Winchester dome shaped. They produce the tightest groups so far, but even they are nothing to crow about. The only thing I have done to help improve things is to sheath the spring to make it a bit smoother and to take out a lot of the “ring” when fired.

I haven’t taken it out hunting as yet, and it is a tad noisy to shoot around the house, plus it’s against the law, so I don’t really know it’s capabilities...yet.

slimjim · Posted: Wed May 23, 2018 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

Vince, what exactly is against the law?

Vince · Posted: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

slimjim wrote:

Vince, what exactly is against the law?

An air rifle is classified as a firearm in Australia mate, and it's illegal to discharge a firearm in a residential area. You even need to have a firearms licence to own one and then the firearm (air rifle) also has to be registered with the Police...and that's after getting a Permit to Acquire approved by the Police to actually purchase one.

I could give it a real good workout around here on Indian Minors etc...if I could get away with it.

Aloysius · Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 4:25 am Post subject: Re: Pellet Rifles

Vince, how do you hold your rifle? When an airrifle is powered by a spring (sure when it's a not-tuned, very powerfull airrifle), it's very important that you hold it always the same way. You can compare it with shooting a bow, each time you change a little, even in the power of your grip, you get a different POI.
And shooting such a thing from a benchrest doesn't help much...

I know from competitors in Field Target that when they want to tune a powerful (spring) Diana, they start with cutting a few rings of the spring, decreasing the power.
IMHO for each airrifle the rule is that when your velocity comes close to the velocity of sound (or even is greater than), it's very difficult to get small groupes.
So don't suffer from "magnumitis" with airrifles!