airgun accuracy
- Thread starter Bearcat
- Start date
That's a question with a lot of potential pitfalls. Ten yards is relatively close, so decent sized groups should be the norm. In fact a low powered, less-than-$100 Daisy 953 will probably shoot groups around half-an-inch at 10 yards -- scoped or unscoped.
There are at least three things to consider. First, not all pellets are created equal. Pellet rifles are notorious for being selective about what they can shoot well. Pellets come in different sizes (e.g. head sizes of 4.50, 4.51, 4.52, even 4.53mm), different shape (round head, wadcutter, pointy, hollow point, gimmick), and different weight (light weight alloy, mid-range, and heavy). If you are using inexpensive Chinese-made pellets, for example, individually they may not be of consistent size, shape, and weight. Do not use light pellets, pointy pellets, or cheap pellets. Stick to quality round head pellets (or for short range, lower powered shooting, wadcutters) made by manufacturers such as JSB or H&N. (The Crosman pellets sold in tins at CT are for times when nothing else is available.)
Second, high powered spring piston air rifles can be very challenging to shoot well. A springer has a two-way recoil that is no friend of accuracy. The greater the power of the air rifle, more often the greater the difficulty of shooting it well. Ten meter airgun competition has always favoured relatively lower powered guns.
Third, and directly related to the second, is that it is necessary to hold and shoot a spring piston air rifle much differently than a PB rifle like a .22LR. The heavy recoil referred to above makes it necessary to use the "artillery hold" to minimize the effect of the two-way recoil. See http://www.pyramydair.com/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOYSU5Lq7oA
Many shooters unfamiliar with the peculiarities of shooting a spring piston rifle are often seduced by manufacturers' claims of power and high veloicities of 1100 or even 1200 fps. High power doesn't make any springer superior to another. Stoeger air rifles are made in China. They work and shoot. Don't be offended, but they and the many other Chinese-made air rifles available are the Norinco's of the airgun world.
There are at least three things to consider. First, not all pellets are created equal. Pellet rifles are notorious for being selective about what they can shoot well. Pellets come in different sizes (e.g. head sizes of 4.50, 4.51, 4.52, even 4.53mm), different shape (round head, wadcutter, pointy, hollow point, gimmick), and different weight (light weight alloy, mid-range, and heavy). If you are using inexpensive Chinese-made pellets, for example, individually they may not be of consistent size, shape, and weight. Do not use light pellets, pointy pellets, or cheap pellets. Stick to quality round head pellets (or for short range, lower powered shooting, wadcutters) made by manufacturers such as JSB or H&N. (The Crosman pellets sold in tins at CT are for times when nothing else is available.)
Second, high powered spring piston air rifles can be very challenging to shoot well. A springer has a two-way recoil that is no friend of accuracy. The greater the power of the air rifle, more often the greater the difficulty of shooting it well. Ten meter airgun competition has always favoured relatively lower powered guns.
Third, and directly related to the second, is that it is necessary to hold and shoot a spring piston air rifle much differently than a PB rifle like a .22LR. The heavy recoil referred to above makes it necessary to use the "artillery hold" to minimize the effect of the two-way recoil. See http://www.pyramydair.com/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOYSU5Lq7oA
Many shooters unfamiliar with the peculiarities of shooting a spring piston rifle are often seduced by manufacturers' claims of power and high veloicities of 1100 or even 1200 fps. High power doesn't make any springer superior to another. Stoeger air rifles are made in China. They work and shoot. Don't be offended, but they and the many other Chinese-made air rifles available are the Norinco's of the airgun world.
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If you master how springers shoot, 1/2" should be freezable.
So what got solved ? I bought a Diana break barrel type . Finally got a good scope and mounts and it still wasn't shooting . I tried 4-5 different pellets and no better than 2 inch groups at 30 yds then a new tin and 1/2 groups ! I've got allot of pellets that I won't use now . Hopefully the type that shoot good will be available . What's with ammo sensitive pellet guns ?
Barrels in pellet guns are just meant for different types of pellets. From what I hear, Crosman makes the hardest pellets, H&N / RWS in the middle, and JSB as the softest lead.
Some rifles will just be extremely pellet picky. There are plenty of other types of pellets to choose from, but so many of them are just junk. Even my Benjamin HPs in .22 are just disgusting to look at, with astoundingly poor fit & finish. The extra lead from the mould is clearly just left on the pellet, and it's a shocking amount.
That being said, my Hammerli Pneuma (same as Hatsan AT-44) loves just about every pellet, including the hideous Benjamin pellets. I was getting sub 1" groups with them at 50 yards, shooting at nearly 1000 fps. A lot of shooting and testing however has proven that the JSB 18.1gr heavies are the best pellet for the barrel. Groups of 1/2" at 50 yards are standard. We shoot at 1/2" diameter styrofoam balls at a 50 yard range, and can hit them with boring consistency when bench rested.
In my opinion, the only pellets worth testing out are RWS, H&N, Crosman and JSB pellets. Testing with Gamo and Daisy pellets is just a waste of time. Same with any of that non-lead high velocity crap. I bought tins of Gamo and Daisy pellets, and they're even worse than the Benjamins.
According to most, go with domed pellets only when shooting at more than 15 yards. Hollow points included. I've heard of the odd unicorn that likes pointed pellets, but it's rare. Wad cutters are fine for short distances.
Not 100% reliable, but another good tip is to google your rifle, and add "accuracy" to the search. You'll quickly find reviews which generally contain the type of pellet used. Chances are, your barrel will also feel the same about the best reported pellets.
Some rifles will just be extremely pellet picky. There are plenty of other types of pellets to choose from, but so many of them are just junk. Even my Benjamin HPs in .22 are just disgusting to look at, with astoundingly poor fit & finish. The extra lead from the mould is clearly just left on the pellet, and it's a shocking amount.
That being said, my Hammerli Pneuma (same as Hatsan AT-44) loves just about every pellet, including the hideous Benjamin pellets. I was getting sub 1" groups with them at 50 yards, shooting at nearly 1000 fps. A lot of shooting and testing however has proven that the JSB 18.1gr heavies are the best pellet for the barrel. Groups of 1/2" at 50 yards are standard. We shoot at 1/2" diameter styrofoam balls at a 50 yard range, and can hit them with boring consistency when bench rested.
In my opinion, the only pellets worth testing out are RWS, H&N, Crosman and JSB pellets. Testing with Gamo and Daisy pellets is just a waste of time. Same with any of that non-lead high velocity crap. I bought tins of Gamo and Daisy pellets, and they're even worse than the Benjamins.
According to most, go with domed pellets only when shooting at more than 15 yards. Hollow points included. I've heard of the odd unicorn that likes pointed pellets, but it's rare. Wad cutters are fine for short distances.
Not 100% reliable, but another good tip is to google your rifle, and add "accuracy" to the search. You'll quickly find reviews which generally contain the type of pellet used. Chances are, your barrel will also feel the same about the best reported pellets.
A lot of the issue with any particular pellet gun being picky is that each bore may be smoother/rougher or of a slightly different bore measurement as each manufacturer uses different tools to do the same job and nothing is created exactly alike, and these issues combined with differing sized pellets means that you have to experiment until you find the pellet that fits YOUR particular bore perfectly.
Because they interact with each other, they come into physical contact, and even the microscopic differences make a difference. And as marksmen we expect "perfection" or close to it.
Its not just pellet guns either. Centerfire Handguns too. True of centerfire rifles, and the further you are trying to shoot precisely, the more this starts to matter a great deal.
Rimfire rifles will often really like one or two products and either reject or just perform "average" with the rest. I have an old Cooey .22, and thought I was getting good results with it. But reading a comment by an old-timer who knew his stuff, he said 'don't use the common hi-velocity rounds typical of today, when Cooeys were being made, the rifling twist rates were made for subsonic .22LR loads that were common then". So next time I take that Cooey WW2 Airforce trainer (sorta looks like an Enfield .303) it will have a marksman's sling, subsonic ammo, some target match ammo, and targets at 100 meters! And a cleaned barrel too. I expect some good results considering I've already been impressed with it in less than optimal conditions.
