Poor .177 ammo.

G

Greg S

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Many years ago I used to shoot A LOT with my pellet gun. Cheep $20 made in Yugoslavia, every kid in the neighbourhood has one, plinker. Bought the only ammo available in those days. Hit almost everything I shot at. Used to succesfully knock fir cones out of trees for ages. Many years later I bought a much more expensive and more substantial .177 airgun and consistantly couldn't hit the mark. I blamed it on my much older eyes and shaky shoulder. That or the gun was no good. I gave the gun away to my niece's kid and bought a much better, bigger and more expensive one. Still grouping all over the place. Finally decided it was the ammunition and went looking for better quality. I guess it has been a while since I did comparison shopping for pellets. I always just bought what was there. Now you can choose!

Bought some GAMO pellets. Most I've ever spent on pellets so they MUST be good. Right? Not expensive to most of you guys but at $8 for 150 I thought them a bit dear. I would have thought eight dollars a bit high for 500 but I guess I'm behind the times. The cardboard and plastic pillow pack they were in bragged how these were the most accurate, best hitting, finest made pellets in the history of the universe; or something similar. Now that the packaging is tossed out, the can they are in has not a word on it regarding brand, style, type, weight or callibre. Not a word or number concerning what they are, just a hazard warning.

I'm concerned that I have to push almost every (but not all) of the pellets into the barrel because they are a tight fit yet the hollow end is so small that there is a gap all round it and the barrel making me think they are going to have a damn poor seal. The heads that cause it to have to be forced into the barrel aren't round as shown by being able to see light past the fully insert pellet. What's with this? Is this normal? I expect the pellet head to enter nicely and the open end to sit flush and all the way around the bore of the barrel. Am I expecting too much?

I subseqently searched on this forum and then bought some Crossman Destroyer pellets. I hadn't been impressed with their other line of plinking pellets. Maybe the "Destroyer" pellets are better. Testing the first few, I had a 2 1/2" vertical spread at 15 yards. I want to be able to take out these invassive Grey Squirrels and the odd fir cone but the pellets don't seem to be up to it.

What pellet is reasonable enough to buy for plinking but accurate enough to hit a barn door? I'm capable enough to hit the target, it isn't my shaky shoulder or poor eyes that are causing the problem.
 
Make and model of the gun you are using now?

Do some time on the airgun forums online and see what guys are using in the same gun, as well as what results they are reporting for accuracy. Canadian Airgun Forum, and the Yellow Forum are two. There are a bunch more out there not populated entirely by kiddies.

I have had great luck with Crosman Premier and similar shaped pellets. Basic diabolo shape, round or slightly pointy-ish nose, basic skirt. YMMV. Never got good results from pointy pellets or the super lightweight so-called non-toxic ones either. Most of the Chinese ones are pretty much just fit for handing to the kid and sending him out to play.

Higher power, esp. higher power cheap made pellet guns, tend to be a bit more erratic. The moderate velocity guns and lower velocity guns, and, need I say it, the expensive, well made brand name guns, are generally more consistent shooting. Try a bunch of different weight pellets.

Magnum springers can sometimes be hold-sensitive too. Take the time to try both a tight hold, as well as an artillery hold, where you essentially allow the gun to recoil freely. See what that gets you.

Watch your pellet weight. Heavier pellets tend to mellow out a heavy duty springer, light pellets give you harsher results. But they are faster! For all the good that is, if they beat up your gun, and you can't hit anything! Don't fall for the hyper-velocity hooey, look for a decent quality pellet that works well in your gun.

Definitely check out the assortment packs from the various suppliers, you may be stuck with mail order sourcing for the ones that will work for you.

Take a look at D&L Airguns site. Relatively local, west coast mail order site.

Cheers
Trev
 
When I got my Stoeger X20, I bought a tin of the JSB trial pack that gives you 4 or 5 types of JSB pellets in different weights. With the 8.2 and 10.4 grain pellets, I could put them through the same hole at 26 to 30 yards. I had some other brands (can't remember which ones) and while they were okay, they weren't as accurate as the JSB. Of course each gun will like something different. Rarely will all brands shoot well in the same gun.
 
unicorn gravedigger said:
You should loctight and retorque all your scope mounts as well as your stock screws, I think you have a loose stock screw.
Click to expand...

?? How does a really bad fit of the pellet into the barrel and out of round pellets relate to a loose screw on the stock?

The issue repeated... "I'm concerned that I have to push almost every (but not all) of the pellets into the barrel because they are a tight fit yet the hollow end is so small that there is a gap all round it and the barrel making me think they are going to have a damn poor seal. The heads that cause it to have to be forced into the barrel aren't round as shown by being able to see light past the fully insert pellet. What's with this? Is this normal? I expect the pellet head to enter nicely and the open end to sit flush and all the way around the bore of the barrel. Am I expecting too much?"
 
I have a Ruger Blackhawk air rifle, 1000 fps model.

I tried 3 different Crosman .177 pellets (all I could find at CT). It definitely preferred the Crosman Destroyers which punched nice round holes and grouped 10 shots into 1.25" with the irons at 15 yards. I shot off the bench, no sand bags using an artillery hold.

Second best were Crosman hunting pointed tip pellets which cut blurry holes and grouped 2" at 15 yards.

Worst were Crosman Premier HPs which punched nice round holes but grouped 10 rounds into 3". It was my first group with the rifle so some of it may have been me.

I then mounted the included 4x scope, locktited all the screws and shot off the bench with the Destroyers. Best 5 shot group was 0.75" at 15 yards.

I have bought some better quality, heavier pellets since my last test but have not had a chance to try them out.
 
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