Thinking of replacing mid-grade ammo 22lr shooting at 50Y with PCP

[Kevin1]

Most of my shooting is from the bench. I don’t hunt and don’t do matches. With SK+ in a good rifle, my accuracy is in the mid 0.3s at 50Y. If I want to get better accuracy (in the 0.2s), I have to shoot Center X.

After doing some reading and watching reviews, it seems that PCP guns are cable of similar accuracy on a calm day (at list similar to mid-grade 22lr ammo). It’s also very quiet and cheap to shoot.



This is why I placed an order for my first PCP rifle (BSA R-10 SE walnut in 0.177). I also ordered a Benjamin Traveler 4500PSI compressor.

If I can get similar accuracy at 50Y for much cheaper, I don’t see the point shooting of shooting SK+ (if you can find it) or cheaper ammo (if you can find it)…..unless you’re doing matches and you want to train for cheaper (not my case)



Cheap, accurate, quiet, backyard friendly, no need to worry about lot variations, no ammo/reloading shortage to deal with……It almost makes the 22LR look obsolete.



What’s your perspective on the subject?

 

[jcmullis2]

I liked the air rifle I had when I was a kid. However there’s nothing like the real thing and they aren’t even a good alternative imo. I don’t believe that they are even considered a firearm.

 

[MK3XXX]

Can you setup an air rifle to match your main gun as a trainer like you can a .22lr? Group size at 50yds is cool but i can still go out in my back yard and work on fundamentals with my .22 trainer, also trying some ELR .22 stuff is very fun and challenging

 

[Tomiboy]

Good luck!

 

[Kevin1]

Can you setup an air rifle to match your main gun as a trainer like you can a .22lr? Group size at 50yds is cool but i can still go out in my back yard and work on fundamentals with my .22 trainer, also trying some ELR .22 stuff is very fun and challenging

No you can't.
That's why I wrote in my initial post "unless you’re doing matches and you want to train for cheaper (not my case) "

 

[Sgeorge]

Shooting at 50 yards with the accuracy of a 22lr is a challenge for most air rifles. Now, at 25 yards, things are different

 

[jb0311]

I'm sure there is some confusion to what you are asking. Yes you can shoot a PCP rifle accurately at 50 yards. It seems you have no other purpose for shooting other than to be shooting (not hunting or competition) for accuracy. You seem to also already have your mind made up that this is what you want to do (already made your purchase). I guess what I am saying is that you seemed to have already have answered your own question and are just looking for confirmation. I would disagree that it makes 22lr obsolete as it has the potential to be just as, if not more accurate than your PCP but also has the added benefits mentioned by others above that you are not interested in (hunting and training). That would MAYBE just make it obsolete to you from my perspective. The ammo may be cheaper at this point in time but last I looked (it has been a few years since i pulled out my Benjamin .177) they were pretty comparable in price. 22lr ammo is not as abundant or cheap as it was 6 months ago, but it isn't impossible to find and prices won't likely stay inflated forever. I just bought a couple of bricks of Eley this morning on TargetSports and there is plenty still available.

It is possible I have completely missed your point, or question, which in that case I apologize and would ask clarification about what you are asking.

 

[Tiger_Shilone]

For paper punching and private giggles why not? Hunting and competition, not so much. Seriously if you aren’t hunting or competing than an airgun is probably perfect for you. You can sell your Vudoo’s to fund the compressor and rifle.

PCPs are extremely accurate, from my experience, much more so than a 22. However, once you star getting some distance ANY wind moves the lightweight 6-18gr (compared to a 40 gr 22 bullet) pellets around a lot more than rimfire. For me the magic cutoff distance for accuracy with a 22 pcp was 30-35 yards outdoors in calm conditions . Further than that was too unpredictable. I still train with an anschutz 2002 .177 SSP at 10 meters for standing offhand silhouette in my basement. Shooting off the bench, The SSP will literally stack them on top of each other at 10 meters with pellets it likes.

But shooting alone to me is boring and no measure of skill compared to others, competition is much more satisfying and I can find several 22lr events in different flavors to scratch those itches. With airgun, not so much, not enough shooters yet. Everyone has a 22 in their safe. airguns are still scoffed at by a lot of shooters that don’t know just how accurate they can be. That may change in the future. It is a lot cheaper shooting airguns once all the initial expenses are satisfied.

 

[steve123]

This is a subject I know a lot about.
What you might not have considered is that even the heavy match grade 17 cal pellets have a super low BC.
The JSB 10.3gr has a .030 BC, the 13's have a .037 BC. In comparison a 40gr 22rf bullet has an average .14 BC. It may not sound like much but that is actually a huge difference.

That being said, I have a custom PCP that sends those 10.3's at 935 fps and it shows way more precision than most less expensive 22's with medium grade ammo - if the wind is down - which is key here. Backing up a bit, those pellets blow at least 3 times more in the same winds as 22lr will, as well as SHEDDING velocity quicker!

I enjoy my PCP's just as much as my 22rf's, that's for sure. I also enjoy shooting the PCP's when I want the challenge they provide in the wind.
Of course if you can't shoot firearms on your property but airguns are legal to shoot then...

I love shooting in a sport called Field Target air rifle because of the awesome challenge the wind provides from 40-55Y! In 20+mph winds I've had to aim 5" out before to make a hit in the 1.5" KZ at 55Y! That takes nerves aiming that far out and it's absolutely rewarding to see that target fall!

I have friend who makes the best pcp money can buy, these are $4000 air rifles. He's on the edge of the precision the best 22rf's will do at 50Y using his swaged 40.2gr slugs! He shot a 740/750 a few days ago in winds that I personally wouldn't shoot in by choice. That's 3 cards of 25 shots each on the official 50Y BR rimfire target and the 10 ring is slightly smaller than a pencil eraser!!!
He sent me a pic of a 25 shot group about the size of a dime shot in 7-9 mph winds!

There's a place for rimfires and a place for airguns, right!

 

[Kevin1]

Shooting at 50 yards with the accuracy of a 22lr is a challenge for most air rifles. Now, at 25 yards, things are different

Challenge accepted!

 

[Kevin1]

For paper punching and private giggles why not? Hunting and competition, not so much. Seriously if you aren’t hunting or competing than an airgun is probably perfect for you. You can sell your Vudoo’s to fund the compressor and rifle.

PCPs are extremely accurate, from my experience, much more so than a 22. However, once you star getting some distance ANY wind moves the lightweight 6-18gr (compared to a 40 gr 22 bullet) pellets around a lot more than rimfire. For me the magic cutoff distance for accuracy with a 22 pcp was 30-35 yards outdoors in calm conditions . Further than that was too unpredictable. I still train with an anschutz 2002 .177 SSP at 10 meters for standing offhand silhouette in my basement. Shooting off the bench, The SSP will literally stack them on top of each other at 10 meters with pellets it likes.

But shooting alone to me is boring and no measure of skill compared to others, competition is much more satisfying and I can find several 22lr events in different flavors to scratch those itches. With airgun, not so much, not enough shooters yet. Everyone has a 22 in their safe. airguns are still scoffed at by a lot of shooters that don’t know just how accurate they can be. That may change in the future. It is a lot cheaper shooting airguns once all the initial expenses are satisfied.

What about a heavy slug? In 22 you have something like JSB Exact Jumbo Beast .22 cal 33.96 Grains.

Or you go up in caliber to something like a 0.25 or even 0.3? At that point, it won’t be that cheap to shoot, but should give you pretty good results at 50 or even 100Y I suppose.

The one thing I don’t like in 22lr is the ammo consistency and lot to lot variances.

 

[Sgeorge]

Shooting the heavier pellets at 50 yards is going to require a larger power factor and much more air.

 

[steve123]

What about a heavy slug? In 22 you have something like JSB Exact Jumbo Beast .22 cal 33.96 Grains.

Or you go up in caliber to something like a 0.25 or even 0.3? At that point, it won’t be that cheap to shoot, but should give you pretty good results at 50 or even 100Y I suppose.

The one thing I don’t like in 22lr is the ammo consistency and lot to lot variances.

One thing that a highly tuned pcp can provide with pellets is a very low ES which can be down to 4-5 fps for the whole fill with a regulator or within the sweet spot in a gun not using a reg. In contrast a good lot of expensive 22 ammo would give around 30 fps ES. MUCH worse ES for less expensive 22 ammo which could be over 100 fps!

True - it's typical the larger the caliber the more air consumption needed (assuming the velocity is kept similar), as well as ammo cost going up. Most pcp's using "slugs/cast or swaged bullets" are not dialed in with barrels concerning, rifling twists, profiles, dimensions, etc, nor are the slugs dialed in either. It's very rare to get a perfect combo to """""""""""consistently"""""""""" shooting sub moa!!!
Whereas with a good 22rf and good ammo it's almost common. My 22rf Anschutz 1827F put 10 rounds of Polar Biathlon at the Lapua test facility into the high .8's at 100M, 10 into mid .3's at 50M, and there are certainly more accurate 22's.

Eh, why compare, I accept the usefulness of my PCP's in the role I bought them for.

BTW, this is a plug for airguns used for training. When I won my 2nd year in a row at the AZPRC long range centerfire championship, a guy walked up to me and asked what my secret was??, my reply was that I had practiced and competed with PCP air rifles for many years and that my wind reading skills, also my form/fundamentals had benefited from it. He thought I was joking, seriously!
Similar for pistol too but that's another story for another time.

 

[justin amateur]

My backyard rodent rifle is a 22 caliber Diana AirKing 54.
40 lb pull springer that spits out 14.4 grain pellets at 920 fps.
Results at 50 yards range from 1.5 inch 5 shot groups to 0.4 inches, depending on wind conditions.
4-16x scope on top zeroed at 25 yards lets me eliminate unwanted critters with a minimum of noise.
Cheap ammunition, very good trigger, consistent mv's, no pump needed.
50 shots at 40 lbs of pull for each squeeze of the trigger means I get a "ton" of excercise.

 

[steve123]

My backyard rodent rifle is a 22 caliber Diana AirKing 54.
40 lb pull springer that spits out 14.4 grain pellets at 920 fps.
Results at 50 yards range from 1.5 inch 5 shot groups to 0.4 inches, depending on wind conditions.
4-16x scope on top zeroed at 25 yards lets me eliminate unwanted critters with a minimum of noise.
Cheap ammunition, very good trigger, consistent mv's, no pump needed.
50 shots at 40 lbs of pull for each pull of the trigger means I get a "ton" of excercise.

And it's a recoil-less system which is SOOOOO much nicer than standard springers to shoot. It's the only springer I would consider buying if I wanted a higher power level.
I sold all my springers except one lower powered CZ.

 

[Tomiboy]

I have had many air rifles including a number of PCPs. My last air rifle was a 30 cal FX Crown. It was very accurate at 50 yards and with a can wasn't loud (it did need a can though ...in suburbia!). The 44 - 50 grain pellets were expensive (think SK Standard +) and slugs cost much more (think Lapua Exact!) and some rifles require a different barrel for slugs (FX rifles do). Air pumps are notoriously unreliable and a bit costly. PCPs have many o-rings that can fail causing leaks. They are fantastic for shooting in your basement though. Were I used to live (Illinois) and where I live now (New Mexico) air rifles are treated as firearms and it is illegal to shoot them on your property unless they are 177 caliber and shoot at a velocity of under 500 FPS. Perfect for a really nice FWB or Walther 10 meter PCP. I decided if I'm going to have to go to a range I'll just take some 22s and some CFs.

 

[Kevin1]

One thing that a highly tuned pcp can provide with pellets is a very low ES which can be down to 4-5 fps for the whole fill with a regulator or within the sweet spot in a gun not using a reg. In contrast a good lot of expensive 22 ammo would give around 30 fps ES. MUCH worse ES for less expensive 22 ammo which could be over 100 fps!

True - it's typical the larger the caliber the more air consumption needed (assuming the velocity is kept similar), as well as ammo cost going up. Most pcp's using "slugs/cast or swaged bullets" are not dialed in with barrels concerning, rifling twists, profiles, dimensions, etc, nor are the slugs dialed in either. It's very rare to get a perfect combo to """""""""""consistently"""""""""" shooting sub moa!!!
Whereas with a good 22rf and good ammo it's almost common. My 22rf Anschutz 1827F put 10 rounds of Polar Biathlon at the Lapua test facility into the high .8's at 100M, 10 into mid .3's at 50M, and there are certainly more accurate 22's.

Eh, why compare, I accept the usefulness of my PCP's in the role I bought them for.

BTW, this is a plug for airguns used for training. When I won my 2nd year in a row at the AZPRC long range centerfire championship, a guy walked up to me and asked what my secret was??, my reply was that I had practiced and competed with PCP air rifles for many years and that my wind reading skills, also my form/fundamentals had benefited from it. He thought I was joking, seriously!
Similar for pistol too but that's another story for another time.

Given the low ES, there are less variables related to ammo. Would you agree that, in an indoor range at 50Y, a quality PCP (even in 0.177) would be as accurate as a quality 22lr shooting SK+ (grouping in the 3s)? Now take it outdoor to 50Y and the only important variable will be the wind which, as you pointed out, is pretty good for your wind reading skills.

BTW I started getting into air rifles a few month ago. I took my TX200 and tuned it. Now I'm getting an SD of 1 FPS and ES of 5 FPS for 30 consecutive shot (average velocity of 765 fps with JSB 10.34). It will group in 0.4s at 30Y, but I'm sure someone who knows how to shoot a springer can do better.

 

[Tomiboy]

At an indoor range you could probably do better than a 22. With the ventilation system off. I had a TX200. Nice springer!

 

[Sgeorge]

There are very few quality PCPs that will be as accurate at 50y as a quality rimfire.

 

[Frankr]

Just my 0.02

My Hatsan flashpup .22 with JSB's will hang with my kidd barreled 10/22 out to 35 yards on a calm day.
My dad's FX PCP in 0.22 will hang with mid-grade ammo out of my Tikka T1x or CZ 457 at 50 yards on a calm day -

When it gets windy the 22lr has the advantage.

It seems guys are loving the 25 cal PCP's to help mitigate wind drift but overall I think a PCP is a good thing to have on hand especially if you can shoot in your backyard.

Quality pellets like JSB's make a big difference as well as getting a quality rifle (already saw you bought a rifle).

 

[steve123]

Given the low ES, there are less variables related to ammo. Would you agree that, in an indoor range at 50Y, a quality PCP (even in 0.177) would be as accurate as a quality 22lr shooting SK+ (grouping in the 3s)? Now take it outdoor to 50Y and the only important variable will be the wind which, as you pointed out, is pretty good for your wind reading skills.

BTW I started getting into air rifles a few month ago. I took my TX200 and tuned it. Now I'm getting an SD of 1 FPS and ES of 5 FPS for 30 consecutive shot (average velocity of 765 fps with JSB 10.34). It will group in 0.4s at 30Y, but I'm sure someone who knows how to shoot a springer can do better.

In calm-ish conditions outdoors yes, kinda, but like Tom said, the ventilation system in an indoor range can jack up the accuracy some, affecting pellets more than the 22rf bullets. I helped a friend with the testing of the Daystate ART pcp barrels at 100Y and it was stupid that we didn't get better results than we did inside the indoor range!!! Same friend has shot sub moa many times at 100Y, though he's shot nearly 90,000 pellets in the last couple years. Point is that he had better success outdoors than in that range when the wind was calm.

I learned this last year that wind affects the vertical of pellets quite a bit, I didn't realise it did beforehand. The other friend that builds the $4000 pcp's shoots pretty much every day at his house using high quality wind flags. He's learned how to shoot 250 score cards often/all 10's for 25 shots, at 25Y by aiming up or down and holding out for wind as well of course, depending on direction and intensity of the wind.

So at 50Y, with a 20-ish fpe 17 cal rifle, it's even more intense an endeavor to consistently shoot .3's in normal winds.

Basically what it comes down to is that with a 22rf it's easier to hit a small bullzeye, like say a 1/4" at 50Y, in normal winds. If that was my goal I'd be grabbing my 22rf.

But you're just having fun so have at it.

Definitely get some good flags if you don't already have some.

 

[Kevin1]

The gun is here. It's setup and ready to go. My compressor won't be here before next week, so no shooting for now.

I purchased the same gun as this guy in the YouTube review (but mine in 0.177). He's shooting in the 0.3s at 50Y and calls the gun sub moa at 100Y on a calm (very) day.

 

[AGrizz]

Take your reserve tank over to the scuba shop and have them fill it.

 

[Tomiboy]

There was a guy "Nitrocrushr" on GTA forum who had a 22 cal BSA R10 that would shoot lights out at 100. Check him out

 

[siscoe308]

Modern tech for Air guns is insane.

Look up some Utah Airgun videos if you don’t believe in the viability of these weapons.
It isn’t your barrel cock Benjamin pellet slingers anymore....

 

[AGrizz]

I have a Benjamin Marauder in .22 that I use to shoot rabbits head shots out to 75 yards. Good rest or bipod and shoot on. Not a top dollar rifle but a dammed good shooter.

 

[Tomiboy]

and quiet

 

[Kevin1]

Shot the gun outdoor at 30Y.
I'm still figuring out the rifle and testing pellets. At 30Y I think it shoots like your average 22lr rifle (think CZ455). The shooting experience is also very similar to shooting a 22lr with a silencer.

But I'm not happy with the chrono numbers. I'm going to tune the gun a bit. I just ordered a Huma regulator that should greatly improve shot to shot consistency.

The below target was shot at 30Y with HN Match 10.65gr. They are all 5 shot or 10 shot groups.

 

[EddieE]

If 22 LR is frustrating....PCP is probably 10x worse. Those BSA rifles are sweet though. I looked into them WAY before I got into 22, but I didn't have a pump and didn't feel like investing in one.

Good luck. There are alot of guys that offer tuning services, one of them that I had work on my springer is Russ Best. Check him out. I think he was a BSA dealer at one point.

 

[Tomiboy]

The new regulator will help a lot

 

[Kevin1]

If 22 LR is frustrating....PCP is probably 10x worse. Those BSA rifles are sweet though. I looked into them WAY before I got into 22, but I didn't have a pump and didn't feel like investing in one.

Good luck. There are alot of guys that offer tuning services, one of them that I had work on my springer is Russ Best. Check him out. I think he was a BSA dealer at one point.

I got the compressor and the gun at the same time. I didn't like to have to stop shooting every 40 pellets for 10mn to bring the gun to the compressor and fill it. That's why I ordered a tank that I can leave next to the gun and fill it in a minute.
The cost is starting to add up, but the ability to tune and check immediately the results in your backyard or in your office (for chrono) is invaluable to me.

 

[steve123]

Not bad.

Do you by chance have any JSB 10.3's or 13.4's? These will probably be the best bet to use.

Yep the Huma will fix the ES.

 

[Kevin1]

Not bad.

Do you by chance have any JSB 10.3's or 13.4's? These will probably be the best bet to use.

Yep the Huma will fix the ES.

Sorry for the confusion......The chrono is with HN Match 10.65. The 3 groups on the bottom left (2 five shot and 1 ten shot group) are with JSB Monster Redesigned 13.43 gr

I did try JSB 10.34 and the gun doesn't like it. So far, the HN match 10.65 seems to be what the gun likes the best.

 

[Redfisher60]

Love my Daystate huntsman

 

[Skok3y]

Decided I would chime in, though not much left to add. I think Steve covered the important bits.

I sold several of my nice 22lr, including my Vudoo to focus on air rifles. I did it because I saw have accurate they can shoot, quieter and cheaper per round. I thought I was getting into it to save money, but the only thing I save money on is the pellets! That being said because I was already willing to spend Vudoo level money on a 22lr, I have been able to try out many different levels of air rifles.

While I haven’t saved any money on rifles or glass, I have been able to shoot MUCH more and also am understanding more about ballistics. Need to start focusing on wind more now. I think that will also make me a better shooter all around.

In the end, I shoot way more than I ever did before because the ammo is so much cheaper, quieter, and almost as accurate. Never as accurate as my Vudoo, but accurate enough for friendly completions where I can beat some base level rifles. The hardest part is changing your expectation of how tiny the group is going to be. That being said, I have shot a couple air rifles that could beat all but two 22lrs that I’ve owned.

Caliber and rifle do make a big difference. In 177, to be really accurate, consistently, I would set up to 13 or 16gr pellets. Those are the only two I have been able to feel great about at 50 yds or more and at high power. Same for 22, as the heavier 25gr are better than the 18gr at longer ranges. My 30 impact with 44gr pellets has by far been the best for me, and I probably never should have sold that rifle, but again, I was looking to shoot cheaper ammo.

So shooting an air rifle can definitely be as fun and as accurate as some rifles... and can sometimes be cheaper.

 

[Kevin1]

First outing with the rifle at 50Y in an indoor range. I bough a tank so I can refill at the range. The Huma regulator won't be here before next week, so to get more shot to shot consistency I'm refilling every 20 pellets (with the tank it just takes a few seconds).
I tested many pellets from 8.4 to 13.43 gr. Almost all pellets shot pretty well (typically below 1" at 50Y).

The best pellet was the JSB Monster Redesigned 13.43 gr. I shot a 4 five shot groups that was pretty good. I did it again just to make sure it's not pure luck.

I'm still figuring out the rifle, but it's clearly shooting on par with your typical CZ 455 at 50Y.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Looks like you just changed rabbit holes.
The basic premise of your OP was about shooting small groups for cheap. I guess you will eventually save money over 22lr but any time you chase the "smaller group" it's all about the money.

Either way.... Enjoy the hell out of it!!
It's like saying... I will save money by reloading. Yeah, that ain't happening

 

[Kevin1]

Looks like you just changed rabbit holes.
The basic premise of your OP was about shooting small groups for cheap. I guess you will eventually save money over 22lr but any time you chase the "smaller group" it's all about the money.

Either way.... Enjoy the hell out of it!!
It's like saying... I will save money by reloading. Yeah, that ain't happening

You're absolutely right. I discovered a new hobby and just changed rabbit holes....
Look at post #31 @Skok3y describes exactly my situation.

I've already spent high end 22lr rifle money on the gun and accessories. But now I can shoot 500 pellets for $15. I can shoot it in my backyard, I can shoot it inside the house to get chrono numbers, and I can even take it to a public shooting range and look good at 50Y.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

I have the most awesome scope ever. It can reduce your group size by half. It can be yours for the low low price of ?????

I can shoot high power in my yard. There's something about being able to do so. I hope you enjoy your new venture.

You're absolutely right. I discovered a new hobby and just changed rabbit holes....
Look at post #31 @Skok3y describes exactly my situation.

I've already spent high end 22lr rifle money on the gun and accessories. But now I can shoot 500 pellets for $15. I can shoot it in my backyard, I can shoot it inside the house to get chrono numbers, and I can even take it to a public shooting range and look good at 50Y.

 

[steve123]

Hey Kev,

Did you adjust the trigger down yet, it'll help some,
How about hammer spring tension??, that might tune in the harmonics a bit.

I recently bought a BSA Ultra JSR that I turned into a pistol. It wasn't sitting in the stock correctly so I had to mod the block that the action screw goes through to be able to tighten the action into the stock so it bottomed out all the way which fixed some POI shifting.

Just things to check and fiddle with.

 

[Tomiboy]

Here is a thread by the guy I mentioned earlier in the post(Nitrocrusher). His R10 was a 22 though. I think you would have had better luck with a 22 or 25, 30 gets too expensive. I almost bought this rifle from Steve but ended up with the FX Crown in 30. I would contact him for tuning tips

BSA R10 MK2 .22 at 100 Yards - Airguns & Guns Forum

BSA R10 MK2 .22 at 100 Yards, Air guns, Airgun Forum

www.gatewaytoairguns.org

 

[kthomas]

Can you setup an air rifle to match your main gun as a trainer like you can a .22lr? Group size at 50yds is cool but i can still go out in my back yard and work on fundamentals with my .22 trainer, also trying some ELR .22 stuff is very fun and challenging

Fundamentals is fundamentals.

ELR is also very fun with airguns. I used to have my own airgun range out to ~300 yards. I could legally practice ELR just out my backyard with my airgun, something I couldn't do with a rimfire.

 

[AManWearingAHat]

I have also been considering the same. I shoot a lot of 3P rimfire at 25 and 50 yards. Im planning, in the near future, to acquire an Anschutz air rifle and building a 10m 3P range in my basement for ammo shortage times and cold weather. As some have said, fundamentals are fundamentals, especially if you're into position shooting. HOWEVER, if your goal is raw group size at 50 yards, you're going to be embarking on a frustrating and expensive endeavor trying to match the match grade .22 performance with an airgun. That's not to say you cannot get very close, but it will get expensive in a hurry.

 

[Kevin1]

I have been shooting the rifle almost every day at 30Y. I’ve tried various power setting and pellets. I’ve settled on JSB 13.43 Gr at 800 FPS. The gun can easily push that pellet above 900 fps, but the accuracy drops.

This new hobby is extremely addictive. Playing with various settings is a very similar approach to do a load development.



Today, for the first time, I shot the rifle at 50Y outdoor. It shoots in the 0.9s.

It’s just ok, but I was expecting better.

After shooting the air gun, I took out the Vudoo and shot the below target at 50Y with a clean barrel….

I’ll have to work a little more on this air rifle. I was also thinking about getting an FX Crown in 0.177. The reason for 0.177 is that the sectional density of a heavy slug in 0.177 will be better than the same gun shooting a bigger caliber.

I’m not expecting to get Vudoo accuracy. I’d be happy with 0.5” groups at 50Y.



Overall, I’m pretty happy though. Today was a good day at the range. I shot 400 pellets and only 3 boxes of Center X…..which is good because I need to save my good ammo as I’m not sure when I can find them in stock again.

 

[acudaowner]

the distance is not the problem some of those pcp rifles shoot more like real guns in your back yard it could be like shooting a 45 acp but good luck to you sir I have thought about getting one my self but I would have to be able to make my own shots and foot pump the air pressure rather than get stuck paying for the tank .

 

[steve123]

The guy i was referring to in my earlier post that builds the best pcp air rifles in the world sent this pic to me yesterday.
That's fifty consecutive shots at 50y with his 40.2gr slugs going 850 fps. Done outdoors.
The other cards are 50y too.

Crazy isn't it!

 

[steve123]

This was the first time I posted a pic from my phone so I was bumbling through it.

Kevin, it might be that you got an average barrel in your BSA.
Possibly the indoor thing discussed earlier.
Clean the barrel good and try it outside on a calm morning sometime.

 

[Kevin1]

I can get decent accuracy with the BSA. I've settled on the HN Baracuda 4.52 in 10.65 grain. At 40Y it's a consistent 0.5", but at 50Y it opens up to 0.75". My initial mistake was that I had lowered the regulator to 110 bar to get more shots, but the accuracy is better with 130 bar.

I don't see myself getting a consistent 0.5" at 50Y with the BSA. Probably the 0.177 caliber doesn't lend itself to such endeavor, at least not in this rifle. Also it's a pain to remove the stock to adjust the power.

That's why I bought a new air rifle in 22 cal. It's the FX Dream Tac. I'm waiting to get some JSB and FX hybrids early next week to do some accuracy testing.

I did plink in the backyard with some premier HP 14.3 gr I had and it shot decent. On full power (30 ft/lbs) it's pretty loud. On low power (15 ft/lbs) it's the equivalent of the BSA (20 ft/lbs). The trigger on this FX is brilliant with a crisp break of right below 1lb.

 

[steve123]

New PCP, cool!!!

Hopefully it'll outshoot the BSA with both pellets and slugs.

 

[nakoa01]

Well after reading all this I wish I had nit done what I done. I own a few vudoos and my joy is purely groups at 50. I care nothing for 10 meters or 25yds really. And at 50 my vudoo prints little groups. As do my czs and kidds. I sold a vudoo and wanted an airgun equivalent. After doing some research I bought and fx crown in .25 cal and a 74cuft carbin fiber tank. And a Chinese 250.00 compressor. Slugs and pellets. Now I shoot a lot at night. So here wind conditions are pretty calm. I have watched a lot of videos and I am watching guys shoot under moa at 75yds. I don't think I can shoot with those guys. But it shows the rufle is capable. It is designed around the 25grn JSB and I have paid to have it tuned for that pellet. All said and done if I had sold 1 vudoo and bought 2 or 3 cases of ammo I would have been smarter. Even smarter still would have been to sell a couple of ARs and kept my vudoo. I feel like an idiot. But we shall see. If I am not happy with it I will send it down the road.