Pellet Balistics & Recommendations

[ellebarto]

I usually shoot .22 rimfire and 17HMR but a recent permission demanded an air rifle so I picked up a BSA Ultra in .177. I just decided I wanted accuracy up to 40 yards without too much thought so this seemed the way to go rather than then harder hitting but loopy .22. Rifle zeroed really well and I'm getting the 30 to 35 shot count claimed by BSA in 2p size groups, which is fine for hunting.

 

Now so far I've only had one shot in anger at a woody and I hit it in the throat area. I got a big puff of feathers but the bird appeared to fall 4 branches and then flew off a few trees away at least before I lost sight of it presumably to die at a later date. This was with RWS Superdomes at 8.3 grams. I packed up then because to be honest I want a clean kill everytime and I felt I just didnt know enough about the balistics to take another go.

 

I'm just looking for some guidance from experienced airgunners regarding pellet selection and weights to use for what vermin. I've got the rifle for Maggie, crows and woodies but might chance my arm at a bunny at some stage. I've ordered a small selection to test for accuracy but after that I'm wondering if all the hollow point, magnum, ultashock etc are just marketing rubbish or my superdomes are not really up to human dispatch.

 

All this not withstanding I should have put the pellet in the woodies head I guess!

[tweedledee]

download chairgun, enter in your pellet weight,speed and it will draw you a graph of the trajectory.

[TaxiDriver]

I'm wondering if all the hollow point, magnum, ultashock etc are just marketing rubbish or my superdomes are not really up to human dispatch.

 

All this not withstanding I should have put the pellet in the woodies head I guess!

human dispatch :o No I don't suppose they would be

 

Have you tried the RWS Super H Point as a matter of interest ?

I think one of the dangers with .177 is the chance of over penetration ie a through and through particularly if the pellet doesnt make contact with something hard enough to cause it to deform and transfer its energy into the target.

[lineshooter]

Try Bisley Magnum pellets

[ellebarto]

Lol. Humane of course!!! Will try a few and those 2 but just confused about weights! What are the killing an accuracy differences in weights or is it simply down to aerodynamics?

[kent]

I usually shoot .22 rimfire and 17HMR but a recent permission demanded an air rifle so I picked up a BSA Ultra in .177. I just decided I wanted accuracy up to 40 yards without too much thought so this seemed the way to go rather than then harder hitting but loopy .22. Rifle zeroed really well and I'm getting the 30 to 35 shot count claimed by BSA in 2p size groups, which is fine for hunting.

 

Now so far I've only had one shot in anger at a woody and I hit it in the throat area. I got a big puff of feathers but the bird appeared to fall 4 branches and then flew off a few trees away at least before I lost sight of it presumably to die at a later date. This was with RWS Superdomes at 8.3 grams. I packed up then because to be honest I want a clean kill everytime and I felt I just didnt know enough about the balistics to take another go.

 

I'm just looking for some guidance from experienced airgunners regarding pellet selection and weights to use for what vermin. I've got the rifle for Maggie, crows and woodies but might chance my arm at a bunny at some stage. I've ordered a small selection to test for accuracy but after that I'm wondering if all the hollow point, magnum, ultashock etc are just marketing rubbish or my superdomes are not really up to human dispatch.

 

All this not withstanding I should have put the pellet in the woodies head I guess!

 

 

not particulary, the head moves a lot and quickly unless the bird is sleeping at roost. Dont believe the comics theres a lot to be said for a well placed body shot with thoughts to the anatomy of the bird. Culling ferals i get maybee 1-20 were the result is not a bang flop doing this with a sub 12ft lb .22 cal. High persentage shots work if you way up the angles, forget balistics and calibre arguments there is no magic silver bullet (or pellet in this case)