Teal Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 This questions was asked in the chat room and I think from GCSE physics that the answer lies in the mass of the pellet used. Obviously .22 pellets are heavier... Conservation of momentum. For a given energy, heavy objects will have more momentum than ligher objects (energy proportional to the square of velocity, momentum simply to velocity itself). Therefore heavier objects require less force for the same momentum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sniper Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 William. Yes this has set me pondering as well. I think ( I had had a few by then ) ern said that his 177 was producing more foot/lbs in energy that a 22 version of the same gun. IF you presume that you can interchange barrels on the same gun and that the power levels are the same ,the 177 should be travelling at the muzzle at a greater velocity, due to its smaller surface area and weight. But even if it is travelling at a greater velocity I cannot understand how the 177 will be producing more ft/lbs energy due to the smaller projectile involved. I can undestand that down range the 22 will have more potential energy left in it compared to a 177 due to its greater mass. Is this a case of the energy levels are measured on a chronograph so far away from the muzzle , that is about 10' or am I still hung over from last night ?? :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted July 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 IF you presume that you can interchange barrels on the same gun and that the power levels are the same ,the 177 should be travelling at the muzzle at a greater velocity, due to its smaller surface area and weight. The ft/lbs will be lower with a .177 I think, drops off about 2ft/lbs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_stag88 Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 If you look at an ad for a precharged rifle, 70 for a .22, and 50 for .177. The .177 needs more pressure to get the same fps and ft/lb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 How this subject started was when i mentioned that i had replaced the spring in my BSA Superstar with a Theoben gas ram. When i ordered it the first question was what bore is the gun, .177 or .22. When i asked what the differance was, i was told that the .177 unit is more powerful than the .22 unit to give the same ft/lbs and to fit the .177 unit in a .22 would take the gun over the limit of 12ft/lbs by about 1. I found this a bit strange as my first reaction was that it woud be the other way round. Now the masters of Physics seem to have answered my question, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Ern the easiest way to describe it is if i threw a cricket ball at you it would hurt,if i threw a ping pong ball using the same throw(energy)it wouldnt.Therefore the lighter .177 pellet needs more energy behind it to achive 12ft/lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 of 5 Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 A .22 at 12 ft/lb is approx. 600 fps whereas a .177 at 12 ft/lb is approx 800 fps. To accelerate the pellet to the higher velocity requires more air or a greater pressure of air despite the lighter pellet weight. Hence a pcp gives less shots in .177 and a springer requires a stronger spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain dead Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 you would think that the .22 would travel slower but would have more of a punch on impact and that a .177 would travel faster and have less of a punch but would penetrate more i don't personaly think you can liken it to cricket balls and pingpong balls though, also what about the ballistics of the pellet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Brain dead a .22 does travel slower than .177 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaboy Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 Energy = 1/2 M x V^2 where M = mass V= velocity if you are aiming for 12ft-lbs from both .22 and .177. Because the .177 is lighter, it's velocity has to be greater. The only way to do this is to make if fly faster either by a stronger spring or higher pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain dead Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 yes i know, it didn't turn out how i wanted it to sound:blink: i'm not that stupid, well i don't think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 A smaller pellet travelling with the same kinetic energy as a larger one has more penetrating power due to the decreased area it needs to displace in order to penetrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 I reckon it's more to do with the smaller bore that the air has to be forced through. 12 ft lbs at the muzzle is 12 ft lbs at the muzzle no matter what the size of the pellet is. The lighter pellet will not need as much force to accellorate it as a heavier pellet, but will need to be travelling faster when it leaves the muzzle for the same energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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