Would a round ball of appropriate diameter shoot Ok in air rifles? I know most are designed around waited, hollow base pellet designs, but it seems like the small bearing surface of a round ball would work OK.
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Would a round ball of appropriate diameter shoot Ok in air rifles? I know most are designed around waited, hollow base pellet designs, but it seems like the small bearing surface of a round ball would work OK.
Benjamin used to sell .22 lead shot for their air rifles, so yeah, if you can find the right size lead RB, I think it will work.
yes, they are called BB guns.
the good ones are rifled barrels.
common pellets are .177 and BB shot is .180
I found some for my 22 cal air rifle and the lead balls do not group well.
rrh
I use a sharpshooter .22 mold to make ammo for my two Hatsans. They are a very snug fit, and shoot a tighter group at close range than pellets.
I did it for peace of mind, knowing I could still put meat on the table if there were no pellets available.
What kind of alloy do you use? Pellets are always dead soft, but I figured a round ball with less bearing surface and no need to expand a hollow base for obturation might do better with a harder alloy.Quote:
Originally Posted by GhostHawk
Used my normal that is in the pot. Roughly 50% COWW and 50% range scrap. Might have a smidge of tin/pewter.
Still fairly soft, but harder than pellets. Probably 2 thou bigger than the pellets.
I’ve tried Benjamin .177 and .22 lead shot in Benjamin and other air rifles. The groups are larger and the trajectories steeper than the same power levels with the normal pellets.
Not hopeless, of course; you can still hit stuff. But no particular advantage unless you have one of the rare multi shot Benjamins and want to use the magazine.
I wouldn’t try the steel shot in any rifled airgun, though.
To my thinking, the barrel -- whether rifled or not -- is the decider re balls or pellets. BB guns and similar are an unrifled straight tube, for the most part, and putting a spin on the ball would have no real positive effect. However, just like the spin on a foot-ball, the rifling gives stability to a pellet quite improving its ability to impact target consistently at both greater velocities and ranges. I'm sure you may put and shoot, say, .22 rb's in a .22 pellet rifle, but am uncertain there'd be any advantage. Plus, as there may be a secondary rotation (think of a major league baseball pitcher's dropping fast ball) -- the rifling induced rotation may in fact have negative results. Again -- I do NOT know -- this is, just based on my (feeble ;) ) thoughts... Matter of fact, you have me thinking as perhaps a project for upcoming (if we ever get it) summer shooting, to shoot both pellets and rb's, and document differences, if any.Quote:
Originally Posted by richhodg66
geo
The biggest problem with using lead shot is consistency of size.... As an example, OOO buck, which is supposed to be 0.36" varies from 0.352" to 0.366".... When used in a .357 ca barrel, the smallest ones roll through, and the largest ones you couldn't beat in with a hammer.... The same thing applies to #3 shot in a .25 cal.... or #1 shot in a .30 cal....
Bob
georgerkahn: Rifled muskets are much more accurate then unrifled, pretty sure an airgun would be too. All Cap and ball handguns are rifled also, and mostly use balls. The trick is to use the right size ball, that is smaller than the bore, so that it grabs the rifling.
Thank you, Springfield! My post was, as I wrote, just from my thoughts on it. Your information, obviously based on data surely "trumps" it! It's a good day when I learn a bit.... My appreciation for your posting correct info; I was thinking of baseballs -- not muskets and the like...Quote:
Originally Posted by Springfield
geo
I have the NOE 22 magnum mould with the extra pins to make a hollow base skirt, heavier than the swaged ones they sell.
Then I can go heavier than that as the next shorter pin let's more lead in the cast pellet to make the skirt thicker.
The next shorter pins make the pellet with an almost solid skirt.
They are not as flat shooting of course, but they are for hunting and they really do the job.
I use a Benjamin pump .22, but I know I can step up in power to more power if I need it.
At present, I am satisfied with what I have.
I also bought the lighter .22 mould when it was available.
It too has extra pins.
Extra fun!
How are they grouping from your pumper?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alferd Packer