Anyone shooting the .30 or larger air rifles?

[NoZombies]

It's certainly a down the road type idea for me, but I've always been fascinated by the large bore air rifles. I did a lot of research into them about 7 or 8 years ago, and nearly (and probably should have) bought a Quackenbush. I haven't really looked into the market since then, so I curious who's shooting what, and what your experiences have been like?

What guns and projectiles are you guys shooting, and what kind of performance are you seeing?

[rsterne]

There are now quite a few big-bore PCPs on the market, most are designed to shoot pellets in .30 cal (about 45-50 gr.).... pellets or roundball in .35 cal (about 65-80 gr.).... or roundball in .45 or .50 cal.... Bullet shooters are still relatively rare from the mainstream manufacturers, and remain the product of custom manufacturers, like Quackenbush, Extreme, AAA, and others.... They have PB barrels, and shoot cast or swaged bullets of PB calibers, which tend to be heavier, and therefore require either longer barrels and/or higher pressures to achieve reasonable velocities.... The power of some of these rival blackpowder guns....

This leaves the shooter to make a decision based on his required use.... If a pellet of modest weight will do the job you have many choices.... If you need a heavier bullet to extend the range or impact energy, there are fewer choices, and the cost is generally higher....

Bob

[melloairman]

It's certainly a down the road type idea for me, but I've always been fascinated by the large bore air rifles. I did a lot of research into them about 7 or 8 years ago, and nearly (and probably should have) bought a Quackenbush. I haven't really looked into the market since then, so I curious who's shooting what, and what your experiences have been like?

What guns and projectiles are you guys shooting, and what kind of performance are you seeing?

I have corsairs , recluses , 201 , and 909 that were bought several years ago . . If I were to buy another today it would be a air force 357 Texan . Easy to tune for pellets or bullets . Single shot loading so bullet shape not a problem . Many molds for this caliber and a large selection of weights . Marvin

[Tritium]

I shoot Texans in .457, a Sam Yang (Seneca now) Recluse in .357 and a Benjamin Bulldog. I cast projectiles for both from 125 grain to 500 grain using an alloy of approximately 15 to 20 lbs of pure lead and 1lb of COWW.

Thurmond

[sixshootertexan]

I have a .308 that I built.

[MT Chambers]

Some of the big bores only get 2 shots on a fill and to me that is not enough for out hunting and the bigger cals. are supposed to be for quiet hunting, my .30 is a Daystate Wolverine that shoots .30 cal. pellets of 50 grs. at 960 fps. but only gets 13 shots to a fill. I am casting my own slugs and pellets for it, so only the air costs money. The more I shoot airguns both PCPs and springers, I find that I'm using my springers more than the PCPs.

[GARD72977]

I'm really looking at a RAW 30 cal. I had a RAW TM1000 in 177 and loved it. I should have not sold it.

The 30cal has a 480cc tank. They lost a 22 getting 50 shots. In hoping for 20 shots from a 30 Cal.

I started a new job. In 6 weeks Im off probation. I'm going to order one the next day!

[NoZombies]

What weight bullets do you guys like for your various big bores, and what kind of performance are you getting? Do the 308 caliber guns like bullets in the 100 grain range? oversize? Spot on? what kind of alloy?

[melloairman]

What weight bullets do you guys like for your various big bores, and what kind of performance are you getting? Do the 308 caliber guns like bullets in the 100 grain range? oversize? Spot on? what kind of alloy?

That is a good weight for most rifles to get started with . But that will depend on your choice of rifles .My experience [Pure lead at the fps most rifles shoot at does not have the strength to with stand finning at the base of the bullet which causes accuracy problems .] And if the barrel is chocked it is even worse . I can use lead to a 10-12 bhn in my Korean rifles . But any harder and I lose energy and accuracy . My non Koreans have TJ linners for barrels and I have used as high as 22 bhn with out a problem . Accuracy with my 308 is ok but not up to what my .312 , 357, and 452 have . I do hear others say they suffer accuracy in the 308 line up as well . I wish some one would start to make .312 again . The one I have now is a barrel I had made and is on my 909 at the present time . There are a lot more choices of good accurate bullet molds in a air rifle weight range in a 312 than in 308 IMO . Marvin

[Teemu]

So why you don't size those bullets down to .312 if mold is wider than .312?

[melloairman]

So why you don't size those bullets down to .312 if mold is wider than .312?

If you are asking me why I do not size the 312 to 308 it is to much to size down and shearing will ruin the bullets . I did forget to mention that I normally size the bullets .001 -.0015 over groove . More than .002 and I have had heavy leading just past the lead were the sizing takes place . One reason I shy away from RB now as well as their poor BC . Marvin

[Teemu]

I have Corsair .308 and it likes shoot 102 gr FT bullet. Only thing is that RCBS mold is this one:
https://www.buffaloarms.com/314-32-0...mould-rcb82061

And it drops 2 % Sn pure Pb alloy at .315-.316 wide. So I take first .314 sizing die then .311 and last .309 and sized with dry silicone lubrication. It wont ruin bullets. Those bullet comes perfectly round and nicely sized right size. I didin't mean you sized one time all in same time.