HW110 initial pellet test.

[1066]

I've just picked up an HW110 (PCP) and entered in a local air benchrest league, so thought I had better get some pellet testing done. I have about 20 different types of good quality pellets to try, here's the first 7. These are all 5 shot groups, shot at 25 yards from a bench but no rear bags (Comp rules). A few "fouling" shots in the sighter with each change of pellet. This first round of testing will be used to eliminate the "no hope" pellets, then, when down to a few hopeful ones I will try weight sorting and different sizing/lubing.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Looks like the first group was the winner. I have shot H&N pellets in my Weihrauch's for 40 years and they have always performed very well. JSB's didn't exist until a few years ago and now they are slightly better than the H&N's. but not by much.

Randy

[1066]

The first group was certainly the best of that bunch - it measures out at about .65moa C/C. I'm hoping I'll find something a little better, 25yd air benchrest is quite unforgiving.

Interesting to note that the Bisley Magnums are actually made by H&N.

[dverna]

Use a proper rest setup to evaluate pellets.

If you have not done it. Get some Balistol and clean your barrel until no gunk comes out it it. I was shocked at how much crap there was in my guns.

I have had some promising results using Ballistol as a pellet lube. Worth trying.

I have never had good accuracy at 25 yards or greater using wadcutter style pellets.

Keep us posted and good luck!

[1066]

I've not tried Ballistol as a pellet lubricant although I have tried others - I'll give it a try.
I agree about the cleaning. Something i never really bothered about with the airguns until I started taking things a bit more seriously. I bought this HW110 second hand and although it's been well looked after, it was well down on power and, as you say, the barrel was full of crud.

[d4xycrq]

I walked into a gun store in Frankfurt, Germany and was taken by the look and feel of the HW45. It came home with me, then I discovered the awesome accuracy and quality.

[Calamity Jake]

Forget the flat nose pellets there designed for10 meter(33 FT)not 25 yards.
The JSB's are good pellets but dirty and contain small slivers of lead so wash them in lacquer thinner or similar and re lube
using a low viscosity lube using no more than 2 drops per 250 pellets, rolling them around a plastic bowl.
Also inspect them for skirt damage.

I've been shooting indoor benchrest AG matches for about 8 years and have done a lot of experimenting.
Also when you clean turn the gun upside down, you don't want any cleaning fluids in the regulator or air ports

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ditto on the 10 yards for Flat nosed pellets. Also you can't drive them as hard as the Round Nosed style of pellets.

About 600 fps is all you can get out of them before they start acting weird. All these PCP's are well above that unless you tune them down!

Randy

[centershot]

I've been shooting the H&N Field Target Trophy pellets for a couple of years now, they are the best I've found for my HW95. The upper right bull was from the bench, the others were offhand. I love this rifle! The squirrels don't!

Attachment 308640

[chutesnreloads]

Now hold on a bit about these flat nosed pellets. True, you may not win any matches shooting them over 10 yards. That's not what I use them for. My priority has always been back yard pest control and the flat nose pellets simply perform. My "magnum" springer shoots them well over 700 fps and at even 30 yards will cause brain damage in squirrels. Until a year or so ago the RWS wadcutter was the most accurate pellet from that rifle. Yes it got terrible groups at 50 yards but never had a need to shoot them that far. Same pellets also shot best from my Benjamin pumper.... at back yard distances. Since trying the Field Target Trophy pellet, the springer shoots them best and even gives surprisingly nice groups at 50 yards. But for my main use, back yard pesting, I've gone back to the flat nosed pellet. Why? Because they SEEM to have quicker kills than the round nose pellets and most important.... they almost never shoot completely through the the squirrel making them more neighbor friendly.
BTW my PCP shoots these RWS wadcutters horribly, possibly because they're going too fast. But it shoots the gamo wadcutter better than a lot of higher end round nose pellets.
Guess it's all about what you're using them for

[Racing]

All due respect, choice of pill is a matter of so many variables that fairly few "truths" can be said to hold water.

Flatnose pellets and beyond 10m though is one of them.

What´s more, as you start getting into pest control the main objective, apart from hitting the pest, is to minimize any suffering to the absolute limit of what we can.

Sure. When we see "British" 12fpe guns.. that´s one thing. To the rest of us though, using PCP´s, i´d say that if you ain´t shooting hollow point slugs.. well...

I´ve come to understand that fairly few air gunners have experienced the downright brutal effect on target from the "new era" hollow point slugs, which is an absolute pitty in my opinion.
Might be they´re "just pests", i don´t care. It´s still life and we should show respect accordingly.

However. From my findings it isn´t until you start getting into the 800´s them HP are starting to act as should, no matter the total weight really.
At 900 in turn.. we´re there and at 1000 and beyond.. HELLO!

In turn many an air rifle carries rifling twist and what have you that doesn´t cater to "slug" use. Might be, then try say the Hades or Polymags or the likes that are intended for hunting purposes.

Any HP slug though designed for the task, it´s on a different map. Taking a shot at a rat at say 30 meters using a HP slug running 900+ as a headshot... we´re talking decapitation here. To the letter, and to me it´s hard to see a more humane dispatch of said pest.

Flat nose wadcutters are intended to punch holes in paper. Use them for that.