Finding ideal pellet for air rifle..

[ChrisPackham]

I have a cheap spring air rifle, sub 12ftlbs for short range rabbit, pigeon, rat, crow in the garden and paddock where HMR is bit OTT.  It's 22 and I have been using 16 grain AA Hunter pellets so far but on V close pigeon (15 to 20M) it seems to lack energy for head and neck shots essentially taking 2 shots to be terminal (if I move to dispatch the others spook and don't come back)

How can I find the opimal pellet? I'm assuming 16gr is too heavy for sub 12ftlb air as IRS the same weight as HMR near as damn it but 1/5 speed.

All ideas appreciated, I know little about air rifles..

 

[Hamster]

There is no way that even a sub 12 ft lb air rifle would lack energy for head/neck shots at close range, not even if it were only producing 7 ft lbs of kinetic energy, the problem is elsewhere in other words. How accurate is the gun at the ranges you are shooting ? If it groups inside a 2p coin at 20 yards (nothing special) then it's good enough.

I consider 14.5 grain pellets or a touch less to be optimal weights for sub 12 ft lb power levels, the trick is to find the right pellet, avoid wad cutters and cheap pellets with dodgy names, at £10-£15 a tin even the more expensive ones are easily affordable. My favourites include the H&N round heads which I think are closer to 15 grain, the Webley Accupel, RWS Superdome (I have recently had an incredibly poor tin of these otherwise dependable pellets), Crossman Premier domed, Bisley Superfield (again closer to 15 grain), RWS also do a Superpoint which is accurate up to around 35-40 yards but try and avoid pointed ones as a rule. 

Almost anything domed should be good enough accuracy wise and will kill the quarry mentioned whether shot in the head, neck or even arguably the chest. Pigeon are best shot so the pellet gets to the heart/lung (back is best), the head is far too risky and difficult on a moving target, short range rabbits should be easy to hit in the right part of the head, crows are the only other ones I would perhaps try and hit in the head.

 

[ChrisPackham]

Gun groups well, 2p at 20 yards no drama and the bird is shot where I aimed..

Maybe  it needs to be chronod? Although 5mm ply at that range is reasonably easy to pass through. I chose heads shot to avoid food damage. AA hunters are 15 per tin but will try lighter pellets..

 

[ips]

as hamster says at 20yd with good shot placement the quarry should be stone dead with any pellet. You say cheap springer, maybe its no were near 12ft lbs. ??

something doesn't add up I would get it chronoed asap.

incidentally try accupels, i have only ever found one gun that would not group well with them but that particular rifle would not group with anything.

 

[Les]

It would definitely be a good idea to check the rifle on a chrono, for your own peace of mind if nothing else.

I have always found neck shots to be the most effective on pigeons, and if you need a follow-up shot then the shot placement isn't optimal or the rifle has low power.

 

[Oldblaster]

For what it's worth l found Webley Laser Dome pellets spot on, dead on 12ft lbs with a crono, and grouped best. If they still make em, worth a go.

 

[ChrisPackham]

Thanks guys, chronoed at 10.5ftlbs with AA Hunters at 16gr.

Moved shot placement to bottom of neck, much more effective!

 

[ips]

sorted ?

 

[philpot]

Try a tin of AA Field Express or JSB Exact RS as springers do seem to excel with the lighter pellet and to be honest kill well with them. My TX200 was a pig until I had it tuned in terms of hold sensitive, once that was sorted and I was able to maintain a tight group (5p coin size) at 25mt, it was a case of streamlining the pellet type. AA Express was nothing short of superb. The other light pellet that really does the business is Falcon accuracy Plus and has found a lot of favor with many .22 airgun hunters. 

Phil

 

[ChrisPackham]

Try a tin of AA Field Express or JSB Exact RS as springers do seem to excel with the lighter pellet and to be honest kill well with them. My TX200 was a pig until I had it tuned in terms of hold sensitive, once that was sorted and I was able to maintain a tight group (5p coin size) at 25mt, it was a case of streamlining the pellet type. AA Express was nothing short of superb. The other light pellet that really does the business is Falcon accuracy Plus and has found a lot of favor with many .22 airgun hunters. 

Phil

Thanks, I will give these a go, a couple of pigeons needed second shot tonight..