I ordered a tin of H&N Baracuda FT pellets recently to try in my P35-177. It's highest 30 yard challenge target was a 194 with 4.52 head size H&N Baracuda Match. So I know it likes H&Ns. I got the tin and have shot several targets with them, the best is a 197. But the second best is a 192. So was I just lucky on the 197? Not really sure. But I shot a lot of the match pellets to get the 194 and am still in my first tin of the FTs so I think the gun likes the FTs better. The FTs are sold as 9.57 grain (versus 10.6 for the Match) and the tin I got is labeled 4.51 head size.
I just put the last 72 pellets from the first tin through my pellet gage. 64 are 4.52 head size and 8 are 4.53. That is not the 4.51 of the label but is really good consistency. I measured 20 of the 4.5 Match pellets and got 7 at 4.5, 5 at 4.49, 5 at 4.48, 2 at 4.47, and 1 at 4.46. I measured 20 of the 4.52 match and got 4 at 4.53, 10 at 4.52, and 6 at 4.51. So the FTs seem more consistent in head size than the Baracuda Match. I measured some Baracuda Power (copper plated) and they were good for consistency but the gun didn't like them. 8 at 4.52, 10 at 4.51, and one each at 4.5 and 4.49. I also measured some Baracuda 4.5 head size and got 5 different head sizes with most (7) 4.52 or 4.51 (6). I did not write down any JSB 10.3s so I don't know about their head size. From how they shoot and load I think they are like the 4.50 Match. My P35 doesn't like them much. I did investigate 3 tins of Crosman 10.5s. The tin that shot well had 5 head sizes from 4.51 to 4.55. The two "bad" tins were all the way from 4.55 to 4.46 head size. My gun did not like the "bad" tins at all.
I also weighted the 8 4.53 head size FTs. They were 9.6-9.8 grains.
I shot my previous best (a 194) with the 4.52 head size Match pellets but it was only 3 points higher than the 4.50 head size Match and JSB 10.3s. My gun seems to like a little bigger head size. I found in testing the Crosmans and Match H&Ns that different head sizes shoot to a little different point of impact in this gun. I will probably try that with the FTs tomorrow. I'm not sure if the .01 head size difference will really affect things. I've been shooting all my 30 yard challenge targets with unsorted pellets but if it matters, I will sort.
I just put the last 72 pellets from the first tin through my pellet gage. 64 are 4.52 head size and 8 are 4.53. That is not the 4.51 of the label but is really good consistency. I measured 20 of the 4.5 Match pellets and got 7 at 4.5, 5 at 4.49, 5 at 4.48, 2 at 4.47, and 1 at 4.46. I measured 20 of the 4.52 match and got 4 at 4.53, 10 at 4.52, and 6 at 4.51. So the FTs seem more consistent in head size than the Baracuda Match. I measured some Baracuda Power (copper plated) and they were good for consistency but the gun didn't like them. 8 at 4.52, 10 at 4.51, and one each at 4.5 and 4.49. I also measured some Baracuda 4.5 head size and got 5 different head sizes with most (7) 4.52 or 4.51 (6). I did not write down any JSB 10.3s so I don't know about their head size. From how they shoot and load I think they are like the 4.50 Match. My P35 doesn't like them much. I did investigate 3 tins of Crosman 10.5s. The tin that shot well had 5 head sizes from 4.51 to 4.55. The two "bad" tins were all the way from 4.55 to 4.46 head size. My gun did not like the "bad" tins at all.
I also weighted the 8 4.53 head size FTs. They were 9.6-9.8 grains.
I shot my previous best (a 194) with the 4.52 head size Match pellets but it was only 3 points higher than the 4.50 head size Match and JSB 10.3s. My gun seems to like a little bigger head size. I found in testing the Crosmans and Match H&Ns that different head sizes shoot to a little different point of impact in this gun. I will probably try that with the FTs tomorrow. I'm not sure if the .01 head size difference will really affect things. I've been shooting all my 30 yard challenge targets with unsorted pellets but if it matters, I will sort.
