What's the fascination with "slugs"?

Triggernosis said:

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm just wondering why so many folks discuss shooting/tuning slugs. What's the appeal over plain-ol' pellets?

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view my thread here

I'm 99% a plain ol' pellet guy myself. They work for me for my shooting needs, even though I know that I am not benefiting from the better ballistic coefficient of slugs over pellets, the lower impact of wind on slugs over pellets, and the higher projectile delivery of energy at distance of slugs over pellets.

But different projectiles for different needs is always a good thing. Plus if I ever get bored of shooting pellets, slugs will give me a whole new set of challenges to re-set my guns for them, and figure out weights and speeds to get the accuracy I want.

Kind of a win-win for airgunners in the end.

The allure of slugs for most airgunners who opt for this ammo is the higher ballistic coefficient of slugs compared to pellets. E.g. a .22 caliber JSB 25.4 grain, Redesigned Monster pellet's BC is listed as 0.053, while the JSB 25.4 grain, Knock Out slug has a BC of 0.084.

"Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is basically a measure of how streamlined a bullet is; that is, how well it cuts through the air. Mathematically, it is the ratio of a bullet's sectional density to its coefficient of form. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. The higher the number the less drag, and the more efficiently the bullet cuts through the air. So for purposes of flying through the air efficiently, the bigger the BC number the better."
I hope that helps.

I think it's just another aspect of men trying to push the limits. We do it with everything from cars to sports... try to go faster, go farther, go longer, be more accurate, get more power, etc., etc. The same principle applies to air guns.

If your desired shooting distance is greater than 100 yards, slugs with their higher BC can be much more accurate.

I shoot at 50 and 100 yards and have yet to find a slug that is consistently better than JSB 18.1 or JSB RD in .22 caliber.

SpiralGroove said:

If your desired shooting distance is greater than 100 yards, slugs with their higher BC can be much more accurate.

I shoot at 50 and 100 yards and have yet to find a slug that is consistently better than JSB 18.1 or JSB RD in .22 caliber.

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You will be quickly be told otherwise by anyone who can put data into a calculator lol

SpiralGroove said:

If your desired shooting distance is greater than 100 yards, slugs with their higher BC can be much more accurate.

I shoot at 50 and 100 yards and have yet to find a slug that is consistently better than JSB 18.1 or JSB RD in .22 caliber.

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SAME here.
As CTairgunner1288 said, the ballistic apps will show that a slug SHOULD be better, reality of actual shooting will show you different. (At least in the sub 50fpe, sub 100 yards realm where I've done all of my comparisons).

I often find myself making the comment about our Extreme Field Target matches here in AZ, where we shoot to 100 yards and max FPE allowed is 100. Slugs SHOULD be wiping the floor with pellets, but even when somebody is brave enough to try slugs, their scores are pretty similar to the pellet shooters scores.

Franklink said:

SAME here.
As CTairgunner1288 said, the ballistic apps will show that a slug SHOULD be better, reality of actual shooting will show you different. (At least in the sub 50fpe, sub 100 yards realm where I've done all of my comparisons).

I often find myself making the comment about our Extreme Field Target matches here in AZ, where we shoot to 100 yards and max FPE allowed is 100. Slugs SHOULD be wiping the floor with pellets, but even when somebody is brave enough to try slugs, their scores are pretty similar to the pellet shooters scores.

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The apps have their place and are a great tool, however they are not absolute. Trying to tell someone who only uses those apps (which I just recently learned how to use and find it very fascinating and pretty awesome) anything different than the app says is like telling them they sky is blue, theyll come back and say well the sky app says its red.

One of the best reasons is that slugs are readily available when pellets are not. Price is about the same in small calibers and the right slug can outperform pellets. Options are a good thing.

I've had no personal experience shooting slugs faster than 45-50fpe but it feels like all these guys saying they're better can't be wrong so it must be up in the heavy slug faster than 45-50fpe territory where they shine. Cuz they sure as heck aren't better than high BC pellets at the power levels I've played with them in.

I think the count on barrels that I've tried them from the last time I tried to remember was 12 or 14. And that's choked, unchoked, polygonal, 12 land and groove, standard twist rate, slow twist rate.

Just a few days ago was the most recently failed attempt at getting slugs to shoot better than pellets at under 100 yards. 15 and 12.5 grain .177 slugs did not shoot better groups at 95 yards than the Monster Redesigns. I think the 15 grain slugs are listed at a BC of 0.07 and the MRDs are down around 0.05. The pellet groups in the same conditions were half the size of the groups from the slugs. And I've tried more fair comparisons took shooting slugs from the same caliber as pellets and comparing. There have been a few barrel/slug/speed combos where the slugs shot as well as the pellets, but never better.

And it's not just the .22 MRDS, the .20 Heavies also routinely outshoot all the sub 45-50fpe slugs that I've tried.

pellets are getting more than slugs. so many longer range shooters love the easy wind adjustments if any, plain old pellet shootig i love, play the winds is great way to challange yourself, do have few slupgs, the 25gr 22 cal pellets sure seem t be the real winner in my book

I should add that the 20.5grain .177 slugs are IMPRESSIVE and potentially an outlier to my above comments.

When you like lighting money on fire, you have to blow it on something. I’ve accepted and can’t be bamboozled by the fact that airgun ballistics suck, no matter what you’re shooting. My fascination with slugs is just primarily trying to figure them out. And burn garbage bags full of money in the process. I have an airgun hobby which is fun and relaxing. Then I have a slug gun hobby. One is never a waste of time, money or frustrating, the other is. But the frustration drives me and apparently that’s what I need at this point.

Man Im gonna upset some folks. I have two 25 cal. pcps and shoot pellets exclusively and for me their fast bleed off of speed is an advantage. I live and shoot in a well forested suburban area with lots ranging from one to four acres. Slugs are just too dangerous. Already I only shoot when I have something to stop pass throughs. If for some reason, a deflection etc., the pellet will bleed off energy faster. If I need more than a mid to upper 40 fpe 25 pellet its time to grab one of my .22 rim fires. Sure you can spend a bucket of money to buy a 100 ft. lb. air gun and shoot slugs but they still only equal to a much less expensive rim fire. Use the best tool for the job. That said if someone enjoys the challenge of maxing out an air rifle, good on em.

IMO what you are seeing is largely self-referential. People are talking about slugs because (other) people are talking about slugs. It's a recent innovation, and so people are tinkering with the concept, and that results in some initial noise. Once this initial "feel out the new thing" phase is over, people will talk a lot less about slugs.

I believe it is a very typical American thing. As state above, we have to have the biggest, fastest, most powerful of everything. I'll be the contrarian and admit I don't like them. In fact, I've gone the other way and learned to love a 11.5 fpe rifle in .177. It's a hobby, and I suppose slug shooting should be available to those who find it attractive. My only concern, it may bring the air rifle sport into more "firearm" scrutiny than we want. And with that could come a host of restrictions that would substantially change the manner in which we enjoy the sport.

I've tried a few slugs in my 25 Avenger and in my P35-25. The former did not like any I tried but the later likes H&N slug hps. But it doesn't push them very fast, it's tuned for H&N FTTs which are a lot lighter. If I ever want to tune it up to 45-50 fpe I may go back to H&N slugs. I think with the regulator turned up some I can get more power with good accuracy.

I just started tuning two more P35s, a 22 and a 177. The 22 likes H&N Barracuda Match the best of any I've tried including JSBs. Not sure yet on the 177 but I'm getting some good groups out of JSB Barracuda Match but today Barracuda Power did better.

I've tried a few expanding pellets in my 5 PCPs but I have not found any that shoot as well as simple domed pellets. I also get clean kills with the domed in 22 and 25, no experience yet with the 177. IF my 177 happens to shoot slugs well and IF they will penetrate adequately despite the expansion, then and only then I might use slugs in it to kill squirrels. Or I may just concentrate on head shots with the 177.

I've also used chairgun to map out the trajectory of a few slugs my guns will shoot and the decrease in drop was not very large but the wind drift was about half. I think they do offer advantages but not dramatically big advantages but only if you can find one your gun likes.

when you were a kid did you ever "write in the snow " with your buddies a contest of sorts .

Vetmx said:

When you like lighting money on fire, you have to blow it on something. I’ve accepted and can’t be bamboozled by the fact that airgun ballistics suck, no matter what you’re shooting. My fascination with slugs is just primarily trying to figure them out. And burn garbage bags full of money in the process. I have an airgun hobby which is fun and relaxing. Then I have a slug gun hobby. One is never a waste of time, money or frustrating, the other is. But the frustration drives me and apparently that’s what I need at this point.

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I just left RMAC and was shooting slugs in the wind (Up to 40mph) out to 100 yards fairly decent. Pellets prooved all but impossible at the same range and wind conditions.