Tuning Realistically, how do you all keep up with the slug dream??

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MushroomPsyche

MushroomPsyche

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Jul 18, 2020
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I've been sorta dabbling in slugs the past few months. Not really doing any serious tuning as my gun is first and foremost a backyard varmint gun. .22 / 30 FPE. I'm not really willing to tune the gun specifically for slugs. However, I've been trying different slugs just to see what sticks with the current tune. So far not much luck and I've just about given up. I understand that without proper tuning, I'll never get acceptable results. According to the manufacturer, my gun has a CZ unchoked barrel.

Now, I just ordered another gun that I'm intending to tune much higher for times I can get to more open areas. .25 / 50 to 55 FPE. The gun also has an unchoked CZ barrel according to the manufacturer. My issue is... ok, even if I'm willing to put in the time, effort, and money trying to find the proper slugs for the barrel and actually tune properly... and let's say I actually find the magic slug for my gun, is my only option then is to buy a butt load of said slugs? What happens in the future when I run out and the manufacturer had changed the specifications? Does the process just have to repeat itself? How do you all keep up with such a predicament?

The more I read into slugs, the more I realize just how sensitive they are even with barrels that are marketed and sold as "slug barrels". Acceptable accuracy for me is at least a US penny size group at 50 meters.

It's not easy and it's not cheap.
 
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I use Strelok Pro for a ballistic app and when I look at the reticle pic with data for slugs and pellets at similar velocities (say 100 yards) with similar weights, windage is different, but not necessarily by all that much depending on the data input. Sometimes I think it might be easier to get good with pellets and forget about trying slugs if the practical distance is 100 yards or less. Now I just need to find the time to practice.
 
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You sound like a prime candidate to not shoot slugs.
I have guns for pellets and guns for slugs. Two completely different critters. I will admit that the pellet shooters were easier to tune to accuracy and JSB pellets are a pretty stable item in the market so no worries about them changing design.
My two slug shooters will perform well with different slugs. I stick with popular mid weight for caliber slugs and do not push my guns to the limit looking for near PB level power.
Slugs have their uses for me. I prefer them for hunting because the terminal performance is better, wind drift less and the trajectory is flatter. I also like them when plinking at ranges between 100 and 200 yards. Still, I shoot a lot more pellets than I do slugs. Inside 70 yards they do what I need done and do it well with a lot less fuss.
 
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Chukar60 said:
You sound like a prime candidate to not shoot slugs.
I have guns for pellets and guns for slugs. Two completely different critters. I will admit that the pellet shooters were easier to tune to accuracy and JSB pellets are a pretty stable item in the market so no worries about them changing design.
My two slug shooters will perform well with different slugs. I stick with popular mid weight for caliber slugs and do not push my guns to the limit looking for near PB level power.
Slugs have their uses for me. I prefer them for hunting because the terminal performance is better, wind drift less and the trajectory is flatter. I also like them when plinking at ranges between 100 and 200 yards. Still, I shoot a lot more pellets than I do slugs. Inside 70 yards they do what I need done and do it well with a lot less fuss.
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How many slugs does a slug shooter need to try? Do you need to attempt to build a tune for each one to know if its a yes/no? Or does a well-matching slug tend to show itself if the gun is generally in a good tune to begin with?
 
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I have been down that rabbit hole and really only had one gun that shot slugs well in 22 and sold it. I got pellet guns for pellet guns like mentioned above if I wanna shoot slugs I'll grab powder burners. It's just with slugs there's a compromise somewhere even if you find a slug in a setting for your rifle that works. At the distance as I shoot pellets kill just fine. They only slug gun I'm interested in is a 257 bulldog
 
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MushroomPsyche said:
I've been sorta dabbling in slugs the past few months. Not really doing any serious tuning as my gun is first and foremost a backyard varmint gun. .22 / 30 FPE. I'm not really willing to tune the gun specifically for slugs. However, I've been trying different slugs just to see what sticks with the current tune. So far not much luck and I've just about given up. I understand that without proper tuning, I'll never get acceptable results. According to the manufacturer, my gun has a CZ unchoked barrel.

Now, I just ordered another gun that I'm intending to tune much higher for times I can get to more open areas. .25 / 50 to 55 FPE. The gun also has an unchoked CZ barrel according to the manufacturer. My issue is... ok, even if I'm willing to put in the time, effort, and money trying to find the proper slugs for the barrel and actually tune properly... and let's say I actually find the magic slug for my gun, is my only option then is to buy a butt load of said slugs? What happens in the future when I run out and the manufacturer had changed the specifications? Does the process just have to repeat itself? How do you all keep up with such a predicament?

The more I read into slugs, the more I realize just how sensitive they are even with barrels that are marketed and sold as "slug barrels". Acceptable accuracy for me is at least a US penny size group at 50 meters.

It's not easy and it's not cheap.
Click to expand...
That may just be a slug size and twist rate issue, you can try all the slugs you want but if the barrel twist isn't fast enough and you don't have the right size slugs you could just be wasting your money.

I had a kalibrgun cricket 2 45 choked barrel, it loved shooting pellets and would not shoot slugs. That is until I trie some .2155/
216 sized nsa slugs, and that outshot the pellets even at close distance and at 29fpe
 
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You don't mention what airgun you are using to accomplish this, that might help with the replies. Having said that, I have been doing the same thing, trying to find a decent slug that will shoot comparable to pellets without making any significant changes to my tune. So far, the only slug I've found that perform well using my pellet tune are the FX Hybrid slugs. These (in .22) shoot well from my DRS, Impact and Mrod. They aren't cheap at $15 for 100, but thus far they perform much better than all the others (H&N, NSA, Rifle, JSB, etc) that I have tried! If you haven't tried the FX Hybrids, give them a try and see how they perform for you.
 
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There have been many good topics about slug shooting. There have been topics without catchy titles that have snippets of good information. Apparently you have been doing your homework. This side of this hobby is the all time leader in half truths. It’s also very dependent on standards. Bobs great slug gun is not Fred’s great slug gun. Bob just finally got his gun good enough to suit his needs but it won’t suit Fred’s needs. So everyone who reads Bobs stuff goes and chases his settings and slugs. Most find disappointment. Around 2018 or 2019 I finally just had dedicated slug guns. That’s when you start to learn. And spend a crap load of money. I believe the goal with most guys is to luck into something quickly that meets their needs.

FX has the test everything barrels on their guns. Just look at all the guys with the same liners but one guy swears by .218 when another insists that .217 has him shooting bumblebees at 200 yards. There are reasons for these possible facts but then there are also the half truths to consider. Guns with real barrels are a different animal. But after you spend a bunch of time and money shooting and building them, you understand some things. But even after you understand things, there’s no guarantee you can make a barrel shoot to your expectations.

If you enjoy a good challenge and like the smell of money burning, a slug trip is interesting. Or you can take a lot of other guys approach and just enjoy the hell out of airguns shooting pellets. Look at all the recent M4 topics. Every one of them is a guy spinning in circles over slugs. Had they not been mesmerized by a YouTube video and just purchased their M4’s as pellet guns, they would be stoked with the gun and its accuracy. Maybe one post about things opening up at 100 yards. Then one reply telling him to weigh his pellets. Then we never hear from him again. With slugs, it’s 20 replies and possibly 30 different things to try.
 
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It's no different than a gambling addiction. You have the money in your hand, you can go buy anything you want, but you could have more if you just pull that handle one more time. Sure, you could lose it, but it is so much fun to hit. Some people just like to play the game. If that's you, accept it, and just have fun. It's not a waste of time or money if you're enjoying yourself.
 
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Slugs have been working very well for me and meet my expectations. I haven't experienced all the headaches mentioned above so maybe i got lucky... Sub moa @ 100 yards is standard. I don't even bother with my pellet rifle anymore. The swirling winds here in the mountains doesn't play well with them.
 
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I am living the slug dream, even if i can not shoot the heavier ones of them, well at least not at distance.
Of course i have never even considered trying slugs in my 2012 Cyclone with the original ST barrel, so in .22 it is pellets only for now.

Mind you i have started to dabble in pellets in the .177, and it is also quite enjoyable, absolutely no reason to shoot slugs at 50 M or shorter.
On the other hand on a fairly calm day i have no problem shooting a tin of the 10 grain KO MK 3 slugs, all the way out past 100 yards. only downside is those damn little things are hard to feel front / rear on, so i am pretty sure now and then i shoot one backwards out of my Two.
 
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Vetmx said:
There have been many good topics about slug shooting. There have been topics without catchy titles that have snippets of good information. Apparently you have been doing your homework. This side of this hobby is the all time leader in half truths. It’s also very dependent on standards. Bobs great slug gun is not Fred’s great slug gun. Bob just finally got his gun good enough to suit his needs but it won’t suit Fred’s needs. So everyone who reads Bobs stuff goes and chases his settings and slugs. Most find disappointment. Around 2018 or 2019 I finally just had dedicated slug guns. That’s when you start to learn. And spend a crap load of money. I believe the goal with most guys is to luck into something quickly that meets their needs.

FX has the test everything barrels on their guns. Just look at all the guys with the same liners but one guy swears by .218 when another insists that .217 has him shooting bumblebees at 200 yards. There are reasons for these possible facts but then there are also the half truths to consider. Guns with real barrels are a different animal. But after you spend a bunch of time and money shooting and building them, you understand some things. But even after you understand things, there’s no guarantee you can make a barrel shoot to your expectations.

If you enjoy a good challenge and like the smell of money burning, a slug trip is interesting. Or you can take a lot of other guys approach and just enjoy the hell out of airguns shooting pellets. Look at all the recent M4 topics. Every one of them is a guy spinning in circles over slugs. Had they not been mesmerized by a YouTube video and just purchased their M4’s as pellet guns, they would be stoked with the gun and its accuracy. Maybe one post about things opening up at 100 yards. Then one reply telling him to weigh his pellets. Then we never hear from him again. With slugs, it’s 20 replies and possibly 30 different things to try.
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Thats a good post and good advice..

But saying that it's very simple to eliminate a lot of frustration off the bat by figuring out your twist rate and bore size. If you have a 1:30 / 1:40 twist you most likely won't find success.. Have a 1:16 / 1:18 twist and you probably have a much better chance. The slug rabbit hole doesn't have to be difficult if you follow some basic guidelines. BORE / FPS / TWIST

Trying to get performance out of hardware thats incompatible is just asking for headaches.. But if you have the correct hardware it won't take much effort to find the correct slug.

Mike
 
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Thank you for the replies everyone. The gun in question is the Taipan Veteran 1 Standard. So 1:17.7 twist rate. I know what barrel most .25 Veteran 1 previously had (LW choked), but this particular gun has an unchoked CZ barrel according to an email from Taipan. That's the only reason why I'm thinking if I might try slugs with it again.
 
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Like stated above and what you already know, finding the correct size (diameter for spin stability)/length/weight slug (s) along with the correct speed for your barrel is like Vetmx said...a journey (fun or not)! But...if and when you find a slug or more that shoots accurately, it becomes really fun can be well worth that journey in my estimation.
 
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