Diana Disappointed in 0.22 Diana Bandit power

crx

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Nov 16, 2024
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Don't want to go into detail but it's utterly pathetic at eliminating certain fat pests. Getting extremely poor results with recent infestation flairup. So bad in fact, considering stopping using it altogether for this purpose.

Shooting pretty much point blank at the X mark. No result. Pressure's good, Crossman hollow point pellets. Saw them just ricochet off their heads multiple times. Seems to not have any penetrating power for almost 800 fps.

Idk unless something is wrong with my gun or me. Do I need different pellets?
 
What is the fat pest? Does it wear kevlar?

In my experience, 800fps muzzle velocity with a .22 pellet will penetrate and kill anything a person has business shooting if the placement is good. My first PCP was in the same ballpark, and I used it to kill a truckload of raccoons over the course of 2 years, most from a distance of 40 - 50 yards. All brain shots...some side profile between the eye and ear, but most straight on to the sloped forehead. That carries some elevated risk of deflection due to the angle of the skull but it was never a problem in practice.

The only thing that comes to mind is are you confident the 800fps chronograph reading is good?

Crosman pellets are a hard alloy so that aspect is favorable to reducing the risk of ricochet or deflection.
 
What is the fat pest? Does it wear kevlar?

In my experience, 800fps muzzle velocity with a .22 pellet will penetrate and kill anything a person has business shooting if the placement is good. My first PCP was in the same ballpark, and I used it to kill a truckload of raccoons over the course of 2 years, most from a distance of 40 - 50 yards. All brain shots...some side profile between the eye and ear, but most straight on to the sloped forehead. That carries some elevated risk of deflection due to the angle of the skull but it was never a problem in practice.

The only thing that comes to mind is are you confident the 800fps chronograph reading is good?

Crosman pellets are a hard alloy so that aspect is favorable to reducing the risk of ricochet or deflection.

Stock Bandit. I rounded up the fps number, going off the memory of some youtube tests, those were probably for 0.177, I'm way off but I thought it was still high enough.

Premier Ultra Magnum pellets.


Specs on the Diana Bandit .22, on Airgun Depot website, states 630fps, which, with JSB 18.1 grain pellets equals 15.96 FPE. Unsure if yours has been modified for increased power or what grain pellet your using for 800fps but appears foot-pounds of energy is insufficient for targeted species. WM

No mods. Insufficient? All I read everywhere, everyone says 600+ is good enough. But to me it now seems like clearly not or maybe mine is not getting 600+ per specs for some reason. Not going to be using this until I figure this out.
 
Stock Bandit. I rounded up the fps number, going off the memory of some youtube tests, those were probably for 0.177, I'm way off but I thought it was still high enough.

Premier Ultra Magnum pellets.




No mods. Insufficient? All I read everywhere, everyone says 600+ is good enough. But to me it now seems like clearly not or maybe mine is not getting 600+ per specs for some reason. Not going to be using this until I figure this out.
Agreed, holding off until resolved is a humane approach. A chronograph will determine what speeds are generated and a foot-pounds of energy calculator, as found on the Pyramyd Air website, will determine FPE based on pellet weight/FPS. The correct foot-pounds of energy finding will help to determine appropriate pests, or game, to pursue. Best of Luck, WM
 
The specs on Pyramid Air list the. 22 Bandit at 12 fpe . Using the energy calculator they have, shooting a 13.6gr pellet at 630 fps would be 12 fpe . Shooting a 14.3gr pellet at 800 fps would give you 20.33 foot/ lb of energy. 12 fpe is not enough for a Raccoon but is enough for smaller pests with good shot placement.
Agreed, OP only shared that he was trying to eliminate fat pests, nothing more. Possible OP's Bandit is malfunctioning, chronograph testing will determine that, or, if airgun is underpowered for selected pests. WM
 
Agreed, OP only shared that he was trying to eliminate fat pests, nothing more. Possible OP's Bandit is malfunctioning, chronograph testing will determine that, or, if airgun is underpowered for selected pests. WM

That would be great if he has a chronograph but not everyone has the extra cash to buy one. It would be nice to know what fat pests the pellets were bouncing off their heads . The OP could set up a soup can and see if it goes through one side and leaves dent in the other side . If it does go through I would think it would eliminate a small pest . Or might just need more tension on the hammer spring if it's adjustable. Pyramid Air states 12 fpe and 630 fps so it's not an 18gr pellet . It would be a 13.6gr pellet which is odd .
 
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That would be great if he has a chronograph but not everyone has the extra cash to buy one. It would be nice to know what fat pests the pellets were bouncing off their heads . The OP could set up a soup can and see if it goes through one side and leaves dent in the other side . If it does go through I would think it would eliminate a small pest . Or might just need more tension on the hammer spring if it's adjustable. Pyramid Air states 12 fpe and 630 fps so it's not an 18gr pellet . It would be a 13.6gr pellet which is odd .
OP could search, "Chronograph," in archives, members recommend one that's around $30. I believe its Chinese and clamps to barrel, works fine according to users. WM
 
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x2 on what WorriedMan said.

 
The specs on Pyramid Air list the. 22 Bandit at 12 fpe . Using the energy calculator they have, shooting a 13.6gr pellet at 630 fps would be 12 fpe . Shooting a 14.3gr pellet at 800 fps would give you 20.33 foot/ lb of energy. 12 fpe is not enough for a Raccoon but is enough for smaller pests with good shot placement.
sorry but i am and have been using a 11,6 FPE HW97 and 8.4 grain wadcutters mostly and quite regularly kill DRT coon's
 
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Don't want to go into detail but it's utterly pathetic at eliminating certain fat pests. Getting extremely poor results with recent infestation flairup. So bad in fact, considering stopping using it altogether for this purpose.

Shooting pretty much point blank at the X mark. No result. Pressure's good, Crossman hollow point pellets. Saw them just ricochet off their heads multiple times. Seems to not have any penetrating power for almost 800 fps.

Idk unless something is wrong with my gun or me. Do I need different pellets?
cheap Amazon Chronograph $ 15 or 23 maybe less as mine was $14 2 years ago
 
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I was talking about coons. I took out a younger, smaller one with a single shot but every big one required more and none of the follow up shots even point blank could put them out of the misery, just added more.

Idk where and when, but I bought this thing cause people were bragging it was strong enough for pretty much anything smaller than a bear. Some showed good plywood penetration and such. Hope this thread helps some not to make the same mistake.
 
I used a piece of pine for a chronograph,it was too soft, went to hickery; it was too hard ,finally use redwood.I want more than a 1/4" to 3/8", for soft skulls. You are using the Wrong pellets , plus you must be shooting at an angle.? Your pistol should work on rats; anything bigger is a no-go. Get a more powerful gun. As far as placement, that is an old wife's tail. I say that for the simple reason, how much time you got to place your shot? More power, more power, forget those pencil-neck-weakening FPS bouncing off the skull pencil necks' weak air guns:eek::ROFLMAO:
 
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I used a piece of pine for a chronograph,it was too soft, went to hickery; it was too hard ,finally use redwood.I want more than a 1/4" to 3/8", for soft skulls. You are using the Wrong pellets , plus you must be shooting at an angle.? Your pistol should work on rats; anything bigger is a no-go. Get a more powerful gun. As far as placement, that is an old wife's tail. I say that for the simple reason, how much time you got to place your shot? More power, more power, forget those pencil-neck-weakening FPS bouncing off the skull pencil necks' weak air guns:eek::ROFLMAO:
Which airgun would you recommend for coons? Would a specific heavier pellet increase fpe? Or is this gun just a complete no-go?
 
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I was talking about coons. I took out a younger, smaller one with a single shot but every big one required more and none of the follow up shots even point blank could put them out of the misery, just added more.

Idk where and when, but I bought this thing cause people were bragging it was strong enough for pretty much anything smaller than a bear. Some showed good plywood penetration and such. Hope this thread helps some not to make the same mistake.

Thanks for being a humane pester and using your own judgment . Ive heard some crazy claims on the internet. One guy was saying he shot a Coyote at 50 yards with his gamo .177 springer and it was DRT . Nothing I would ever try .
 
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Thank you for asking. Put that underpowered pistol away!FCopok, no,do not use your judgment,as it is not right.You will have to spend more money to get a pistol that is powerful enough to humanly kill coons. Heavy pellets and fps re two different things
There too many stupid people ok , do not believe anybody.I would not use less than 1/2" penetration.
I am sorry, but I am the wrong person to ask, as I am a jerk when it comes to this .never-the-less 1/2 penetration in redwood should work
Please, other hunters, help this person out. Thank you
ps. you should have stated your goal was to kill coons humanly to begin with
 
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Thank you for asking. Put that underpowered pistol away!FCopok, no,do not use your judgment,as it is not right.You will have to spend more money to get a pistol that is powerful enough to humanly kill coons. Heavy pellets and fps re two different things
There too many stupid people ok , do not believe anybody.I would not use less than 1/2" penetration.
I am sorry, but I am the wrong person to ask, as I am a jerk when it comes to this .never-the-less 1/2 penetration in redwood should work
Please, other hunters, help this person out. Thank you
ps. you should have stated your goal was to kill coons humanly to begin with

He said he was not using his pistol anymore in his first post , despite what others had told him . Yes he should have stopped sooner but he did quit .

I would use something with 20+ fpe energy and .22 caliber myself . A Gamo Urban or Stoger xm1 or Scout for a low cost pcp with enough power . I've taken Coons with Marauder at around 24 fpe with headshots and drop them , or a chest shot and they would make it about 20 yards before dropping. Learn their anatomy and where their vitals are and shoot square on with headshots. Raccoons are very tough critters . I use a 47 fpe pcp now for Raccoons because that's my most powerful pcp and Raccoons are my largest pests I shoot with airguns .