.20/13.73 versus .177/10.34 for FT use

[Franklink]

Just shot a comparison that I've been wanting to do for quite awhile. Winds are bad today and I'm off work and want to shoot so...good day for it.

These two guns are the most accurate and most wind-resistant FT specific rigs that I've had the pleasure to shoot. Both will shoot dime sized 10 shot groups @ 55 in favorable conditions, as the norm, not the cherry picked exception.

One is a USFT with a 23inch slow twist (1:36) poly barrel shooting the .177/10.34s at 905-925. Shot from a bumbag in this comparison. With all the shooting helps, it is benchrest stable.

The other is a Veteran Short with a 16inch, 12 land and groove 1:17.7 twist. It shoots the .20/13.73 @ 795-805. Shot from a "bench" for this comparison.

Winds today are rough, forecast is 18-20mph sustained, with gusts up to 32mph. And that might even be a bit conservative. There's a 30x50 metal carport off to the left of where I'm shooting and the gusts sound like they're going to take that carport for a ride.

Shot a ten shot group from each gun, alternating back and forth to average out any ebbs and flows in the wind. No hold offs and no timing for wind. Wind is coming from directly behind me, and my house is also at my back. So that means the wind eddies around the house and meets back up about 3/4 of the way out to the 55 yard targets.

The most egregious "flyers" coincided with the big gusts.

I expected the USFT to perform better in the wind than the Vet, as that's how it has seemed when I've competed with these two. I suspect the slightly higher match scores from the USFT are because it's so much easier to shoot from a field target position than the short little Vet.

Thought it interesting enough to share.

 

[qball]

Having tried both, at 20fpe the .20 pellet is hands down better in the wind. It’s not even close!!!

 

[Altair-uy]

I went with heavies as the bc is just a tiny worse (0.027 vs 0.028-0.029) in my testings but you can shoot them much faster without going above the max energy output

 

[scotton]

That's pretty interesting. I would love to see a similar test using Monsters for the USFT. How would a 13.4 gr .177 pellet at the same energy perform against the .20? But then you would have to assume that the USFT likes the Monsters as much as the Heavies. Either way, two good shooting guns.

 

[Franklink]

Never shot Monsters out of the USFT. The Heavies shoot so we'll that I haven't seen the need, and I like the flatter/faster theory. I've shot multiple perfect scores with this USFT and 10.34/Heavies. I've been close with the .20 Vet but haven't done it yet. And, interestingly enough, I cleaned a 48 shot course with this Vet when it was a .22, shooting the 13.43gr Jumbo RS. Easy course and minimal wind that day. The .22/13.43 are down there at about 4th or 5th personal choice of pellets that I've shot an ft course with.

 

[Franklink]

Since I didn't add any perspective in the original post....

The circles/crosshairs are 1 and 3/8 inches.

The roll of teflon tape measures 2 and 1/8 inches. Centering that roll over each of the groups, there's only 4 or maybe 5 shots (out of 80 shots!) that wouldn't fall into a roughly 2 inch kill zone, typical of 55 yards.

 

[Motorhead]

No lack of love here for the .20 doing higher power FT work at >20fpe
The JSB 13.7's at 800 fps I've BC'ed at .040 to .044 in my TM-1000 HW barrel combo.

 

[Franklink]

No lack of love here for the .20 doing higher power FT work at >20fpe
The JSB 13.7's at 800 fps I've BC'ed at .040 to .044 in my TM-1000 HW barrel combo.

Definitely in the top couple of best BC pellets for a game restricted to 20fpe. Have measured and arrived at the same conclusion as yourself.

If ya know, you know.

 

[Motorhead]

Definitely in the top couple of best BC pellets for a game restricted to 20fpe. Have measured and arrived at the same conclusion as yourself.

If ya know, you know.

We do

 

[scotton]

Since I didn't add any perspective in the original post....

The circles/crosshairs are 1 and 3/8 inches.

The roll of teflon tape measures 2 and 1/8 inches. Centering that roll over each of the groups, there's only 4 or maybe 5 shots (out of 80 shots!) that wouldn't fall into a roughly 2 inch kill zone, typical of 55 yards.

2 inch kill zones? You AZ boys are getting soft. I can occasionally sneak a 2 inch KZ past Jeff, but I have to do it when he's not looking. He likes to say "Inch and a half kill zones will grow hair on your butt". I may be lying, but since Jeff isn't here to dispute it, let's say it's actually what he says.

 

[Franklink]

2 inch kill zones? You AZ boys are getting soft. I can occasionally sneak a 2 inch KZ past Jeff, but I have to do it when he's not looking. He likes to say "Inch and a half kill zones will grow hair on your butt". I may be lying, but since Jeff isn't here to dispute it, let's say it's actually what he says.

lol, yeah the main club I was part for a couple years had a 12fpe springer guy often stepping up and herding the cats. He likes big kill zones on the far shots. Come to think of it, a 3/8 inch kz at 10 yards is the only thing he'll get more worked up about than a 1.5 incher at 55 yards.

Whether 1.5 or 2 inch kill zones, I'm glad I've not shot many ft matches with 30+ mph gusts like I had at my house this afternoon.

 

[SDstephan]

I found that on windy days I would place far higher than usual shooting the monsters in 177 out of the USFT versus the compitors shooting the heavies.