First range session with ZAN .177cal 22grain solids

[rigbymauser]

Today weather was sunny but a little windy. I had about 6m/s(19ft/sec) crosswinds. May not be the most perfect but I was thrilled with the new ZANs 22grain solids.
I had earlier this year contacted ZAN to whether he would run a testrun on some heavier .177cal slugs. We decided to make his 20grain HPs into solids which make a 22grain solid. The testgun was the Daystate Revere. I had powered the Revere up via the hammerspring resulting in 30shots@20 ft/ibs(22grain slug) rather than the factory setting 80shots@14 ft/ibs. Factory setting does 18 ft/ibs with JSB 10,34grain pellets but less with heavy slugs.

STarted with 40meters and I was thrilled to see the first 2 shots just barely touched eachother. The next two was close to the first two. WOW.
I tried also the H&N 20grain HPs @ 40meters. They grouped so much better doing more ft/ibs. The 16 grain H&N which was good at 15 ft/ibs did no good now. So increasing power doesn`t always help with slugs.

I was thrilled to see how well the H&Ns did at 40 meters I thought they whould be great for longer ranges...but not so.
However the ZANs 22grain was what I had hoped for actually. A heavier stabil bullet that buck crosswinds.

70Meters

I unwillingly got to shoot two groups. I changed my sitting position during a grouptest(thats a no-no). That affected the placement as seen on target.

I had to shoot another group to confirm the above, but this time hold the gun the same way, sit the same way etc. That confirmed the 22grain ZANS was very usefull at that distance for "something". The slug went straight through a ½" plywood board.

Overall conclusion: Shooting these 22grain in a lowpowered airgun is fun. The trajectory is not like a .22 SWIFT but more like Mr. Quigleys Sharps rifle. High trajectory but stabil and accurate. For target shooting at fixed distance at longer range it would work very well. For hunting smaller game I am sure it will kill, but a lighter projectile would be preffered for flatter trajectory. If the airrifle would to some +45 ft/ibs with these slugs they could be interesting for hunting.

 

[Rallyshark]

What is the twist on the barrel you're using? I suspect your results would be even better with a faster twist barrel. Unfortunately, fast twist .177 barrels are quite hard to come by(here in the states at least). I tend to agree with you on the speed issue too. In my testing with heavy .177 slugs, they've almost always done better at higher speeds. I've had stellar results with 22-23 grain slugs in a 370mm(1:14.6") twist barrel. I also had some pretty darn good results with 15-18 grain slugs in a LW polygon(unchoked 1:17.7" twist). Regardless of barrel, my best results tend to happen over 1000 fps.

That's awesome that you're able to work with ZAN to try out new slugs. That's a win for us and ZAN in my book! Like you have seen, those little ice picks can be quite useful for "something" Their penetration ability is pretty dang good! Great write up and testing!

 

[rigbymauser]

What is the twist on the barrel you're using? I suspect your results would be even better with a faster twist barrel. Unfortunately, fast twist .177 barrels are quite hard to come by(here in the states at least). I tend to agree with you on the speed issue too. In my testing with heavy .177 slugs, they've almost always done better at higher speeds. I've had stellar results with 22-23 grain slugs in a 370mm(1:14.6") twist barrel. I also had some pretty darn good results with 15-18 grain slugs in a LW polygon(unchoked 1:17.7" twist). Regardless of barrel, my best results tend to happen over 1000 fps.

That's awesome that you're able to work with ZAN to try out new slugs. That's a win for us and ZAN in my book! Like you have seen, those little ice picks can be quite useful for "something" Their penetration ability is pretty dang good! Great write up and testing!

Thanks!!

Heavy .177cal slugs is a specialty. The barrel is a standard LW barrel used by Daystate which I assume is standard 1:17 twist ratio. So so far these barrels will shoot heavy slugs at low speeds which for me says it works. The airgun producers is not ready for this niche as I see it. I would to have a barrel made with a faster twist like what you mention. I have also thought of a gaintwist like what Ellis Metford made back in the old days. My airgun interest is around the .177cal. Low impact report, low wizzling noise, low muzzle report but yet high lethality. I think Alfred De FRies from Holland makes .177s that does over 50 ft/ibs. Talk about "icepick". Tiny pointy slugs with a boattail that zips through the air barely noticed has a potential.

 

[Rallyshark]

That 370mm twist AP barrel I use works pretty well with the 24 grain slugs too, but I usually use the 23 grain for hunting, because they cycle better in the Magazine. I'm sure I could do a slight modification to my magazine to make the 24s cycle just fine, but the 23s aren't giving me any issues. I normally shoot the 23 grain Griffin slugs in the 1050-1070 fps range when hunting. I shoot the 22 grain more when playing around on long range targets/plinking. I tune those around 1050 fps. The gun is capable of around 62 fpe, but it's happiest a hair under 60 fpe.

I normally do a 30 yard zero, and I want ragged hole accuracy, or it isn't good enough. Shooting pieces of gravel off the top of a gate at 110 yards is pretty normal for the ice pick shooter. If I'm doing my part, I can aim at a bullet hole in the target and ring it with the gun. Don't get me wrong, it took a lot of work to get my gun doing what it does. It's not stock at all, and I run very high regulator settings. It works though, and I don't think I'll ever sell this gun/barrel combo

 

[Seeker]

Could you post some groups from your AP barrel at 50 with slugs?