I am using high weight H&N's (Piledriver 29.17gr and Rabbit Magnum Power 25.31gr)
Did try some pellets at half that weight but ran out, something with a red plastic tip given to me by my neighbor.
Aaron,
it's good to be checking all those things that already have been mentioned.
Now, looking at the projectiles you're shooting — well, maybe the solution is rather simple....
As far as my reading of forum posts go....: There are few guns that shoot well with the
Rabbit pellets (both lead and copper). Besides, the ballistic coefficient (BC) isn't stellar — a "real" modern day slug (NSA, H&N, Griffin, etc. will have a BC twice as good.
Now the
Piledriver was an awesome idea when Hugh Earl* first came out with the design. Slugs for small caliber airguns from industrial production lines were non-existent at the time.
It has an amazing BC, and the price (for being a slug) was unrivaled until last year when Nick of NSA cut the prices for his slugs in half (what a guy!).
Now, some people get good precision with the Piledriver, many do not get such good precion — they might not even hit the paper at 30 yards.... So, really, this is a slug not a pellet and — just like when shooting slugs — you have to find the right match of slug, barrel, and velocity.... A lot of trial and error. A lot of discards that simply don't have the precision you need.
All that to say, try some pellets that are liked by many guns.... At your power level I'd start with 18gr and up. Here are some pellets from
quality brands, with good BC: ▪H&N Sniper Magnum (17.9gr)
▪JSB Heavvy (18.13gr)
▪H&N Baracuda (also in Match with 3 head sizes, and in copper ["Power"])(21.14gr)
▪JSB Monster Redesigned (25.39gr)
If you want
hollow points — the jury is still out on if their hoped-for expansion upon impact will make up for their lower ballistic coefficient (i.e., more wind sensitive).
▪H&N Baracuda Hunter (18.21gr)
▪H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme (18.52gr)
▪JSB Ultrashock Heavy (25.39gr)
I'll attach a more comprehensive list of quality pellets and slugs below. With a chrony you could determine you muzzle velocity and see if you could use 16 grain pellets (there is a whole slew of them right around that weight).
Happy pellet testing!
Matthias
*
https://www.airgunmagazine.co.uk/features/heavy-hitter-177-piledriver-pellet/ Attachment:
How Muzzle Energy Restricts Pellet/Slug Choices