I've been reading where people with high-velocity air rifles have to go to heavier pellets to get accuracy. My question is why buy a 1000 fps,1200 fps, or even a 1650 fps air rifle instead of an 800 or 900fps rifle and use lighter pellets? What's the advantage of higher fps rifles?
High velocity air rifles
- Thread starter rleegabe
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in general, heavier projectiles have a higher BC. more pressure can allow for heavier projectiles at a given velocity.
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My question is if people are having to use heavier pellets with high-velocity rifles to get better accuracy. Heavier pellets slow the velocity so why not shoot a lower velocity rifle with lighter pellets, what is the advantage of a high-velocity air rifle? Just to shoot heavier pellets? There has got to be more.
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Your VERBIAGE is incorrect on the assumption your making. It would be a HIGH POWER AIR RIFLE.
Knowing that any speeds much above 1000 fps +/- with pellets or slugs is the ballistic limit for stability / accuracy in an air gun, If and When the guns output power is high YOU MUST SHOOT HEAVIER projectiles. IF you shoot LIGHT projectiles in a HIGH POWER air gun there is NOTHING TO BE GAINED in accuracy, wind drift or ballistics unless near point blank shooting say a hollow point slug at game.
Wish to shoot lighter weight ammunition you need to REDUCE the guns output or go to a deliberate lower power gun.
Really that straight forward ....
Scott S
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Others can explain this in much more technical terms than I can, but basically
Advantages of a "high velocity" air rifle shooting heavy-for-caliber pellets are:
1. The heavier pellet will retain its velocity farther down range than a lighter pellet of the same caliber = flatter trajectory.
2. The heavier pellet will retain more of its energy farther down range than a lighter pellet of the same caliber = more knock down power/penetration.
3. The heavier pellet may be more resistant to deflection by the wind ( I am of this school of thought, others may not be).
Disadvantages are:
1. Larger, heavier gun with greater cocking force
2. May be more expensive than gun of similar build quality with less power
3. Harsher shot cycle (i.e., less pleasant to shoot for extended periods)
4. Harder on scopes
5. Fewer brands and styles of heavy-for-caliber pellets to choose from when searching for the most accurate pellet in your gun.
If you don't hunt you probably don't need a gun capable of generating 1,200 to 1,600 fps with flyweight pellets. Many folks prefer low to mid-power springers over more powerful guns. Also, nothing says you can't shoot heavy pellets out of a low to medium power gun. I shoot AA 10.34 gr. field heavies in an 11 fpe. HW97 with astounding accuracy. You can always go up in pellet weight with a medium powered gun but you may not be able to go down in pellet weight with one of the guns you are talking about without sacrificing accuracy.
Advantages of a "high velocity" air rifle shooting heavy-for-caliber pellets are:
1. The heavier pellet will retain its velocity farther down range than a lighter pellet of the same caliber = flatter trajectory.
2. The heavier pellet will retain more of its energy farther down range than a lighter pellet of the same caliber = more knock down power/penetration.
3. The heavier pellet may be more resistant to deflection by the wind ( I am of this school of thought, others may not be).
Disadvantages are:
1. Larger, heavier gun with greater cocking force
2. May be more expensive than gun of similar build quality with less power
3. Harsher shot cycle (i.e., less pleasant to shoot for extended periods)
4. Harder on scopes
5. Fewer brands and styles of heavy-for-caliber pellets to choose from when searching for the most accurate pellet in your gun.
If you don't hunt you probably don't need a gun capable of generating 1,200 to 1,600 fps with flyweight pellets. Many folks prefer low to mid-power springers over more powerful guns. Also, nothing says you can't shoot heavy pellets out of a low to medium power gun. I shoot AA 10.34 gr. field heavies in an 11 fpe. HW97 with astounding accuracy. You can always go up in pellet weight with a medium powered gun but you may not be able to go down in pellet weight with one of the guns you are talking about without sacrificing accuracy.
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^ what scott said. here is an article about BC (ballistic coefficient).
https://www.airgundepot.com/vault/articles/all-about-ballistic-coefficient/
what it boils down to is that a heavier or higher BC pellet will not get blown off target as easily, and increases your margin of error for wind holds.
https://www.airgundepot.com/vault/articles/all-about-ballistic-coefficient/
what it boils down to is that a heavier or higher BC pellet will not get blown off target as easily, and increases your margin of error for wind holds.
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Understood, but doesn't shooting a heavier pellet slow the FPS if so then what is the advantage of a high power air rifle shooting heavy pellets slowing the FPS over a slower air rifle shooting lighter pellets?
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R1lover, that has been the best explanation I have heard yet and has been a great help in my decision to buy. Thanks very much!!!!!!!!!!!
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The people with higher power guns are shooting heavier pellets which slows the feet per sec rate to a better velocity for accuracy, the advantage is the heavier pellet retains and delivers more energy down range. If they were just shooting paper it wouldn't matter too much , but in the field more knock down energy makes for a cleaner more humane kill on prey. If we must kill something it's our duty to do it as quickly and humanely as possible. Some hunt for food others hunt to eliminate pests.
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there is also a sweet spot for wind drift, and higher velocities doesn't always equal better success. faster isn't always better.
for hunters, they want maximum energy without losing accuracy, and that means a heavier projectile, because again, pellets lose accuracy above a certain velocity.
https://hardairmagazine.com/ham-columns/the-external-ballistics-of-diabolo-pellets/
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Most lower end airgun manufacturers (the ones that actually slap the 1300 fps label on the box) do this with alloy pellets. The lightest possible available - around 5grains in .177 and aroun 9 grains in .22. These lightweight alloy pellets are not too good to begin with - but it's already been stated why not to go over 900-1,000 fps with pellets. It's purely for marketing.
So you actually want the heavier pellets to get the gun shooting at appropriate pellet speeds.
The reason not to buy a slower airgun shooting lightweight pellets is that the lightweight pellets are generally not that great to begin with and you want a little weight behind you shot to buck the wind and get general better accuracy. For example: a 9-grain .22 pellet shot at 900 fps @ 50 yards in the wind outdoors will likely have much worse accuracy than a standard 18 gr pellet shot at the same speed.
If you look for airguns that have appropriate power for their caliber with standard weight pellets you will be happy. For .177 18-20 fpe and for .22 around 30-32 fpe.
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Scott hit the nail on the head. I'll also support what others have said... that velocity means very little. A lot of guns have hyped velocity claims made using super-light weight pellets. (much lighter than normal). So, their velocity claims really mean nothing.... Just marketing tactics.
You will want to look at actual power output to determine what the gun is going to do with a given projectile. Most often you want a gun to shoot around the 900fps mark regardless of projectile type or weight. But wadcutters rarely do well beyond 700fps. Some other projectiles may be speed sensative.
Now, I do shoot a lot of normal weight pellets at around 6-700fps, and this is optimal plinking velocity for me. Also enough power to hunt with up to 30 yards or so.
You will want to look at actual power output to determine what the gun is going to do with a given projectile. Most often you want a gun to shoot around the 900fps mark regardless of projectile type or weight. But wadcutters rarely do well beyond 700fps. Some other projectiles may be speed sensative.
Now, I do shoot a lot of normal weight pellets at around 6-700fps, and this is optimal plinking velocity for me. Also enough power to hunt with up to 30 yards or so.
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i might have to turn my gun down to ~600 if i can't figure any other way to make it quiet enough. i am just punching paper from my living room into the closet in the spare room. ;P
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Personal preference and ballistics. If somebody knows how to compensate for the physical and environmental effects on the pellet then they can be just as accurate using any combination of pellet weight and speed (within reason of course). Heavy/fast is desired in a lot of cases because the increased projectile energy reduces the initial physical and environmental effects on the pellet. But, this does not necessarily mean better accuracy. Properly executed, a slow rainbow trajectory shot with a light pellet can be just as accurate as a fast flat shot with a heavy pellet.
Its all about the preferred way to fill the gap between the muzzle and the target.
Its all about the preferred way to fill the gap between the muzzle and the target.
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"Properly executed, a slow rainbow trajectory shot with a light pellet can be just as accurate as a fast flat shot with a heavy pellet."
Properly executed is often the hard part. There is advantage to velocity up to the point that accuracy starts to fall off.
Properly executed is often the hard part. There is advantage to velocity up to the point that accuracy starts to fall off.
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3 variables to consider: Shape, Mass/weight (lighter Pellet/Smaller caliber for better results) and Power/Velocity tradeoffs! However, when considering the gun for hunting, always opt for the platform with most potential inclusive of POWER & Larger Caliber for hunting application, for me that is .25 Cal +.
Pellets at higher velocities have more drag and are more susceptible to cross wind caused in-accuracy than slugs i.e. Knock outs.
A gun that is adjustable to Higher velocities will give you Less Rainbow, potentially better expansion (Hollow Point).
The aforementioned is coupled with trade-offs .i.e. accuracy............If doing Paper Punching...no need for flat shooting higher power at short air gun range.
Conversely, Used in short range Air Gun Hunting Los of accuracy of say 1/4" + or - at 20 to 70 yards is a wash. Or get a Steyr Pro (sadly not available in anything larger than .22 cal) longer range Semi Auto, However closer 20 to 70 get a Leshiy 2 and have FUN, IMO ~
Pellets at higher velocities have more drag and are more susceptible to cross wind caused in-accuracy than slugs i.e. Knock outs.
A gun that is adjustable to Higher velocities will give you Less Rainbow, potentially better expansion (Hollow Point).
The aforementioned is coupled with trade-offs .i.e. accuracy............If doing Paper Punching...no need for flat shooting higher power at short air gun range.
Conversely, Used in short range Air Gun Hunting Los of accuracy of say 1/4" + or - at 20 to 70 yards is a wash. Or get a Steyr Pro (sadly not available in anything larger than .22 cal) longer range Semi Auto, However closer 20 to 70 get a Leshiy 2 and have FUN, IMO ~
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The last 2 guns I've bought have power adjustment which gives the gun and user a little more flexibility with projectiles and fine tuning.
Back on topic, a simple example of kinetic energy that I've done is by shooting a .22 and .25 at the same FPS, fired at an exhausted Propane cylinder.......22 leaves a dent,.25 leaves a hole.
Back on topic, a simple example of kinetic energy that I've done is by shooting a .22 and .25 at the same FPS, fired at an exhausted Propane cylinder.......22 leaves a dent,.25 leaves a hole.
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What airguns were you reading about? Most of the airguns (mostly the air rifles) marketed at big box stores are marketed to newbies who don't understand airguns and pellets. So, they think the higher the velocity the better. So, the marketing people use VERY light (for caliber) pellets to get those "high velocity" numbers, but never mention anything about accuracy. Accuracy is MORE important than velocity.
The problem is that pellets generally don't have very good accuracy above about 950-1000fps and the best accuracy is usually found much lower than that. But, the only way to achieve a lower velocity (with some airguns) is to use a heavier pellet. This also makes the gun quieter, especially as the velocity drops below the speed of sound.
Maybe this has already been covered above... if so, then sue me! LOL! (grin)
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You can get some trully stupendous shot count numbers like that. My .177 pistol with a ~35cc reservoir gets 50 shots at 650fps. My .22 pistol with 135cc gets somewhere around 100 at 600fps. I might would go lower, but I shoot a lot at around 20 yards, and those speeds are about perfect.
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