How fast do 30 cal slugs have to go in order to stabilize?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Amwolf

Amwolf

Member
Sep 9, 2024
19
2
eaton, nh, usa
The reason I ask is that I have tried FX hybirds, Zan, Patriot, and NSA slugs, all right around 50 grain, (out of an FX Dynamic 30 cal) and none of them shoots well. I finally broke down and bought a chronograph, and much to my surprise, I found it was only shooting at 750 fps, which is slow even for pellets. I cranked up my regulator from 120 bar to 150 bar and maxed out the hammer spring and I am only seeing about 890 fps, while the point of impact is all over the place (like 6"+ groups at 50 yards)

I am guessing the slugs need more speed in order to shoot accurately, but at 150 bar on the regulator I am only getting two magazines per fill, so if I give it more regulator, I am going to have to fill it for every magazine, which will be a huge pain ... but oh well, if that's what it takes to shoot accurately.
 
Slugs do not get more stable as speed increases. In fact, like most spin stabilized projectiles, at subsonic speeds the faster they are fired the less stable they get. Depending on the stability factor of the slug, having less stability may reduce group sizes, but there are plenty of other reasons group sizes change as speed is changed.
 
Upvote 0
@Ballisticboy , I can think of several projectiles and twist rates that absolutely are opposite of what you just said. One example, 8 twist, nosler 30 cal ballistic tip, launch at under 900 fps and guaranteed it will yaw horribly and make an open choke shotgun look like the most precision weapon on the face of the earth. Mine in particular doesn't start to really settle down well until I am just a touch over 1,000 fps. I've read a lot of your posts, and I firmly believe you know more than I do about ballistics in general, but what you just wrote is certainly not a rule.
 
Upvote 0
just a thought.. I don't have any 30 caliber, I only shoot 22 caliber.. and I don't think I would have gotten into slugs if a friend would not have given me a small sample.. anyway point is there's different sizes, in 22 caliber especially, so what size do you start with..
so my thoughts are I wonder if you have slugs that are too tight and that's slowing down your speed..or are they too loose and not stablizing?
I have only experience with my Condor's in 22 and I started with the NSA 23? grain I think that my friend gave me and they shot well and I thought that since I have 25 JTS and JSB 34 grain beasts might as well try something heavy.. so I got two different ones..H&N 40 grain and Zan 40 grain in 217.. I don't have a chronograph and haven't borrowed one yet but they shoot well at middle power wheel setting..#6-#12 high power..
also this is out of the standard barrel 18" SS and 24" standard..
one thing I don't understand is the valve must stay open longer with heavier ammo.. because I can run mid power wheel and it gets less shots per fill the heavier the ammo.. don't matter pellets or slugs..🤔
Mark
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu