pros and cons of different weight pellets

[egd]

I,m new to the world of "good" pellet gun shooting.As I read more about them it gets overwhelming with the amount of options/choices there are. I just bought a Gamo swarm fusion gen2 177 cal. and shot it for the first time yesterday. All I had were some leftover pellets from a little toy type gun I had several years back. They were about 7 grains.

In looking at buying some more pellets and I see there are a ton of choices as for weights. I know that each gun will like a certain pellet (same with any rifle) best, but are there general guidelines to the pros and cons of different weights?

More specifically if someone has experience with this gun, what weight does your gun like best. I'm looking for a reasonable starting point. There are so many weight choices I don't want to waste a bunch of money and time going through ones that aren't suited for that gun.Thanks

 

[UncleHoot]

Hi Egg...

What's hatching? (Har Har Har!!!)

My experience with .177 pellets is this:

1) light weight pellets shoot very loud and are likely to "Crack!!!" when they go supersonic. This is not a good thing because light pellets don't tend to fly true at supersonic speeds and your neighbors will think you are using a firearm.

2) Heavy .177 pellets shoot true, reduce fps to around 850-950 fps, which is subsonic and MUCH quieter.

3) Try some 10 gr or heavier pellets, adjust your scope because heavy pellets will have a different trajectory, more drop over distance, than the faster lightweight pellets.

4) Heavy .177 pellets can pack a punch sufficient to take out most small to medium sized game/pests...such as raccoons, squirrels, etc. I'd tend to shoot within 50 yards for game.

5) Think twice before shooting feral hogs with this gun...especially the boars, as the outcome is uncertain and potentially a very very bad idea!

If I were in your position, I would stick with the upper range of heavy pellets. Quieter, more impact energy (fpe) and will give you a generally more satisfying performance. .177 is small but don't think for a minute it isn't a potent tool, once properly scoped, sighted in, and the right weight pellet determined for what you do.

Personally, I'd get the heaviest pellet JSB, H&R, or other brand names offer. 

That's been my experience over the decades. Other's mileage may vary, but that's always been the case!



Regards, 

Kindly 'Ol Uncle Hoot

PS: Want to go hard core....buy some "Piledriver" pellets...they are the heaviest .177 available, short of slugs...slugs are a totally different subject that I'm not qualified to speak on.

 

[egd]

Thanks Uncle. Are you the crazy one??

That's great info and makes perfect sense. I really do want quietness. I was surprised just how loud this gun was. A big part of why I chose it was the advertised quietness. Of course accuracy is a must regardless of quietness. Any recommendations for that too?

 

[egd]

In looking at pellet choices now I see that there are 4.5, 4.51, and 4.52 diameters. What's the deal there? which should I use in my gun?

AARRGH---so much to learn.

 

[Xbowsniper]

Egd,

Try all sizes, there's just no rhyme or reason for one size to work, or not.......you just have to try them, but, 4.52 is the most common, and a good place to start.

And everything our Good Uncle said above, is 1000% spot on.

Good luck, happy shooting. 

Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech 

Fieldtargettech.com 

 

[egd]

Yeah I know I have to try several. I'm just trying to narrow it down some.

Sure would be nice to have something like a pellet exchange program where people could trade, or buy, small qty of different pellets from each other. There's got to be a lot of folks sitting on tins of pellets their gun didn't like and this would be a way to get rid of them and get ones they did like.

 

[Gerry52]

I think "Straight Shooters" has a pellet sampler of good pellets. It's probably the most inexpensive way to try out different types. It's unreal how finicky airguns can be & takes time & patience to find out what they prefer. Maybe you should PM Odoyle & pose that question to him. I think he owns or has owned every airgun in existence at one time or another. Might help you save some money. Good luck with your quest & start saving now for your next step up in airguns. It is inevitable! 

 

[egd]

I hope not. I'm already heavy into shooting USPSA and steel challenge gun competitions almost every weekend, so there's not much time left. Or money. But it's always nice to try new things.

I googled straight shooters and even though the airgun store showed up the links kept going to someplace trying to sell jeans. Strange...