Tuning "Slugs Require High Velocity For Accuracy"

[bamavet55]

Sez who?

And don't tell that to the chipper I just picked off my bird feeder at 40 yards. This Taipan Veteran .22 caliber sports a 700mm CZ barrel.

I have it tuned to push H&N 21 grain slugs at 775 fps ---> 26 FPE. And it is a laser! Slug-on-slug on the shoot-n-c target set up at 40 yards, under the bird feeder.

Can't wait until the rain ceases and I can get to the range to test the setup out to 75 and 100 yards.

FYI: When I bought this barrel nearly 2 years ago, no slug I tested would group at < 20 yards even, although it did very nicely with JSB pellets. I sent it to forum member Mtn Ghost for work and now it performs as advertised.

 

[OldSpook]

Lower velocities mean longer flight times. Longer flight times mean more wind drift. Good luck though! Good to hear you are getting such great results.

 

[Centercut]

Lower velocities mean longer flight times. Longer flight times mean more wind drift. Good luck though! Good to hear you are getting such great results.

Here we go again...

 

[Peashooter]

Well i haven't said that, and it is not my understanding it is so.

Still i would prefer to shoot as fast as possible, hence why with slugs i start above 1000 FPS, but then i work my way down,,,,,, or at least that is my plan, shooting slugs are pretty new to me. But i assume i will probably be way down the 900 FPS speeds before things really fly well.

 

[bamavet55]

Lower velocities mean longer flight times. Longer flight times mean more wind drift. Good luck though! Good to hear you are getting such great results.

Absolutely!

I'll try to get out on a day when the conditions are conducive to accuracy with airguns. At range I frequent, I'm the only airgunner and I would like to make a good showing; to get converts to the sport.

 

[bamavet55]

Lower velocities mean longer flight times. Longer flight times mean more wind drift. Good luck though! Good to hear you are getting such great results.

Here we go again...

Where are you going?

I'd like to go along.

Or is that some private joke?

 

[L.Leon]

I believe @centercut, made the remark in reference to “increased wind drift” at lower speeds comment... by @oldcrow.

 

[bamavet55]

"...In my 'slug dedicated, chokeless' air rifles (which I have come to love, strangely enough) slugs can do just as well in accuracy in the 'quality' rifle at 600 as at 1000, but I don't usually tune in the lower ranges because who wants to bother with the mortar trajectories the slower speeds give."

Kinetic45

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/best-velocity-for-shooting-slugs-vs-pellets/

 

[douger]

17.5 GR OUT OF MY COMPACT IMPACT AT 915 IS GREAT 

 

[bamavet55]

17.5 GR OUT OF MY COMPACT IMPACT AT 915 IS GREAT

Those (17.5 gr NSA) perform quite well out of my Taipan Mutant .22 cal. at ~880 fps.

 

[18.13]

I'm with CC on this, slower speeds do not increase wind drift 

34gr pellet, 10 mph cross wind 50yds

960fps 2.77

900fps. 2.64

850fps 2.59

 

[corny]

I'm with CC on this, slower speeds do not increase wind drift 

34gr pellet, 10 mph cross wind 50yds

960fps 2.77

900fps. 2.64

850fps 2.59

I don’t have enough experience with slugs yet. But with pellets, Lower speeds means less wind drift. 


any which way u cut it, those slugs will drift less than pellets no matter what the conditions. So it’s a win win.



im also currently in testing with 20.2 gr nsa slugs. Using custom FX liner barrel build. 
they seem to be flying very stable even down go 700fps. Right now I’ve settled on 900fps, I may try higher speeds later. 

id say, if u own a gun that shoots a slug under 900fps, ur lucky. Most don’t. 

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

Says the polygonal rifled barrel, lol.

 

[theLBC]

to add to it, lower velocity means lower spin rate

 

[rappert]

I'm with CC on this, slower speeds do not increase wind drift 

34gr pellet, 10 mph cross wind 50yds

960fps 2.77

900fps. 2.64

850fps 2.59

Of course it's not that noticeable at 50 yds where the speed is still significant and flight time minimal, but as the projectile moves farther out (50-200 yds) it slows down significantly in relation to the flight distance and the wind affect becomes amplified. Puffs of wind can move even a heavy slug inches. A .204 ruger with with a projectile speed close to 4000 FPS doesn't have this problem at 200 yds.

200 yds. 5 shot group. 44.5 gr slugs - 1000 FPS - some wind.

(Would have still got 4 out of 5 prairie dogs though)

 

[delooper]

From a purely theoretical perspective, it shouldn't be the speed that matters nearly as much as the twist rate. In powder burners, even the fancy super-ballistic new bullets demand higher twist stabilization.

 

[elh0102]

From a purely theoretical perspective, it shouldn't be the speed that matters nearly as much as the twist rate. In powder burners, even the fancy super-ballistic new bullets demand higher twist stabilization.

Absolutely correct. The bullet/slug's stability is going to be largely determined by its spin rate. Assuming velocity is within a reasonable range, then the twist rate of the barrel is the most critical variable. This is why CF barrels that are suppressed, and shooting at a sub-sonic velocity that is much lower than the standard cartridge, usually employ a faster rate of twist. 

 

[Dairyboy]

I'm with CC on this, slower speeds do not increase wind drift 

34gr pellet, 10 mph cross wind 50yds

960fps 2.77

900fps. 2.64

850fps 2.59

Of course it's not that noticeable at 50 yds where the speed is still significant and flight time minimal, but as the projectile moves farther out (50-200 yds) it slows down significantly in relation to the flight distance and the wind affect becomes amplified. Puffs of wind can move even a heavy slug inches. A .204 ruger with with a projectile speed close to 4000 FPS doesn't have this problem at 200 yds.

200 yds. 5 shot group. 44.5 gr slugs - 1000 FPS - some wind.

(Would have still got 4 out of 5 prairie dogs though)

Big issue you bring up there. Your shooting something well beyond the speed of sound versus something that shoots under it. No comparison. Once above 900fps the BC starts to suffer. Especially the transonic range 1000fps+. Noticable on PCPs. 

 

[Dairyboy]

Alittle data to look at. Looking at the 850fps vs 1050fps shooting 200fps faster you actually have 1.1" more wind drift at 100yds. Also energy lost your at 16fpe loss vs 29fpe. Speed loss 191fps vs 289fps. While you do gain in the trajectory no doubt, other parts suffer.

 

[18.13]

I'm with CC on this, slower speeds do not increase wind drift 

34gr pellet, 10 mph cross wind 50yds

960fps 2.77

900fps. 2.64

850fps 2.59

Of course it's not that noticeable at 50 yds where the speed is still significant and flight time minimal, but as the projectile moves farther out (50-200 yds) it slows down significantly in relation to the flight distance and the wind affect becomes amplified. Puffs of wind can move even a heavy slug inches. A .204 ruger with with a projectile speed close to 4000 FPS doesn't have this problem at 200 yds.

200 yds. 5 shot group. 44.5 gr slugs - 1000 FPS - some wind.

(Would have still got 4 out of 5 prairie dogs though)

Same 34gr pellet at 200y

950fps. 40.34

900fps. 40.28