What are your thoughts on .22 Barracuda Match 21.14 at 650 fps for HFT? Too loopy? Wind deflection? I’m kinda thinking it would be a very downgraded 45-70 kinda thing. Anyway let me know what you think.
Something different, what about .22 21.14 at 650?
- Thread starter extradrygin2001
- Start date
You’ll get an advantage in windy conditions, but it will likely be way overridden by other factors. For far targets, your horizontal dispersion from any canting errors will be about 2x as bad, and vertical dispersion from ranging errors will also be about 2x as bad. In Hunter Division, with a 16x scope, minimizing ranging errors is challenging. Combine that with the “loopy” trajectory giving little tolerance for those ranging errors, and it will be ….. very challenging.
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Agreed. If you have to shoot a .22 for FT, I would use the H&N FTT. 14 grains is only a little heavier than the .177 JSB Monsters that some guys shoot.
I get that heavier pellets are more wind resistant, but I don't understand why anyone would shoot Hunter class with pellets heavier than 10.3. The main advantage that Hunter Class has is the ability to shoot flatter trajectories at long range to offset the limitations of the 16x scope. Throwing out a WFTF trajectory with a 16x scope holding over seems like the worst of both worlds.
Back to the original question, I would rather shoot a 14.66 grain pellet at 780 fps than lob a 21 grain pellet at 650 fps. It still won't be super-competitive, but at least you won't run out of mil-dots on the 55 yard targets. The 177 Monsters are maxed out at 810 fps, so the .22 FTT is only 30 fps off of that. All of that is assuming the gun likes the FTT, which isn't a given.
I get that heavier pellets are more wind resistant, but I don't understand why anyone would shoot Hunter class with pellets heavier than 10.3. The main advantage that Hunter Class has is the ability to shoot flatter trajectories at long range to offset the limitations of the 16x scope. Throwing out a WFTF trajectory with a 16x scope holding over seems like the worst of both worlds.
Back to the original question, I would rather shoot a 14.66 grain pellet at 780 fps than lob a 21 grain pellet at 650 fps. It still won't be super-competitive, but at least you won't run out of mil-dots on the 55 yard targets. The 177 Monsters are maxed out at 810 fps, so the .22 FTT is only 30 fps off of that. All of that is assuming the gun likes the FTT, which isn't a given.
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What everyone said PLUS some of those .25 inch KZs.......margin for error on those with a .22 is razor thin!
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Just in relativity .... nearly all the folks I shoot hunter class PCP with here around the west coast are shooting .177's using either a 10.3 at @ 900 +/- or the 13.4 at about 820 fps.
The heavier weight choice typically does better in the wind. (The few such as Post #2 ) are excellent shots and good at reading wind getting there advantage with the lighter choice at nearly 920 fps !!
Myself I'm even slower that either above .... being about 800 fps in a .20 caliber. Loopier yet tho wind is far less a factor moving pellet around.
INDEED one must be ON TOP OF ranging and cant !! ... for any errors there the wind drift advantage goes away badly
At 650 fps .... Fun club match stuff to learn the game .. SURE
If wanting to score well ( Which reinforces your doing stuff correct ) I would not wish such challenges on anyone
The heavier weight choice typically does better in the wind. (The few such as Post #2 ) are excellent shots and good at reading wind getting there advantage with the lighter choice at nearly 920 fps !!
Myself I'm even slower that either above .... being about 800 fps in a .20 caliber. Loopier yet tho wind is far less a factor moving pellet around.
INDEED one must be ON TOP OF ranging and cant !! ... for any errors there the wind drift advantage goes away badly
At 650 fps .... Fun club match stuff to learn the game .. SURE
If wanting to score well ( Which reinforces your doing stuff correct ) I would not wish such challenges on anyone
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I am deciding to take all of your advice, and shoot something in the 14 grain range. .177 with 13.4’s is what I shot with last year. really want to give it the old college try with a .22, and I got a hole school of Barracuda’s swimming around…. Looks like I got some pellet testing in my future 
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