Taipan .177 from hell strikes yet again!
- Thread starter KyPop
- Start date
My P35 prefers the 4.50 but I also tried the 4.52. I thought it liked Baracuda Power better but then got the idea of just testing the smaller head size Baracuda Match. Glad I did. I shot about 20 points better at the 30 yard challenge with the Match 4.50. The Powers are 4.50 copper plated and shoot better than the Match 4.52 but worse than the Match 4.50 in my gun.
I wish there was some way to tell in advance what a gun will prefer.
I wish there was some way to tell in advance what a gun will prefer.
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I tried the pellets I have on hand again today. No luck. I just ordered some H&N Baracuda Match .177 in 4.50 and 4.52 to see how they work. Hard Air Magazine’s accuracy recommendations for the most accurate .177 caliber pellet showed that most PCP rifles like the H&N Baracuda Match but they didn't specify which head size was the most accurate.
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KyPop, I don’t know if I owe you an apology, have to eat my words or just plain learned something. I needed to zero my Lelya .177 the other night. I zero it at 30 with 10.5gr pellets. Then because there was zero wind, not even a thermal breeze, I decided to shoot it at 50 to check my hold over. A Lelya is as far away from a bench gun as a gun can get but I shot about a nickel size group 1 mil low on 12x. I was getting ready to shoot my TX200 next and the 8.4gr pellets were sitting there and I thought about your other topic. I thought what the heck, I’ll just shoot a mag of them at 50 yards. They were traveling at 1,000fps and I shot a nickel size group. The only flier was the first shot. After staring at my target in disbelief for a while I thought if they had the same POI as my 10.5’s, where will they hit at 30, my zero yardage. I put a full mag through about a 30 caliber hole dead center. As far as this topic goes, it shouldn’t involve pellet science to get Taipan #2 to shoot well also. I’ve been a Taipan guy for 5 years but if you’re having to concern yourself with head size and maybe only one pellet, it time to switch brands. Then you’ll see if it’s the guns.
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No problem. I know the performance of some of these PCP rifles is amazing. I'm obviously not sure what's causing my problem or it would be fixed by now. That alone seems to indicate that my Taipan 177 just won't perform the way I want. The most disheartening thing is, my other two are just like I want - but they are shooting at the high speed intended. I'm in an essentially large closed in back yard and I can see the pellet as it approaches the target. While I hold the crosshairs on dead center, I see the pellet hit all around where I'm aiming. With my other Taipans, I see a hole appear where my crosshairs sit. That's very satisfying.
If I were shooting 20-30 yards, this rifle would be perfect. Unfortunately I am wanting to hit small garden pests at 30-50 yards and I can't wait for perfect conditions. I could use my other rifles but I don't want to send a heavy chunk of lead toward any of my distant neighbors homes if I can keep from it.
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You could just be expecting a little too much. My lelya is a one hole gun at 30 but I would miss or wound a lot of tiny critters if I was shooting them at 50 compared to any of my .22’s or larger. Ironically my dads BSA and my buddies Brocock, both rifles not bullpups, will outshoot my lelya at 50.
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.177 leaves a lot to be desired after 30-35 yards. Infact I took my impact .177 out to the range, thing shot same ragged hole at 35, at 45 opened a bit, after 50 it just fell apart, whirley birds everywhere shooting 13.43 Monsters.
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I think you will be challenged to get your .177 to shoot (and kill) to your satisfaction at 50 yards. I believe that would put you in need of a HP version shooting heavier pellets. I would find it preferable to just use one of my .22 rifles with an 18 grain pellet. As to the risk to your neighbors, soft lead pellets aren't the worst for bouncing around, but it can happen. I think the risk is essentially the same with either gun, and requires the same safety protocols.
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Just tune your .22 taipan to shoot 14.3gr pellets starting at 900fps then work your way down until you find the best accuracy. Then you will have as safe of a gun to humanely kill stuff from 40-70 yards as possible. Keep the .177 for .177 stuff. That’s what my dad and I do. A .177 is a great tool if you stay in its wheelhouse. Yeah it’s cool to see a starling fall from a 70 yard .177 shot but it borders on being irresponsible unless you live and breath .177. Trying to make it something it’s not has you shooting pellet weights approaching a .22. You don’t have to believe Billybob or Fred on the internet when they say their .177 is a 1/4 inch gun at 50. I know I sure don’t.
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My most accurate PCP, a P35-22, is not pellet fussy. It doesn't care about head size and shoots JSB 18s almost as well as H&N Baracuda Match 21 grain. But it's little brother, a P35-177, definitely wants 4.50 and not 4.52 pellets. But fed the pellets it likes, it is almost as accurate as the 22. My Avenger is not quite as accurate at these two but still is pretty accurate. But it only likes pellets made by JSB and makes embarassingly large groups if I feed it anything H&N.
My point is just that being pellet fussy is not the same thing as being inaccurate. I wish I did not have as many tins of not very useful pellets as I do but it seems to be part of the expense - and in a way the fun. It was also nice when the H&Ns the Avenger rejected worked great in my P35-25.
My point is just that being pellet fussy is not the same thing as being inaccurate. I wish I did not have as many tins of not very useful pellets as I do but it seems to be part of the expense - and in a way the fun. It was also nice when the H&Ns the Avenger rejected worked great in my P35-25.
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Wow, jarmstrong and miksatx, two names I haven’t seen much of since our race to cure the P15 days. Nice to know you guys are still kicking.
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Hey Vetmx I sold that p15 monkeysdad69. and jarmstrong the zbroia kosak tactical whisperer.
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still kickin chickens here just got new rings for the P-15, put one of those kits for, forward cocking from the English chap, need to raise the SWFA 10x up a little for a higher cheek weld due to the kit. If I was to do over, I just get the P35, but not going back
my avatar is her
KyPop, have you pulled the barrel and pushed a pellet down her yet? is there a loosesness or a catchy edge at the crown, when the pellet head exits the barrel
my avatar is her
KyPop, have you pulled the barrel and pushed a pellet down her yet? is there a loosesness or a catchy edge at the crown, when the pellet head exits the barrel
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I didn't. I had the barrel off and cleaned it per Motorhead's instructions, though. My wife is ready for me to give up on my quest but I still would like a .177 that shoots with a low fpe and great accuracy at some distance.
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The .177 was loud where I had the reg set at 100 bar and it wouldn't group. So, I took it out and set it to 120 bar which is what HUMA said was the average for all FAC .177 PCP rifles. I shot what could be some promising groups with the JSB 10.34's with a 4.52 head at about 915 fps. Way faster than I wanted but I guess I'm gonna have to do what the rifle dictates instead of imposing my will upon it. All of my pellets have a 4.52 head and I'm thinking of trying some with a 4.50 and 4.51 head just for kicks.
I know there's a boat load of physics involved in sending a piece of lead down range with air pressure. I get that. But, it seems to me like the manufacturers of the rifles could come up with a step by step process of working your way through the physics to an accurate outcome.
I know there's a boat load of physics involved in sending a piece of lead down range with air pressure. I get that. But, it seems to me like the manufacturers of the rifles could come up with a step by step process of working your way through the physics to an accurate outcome.
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