with everything else being equal, what is the best 100 yard caliber?

[upthehill]

assuming everything else is equal, which caliber do you think is the most accurate for 100 yard target shooting?

for long range shooting, I have an FX wildcat in .25, an FX Boss .30, An Evanix RS2 .357 and a RAW HM1000X .357 and so far it's between the wildcat and the RAW, both will give me at or near 1 MOA accuracy at 100 yard. But the Wildcat has less of a rainbow when shooting. and I'm wondering if I should have ordered the RAW in a smaller caliber.

[rsterne]

Not sure you mean by "with all else being equal".... Do you mean those different calibers on the same powerplant?.... or do you mean using the best possible bullet in that caliber at the optimum velocity for shooting at 100 yards, with no regard to the air pressure or barrel length necessary to achieve that?.... Or some other criteria?.... Without knowing the parameters of your question, it is impossible to give a proper answer....

If you restricted it to 24" barrels using 3000 psi, and bullets, my answer would be .224 cal.... If it was commercially available diabolo (waisted) pellets only (same barrel and pressure restrictions) I would answer .30 cal.... Change to a 36" barrel and 4500 psi of air, I would answer .257 cal.... Allow the same pressure with Helium, and I would say .308 cal.... If you restricted it to 20 FPE, my answer would be .177, shooting 10.3 gr. JSBs.... *LOL*....

Bob

[upthehill]

what I meant by "with all else being equal" is to take out as many variables as possible, so that I didn't get a reply like your 2nd paragraph     seriously though, I'm guessing that I'm trying to over simplify the answer.

What I am looking for is. Is there a type of pellet / bullet designed for an airgun that is more inherently accurate?
if the airgun was regulated, large HPA cylinder ~500cc) quality barrel, high (>30) shot count per refill.

like I said, I'm trying to find a simple answer to a question that has no simple answers.

so let's put it this way.  If I were to order another gun from RAW, what caliber should I get to shoot sub 1 MOA at 100 yards+

or should I look at another manufacturer?

[ancient1one]

Are you planing on competing outdoor or/and indoor events? I have read the 25 cal is more accurate for indoor competitions, rkr posted some info about 100 yard indoor events in Denmark. Most are won by 25 caliber. The last 4 EBR events at 75 and 100 yards outdoors, 30 cal dominated.

Raw is a real nice gun in both .25 and .30. I have read the Raw in 30 cal is a little under powered. The guns that win the EBR are 70 - 80 fpe and regulated.

FX Boss is a 30 cal that finishes near or at the top at EBR 75 and 100 yds.

FX Impact 30 cal is a regulated 75 - 80 fpe, but not proven as of yet.

Ataman M2R is made in Russia with LW barrels they are 75- 80 FPE and regulated.

Vulcan Tactical is a regulated 25 cal that comes with a CZ barrel know for accuracy.

Cricket Carbine comes in 25 cal and they are regulated. Also a CZ barrel.

One of the above would be my choice if I were buying a 100 yard gun.

Edit: I forgot to mention Mac1. Tim won the event last year with a 30 cal that he builds.

[rsterne]

OK, so I'll do another paragraph with the same kind of answer.... Indoor or outdoor?.... If indoors, I'd use a .22 cal, simply because there is a much wider variety of pellets available, so your chances of finding one that your barrel really likes are better.... with .25 next choice and .30 cal last.... In fact, nothing wrong with that 20 FPE .177 either.... In other words, it will really boil down to finding the best combination of pellet and barrel....

For outdoors, forget the pellets, and look at bullets, for 100 yards and beyond.... They simply have sooooooooooo much less wind drift they are not in the same class, which is why they compete in different classes at the EBR.... Once you make the decision to do bullets, at 100 yards there is probably no practical difference in the calibers, because the smaller caliber bullets have a better Form Factor but the larger calibers have a higher SD.... so it once again becomes a matter of matching bullet to barrel.... As to personal preference, I see no point in using a larger caliber, more air, and creating more recoil to tame and more noise than necessary.... so I would stick to .224 or .257 cal.... with the quarterbore getting the edge because there are a greater variety of cast bullet to choose from.... I don't think you can go wrong with a 14" twist .257 cal barrel and start out with the Lyman 257420 74 gr. bullet and then see if you can find something that will outshoot it....

You might not get your 30 shots, though, with any gun shooting bullets.... so if that is a deal-breaker, then drop back to pellets.... For outdoors, the .25 or .30 cal would be the choice.... Accuracy would favour the .30 cal in the wind.... shot count would favour the quarterbore.... Have you noticed that not once have I mentioned .35 cal?....

Bob

[upthehill]

thanks Bob, that's that's the kind of 2nd paragraph I was looking for   
I had forgotten about the  .257 and need to look into it more

and 30 shots isn't a deal breaker, it's just nice to be lazy about not loading every time.

Thanks, Dave

[grimeszee]

Not sure you mean by "with all else being equal".... Do you mean those different calibers on the same powerplant?.... or do you mean using the best possible bullet in that caliber at the optimum velocity for shooting at 100 yards, with no regard to the air pressure or barrel length necessary to achieve that?.... Or some other criteria?.... Without knowing the parameters of your question, it is impossible to give a proper answer....

If you restricted it to 24" barrels using 3000 psi, and bullets, my answer would be .224 cal.... If it was commercially available diabolo (waisted) pellets only (same barrel and pressure restrictions) I would answer .30 cal.... Change to a 36" barrel and 4500 psi of air, I would answer .257 cal.... Allow the same pressure with Helium, and I would say .308 cal.... If you restricted it to 20 FPE, my answer would be .177, shooting 10.3 gr. JSBs.... *LOL*....

Bob

I think you left out a "what if" or "let's just say" there Bob

[ancient1one]

If your planing to go to EBR to compete at 75 and 100 yards it is pellets only. Most indoor competitions are pellets only. Bullets were allowed for the 200 yard event at 2015 EBR.

[upthehill]

If your planing to go to EBR to compete at 75 and 100 yards it is pellets only. Most indoor competitions are pellets only. Bullets were allowed for the 200 yard event at 2015 EBR.

thanks for the info Sam,  I'd like to do the EBR, maybe someday.  but this is more for my anal-retentive accuracy personality.

[ancient1one]

Dave this review was just uploaded of a RAW HM 1000X 30 cal.

[39M]

If all you shoot is 100 yards, then trajectory does not matter. But heavy high BC bullets are less affected by wind. And if the guns purpose is to be accurate at multiple not always known distances, then one that shoots flatter would be my choice for punching paper.