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All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Projectiles => Pellet Review Gate => Topic started by: VaporTrail on January 29, 2019, 12:55:28 AM

Title: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: VaporTrail on January 29, 2019, 12:55:28 AM
Gun: .22 Non-Swarm Gamo Magnum (affectionately known as Maggy)
Range: 15-25 yards
Pellets: H&N FTT 14.66, H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme 18.xx, H&N Baracuda 21g, Crosman Piranhas 14.3, Copper CPUM Domes 14.3

FTT 14.66:
They seem like hard pellets, but not as hard as the CPUM Domes either in lead or copper. Accuracy is so-so...although YMMV. For my Maggy, she's not particularly keen on them. I use them as a sighting in pellet. It gets me in the general vicinity with groupings and then I fine tune with my other offerings. I'd use them on rats too, probably. Pretty sure they'd do the deed with a body shot.

EDIT:
It appears I misjudged these pellets. In the accuracy department, I think I might have to go out on a limb here and say that these are a bit more accurate than the CPUM domes.  :o Literal "hole in hole" accuracy...color me quite surprised. Where the Domes are giving me 3/4 groupings, these FTTs are capable of producing 1/4 groupings. I will say this, though: you need to work for that accuracy. The Domes are easier to shoot; they produce snug groups with minimal fliers...however, with the FTTs, if you really pay attention to detail, they will reward you with tight groups. Of course, there are fliers...but I have yet to try a pellet that has none.

As for hardness, after my highly scientific and controlled fingernail and pinch test, it appears that they're just about as hard as the Domes. Maybe even a smidgen stiffer? The Dome skirt gave way quite easy on the pinch test...the FTT skirt held up noticeably better. The head on the FTT was quite hard...the fingernail test only resulted in a minimal scratch.

So it appears I'm going to need to order another tin and do some more testing.

Baracuda Hunter Extreme:
Not too sure about the hardness on this one. This is the pellet that has the cross-shaped cuts on the head. Punched through an old oven tray at 20 yards. Clean through. Have yet to pest with this round, but I'm going to assume it's going to be quite damaging. Next on the list for Project Piggy, if I come across one that's about 40-50lbs.

Baracuda 21g
Seems like a pretty hard pellet. Of course it's going to be flying at a notably lower velocity, but it does pack a decent wallop. Furthest penetration in the phone book test, and also on the list for Project Piggy. Have to pay closer attention to my hold when shooting this pellet; it moves slower out of the barrel and the gun seems to jump a little more. Maybe it's just me. I'll need to order another tin and do more extensive testing.

Crosman Piranhas:
Definitely a hard pellet. Its supposed to be some kind of quasi-hollowpoint, but I haven't seen too much expanding. Straight through the oven tray for this one as well. Fairly accurate out of Maggy; I use these to zero her sometimes. I treat it fairly the same as the CPUM Domes. Also on the list for Project Piggy...and I'm sure it'll perform nicely.

Copper CPUM Domes:
Not pure copper, of course...but copper plated. I retrieved the pellet after the phonebook penetration test, and it appears the rifling scored off the abovesaid plating on the edge of the head and the edge of the skirt. I'm a little concerned about copper being stuck in the grooves, but so far no notable accuracy/POI changes. Excellent Project Piggy track record; these little gems are at 2 for 2 right now. Both headshots, almost identical shot placement, both at ~ 15 yards. Slowly becoming my go-to round...but of course, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So there you have it, my review, take it FWIW. I'm going to try some other brands as soon as I find someone willing to ship out here; almost nobody will send stuff out here. Those that are willing to ship charge about as much as a round trip ticket to the moon.  >:(

Hopefully I can expand my reviews to different offerings...but until then, I hope this will suffice.  8)
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: ToRmEnToR on January 30, 2019, 06:53:45 AM
Cool. I have so much fun pellet testing. I bet you did too. I'm waiting for the weather to get nicer before i get out for some fun.
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: VaporTrail on January 30, 2019, 07:40:24 PM
Thanks ToRmEnToR. Yeah, it's not too bad; it's a nice way to pass the afternoon or to just kinda let the mind relax from the everyday monotony. It's also a way of keeping my skills sharp. Late last year I went almost a month without shooting. When I finally got a chance to send some lead down, I was all over the place. Now I'm more or less back to maverick...so it's time to get back to work.  8)
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: ToRmEnToR on January 31, 2019, 05:38:38 AM
  Yeah i hear ya. I've only broke out the airguns recenly after having a rat issue due to the cold weather. I messed a couple of shots up by accidentally pulling the trigger early (light trigger).
  Yeah, I need a bit of polishing up myself. It doesn't help that I'm getting woke up in the middle of the night by my door dinger telling me that there's one in the bait station. So I'm all blurry eyed and groggy talking a precision shot, yeah. BUT, I actually just blasted one tonight. I am posting pics on hunting gate.
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: VaporTrail on January 31, 2019, 07:10:33 PM
Middle of the night? Bruh...I'd be putting that thing on snooze!  ;D

Congrats on the shot. I stayed outside last night waiting for some pesky rats to come by the spoon of peanut butter I put out, but there weren't any takers.  :( I know they're there...I just need to entice them with something much more attractive.
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: Yogi on February 14, 2019, 11:58:26 AM
Try a small tin of cat food about 1/4 full.  Fill remainder with water and mix to a slurry.  If you don't mix, the rats will pick off a chunk and go away.
With the watery mix, they will stay around longer(until you get them in your sights).  Also, a red light helps, they don't see it but you do.

-Y
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: Yarddog on February 14, 2019, 02:23:23 PM
OP, I have the same rifle, but I didn't name it.  It loves the 14.66 grain H&N FTT's...also loves 18.13 grain JSB Exact Heavy Jumbos.  Very accurate rifle.  I've had another .22 Swarm, and my buddy has a .177.  All are very accurate in my unskilled hands.
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: VaporTrail on February 14, 2019, 08:11:57 PM
Oh really now? A fellow magnum-in-arms? Very cool!

Maggy does ok with the FTTs, but they lack the consistency that the CPUM Domes provides; out of a 10 shot group, 7 were within 1/2 of an inch and three were fliers. With the FTTs, groupings are about 2/3rds of an inch with more consistent fliers.

So the Domes group tighter, but they are still prone to fliers. FTTs group more loosely and had more fliers. It could also be the tin that I ordered, so I may pick up another couple of tins just to verify.

I ordered a sample pack of .22 pellets off of ebay, and included in the sampling are those JSB Exact Heavies. Maggy shoots the 18gr HEs fairly well, so with all the hoopla I hear about these JSBs, I'm thinking she's going to be fond of them.

Or, she may not like them at all. We all know how our girls can be finicky.  ;D
Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: VaporTrail on February 18, 2019, 06:44:11 PM
Try a small tin of cat food about 1/4 full.  Fill remainder with water and mix to a slurry.  If you don't mix, the rats will pick off a chunk and go away.
With the watery mix, they will stay around longer(until you get them in your sights).  Also, a red light helps, they don't see it but you do.

-Y

I apologize, Yogi...I don't know how I missed your post. Cat food, eh? I'll give that a shot...although I do have a couple of cats coming around. I haven't seen cats come around in years, so I'm not too sure where these guys came from. Quite the ineffective lot, though; I still hear the rats in the brush outside, even though there's two of them. One's a little cutie...coat pattern similar to a cerval. She'll stop and meow at me and likes to climb the roof. The other one is a grizzled tom...it almost looks like he has one busted eye. He'll stop and stare at me for a couple of seconds and then make his way past me. I don't give 'em too much grief because they don't bother my girl (pitbull/bully mix) and she doesn't go crazy when they're there, but man...they sure are lousy hunters.  ::)

Oh well.

Title: Re: Quick Pellet Review
Post by: VaporTrail on March 01, 2019, 01:55:45 AM
just a bump for the edit on the H&N FTTs