More of a confirmation of (.177) PolyMags than anything else

[Ribbonstone]

Turned into a bit of a confirmation rahter than anything "new"...at least if you want fast energy dump in small critters.

If your rifle (177 in this case) will shoot them, then Predator Poly Mags are the best choice.  If they won't shoot well, then keep trying other hollow points.


tried the MrodAir "Varmint" (Diana Stormrider is the same critter) for tyhe 3 types of hollow poits I happened to have on hand in .177.  I don't keep a lot of hollow points on hand as there aren't that many situations that I'll take expasion/quick energy dump over penetration/accuracy.

But pest birds at 20-25 yards is one of the times I will take a ast hard "whap' over a long deep hole.

This one is kept at near 20 foot pounds in .177, at least with 10.3-13.4gr. pellets.

Hollow points were as follows:

6.9gr. RWS H-points
8gr. predator polly Points (these are old cans, slightly rusted outside, all good inside...so likely from the first coulple of years of introcution. 
10.34gr. H&N  Barauda Hunter


TEST TARGET at 20 yards (after all, only have 20-30 yards in the back yard).


TEST MEDIA RESULTS.  Test media was "wet lap". Basically news pring soked in warm water until you poke a finger into it and get a finger sized dent.  Wettet than that, ad it turns to oatmeal....less wet, and you won't get a finger dent.



Will assign the 10.3gr. RN pellet a 1.0 for penetration. The actual depth isn't important, as wet-lap isn't bird-bodies, but to keep the proportion of energy dump-to-penetation in perspective.

I just borrowd a 4.0 scale as a ration to peentration (like a letter grade grading scale):
10.3gr. AA RN pellets = 4.0
10.3gr. H&H HP pellets - 3.5
8gr. Poly mags = 2.7
6.9gr. RWS H-Points = 2.2



(for this, will ignore the POI difference...so long as they group well, that';s what scope adjustments are for).
So basially the 6.9gr. RWS H-Points dumped there energy in nearly 1/2 the distance, fragmenting quick quickly after contact (cheak the 1025fps vel.)  ACCURACY SUCKED at this speed....and it not worthy at lower speeds in some rifles...but every once in awhile it does good.

Worth noting, that even at 1025fps, the energy of the little 6.9gr. pellet was the LEAST of the ones tested.

The 8gr. PolyMAg shot great and dumped energy in a reaonably fast way.  Grouped just about as well in this rifle as the control pellet (the 10.3gr. AA) at this range. Wont quite fit in the mag. but I use it as a single shot just about all of the time.

The 10.3gr. Baracuda Hunters shot "ok", but penetrated nearly as deeply as the 10.3gr. solids.

RECOVERED PELLETS:



At thse speeds, the inaccurate H-Points did kind of "blow up". Not unusaly for them to expand, then break off the nose in ring typer fragments, with the little cone base section pentrating seperatly.  If they grouped better at this speed (1025fps) would be just about perfect for pest birds at 20-30 yards as they give a fast/early dump of energy (which would be about ideal for small lite critters).

But they aren't accurate enough, so scratch tme off the list.


The PolyMags grouped great, expanded wlll at this speed (988fps MV), and dumped energy reaonsbly quickly and kind of evenly.


H&N Baracuda Hunters didn't expoand much, basically truingintinto a slightly fatter wad cutter, dumping energy faster at the far end of penetration than at the impact point.  Not what I'd want for pest birds, as it's more of an energy dump LATER rather than SOONER, and with little critters you don't get a "later".

So...there you go...at least in this PCP, the PolyMags (and I still have 2 1/2 tins of these old rusty first generation tins) are "THE BOMB".


Yeah...it's just confirmation of what "everone" has been telling me.  But I haven't had that many guns confirm that...most shot less well with PolyMags. 
 

This rifle shot them well from the start, I just somehow kind of overlooked them between then and now.  Certainly arn't cheap, but they aren't really for plinking.

MAybe this rifle will shoot like "carp" with the new versions....but I've got 2 1/2 rusty old tins of pellets before I have to find out (each tin now wears a bit of tape directing those pellets to the "Varmint".