Playing with Slugs!

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Well, here we go!  I got some slugs to test and see if I can find one my Crown likes the best...  Thus far, this is what I have...



No, not that kind of slug!  This kind of slug!



So far I have received a sampler pack of H&N HP Slugs in the .217 size.  These come in 21gr, 23gr, 25gr, 27gr and 30gr.  I also picked up a pack of the FX Hybrid slugs, which are 22gr. 

I prepped my targets for the test and below are the accuracy test results for the FX and H&N slugs.  These are all shot from my FX Crown Continuum with the 700mm barrel sporting a DonnyFL Tanto LDC.  The regulator on the Crown is set to 140 bar, the hammer spring tension is set to max, and the TP is on the .25/.30 setting to provide max power from the current set-up.

The performance of these slugs are:

FX Hybrid Slugs:
22ge - avg 926.0 FPS, 41.9 FPE

H&N .217 Slugs:
21gr - avg 974.4 FPS, 44.28 FPE
23gr - avg 924.4 FPS, 43.65 FPE
25gr - avg 891.6 FPS, 44.14 FPE
27gr - avg 844.6 FPS, 42.78 FPE
30gr - avg 813.0 FPS, 44.04 FPE

Interestingly, the lightest slug produced the most energy, but the 21gr, 25gr, and 30 gr all produced energy in the 44 fpe range.  The groups below are all 5 shot groups.  With the exception of one wild flyer, the FX Hybrid slugs, one of the lighter ones, had the tightest group of the bunch, followed by the heaviest slug in the test, the 30gr H&N.  Point of aim on all was center of the bull's eye.

I should receive the NSA Sampler Pack slugs tomorrow.  I was able to get those in both the .217 and .218 sizes, so I already have my target prepped for tomorrow's test...

[Motorhead]

When you find the lightest making more power than heavier ..... it is telling that your regulator pressure and hammer strike are biased / tuned quite efficiently for pellet weight projectiles.
Shooting a SLUG the time spent in bore is increased as is the initial friction to get it moving increased. This generally required valve dwell being longer and many times a higher reg pressure.

Personally find this on a lot of my personal guns tuned with very light hammers, larger porting and lower reg pressures.

[superchikn]

What is the distance to your target?

[bear air]

Seems like you got pretty good accuracy out of all the slugs so far. And it also looks like the H&N slugs shoot quite well from your rifle Paul. It will be interesting to see how the other size does.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

When you find the lightest making more power than heavier ..... it is telling that your regulator pressure and hammer strike are biased / tuned quite efficiently for pellet weight projectiles.
Shooting a SLUG the time spent in bore is increased as is the initial friction to get it moving increased. This generally required valve dwell being longer and many times a higher reg pressure.

Personally find this on a lot of my personal guns tuned with very light hammers, larger porting and lower reg pressures.

Thanks Scott.  I'm actually hoping to find a slug that will work well with the rifle the way it's currently tuned so I can easily switch between pellets and slugs as needed.  Not being as skilled at tuning as others here, I prefer to not mess up something that seems to be working well as is!  LOL! 

What is the distance to your target?

40 yards, it's all the room I have as the house.

Seems like you got pretty good accuracy out of all the slugs so far. And it also looks like the H&N slugs shoot quite well from your rifle Paul. It will be interesting to see how the other size does.

I hope the NSA arrive tomorrow and will see what they can do.

[kkarmical]

When you find the lightest making more power than heavier ..... it is telling that your regulator pressure and hammer strike are biased / tuned quite efficiently for pellet weight projectiles.
Shooting a SLUG the time spent in bore is increased as is the initial friction to get it moving increased. This generally required valve dwell being longer and many times a higher reg pressure.

Personally find this on a lot of my personal guns tuned with very light hammers, larger porting and lower reg pressures.

This is good to know.  I'm adding a huma to .22 and will start my reg pressure higher from the start.

I'm tagging along on this one even though I'm a NSA guy, just to see all the different ones out now.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

I received the NSA Sampler Packs today and ran 5 shot strings over the chrony, while shooting for accuracy.  The results are below:

NSA .217:
17.5gr - 1033.40 FPS; 41.51 FPE
20.2gr - 978.60 FPS; 42.97 FPE
23.0gr - 908.00 FPS; 42.12 FPE
24.8gr - 893.60 FPS; 43.98 FPE
27.5gr - 820.20 FPS; 41.09 FPE
28.5gr - 805.80 FPS; 41.10 FPE

NSA .218
17.5gr - 1026.40 FPS; 40.95 FPE
20.2gr - 964.00 FPS; 41.69 FPE
23.0gr - 896.80 FPS; 41.08 FPE
24.8gr - 869.40 FPS; 41.63 FPE
27.5gr - 803.60 FPS; 39.44 FPE
28.5gr - 785.00 FPS; 39.01 FPE

I think I'll be ordering some of the 20.2gr slugs, those seemed to shoot the best, they produced the best energy levels and were the most accurate of the NSA slugs tested! 

[bear air]

Yeah it looks like your gun liked the .217 and .218 at that weight. Not too shabby at 40 yards. Next thing you'll have to get is a lab radar set up and then you can start comparing the benefits of using the slugs, comparing retained energy between slugs and pellets down range. That would be interesting to see.

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Next thing you'll have to get is a lab radar set up and then you can start comparing the benefits of using the slugs, comparing retained energy between slugs and pellets down range. That would be interesting to see.

Yea, that ain't happening!   

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Here is a comparison of the 2 lightest slugs I tested from NSA.  This is both sizes one set shot with the TP set to .25/.30 the other was set to .177/.22:

Crown Long TP - .177/.22         
NSA .217   17.5   1001.00   38.95
NSA .218   17.5   994.00   38.40
NSA .217   20.2   945.40   40.10
NSA .218   20.2   939.80   39.63

Crown Long TP - .25/.30         
NSA .217   17.50   1033.40   41.51
NSA .218   17.50   1026.40   40.95
NSA .217   20.20   978.60   42.97
NSA .218   20.20   964.00   41.69

[bear air]

Wow Paul, even on the lower setting they are producing plenty of power and I imagine by using the lower setting it really improves the shot count.

[cootertwo]

Nice testing there Paul, and Merry Christmas too. Nielson is hard to beat. Good stuff, good prices, and great customer support.

[JBinCO]

You know we are going to want to see these all over again with your new rifle lol

[gendoc]

Here is a comparison of the 2 lightest slugs I tested from NSA.  This is both sizes one set shot with the TP set to .25/.30 the other was set to .177/.22:

Crown Long TP - .177/.22         
NSA .217   17.5   1001.00   38.95
NSA .218   17.5   994.00   38.40
NSA .217   20.2   945.40   40.10
NSA .218   20.2   939.80   39.63

Crown Long TP - .25/.30         
NSA .217   17.50   1033.40   41.51
NSA .218   17.50   1026.40   40.95
NSA .217   20.20   978.60   42.97
NSA .218   20.20   964.00   41.69

great info Paul,

wish i'd seen this last week when i ordered 400 NSA .217 17.5gr....
they didnt perform well in my cz barreled skyhawk !!

i need to trade them for the sampler pack 

[Dairyboy]

Here is a comparison of the 2 lightest slugs I tested from NSA.  This is both sizes one set shot with the TP set to .25/.30 the other was set to .177/.22:

Crown Long TP - .177/.22         
NSA .217   17.5   1001.00   38.95
NSA .218   17.5   994.00   38.40
NSA .217   20.2   945.40   40.10
NSA .218   20.2   939.80   39.63

Crown Long TP - .25/.30         
NSA .217   17.50   1033.40   41.51
NSA .218   17.50   1026.40   40.95
NSA .217   20.20   978.60   42.97
NSA .218   20.20   964.00   41.69

great info Paul,

wish i'd seen this last week when i ordered 400 NSA .217 17.5gr....
they didnt perform well in my cz barreled skyhawk !!

i need to trade them for the sampler pack 

You can try sizing them smaller. Made a big difference on my Leshiy

[gendoc]

Here is a comparison of the 2 lightest slugs I tested from NSA.  This is both sizes one set shot with the TP set to .25/.30 the other was set to .177/.22:

Crown Long TP - .177/.22         
NSA .217   17.5   1001.00   38.95
NSA .218   17.5   994.00   38.40
NSA .217   20.2   945.40   40.10
NSA .218   20.2   939.80   39.63

Crown Long TP - .25/.30         
NSA .217   17.50   1033.40   41.51
NSA .218   17.50   1026.40   40.95
NSA .217   20.20   978.60   42.97
NSA .218   20.20   964.00   41.69

great info Paul,

wish i'd seen this last week when i ordered 400 NSA .217 17.5gr....
they didnt perform well in my cz barreled skyhawk !!

i need to trade them for the sampler pack 

You can try sizing them smaller. Made a big difference on my Leshiy

speed was good, accuracy was lacking throughout my power adjustment range.

shot a few 22gr Varmint knockers's and they do much better.
i want to try nick's sampler 

[JungleShooter]

I'm tagging along on this one even though I'm a NSA guy, just to see all the different ones out now.

Ken 😄

here's an overview of the .22 slugs that I've found, with
weights,
prices,
head sizes,
etc. — my SLUG TABLE...


Matthias

Attachment:

[smythsg]

The picture shows a recovered NSA 29.5 gn slug shot from my .25 cal SPA M16/Airmax Dominator at 835 fps. I was shooting a grocery store hard coconut at a measured 35 yards and the slug penetrated both sides of the coconut, and fell right next to the soft backstop just behind. My ballistics program says the slug hit with 41 ft lbs of energy. The entry hole was impressive, but the exit hole was devastating. These NSA slugs are squirrel head accurate at 50 yards in my M16, and I just ordered 300 more.