Need suggestions to improve HW100 FAC 22 accuracy

[grauhanen]

I recently bought a new HW100S FAC in .22 cal. I have one in .177 and it shoots wonderfully. I adjusted the power on the .177 down to about 15 fpe to increase the shot count and it worked very well, with about 100 shots per fill, consistent velocity, and excellent accuracy. When I got the .22 I thought I would lower the power as well in order to improve shot count. I adjusted it to about 19 fpe, and it gives me five mags (plus a few more shots) of consistent velocity shots. The problem is I can't seem to get good accuracy. I have tested every variety of domed pellet I can find -- JSB, AA Fields, FX 16 gr domed, H&N FTT and Baracuda Match, and Crosman Premier -- some 14 in all. Only two are candidates for accuracy: the BM 5.53 and FTT 5.55mm.

Is it possible that this particular rifle does not respond well at 19fpe? Would increasing or decreasing the power have any effect on improving accuracy?

Is there something else I can try? I need suggestions. Thanks.

[rkr]

I recently bought a new HW100S FAC in .22 cal. I have one in .177 and it shoots wonderfully. I adjusted the power on the .177 down to about 15 fpe to increase the shot count and it worked very well, with about 100 shots per fill, consistent velocity, and excellent accuracy. When I got the .22 I thought I would lower the power as well in order to improve shot count. I adjusted it to about 19 fpe, and it gives me five mags (plus a few more shots) of consistent velocity shots. The problem is I can't seem to get good accuracy. I have tested every variety of domed pellet I can find -- JSB, AA Fields, FX 16 gr domed, H&N FTT and Baracuda Match, and Crosman Premier -- some 14 in all. Only two are candidates for accuracy: the BM 5.53 and FTT 5.55mm.

Is it possible that this particular rifle does not respond well at 19fpe? Would increasing or decreasing the power have any effect on improving accuracy?

Is there something else I can try? I need suggestions. Thanks.

I'd say you have a loose barrel, one of my BSA barrels is also like that giving acceptable accuracy with the pellets you mention. Not much you can do about it other than changing the barrel. Maybe shoot few thousand rounds and see if it tightens up as lead builds up in the barrel.

Edit, you could try one of them DIY choking methods if you have tools for that.

[Kerplink]

Is there something else I can try? I need suggestions. Thanks.

At the risk of stating the obvious, make sure the fault does not lie with the scope/mount. This could be done by shooting groups with the rifle mounted in a rest.

[grauhanen]

I can add the JSB 15.89 grain 5.51mm pellet to the list of pellets that have shown some promise.  The problem continues to be that the ones with any promise are those that can put a couple of shots through the same pellet hole before scattering them all over.
I've checked the scope and it's good.  Since I'm shooting at 25 yards I'm expecting a good pellet to go through the same hole time after time.
I'm beginning to suspect that the barrel has a problem because it's not simply shooting wide groups, it's scattering them all over, unpredictably.

[Sfttailrdr46]

what about the breech seal

[rkr]

LDC clipping?

[grauhanen]

The chrony shows consistent velocity so I think the breech seal is OK.  The rifle does not have a LDC but rather a faux silencer; it remains unclipped and the rifle shoots the same with it on or off.
Is it possible the barrel is a lemon?
I've seen threads on the WOC forum that suggest the barrel -- or any airgun barrel, for that matter -- benefits from a deep cleaning using bore cleaning compound and VFG-type felt cleaning pellets, followed by, according to one thread, Teflon grease, and in another by moly grease, which is then cleaned out with VFG cleaning pellets.  Has anyone tried anything like this?

[Mod90]

Possible the barrel could e a lemon. It happens.
Have you checked the crown? Or pushed a pellet through to see if it's got burrs?