Non-regulated rifles and velocity varations/accuracy

[Ribbonstone]

Living with non regulated rifles.
 
It's not for the following:
1. Not for POWER
2. Not for long-long shot counts.

It is for these things:

3. Short pressure ranges/less air use/good efficiency.
4. Low velocity variations.


(Low velocity varations may not be the ultimate accuracy-sign.  I really cannot tell 3% variation from 1% at 50 yards, as so may other variables tend to cover up the differcnes...but logic tells me it's got to be better...even if I can't detect it).


If you test/adjust/test...can find a "plateau" of pretty dencent self-regulation in most simple PCP's.

It will not be the rifles fastest potential...won't be it's maximum pressure...and won't be nearly the long shot count of a regulated rifle.

But it if you isolate the "best of the best", will run over a surprizingly short pressure range and use very little air per shot.

Common PCP's, not somthing expensive or "special":
 (going to leave off the rifles/calibers/pellet weights/energy levels for now...doesn't matter to the discussion at hand.)

#1.less than 2% varaition (about 1.85%)





#2. about 1.2% variation:





#3. about 2.3% varation




#4 right at 2%

[triggertreat]

Yep, very doable. I have been there and done that with my unregulated .22 cal using JSB 18.13gr: 30 Shots @ 31.02 FPE Avg., 1.36% ES (12 FPS), 1.58 FPE/CI.  I have also done a sixty shot tune within a 4% ES with the same gun.  No need for a regulator if you set 'em up right.

[Ribbonstone]

Can certainly get a lot more good shots with regulation....but each of those shots use as much air as the above examples. 

So lets say 30 shots using 600psi of a tube's air vs 60 shots using 1200psi of the tubes air...or 90shots using 1800psi of the same tube's air.  It's all the same in the end.   

Fill the same volume with 1800psi (say 1200-3000psi) x 90 shots or fill it with 600psi (say 1800-2400psi) X 30 shots...same-same to me.