HW95L .22!

[fwbsport]

So now I've got more than a brace of these R9/HW95Ls in .177, .22, and .25.

To be distinct the R9 is the .177 and the HW95Ls are the .22 and the .25.

The .25 was such a wonderful rifle I wondered if the trajectory could be extended in the .22 to make the rifle shoot further a bit more accurately than the .25.  Everyone understands this endeavor! Go a little smaller in caliber to extend the trajectory by velocity!  At the expense of the slam of the .25 coming down to the slam of the .22 in the HW95L.

So I put my best scope on the brand new HW95L whose velocity chart reads from AOA (Lauren shot these):

H&N Field Target Trophy

0594-01-0595
0618-02-0619
0636-03-0636
0607-04-0608
0647-05-0648

05-0648-+
05-0595--
05-0053-T
05-0621-M
05-0021-S
05-0621-

Average velocity is 621 fps, and I figured this .22 would be about a 600 fps or over since my .25 has less velocity (the average velocity for the .25 is about 100 fps slower).

So I ran out of .22 pellets about a week ago!  And I had to run into Edwardsville to a Walmart to pick up what they had in .22 pellets.
They were out of EVERYTHING in .22 except for Pirahnas (these are hollow points with jagged opening)!  They had 2 400 round tins of those so I bought them and began shooting the HW95L .22 with Crossman Premier Pirahnas.  These are heavier I think, and I was not sure what to see downrange since I've heard reports from others not doing so well with these pellets.

Surprise surprise surprise!

The HW95L loves them!  It's sighted in at 30 yards with my best scope in the inventory, a Swarovsky Z-3 3-9X.  I can put it on 6X to see 25 yards and raise the power for longer to 9X.  The clarity of the scope is stunning compared to the Leupolds and Burris and Nikons.  I've got the scope on the best rifle for this after shooting less than 20 shots!

So now that the scope is setting in with the turning screws (got to keep the tightness of the stock screws in check, I had to retighten them upon receiving the rifle--now this should always be done BEFORE shooting!

Will the .22 outdo the .25?  I am out on this for some time since the new rifle has just begun shooting in my opinion compared to the .25 which I use all the time (the .25 is a blast to shoot anytime!)

Comparing the HW80s to these rifles is a permanent marker.  They are the strongest and their accuracy is really about as good, but at the cost of a bit more power that isn't really necessary for a plinking sort like me.  I just like to stand and shoot over and over without getting tired and losing track of a tiny pellet like .177--that's why a large pellet helps always to fumble in fingers with.  I still drop pellets on the ground but not as many as the .177s.

Most importantly is the "insult" the larger caliber does at lower velocity, it upsets everything around the center of aim from momentum.  The pellet trap gets blown around sometimes when the pellet hits one steel, and then they all drop back down (all four targets after shooting only one).  The .177 R9 is a laser, the .22 is the noble, and the .25 is the regal. 

My drift is that if tiny fast pellets disappoint, try out the LARGER caliber in the same rifle you like (for me it is definitely the HW95L over the R9--the 95s have something smoother in cocking and firing inside beyond my ability to define with photos of parts inside. 

Is the .22 the all around rifle?  To me it can be and so can the .25 to those not so concerned about center to center groups.

[SSG Grampo]

John, good reporting on the HW's and Hector's Diana. I'm very interested in how the Crosman Pirahna's fit? Loose, Tight, just right?
MY RWS 34P (.22) shoots the Pirahna's Excellent. I have read that on the HW95 .22 you need a larger 5.53 pellet. I'm saving for a HW95, not sure of what cal .177 or .22.

[fwbsport]

Yes they are either tight or loose (but stopping from dropping down the tube!) but the impact is the same.  Just like the .177 10.5gr CPs do--they are harder than HN FTTs but uniform in accuracy.  This continues to confuse me since they say these tight and loose pellets from a tin or batch or lot are supposed to be "problems" to those wanting exact fit.

Just to let you know, during the testing I accidentally plucked a .20 from an open tin and put it into the .22 but it went all the way down the barrel on the floor and then I realized I put the wrong size pellet in it!

[SSG Grampo]

Thank's John, What's your best pellet for the HW95/R9 .177. and have you tried the CPHP. 7.9 on your R9?

[Mark 611]

John why don't u just do a comparison ur self? try to find a same weight pellet for both calibers and shoot them! IMO all things being equal the .22cal should out perform the .25cal! accept maybe energy? I got away from the .25cal yrs ago after owning a Beeman Kodiak and a Diana 48 in .25cal, I just couldn't justify the .25cal over the .22cal in a spring gun! PCP's are a whole other story!!! JMO

[prosportfan]

Do you feel that yhe price difference between the 95L and regular 95 is justifiable? And why?

[Airwoods]

Ya im a .22 cal guy myself.My first pellet gun when i was a kid was a .22 benjamin 342 my second was my beeman r1 .177 that was converted to .22 some years back when i had it tuned.I tried and still have a tuned hw50s in .177 i bought last year,although a great gun and accurate i just havent warmed up to the .177 cal and should have listened to my gut feeling and went with the .22 version instead.That gun may pop up here on the members classfieds soon.

[Bayman]

Thank's John, What's your best pellet for the HW95/R9 .177. and have you tried the CPHP. 7.9 on your R9?

I know you weren't asking me but I have a 177 Hw95 and have used the cphp pellets. The quality control is nonexistent with these pellets. I'll get a tin where the fit is varied but they still shoot very well. 3/4 " at 25 yards. I'll get excited buy two more tins and at least one tin will occasionally throw fliers 2" or more at the same distance. Bottom line the rifle is great no matter what, but those particular pellets are either good or terrible depending on luck of the draw. Oh and I have had the same experience with multiple rifles over dozens of cphp tins. So its definitely not the fault of the rifle.

[fwbsport]

Thank's John, What's your best pellet for the HW95/R9 .177. and have you tried the CPHP. 7.9 on your R9?

I know you weren't asking me but I have a 177 Hw95 and have used the cphp pellets. The quality control is nonexistent with these pellets. I'll get a tin where the fit is varied but they still shoot very well. 3/4 " at 25 yards. I'll get excited buy two more tins and at least one tin will occasionally throw fliers 2" or more at the same distance. Bottom line the rifle is great no matter what, but those particular pellets are either good or terrible depending on luck of the draw. Oh and I have had the same experience with multiple rifles over dozens of cphp tins. So its definitely not the fault of the rifle.

Yeah I heard about these hps not doing well in a lot of rifles.  I never tried them.  I never would have tried Piranhas for the same reason: thinking something is wrong with the head design of the pellet when it is made hollow--but in the fish design they look like jaws instead.  They are SHINY as the sun in the sun! Shiniest pellets I've ever seen.

So I went back to Walmart to find it won't be for 3 weeks till more .22 pellets even come in!

So guess what?  I bought a couple of 500 tins of .177 Piranhas! I figure if the design works so well in my .22 it may do the same in the .177, where the pellet that works here is easily ONLY the CP 10.5gr heavies.  I have Crow Magnums and wadcutters but no more 7-8 gr pellets because I never bought those while using HW or FWB in the first place.  Why start?

Gipper tried to hand me a tin of 7-8 grain .177 pellets he shot out of his HW30 Vortexed and I just took the rifle only knowing the 10.5grs will work better or just as well at the least and so they did.....

Now about spring slam and fraying at one end using a heavier pellet--we are talking about shooting thousands of pellets here, and once my air rifles are sighted in (they are) I switch shoot them all and by the time they all reach the 5 or 10 thousand rounds to replace a spring I'll be dead.

[SSG Grampo]

Ron, thank's for the reply. CPHP are not consistent. John, shot the Piranah's well in .22. I'm on the fence with the .177 vs .22. I like being able to buy Piranah's of the shelf, My RWS 34P shoots the Piranah's (.22) very, very well. I have bought them as low as $5.98 at Walmart. Currently $9.92. So, if John continues to shoot them well. I ill go with the .22. Ron, thanks again for your input.

[Mark 611]

My 95 in .22cal does not shoot CPHP's well but it does shoot the Pointed Hunting Pellets as good as the H&N FTT's! which are as accurate as u can shoot the rifle! I'm Not done on my HW95L build yet in .177cal but I will report on it when it done! but that may be awhile I have to many things going on right now with wanting to buy a new S&W 629 44mag!!!

[SSG Grampo]

Thank's Mark, those Crosman hunting pellets are reasonably priced also.

[fwbsport]

Funny thing back in 1970 I bought Crossman Pellets in tins of 500 shaped like a rectangular box of metal with red and white Crossman logo....

And today I am using their pellets in the 10.5gr exclusively at the best in all my .177s.

They still do a good job and their Premier pellets are not to be scoffed at!