Best BB's and pellets for Daisy Powerline 880

[Corneileous]

Hello guys, just curious what good 177 caliber pellets and BBs are for this rifle for accuracy and performance. Are the Daisy BBs better than the Crosman copperheads and is there really a difference between the Daisy match-grade plated, match-grade unplated and the precisionMaxx BB's?

Right now I'm currently using the Crosman copperheads for BB's and as far as pellets, I have a 250 count tin of the Crossman copperhead hypervelocity hunting pellets and another 250 count tin of just the plain Crosman pointed pellets you can get from Walmart.

Picture for attention....

[HOSPassassin]

H&N Field Target Trophy has shot well in every Daisy I have ever owned, and there have been several. Close to MOA accuracy is possible up to about 20 yards. Crosman pellets have always sucked IME.

Don't shoot BBs with it. That's what the Daisy 35 and Red Ryder are for.

[Corneileous]

H&N Field Target Trophy has shot well in every Daisy I have ever owned, and there have been several. Close to MOA accuracy is possible up to about 20 yards. Crosman pellets have always sucked IME.

I don't think these Crosman pellets have necessarily sucked, in the proverbial sense and are fairly accurate but which of those H&N pellets do you recommend? Are there different ones made by them?

Don't shoot BBs with it. That's what the Daisy 35 and Red Ryder are for.

So even with the Daisy BB's that are supposedly designed for their air guns? Primarily for better accuracy, I'd rather use pellets but for quicker reloads on second/third shots, I will use a BB when need be.

[HOSPassassin]

H&N makes their Field Target Trophy in .177 in several head sizes. I have always found that 4.51 mm works the best.

I made the recommendation about BBs because they are traditionally meant for use in a smoothbore barrel. Daisy swears that the rifling in the 880/901 can accommodate BBs but I would rather not try it. Pellets are far more accurate, anyways.

[Corneileous]

H&N makes their Field Target Trophy in .177 in several head sizes. I have always found that 4.51 mm works the best.

Yeah, I found an older thread on here where a guy tested those, the barracuda match, some other Crosman-brand pellet and some sub-zero pellets out of an 880 PL that said he had the best grouping with those 4.5mm FTT’s. Might just pick me up a tin of them.

I made the recommendation about BBs because they are traditionally meant for use in a smoothbore barrel. Daisy swears that the rifling in the 880/901 can accommodate BBs but I would rather not try it. Pellets are far more accurate, anyways.

I get it and I’ve learned that BB’s can be bad for the rifling but would it not make sense to hold Daisy to that claim as long as you shot their brand BB’s? I guess I’ll just have to email Daisy and see what they say regarding that but again, I know pellets are more accurate but like I said, I may fire a some BB’s only because of the quicker reloads and because unlike my other Crosman rifle that has a clip for pellets making reloads faster, the Daisy doesn’t so with that being said, do you have a recommendation between the three types of BB’s Daisy has? 

[Corneileous]

And also, does anybody know of a decent way to load BBs into this rifle and even some kind of a pellet loader that works?

I’d probably use a lot more pellets if I had a quicker and much easier way to load them into this rifle. I’ve seen some on Amazon but not sure which of those would work that aren’t only designed for break-barrel rifles.

[HOSPassassin]

H&N makes their Field Target Trophy in .177 in several head sizes. I have always found that 4.51 mm works the best.

Yeah, I found an older thread on here where a guy tested those, the barracuda match, some other Crosman-brand pellet and some sub-zero pellets out of an 880 PL that said he had the best grouping with those 4.5mm FTT’s. Might just pick me up a tin of them.

I made the recommendation about BBs because they are traditionally meant for use in a smoothbore barrel. Daisy swears that the rifling in the 880/901 can accommodate BBs but I would rather not try it. Pellets are far more accurate, anyways.

I get it and I’ve learned that BB’s can be bad for the rifling but would it not make sense to hold Daisy to that claim as long as you shot their brand BB’s? I guess I’ll just have to email Daisy and see what they say regarding that but again, I know pellets are more accurate but like I said, I may fire a some BB’s only because of the quicker reloads and because unlike my other Crosman rifle that has a clip for pellets making reloads faster, the Daisy doesn’t so with that being said, do you have a recommendation between the three types of BB’s Daisy has?

Can't help with the BB question. I never use them in anything.

There is a technique for loading pellets that doesn't really make it fast but it is a little better. Pull the bolt and then push it back in just enough to cover the BB port. Push the pellet up the ramp with your index finger until it is ready to load. It probably helps that I have skinny musician's fingers.

[Corneileous]

I just got off the phone with somebody at Daisy Customer Support and when I tried to ask them about their three different types of BBs, the only thing they would tell me that made either the plated or non-plated match grade BB’s apart from their plain-Jane precision max BBs was that the two match grade ones I think are lead free but she wouldn’t tell me why I would use the plated or non-plated versions except for whatever the competition rules stated you had to use so I guess I’ll just buy me a container of their cheaper, precision max BBs and call it a day unless somebody else chimes in with more opinions of what would be a better BB to use.

Also, and this is not to go against what the one and only member so far that’s responded to my thread has said, that tech-support person said the rifle was designed to fire BB’s without harm so I guess I don’t really know how to take that… Lol. I still would rather shoot as many pellets as I can strictly for the accuracy, but sometimes quicker reloads are a necessity so that’s when I might fire a few more BB’s as well.

[HOSPassassin]

If you check the BB guns gate you might find more opinions about how well different kinds of BBs work. I believe I have read that some barrels clearly prefer certain types of BBs just like some barrels prefer certain pellets.

I have also read that frequently if the same brand sells both guns and ammo, the ammo is designed to be compatible with that specific gun. For example, Air Arms in the UK sells both gorgeous guns and really nice pellets. Many Air Arms shooters have found that nothing surpasses Air Arms pellets in their rifles. Hatsan, Gamo, Crosman, and of course Daisy do this as well.

[Corneileous]

If you check the BB guns gate you might find more opinions about how well different kinds of BBs work. I believe I have read that some barrels clearly prefer certain types of BBs just like some barrels prefer certain pellets.

I have also read that frequently if the same brand sells both guns and ammo, the ammo is designed to be compatible with that specific gun. For example, Air Arms in the UK sells both gorgeous guns and really nice pellets. Many Air Arms shooters have found that nothing surpasses Air Arms pellets in their rifles. Hatsan, Gamo, Crosman, and of course Daisy do this as well.

That makes sense, but aside from not knowing anything at all about those other air gun brands you mentioned, does Crosman and Daisy, which I would assume is probably two of the cheaper brands of those, really design a BB or pellet that would ultimately work better in their brand air gun than anything else? I’m not trying to put you on the spot but it’s just awful interesting that you say that when before you were saying from your own personal preference that you would never fire a steel BB out of an air gun that has a rifled barrel, even if it was made by the same company that made the gun.

But also, and this is just out of straight curiosity but my mom had found a daisy 5501 CO2 pistol at a garage sale that she practically got for free and of course, probably only after having to get two new magazines and of course a box of CO2 cartridges for it, this little pistol is only made for BBs but being that I had already bought a nice size container of the Crosman copperhead copper-coated BBs, when it comes to any other air gun, I guess, that doesn’t have a rifled barrel in it, does that reduce the importance of specific BBs you use?

I figure since my mom wants to use this little pistol to practice with being that it shoots relatively similar to a real 9 mm handgun, would she be OK to use those other BB’s in it? I guess what I’m trying to say is from what I understand, when it comes to a smooth bore air gun, it doesn’t really matter as much anymore what BBs you shoot just as long as they’re the same caliber as what the gun is.

[HOSPassassin]

All good questions.

I don't shoot BBs normally, but I have looked into trying them as a solution to an indoor pest bird problem I had this winter. I ultimately went a different direction but it's not as though I think they have no use at all. Your mom's use is probably a perfect application for a BB pistol. You don't need ultimate precision for what I believe she's trying to do.

Forum users who shoot BBs competitively have reported that the specific BB makes a difference. Daisy sponsors an official 5 meter BB rifle competition every year and they build a gun just for it. They can be surprisingly precise in that context. The right BB can grant an edge when you get to that level.

I guess it comes down to, how much precision do you require for what you plan to do? I shoot paper targets, pests, and squirrels. I feel like BBs just aren't precise enough at the ranges my applications demand for me to use them.

[Corneileous]

All good questions.

I don't shoot BBs normally, but I have looked into trying them as a solution to an indoor pest bird problem I had this winter. I ultimately went a different direction but it's not as though I think they have no use at all. Your mom's use is probably a perfect application for a BB pistol. You don't need ultimate precision for what I believe she's trying to do.

Oh yeah. And it’s not even so much the blowback operation of the slide, it’s the fact that the workings are similar to a real handgun that she can practice with by shooting pop cans and get herself more accustomed to shooting in general as to kind of get more comfortable shooting su she’s not as nervous when she shoots her little semi-auto 9mm.

Forum users who shoot BBs competitively have reported that the specific BB makes a difference. Daisy sponsors an official 5 meter BB rifle competition every year and they build a gun just for it. They can be surprisingly precise in that context. The right BB can grant an edge when you get to that level.

So then, since you seem to be pretty knowledgeable on this subject, if you had a rifle that didn’t have the rifled barrel, what would you choose between the three different types of BBs that Daisy has? Do you really think the plated or non-plated match grade BBs would be any better and worth spending the extra money on over just their plain BBs?

I guess it comes down to, how much precision do you require for what you plan to do? I shoot paper targets, pests, and squirrels. I feel like BBs just aren't precise enough at the ranges my applications demand for me to use them.

I guess I can understand that but for me, sometimes I do a lot of short range shooting as well as long range, but ultimately accuracy is what I’m looking for. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve even tried Daisy BBs in this rifle so I’m not even sure how much better they would be against the copperheads. But, the copperheads do tend to go all over the place. I found that out when I was sighting in the new scope and the only way I was really even able to sight it in was to use pellets.

[HOSPassassin]

Well, again, I can't speak from firsthand experience. What I can say is in the realm of airguns, something being labeled "match grade" is a good place to start if you're looking for accuracy. It's not a guarantee, but often match grade or premium means better results as well as higher price. The only way to find out for sure is to test, unfortunately. The good news is that BBs are cheap. It's a lot pricier to find the best pellet for a field target or 10 meter rifle.

[Corneileous]

Well, again, I can't speak from firsthand experience. What I can say is in the realm of airguns, something being labeled "match grade" is a good place to start if you're looking for accuracy. It's not a guarantee, but often match grade or premium means better results as well as higher price. The only way to find out for sure is to test, unfortunately. The good news is that BBs are cheap. It's a lot pricier to find the best pellet for a field target or 10 meter rifle.

I hear ya. As far as pellets, I’m probably gonna just keep using what I have. They haven’t given me any issues and I’m assuming they mate good with my rifle. The other day I shot at a styrofoam cup that was laying out in the yard at a distance of probably a little over 60 feet and hit it with one shot…lol.

[Berserkeley Mike]

I have a Daisy 856 and it shoots more accurately with the gold/brass-colored Marksman BBs than the other BBs.  They are a little bigger and fit the bore better.  But if you get some, test one first by rolling it down the barrel from the _muzzle_end (so you can shoot it back out if it gets stuck).  They are too big for most BB-only guns but do fit many pellet guns.
I can't imagine BBs will damage the rifling of a barrel coated with lead and/or pump wiper oil.
Mike

[Hoosier Daddy]

The only BB guns I have are 3 RR for me and the Grand-kids when they visit.
 But for me the silver "premium grade " Daisy's shoot better than the orange "Red Riders"
Guess what I load in my "Christmas Special" with vs. Theirs. 

[airgunaut]

I only shoot pellets through the 880 because I have a dedicated BB rifle, the Model 25. Daisy zinc-coated Precision Max BBs can be bought in jars of 6000, for something around $15-$18. Given that the gun is not match grade, that's good enough for me at the short distances it is intended for.

That doesn't mean I won't try a few other kinds when the 6000 are almost gone.

[Corneileous]

I only shoot pellets through the 880 because I have a dedicated BB rifle, the Model 25. Daisy zinc-coated Precision Max BBs can be bought in jars of 6000, for something around $15-$18. Given that the gun is not match grade, that's good enough for me at the short distances it is intended for.

That doesn't mean I won't try a few other kinds when the 6000 are almost gone.

Yeah, I don’t know if I mentioned it before in this thread but I do have a 760 pump master that has a smooth bore that I could probably use for BBs only but for using my air guns as a way to tell unwanted critters to get off my land, it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to try to do that with two different rifles, especially since I’ve got the 880 pretty well decked out for what I need it to do.

I guess I could dig it out, put a better scope on it and possibly even attach my spare barrel-clamp laser sight to it and see if buck rail, the company that made the silencer for my 880 makes one for the 760 pump master and have two rifles for what I need to do, but the other thing that doesn’t really work in my favor is, the 880 has the rifled barrel in it for better accuracy when you’re shooting pellets but doesn’t have the cool little pellet clip like the 760 does for faster reloads which still relatively makes useless with pellets because of the smooth bore.

[HOSPassassin]

I only shoot pellets through the 880 because I have a dedicated BB rifle, the Model 25. Daisy zinc-coated Precision Max BBs can be bought in jars of 6000, for something around $15-$18. Given that the gun is not match grade, that's good enough for me at the short distances it is intended for.

That doesn't mean I won't try a few other kinds when the 6000 are almost gone.

Yeah, I don’t know if I mentioned it before in this thread but I do have a 760 pump master that has a smooth bore that I could probably use for BBs only but for using my air guns as a way to tell unwanted critters to get off my land, it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to try to do that with two different rifles, especially since I’ve got the 880 pretty well decked out for what I need it to do.

I guess I could dig it out, put a better scope on it and possibly even attach my spare barrel-clamp laser sight to it and see if buck rail, the company that made the silencer for my 880 makes one for the 760 pump master and have two rifles for what I need to do, but the other thing that doesn’t really work in my favor is, the 880 has the rifled barrel in it for better accuracy when you’re shooting pellets but doesn’t have the cool little pellet clip like the 760 does for faster reloads which still relatively makes useless with pellets because of the smooth bore.

Actually, you might be pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of pellets in a smoothbore. Pellets are shaped like they are with a waist and a hollow skirt in back so that they are stabilized by having their weight distributed forward, like a foster slug. It's not just the rifling that stabilizes them.

[Corneileous]

I only shoot pellets through the 880 because I have a dedicated BB rifle, the Model 25. Daisy zinc-coated Precision Max BBs can be bought in jars of 6000, for something around $15-$18. Given that the gun is not match grade, that's good enough for me at the short distances it is intended for.

That doesn't mean I won't try a few other kinds when the 6000 are almost gone.

Yeah, I don’t know if I mentioned it before in this thread but I do have a 760 pump master that has a smooth bore that I could probably use for BBs only but for using my air guns as a way to tell unwanted critters to get off my land, it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to try to do that with two different rifles, especially since I’ve got the 880 pretty well decked out for what I need it to do.

I guess I could dig it out, put a better scope on it and possibly even attach my spare barrel-clamp laser sight to it and see if buck rail, the company that made the silencer for my 880 makes one for the 760 pump master and have two rifles for what I need to do, but the other thing that doesn’t really work in my favor is, the 880 has the rifled barrel in it for better accuracy when you’re shooting pellets but doesn’t have the cool little pellet clip like the 760 does for faster reloads which still relatively makes useless with pellets because of the smooth bore.

Actually, you might be pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of pellets in a smoothbore. Pellets are shaped like they are with a waist and a hollow skirt in back so that they are stabilized by having their weight distributed forward, like a foster slug. It's not just the rifling that stabilizes them.

Hmm. I guess I’ll have to shoot it a little to see how accurate it is being that I haven’t shot it in a while but if memory serves me correctly, it’s lack of accuracy is why I bought the 880 aside from the harder  pumping due to the short pump handle.