Daisy Powerline 880 Pellet choice?

[airgunhunter118]

Hey guys, I wasn't sure where to put this so here is gonna do. Anyways i just picked up a Daisy Powerline 880 today for pest control inside barns and sheds and glad i did because it is an amazing little, inexpensive air rifle. I was having a hard time sighting it in until i found an OK pellet, the Crosman Pointed Pellet. I was curious what pellet works in your Powerline 880?

[nervoustrigger]

Well, I picked up a Daisy 880 for my son back in August of last year.  Of the 8 different pellets we've tested in it so far, only the Gamo Rockets gave any semblance of a group.  I'm talking 1 - 1.5" at 25 yards.   At 10-15 yards, the RWS Basic wadcutters are decent but they open up at 25.

Although it was only $45, I'm still disappointed with the accuracy.  I had read a lot of good things about the rifle, and was hoping he could practice with it and, once he demonstrated his ability to shoot it consistently, we could go squirrel hunting together.  But in the hands of a 7-year-old, my 1.5" groups become 3" groups.  Can't very well have him maiming squirrels with it. 

Ours has a muzzle that measures 0.178 using a set of precision gauge pins, and the Gamo Rockets have heads measuring the same (typ.).  All the other pellets I've tried have smaller heads and group more poorly.  As a last ditch effort, I tried squeezing a slight choke on the muzzle, bringing it down to 0.175 - 0.176.  That helped ever so slightly but it's still not a rifle I would use for small game hunting. 

I'm just hanging onto it a little while longer until I can pick up some H&N Field Target Trophy pellets in larger head sizes.  Granted, I have not tried the Crosman Pointed pellets you mentioned.  However from my experience with them in the 0.22 caliber, I expect they would shoot similarly to the Crosman domes (up to 25 yards anyway).

Sorry, I realize I'm being negative.  But the upshot is, it is a cheaply made rifle so quality control is highly variable, meaning you could just as easily end up with a fantastic shooter.

Power is pretty decent, too.  I was seeing 8.7fpe at the muzzle with the Gamo Rockets, for example.   Nowhere near as much as typical $100 breakbarrel springer, but assuming you get an 880 with a decent barrel, you'll have a much easier rifle to shoot consistently.

Best wishes with yours!

[Bullit]

If you're shooting inside, I'll suggest you try quality flat wadcutter target pellets.  Won't do as much damage to barn roof/walls.  Plenty strong for small vermin and pigeons.  Soft lead domes like the JSB Exact Express or Lites, would be a second choice.  Check out Ted's Holdover videos...IIRC, he has done this exact hunting with your air rifle.

[nervoustrigger]

I don't see where Ted reviewed the 880 but he did a 3-part series on the Crosman 2100 which is pretty similar. 
Introduction

Accuracy and velocity
 
Pigeon hunting


I watched them just now and frankly I'm a little butthurt that I didn't get one of those instead   It even has a metal receiver.  The plastic receiver on our 880 has material creep from mounting a scope.  I don't necessarily think it affects accuracy but it just feels silly mounting a scope to plastic.

[Bullit]

I knew I was close
There was a guy using a pumper (or maybe just a lower power springer), with match pellets in a barn for pests...perhaps the guy across the pond.  I can't exactly remember his name tho?  Maybe y'all can refresh?

[nervoustrigger]

Huntersvermin maybe?

[birdmove]

  I don't have a Daisy 880, but did pick up a smooth bore Daisy Powerline Model 35 multi pump rifle recently. I just can't get any consistently decent groups with those Crosman Hunters pointed pellets. I've got some good groups, but I get too many flyers. It does, however, give me very nice groups with Crosman Premier wadcutters, and hollow points, and Gamo Match wadcutters. I haven't shot it farther than 10 yards yet, but I get a good number of 3 shot groups into one pellet sized hole.
    Most of my air guns like RWS Hobby's. I also have a Remington Airmaster 77 that is the same as the Crosman 2100 with cosmetic differences and made by Crosman for Remington. Metal receiver. A little while back Amazon was selling the 2100 for $39.99.   I'm sure you'll get more suggestions as everyone seems to either own an 880, or had one at one time.
    I reviewed my Model 35 at this website, but couldn't get it to take my target photos. I bought the smooth bore to be able to shoot BB's without having to worry about damaging the rifling, but am having so much fun testing pellets that I've only shot a few targets with BBs. Looks so far like then BBs are going to throw more flyers, but I've got some round 5/8" groups so far too.

[airgunhunter118]

Ya i bought a smooth bore and immediately took it back because it was lacking accuracy like something fierce. If you want pellet accuracy definitely get a rifled bore

[Bryan Heimann]

880's are great little ultralight pumpers, and super cheap.  I like to use 10.5 grain Crosman Premier Ultra Magnums in mine, accurate pellets and they don't break the bank.  Plus you'll get maybe an extra foot pound of muzzle energy and a lot more momentum, and way more retained energy as the distance to the target grows...

[birdmove]

    My Daisy's accuracy may well go to *(&^ with distance, but at 10 yards it can sink them into one tiny hole. Now I can't do that every group. Two days ago I was shooting it and I was off, and didn't get any groups that I'd be proud of. Yesterday, however, I was on and the gun did it's part for me. And since I do most of my shooting at 10 yards for fun and practice, it's working for me. I also have the Remington Airmaster 77, a Crosman 1077, a Crosman Custom Shop 2400 CO2 carbine that just shoots great, and some air pistols too. My one spring piston gun, an inexpensive Beeman, is so inconsistent that it pisses me off.



    Yo

Ya i bought a smooth bore and immediately took it back because it was lacking accuracy like something fierce. If you want pellet accuracy definitely get a rifled bore

[Nail Gun]

I had to support the straw barrel with a few wraps of electrical tape to brace it within the shroud  I also trimmed my barrel down past the shallow crown and touched it up with the brass screw method.  Last, I glued the front sight to the shroud using thin super glue to remove the side-to-side wobble.  After that I discovered she loves the cheap Daisy wadcutters tthat came with it. 

Well, I picked up a Daisy 880 for my son back in August of last year.  Of the 8 different pellets we've tested in it so far, only the Gamo Rockets gave any semblance of a group.  I'm talking 1 - 1.5" at 25 yards.   At 10-15 yards, the RWS Basic wadcutters are decent but they open up at 25.

Although it was only $45, I'm still disappointed with the accuracy.  I had read a lot of good things about the rifle, and was hoping he could practice with it and, once he demonstrated his ability to shoot it consistently, we could go squirrel hunting together.  But in the hands of a 7-year-old, my 1.5" groups become 3" groups.  Can't very well have him maiming squirrels with it. 

Ours has a muzzle that measures 0.178 using a set of precision gauge pins, and the Gamo Rockets have heads measuring the same (typ.).  All the other pellets I've tried have smaller heads and group more poorly.  As a last ditch effort, I tried squeezing a slight choke on the muzzle, bringing it down to 0.175 - 0.176.  That helped ever so slightly but it's still not a rifle I would use for small game hunting. 

I'm just hanging onto it a little while longer until I can pick up some H&N Field Target Trophy pellets in larger head sizes.  Granted, I have not tried the Crosman Pointed pellets you mentioned.  However from my experience with them in the 0.22 caliber, I expect they would shoot similarly to the Crosman domes (up to 25 yards anyway).

Sorry, I realize I'm being negative.  But the upshot is, it is a cheaply made rifle so quality control is highly variable, meaning you could just as easily end up with a fantastic shooter.

Power is pretty decent, too.  I was seeing 8.7fpe at the muzzle with the Gamo Rockets, for example.   Nowhere near as much as typical $100 breakbarrel springer, but assuming you get an 880 with a decent barrel, you'll have a much easier rifle to shoot consistently.

Best wishes with yours!

[CFH]

On average I get penny groupings @ 10 yards using Daisy flat nosed,


Just fun little guns, I really enjoy my little 880!

Best,
Tim

[birdmove]

    Interesting. I just bought 2 Daisy pellet samplers from Wal Mart. It contains some wadcutters, some pointed, and some hollow point pellets. Today I was giving my Beeman spring piston pellet rifle one last chance. I put on a BSA red dot scope and proceeded to zero it. The BSA isn't approved for spring piston air guns, but this one is rated about 500-550 fps, so I may be all right. Anyway, I was able to get some okay groups with this set up. I tried, among others, the 3 Daisy pellets from the sampler. Only the wadcutters gave me good groupings. I was thinking of selling the Beeman, but, after today's result with the BSA scope, I may keep it. It is still no tack driver, but it may have a future with me.
    I watched your 880 video again. Nice shooting.
    By the way, I put a cheap Tasco 3x7x20mm scope on my Daisy Model 35, and it's working out pretty well.

[VAFarmer]

Is the bbl smooth or rifled?

Power is not an issue, but accuracy is.

Some things you can typically do on a Daisy are

-Shim the bbl inside the 'false" bbl, making sure that it doesnt rattle around.

-Re crown the bbl

-Smooth out any plastic roughness in the trigger group, and any metal parts that make contact, polish them.   Might be able to go with a lighter trigger return spring.

-make sure screws are snug
Provided the seals are good, you have a naturally consistant power plant.   So accuracy disappointments in this type of cheapie is usually due to loose tolerances/flex/slop.   If you can identify these areas and fit them better accuracy will most certainly improve.   Also, they have atrocious triggers.   Most any trigger group under 400 bucks can be improved.

try a variety of pellets.  Wadcutters will do well to about 25 yds.  Air arms falcons might do alright.

BTW, inch to 1.5 groups at 25 yds from this gun are nothing to complain about.  You have reached its limit as far as hunting power with normal weight pellets.
I have seen many a 15 ftlb spring gun that cannot hold 1 inch groups at 25 yds....


God bless,

Farmer

[Nail Gun]

You can polish the sear where the trigger contacts it. The sear is soft pot metal so grinding at it is a scary proposition to me. It's dificult to get a stone in the contact point of the trigger though. By switching to a lighter trigger spring you risk making the gun inoperable as the spring is also what opens the valve. I'm sure experimentation is possible though. Another mod is to remove the piece of sheet metal that slides under the breech block when the bolt is closed. I'm not sure how much of a difference that will make though. It seems to me that is one more component that can cause friction though.  I also noticed the early 880's did not have that piece of sheet metal.

[CFH]

    Interesting. I just bought 2 Daisy pellet samplers from Wal Mart. It contains some wadcutters, some pointed, and some hollow point pellets. Today I was giving my Beeman spring piston pellet rifle one last chance. I put on a BSA red dot scope and proceeded to zero it. The BSA isn't approved for spring piston air guns, but this one is rated about 500-550 fps, so I may be all right. Anyway, I was able to get some okay groups with this set up. I tried, among others, the 3 Daisy pellets from the sampler. Only the wadcutters gave me good groupings. I was thinking of selling the Beeman, but, after today's result with the BSA scope, I may keep it. It is still no tack driver, but it may have a future with me.
    I watched your 880 video again. Nice shooting.
    By the way, I put a cheap Tasco 3x7x20mm scope on my Daisy Model 35, and it's working out pretty well.

Thanks again birdmove,

Those 35's are fun for sure, cheap entertainment.  The loading port is iffy, but the pump action is light and easy.

Best,
Tim

[nervoustrigger]

Farmer and Dave,

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.  I think I'll give the cut and recrown a go soon, and see about supporting the barrel better.  The front sight insert that's installed in the false barrel has a tapered lead-in so it seems to hold the barrel snug but I'll take a closer look.  Regardless, I'll have to come up with something different once the barrel has been shortened.  I think I'll try to come up with a spacer collar and install a set screw to secure the barrel.

[BmaS]

You may find that there are more than one pellet that works well, depending on how many times you pump it.
I got more consistent groups at 15 yards shooting Crosman pointed with 6 pumps than I did with 10 pumps.  I have owned 3 or 4 of these guns. I wish I had never gotten rid of the first one I had 30 years ago, it had a metal receiver and I could hit targets with BBs that the new guns can't hit with pellets.

[Nail Gun]

Farmer and Dave,

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.  I think I'll give the cut and recrown a go soon, and see about supporting the barrel better.  The front sight insert that's installed in the false barrel has a tapered lead-in so it seems to hold the barrel snug but I'll take a closer look.  Regardless, I'll have to come up with something different once the barrel has been shortened.  I think I'll try to come up with a spacer collar and install a set screw to secure the barrel.

Electrical tape is your best friend for supporting the barrel.  If you take the crown too far back you can add a single wrap to lock the end into the front sight/support piece.  Also, on my 922 (.22cal version) with the shroud removed the entire breech block will dip forward with a hard trigger pull.  That dip causes the barrel to drop.  In my mind it makes sense that can cause the straw barrel to flex between the breech block and the front sight/support.  With enough flex it makes sense it wil cause pellets to string high.  As a result I used two support points of tape to ensure the barrel is locked in place with no flex. 

[GungaDin]

I had 30 years ago, it had a metal receiver and I could hit targets with BBs that the new guns can't hit with pellets.

Funny I was just thinking the same thing. My old 880 was smooth bore, metal receiver, and it shot pretty consistently no matter what brand of pellet I stuffed into it. It was actually more accurate than the rifled springer I replaced it with, probably because there was no one back then to tell me about the artillery hold.