Anyone prefer .22 over .177 in US Field Target?

[Gunut]

I’m a former 10m air rifle and high power service rifle competitor.  My current situation has limited my (firearms) range time so I have switched major gears and focusing on FT.  I’m going to purchase a 20fp air rifle for field target soon.  I have read all the conventional wisdom I can glean from the internet on why you should use a .177.  I have also read and talked to some that defy this wisdom and go with .22.  It seems that with 12fp rifles .177 is an easy decision but with 20fp riffles is it so clear? 

[TimmyMac1]

Results of the Western States shows the .22's are doing pretty well considering how few are out there.
If someone shows 13.43 as grain weight they are not using Monster .177 but RS .22 at 815 to get 20 fpe. That combo won the 2011 worlds BR and I was 3rd with the same barrel and pellet.
When Benchmark made the 2 groove .22 it changed the dynamics and .22 is now a possibility in FT. They shoot .25" at 50 yards and get blown less than the .177.
At the Western Regional the .22's took 3rd and 4th in Open and 2nd in Hunter. I did not do well in the match but overall I have never shot as good as I have since using the .22. It gets blown less for sure. It drops more for sure. It hits hard absolutely.

Time will tell but History is starting to show the possibilities. I think it will dominate the Pacific Rim Class in New Zealand next year and that will change things. At 26.5 FPE with 15.9's there will be few things to beat it that put out 20 fpe.
We will have wimp class 12 fpe guns as well as NZ class 20-27FPE class guns.

[Gunut]

Hi Tim, it's me John, I spoke to you yesterday on the phone.  Just trying to wrap my brain around possibly choosing .22 over .177
I'm a very analytical person and get paid to over think things. The caliber question has left me a little perplexed.  Thanks for all the good information.  I look forward to doing business with you in the near future.

-John

[DFWdude]

A compromise might be .20 cal.  One can shoot the same weight as a .22 class airgun, but with more margin for error.

The resident sadist that sets up the range in Somerville (you know who you are) just LOVES 3/8" kill zones.  If one can drill the center of a 3/8" KZ all the time, then caliber doesn't matter.  But there's little dispute (mathematically) that a smaller diameter pellet clears a 3/8" kill zone hole with more margin for error...

.177 = 47% of a .375" Kill Zone (less than half)
.20 = 53%
.22 = 59% (3/5 the diameter of a .375" KZ.  More potential for pellet shaving misses)

Granted, the difference in calibers is pretty much a moot issue with a one inch, or 1-1/2" KZ at the longer distances where the wind-bucking advantages of a heavier pellet come into play.  But those close up shots comprise 1/3 of a match where I shoot (three targets per lane). 

I have a FT prepped, .20 cal shooting 20fpe.  It's a make/model identical to my .177 rifle in all respects except the barrel.  I just can't talk myself into shooting it in a match, yet, because I know I will second-guess any near target misses due to the caliber.

[DRAGON64]

From my limited knowledge; the 3/8" kill zone is a real challenge for me, as is lobbing in heavier weight pellets at slower fps out to 50+ yards (keeping to the sub 20fpe limit).  Also, the .22 rifles, depending on air resevoir capacity, may require more fills to finish a match, which to me is either a god-sned of a break, or a distraction from match concentration.

I would think that shooting a 10.34 grain in .177, at sub 20 fpe can make for one heck of a laser pointer if tuned right... 8.4 even.

Again, limited knowledge is the reason I chose 12 fpe in .177 as my discipline... the challenge has been quite rewarding thus far.

[PakProtector]

I run a 20 cal, reg'd Marauder for FT in the 20 fpe Hunter class. 13.7 JSB pellets. The rifle will out-shoot me by a long shot. I use it for BR too and it has done very well. For BR I turn up the power a bit as it shoots a wee bit better near 900 fps.
cheers,
Douglas

[Frank in Fairfield]

At the Diablo Range they have a Blue Bird with a .25" kill zone. A lot of fun .

[DFWdude]

At the Diablo Range they have a Blue Bird with a .25" kill zone. A lot of fun .

Unofficial fun, for sure.  Per AAFTA rules, however, KZ size minimums are 3/8" for Rifle, 1/2" for Pistol.

There are several 3/8" KZs at the Yegua Club in TX (site of next month's National Championships).  But I know that there are several venues that have never seen a KZ less than 1/2".

[TimmyMac1]

I run a 20 cal, reg'd Marauder for FT in the 20 fpe Hunter class. 13.7 JSB pellets. The rifle will out-shoot me by a long shot. I use it for BR too and it has done very well. For BR I turn up the power a bit as it shoots a wee bit better near 900 fps.
cheers,
Douglas

We shoot HV BR at 20 fpe. LV BR@ 12 FPE AND oPEN CLASS@30 FPE

900 with the 13.7 could work pretty good for Open. You'll be dicing it with the .22 15.9's going mid to high 800's.

TimmyMac1

[DFWdude]

I run a 20 cal, reg'd Marauder for FT in the 20 fpe Hunter class. 13.7 JSB pellets. The rifle will out-shoot me by a long shot. I use it for BR too and it has done very well. For BR I turn up the power a bit as it shoots a wee bit better near 900 fps.
cheers,
Douglas

We shoot HV BR at 20 fpe. LV BR@ 12 FPE AND oPEN CLASS@30 FPE

900 with the 13.7 could work pretty good for Open. You'll be dicing it with the .22 15.9's going mid to high 800's.

TimmyMac1

I no longer have my .20 LW Marauder.  But when I did, just under 30fpe was achievable with the JSB 13.7s at 985fps (It's "best" was 31.25fpe at 1015fps).  Unfortunately, I found the JSBs were happiest (gave best groups) at no more than 930-950fps.  Above that and they started to spray about... not horribly so, but enough to shake one's confidence in consistent accuracy at the longer ranges.

I've read countless posts stating that the JSBs work best between 800-920fps, and can certainly concur.

I have a CZ200s in LW .20 tuned for 20fpe (about 805fps with the 13.7s), and it shoots very accurately, with a somewhat loopier trajectory (at this speed) than my identical CZ200s in .177 shooting 900fps (18.6fpe).