Pellet Accuracy And Ballistics Tests

[eat4peace 21]

Hi guys,
Ever since getting my .177 Daystate Mk3 FT several months ago, I have been trying various pellets to find the best for the rifle. I have up to now used Daystate LIs to good effect, but the group sizes weren't perfect and obviously, for hunting I want optimum accuracy. So today I did a bit of accuracy and ballistics testing with a few brands which were said to be good for the gun online (Both on here and some other forums).

The selection included:
H&N Field Target Trophy (8.64 grain)
H&N Hunter (10.43 grain)
H&N Hunter Extreme (9.26 grain)
Bisley Magnums (10.6 grain)

 

I started by doing a ballistic test by shooting into a transparent bar of soap to see the deformation and damage the shot causes.
As expected, the Bisley Magnum and H&N Field Target Trophy passed straight through with a narrow channel of damage.

 

However the Hunter (left) and Hunter Extreme (Right) pellets caused some very interesting cavities. (Note the deformation of the soap with the Hunter Extremes)

 

 

Here is the before and after of both types of pellet, of which the Hunter Extremes were very impressive in their expansion.

 

 

 

With the promising ballistic results in mind, I moved onto some basic accuracy tests. (I prioritise accuracy over power)

Here is my initial test for which I shot 5 pellets for each target.

 

It was clear from the grouping that the H&N Hunters and Bisley Magnums where the most accurate, both with one hole groups (and both with one flyer due to my poor shooting )

So then it was time to establish a winner with one final test of accuracy.

Here is the result of a shoot off between the two (Both groups were aimed at a pellet hole originally in the card)

 

So after this I think it is safe to say that the Bisley Magnums are the most accurate for the Daystate MK3 (at least out of the pellets I have tried) with the Hunters performing surprisingly well also, both in terms of ballistics and accuracy.
I think I will be using both brands in the future, depending on the quarry I have targeted and I will also be using the Hunter Extremes for rats and feral pigeons.

I hope you found this remotely interesting or informative.
Thanks for reading,
Ed

 

[eat4peace 21]

Just thought I'd add this before and after to show how tough the Bisley Magnums are, almost reusable after going through a bar of soap and a book!

[barrywhite 282]

not wanting to sound to doom and gloom down range the expanding pellets like flat pellets loose a lot of power because of drag unlike dome pellets,

[villaman 9,980]

Hi

I find H&N hunter extreme 9.26 are very good in the R10

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

alwaays like reading interesting stuff like this, nice post mate

I agree accuracy should be more important than power

[eat4peace 21]

not wanting to sound to doom and gloom down range the expanding pellets like flat pellets loose a lot of power because of drag unlike dome pellets,

I did have queries about this, and will probably do a ballistics test at further ranges to see whether the hollow points still expand and deform, but for now both the hunters and hunter extremes are going to be used at 10 - 25 yards on Ferals and Rats so no worries there

[eat4peace 21]

alwaays like reading interesting stuff like this, nice post mate

I agree accuracy should be more important than power

Thank you mate, and I definitely agree. If you have the accuracy to put each shot in the kill-zone, there is no need for excessive power.

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

 

alwaays like reading interesting stuff like this, nice post mate

I agree accuracy should be more important than power

Thank you mate, and I definitely agree. If you have the accuracy to put each shot in the kill-zone, there is no need for excessive power.

wheras if you aim for the head, have no accuracy, but the power. miss and blow a back leg off the animals going to suffer!

[ghillies 209]

i'd say try the daystate heaveys, verses the jsb heavies. and just to chuck in fu good luck AAfeilds beleive it or not,or some bisley long range golds against good old accupells lol.

 

if the dirty accypells like your barrel try them at 40 yards on a some dandylion heads then shoot them with the bisly magnums...just to see what the inpact noise diference is like..

 

(but...try out to 50meters.. )

 

for accuracy..jsb heavies are exselent in my rapid.. the daystate heavies are good but not as far..

 

AA feilds through an X2 were hot as they come on the edge of a coin at 50m..yes 50meters lol, benched with a big arsed 10-50 scope..

 

the long range golds are a weird one, very good ratting and feather but hell of a barrel fussy

the accypells...they'll eather be accurate or not, but when they are sheeeesh they hit hard.

 

i found the magnums to be very constant at 50m but the group opened a bit, usuable like...

 

all in .177 of course lol.

Edited April 16, 2013 by ghillies

[eat4peace 21]

i'd say try the daystate heaveys, verses the jsb heavies. and just to chuck in fu good luck AAfeilds beleive it or not,or some bisley long range golds against good old accupells lol.

 

if the dirty accypells like your barrel try them at 40 yards on a some dandylion heads then shoot them with the bisly magnums...just to see what the inpact noise diference is like..

 

(but...try out to 50meters.. )

 

for accuracy..jsb heavies are exselent in my rapid.. the daystate heavies are good but not as far..

 

AA feilds through an X2 were hot as they come on the edge of a coin at 50m..yes 50meters lol, benched with a big arsed 10-50 scope..

 

the long range golds are a weird one, very good ratting and feather but hell of a barrel fussy

the accypells...they'll eather be accurate or not, but when they are sheeeesh they hit hard.

 

i found the magnums to be very constant at 50m but the group opened a bit, usuable like...

 

all in .177 of course lol.

Thanks for info mate, I've ordered a few sample packs, trying the AA fields again, but this time in 4.52

I'll look into the Daystate and JSB heavies

[ghillies 209]

ahh yes the 4.52's, i'd forgot about that bit.